Best fruit trees/vegetables to plant in NOVA? (Merrifield: for sale, Home Depot)

[TravelKel]

We have a half acre in PWC, and I'd love to learn more about gardening in my area. Maybe plant an apple tree. Does anyone know if it's possible to buy an aged apple tree? Any experience with gardening in the area? Thanks!!

[theminnow]

Not sure what you mean by 'aged apple tree', but you should be able to buy apple trees at any nursery. Probably also at Home Depot or Lowes in their nursery section.
As far as gardening, I have grown many vegetables (tomatoes, peppers, green beans, corn, cucumbers). I have also grown strawberries, and blackberries. All of these plants can be purchased at any local nursery. If they are selling them then you can grow them where you live. It may be a little late in the season for some of these, just ask someone at the nursery

[Pub-911]

Soils here may need amendment in some areas, particularly if a developer has stripped off and sold all the original top-soil. A cheap-o pH test kit from Lowe's or Home Depot can tell you quite a bit, but the go-to source is the soil testing lab at VA Tech. Thorough, quick, and easy to use, as described on their homepage....

https://www.soiltest.vt.edu/

With a little effort, the culture of almost anything suited to Zone 6b or 7a should be successful here. Even bumper crops of fruit and berries may be 100% gobbled up in no time by local birds however.

[ACWhite]

Originally Posted by Pub-911

Soils here may need amendment in some areas, particularly if a developer has stripped off and sold all the original top-soil. A cheap-o pH test kit from Lowe's or Home Depot can tell you quite a bit, but the go-to source is the soil testing lab at VA Tech. Thorough, quick, and easy to use, as described on their homepage....

https://www.soiltest.vt.edu/

With a little effort, the culture of almost anything suited to Zone 6b or 7a should be successful here. Even bumper crops of fruit and berries may be 100% gobbled up in no time by local birds however.

I agree with all of this, and also would advise that our soil is heavy clay. So not only might you be interested in changing the pH, your plants will do better if you amend the soil with lighteners--organic humus, peat moss, etc. LOTS of this is required to make a difference. The gardeners at Merrifield Garden Center can be helpful if you ask.

[Ffxdata]

DeBaggio's Herb Farm has amazing shrub and fruit tree options that are vetted for the area. They are only open a few months a year though. I've had the best luck with berry buahes from them as well as elderberry trees and more.

The apple and pear trees for sale at Home Depor and the like are often not meant to grow here. My neighbor has put a lot of work into her apple trees from Lowe's and doesn't get more than a piece of fruit each year.