Preppers: One Type of Fruit Tree?
Kevin Felts 05.24.17
If you were going to pick one type of fruit tree to plant at the bug out location, urban backyard, or guerilla gardening, what is the one type of fruit tree you would plant?
For example, would you plant:
- Pear
- Pecan
- Mulberry
- Peach
- Apple
- Fig
- Orange
or something else?
A lot of the answers are going to depend on location. Citrus does not do well in northern climates. Fruit trees that require a long amount of frost time are not going to do well in southern climates. Because of how well fruit trees preform in different climates, there are going to be a lot of different answers.
Personally, if I had to plant one type of fruit tree, it would have to be the fig. The pear tree would be a very close second place.
The only reason reason why I would pick the fig over the pear, is because some types of figs bear fruit twice a year. However, pears produce more fruit. Some types of pears are better for canning, some are better for eating straight off the tree.
Another reason why I would go with the fig, is because they have been cultivated by humanity for thousands of years. Studies estimate fig cultivation dates back to 9,000 B.C., so 11,000 years ago.
The edible fig is one of the first plants that was cultivated by humans. Nine subfossil figs of a parthenocarpic (and therefore sterile) type dating to about 9400–9200 BC were found in the early Neolithic village Gilgal I (in the Jordan Valley, 13 km north of Jericho).
Since the fig was probably the first fruit tree cultivated by man, I have to put it at the top of the list. If the fig was not successful, it would not have stayed with humanity for thousands of years.
They can be eaten raw, canned and made into a jam or dried.
So, if you are planning a backyard orchard, going to plant on public property (guerilla gardening), have some fruit trees at the rural cabin, what would you plant?
