Growing Fruit in the Upper Midwest

Despite the harsh climate that prevails in the Upper Midwest, even amateur gardeners can successfully grow fruit when armed with some basic information. Focusing on Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, South Dakota, and North Dakota, Growing Fruit in the Upper Midwest is a practical how-to-guide to the cultivation of a wide variety of fruit including apples, pears, plums, apricots, strawberries, blueberries, cherries, grapes, currants, gooseberries, and brambles. To assist readers ranging from home gardeners to small commercial growers, Don Gordon covers site selection, soil types, pruning, fertilization, harvesting, pests, and preventing winter injury as well as describing literally hundreds of excellent species for this region. Many technical aspects of pruning and planting are accompanied with illustrations. Growing Fruit in the Upper Midwest includes maps that indicate the fruit hardiness zones for each state, augmented by an easy-to-use guide to cultivar selection. This practical guide is essential reading for home gardeners, small commercial growers, and anyone who has considered this rewarding and fascinating hobby. Don Gordon is professor of botany at Mankato State University in Minnesota. He has written a weekly column on horticulture and nature for the Mankato Free Press since 1976.