In this portion of a program first broadcast live on the radio show in 2018, we chat about growing fruit in cold climates with Dr. Ieuan Evans, a forensic plant pathologist and a former Provincial Plant Pathologist for Alberta Agriculture.
Along with his work in plant pathology, Evans is passionate about growing fruit in cold climates.
He talks about some of his favourite pear and apple varieties for cold climates—varieties that he says taste much better than store-bought apples or the apples from trees sold in local nurseries.
The Evans Cherry
When Evans first moved to Edmonton, Alberta, he was told that nothing would grow there.
Yet he found an incredibly fruitful cherry growing on a derelict property near town.
He propagated and shared that cherry widely. It’s known now as the Evan’s Cherry.
Challenging Conventional Wisdom
Evans says that to successfully grow fruit in a cold climate, it’s necessary to change the rules a bit.
He suggests:
grow in a bush instead of a tree form
graft at ground level instead of above ground
don’t plant on south-facing slope; instead, plant on north-west facing slopes
pay attention to rootstock (for example, he grafts pears onto cotoneaster)
Grafting Made Simple
Evans shares his tips to make grafting simple.
He says that grafting wax is unnecessary…and a sharp utility knife will work just fine.