I'd recommend you steer away from apricot if you have limited space. I took a course on fruit growing here in Edmonton and the instructor said the trees are fully hardy but the fruit buds are killed at -30C (can take as low as -34 for brief duration), and that you are lucky to get fruit once every 5 years here. Apple trees are so common (and you say there is one near you) that I think you could put in one apple and not worry about cross-pollination because the neighbour's trees will suffice. If you are worried about it, you could buy one of those apple trees that have two or more varieties grafted onto one tree (or do it yourself). I have a Pembina plum that wasn't producing much fruit so I grafted on two branches of "Perfection" plum (which has the same bloom period) and ever since then I get around 200 plums each year. I did the same with a "Ure" pear... grafted on two branches of some very sour pear but that allowed the Ure pear to get pollinated. (I don't recommend pear though, as most of mine just fall in the yard and attract a million wasps). Thgat's kind of rambling, but I hope it helps.

Hi Don

Thanks for the info. I think I might have to go for plum. Whether or not I can get a grafted tree is kind of hit or miss down here as the nurseries don't really have very good websites for searching.

Sounds like you are in Edmonton - do you have a good source for fruit trees up there? My Evans Cherry made the trip in the back of my truck 2 years ago (bought from Wellington Gardens), so I am OK with making a road trip.

Thanks!

Any of the big nurseries here will have a selection of fruit trees in season -- apples, pear, plum, cherry. I ususally go to Salisbury in Sherwood Park, or Greenland, just east of Edmonton on the Yellowhead highway (16). Holes Greenhouses and Gardens in St. Albert probably has the most extensive selection, but it's kind of far for me. I did pick up a couple of haksaps from there last year though.

I used to go to Bon Accord to Sprout Farms, which specialized in fruit trees and bushes for Alberta. Unfortunately they shut down the nursery part of their business some years ago (I think they now run as a u-pick apple orchard). Closer to you, DNA gardens near Pine Lake also specialized in Alberta-hardy fruit. They used to run a storefront like a regular nursery, but I think that closed last summer. They might still do retail business by appointment... you could check their website to see, or contact them (there is a contact email on their website). I think their main business is u-pick orchard stuff now, but it's probably worth contacting them.

DNA Gardens is no more, retired
Prairie Tech bought their supplies etc.
they should be able to ship to Calgary
(i believe they are in Bonneyville)

take care

Here is a link that might be useful: prairietech

my apologies
after searching prairie tech's site, they do not have apples
but, i did check some of my seed catalogs
T&T seeds out of Winnipeg, offers 2 dwarf apples, Norland and Goodland, as well as 3 regular varieties, hardy and they will ship

i've ordered a number of trees from them and been happy

Here is a link that might be useful: T&t

no edit function on this forum

meant to say, i haven't ordered apples specifically from T&T
but other fruits,lilacs etc.

i do have some other catalogs, that list other apples, like columnar, but from ontario area

The latest issue of the Gardener for the Prairies magazine (Spring 2010) has an article on growing plums on the prairies. It goes into a lot of detail on pollination requirments, cultivars and propogation. The article is written by a technician at the U of Sask. who has obviously spent a lot of time working in the fruit orchard there.

Hi

Finally checking in again - thanks for the information. I'll have to get the magazine from the library.

Thanks for the links, intotheark. I really didn't want to go with mail order as I wanted a caliper tree at least, but after some visits to greenhouses here in Calgary, it looks like I have Hobson's choice.

I've decided on a combination apple (because the ones that have been ordered for Sunnyside and Golden Acre have Honeycrisp) and a Pembina Plum. I'm getting a western sandcherry (Prunus besseyi) for the plum and a Nanking for me : )

I'm also getting a Juliet cherry (which are reportedly self fertile) and some haskaps as I have read some good things about them. That, and some raspberries should fill up the yard and keep me busy canning this summer and fall.

Cheers!

there is a place south of cowtown, that completely slipped my mind
it is called 'The Saskatoon Farm', outside of Okotoks,
they carry cherries, plums, honeyberries, grapes, raspberries (unfortunately no apples this year)

Here is a link that might be useful: Saskatoon Farm