Hardy Fruit Trees for Zone 3

Credit: Flickr / Adam E. Cole

Q: Are there any hardy fruit trees you can grow in zone 3 that do not need to be sprayed for pests?

There are many varieties of apples that will grow well in zone 3, as well as hardy plums and sour cherries. One of the advantages of growing anything in the colder regions of B.C. is that there are fewer pests and diseases to deal with. That said, every plant attracts a bug of some kind or another, and the best way to cope with that reality is to create a healthy and diverse ecosystem wherein plants and bugs can achieve a natural balance, where sprays which can destroy the beneficial insects as well as the few destructive ones are not used at all.

The worst pests are going to be the big ones—deer, moose and bears, any of which can rip a young fruit tree apart overnight (and don’t say you don’t have any of these—if you plant fruit trees you will have). The combination of good fencing and a good dog is the best solution. In my new book, From the Ground Up: A Horticultural Guide for Northern Gardeners, there is a whole chapter on hardy fruit trees with details on varieties, so that may be helpful to you.