The Backyard Homestead

by Carleen Madigan

  One nice feature of this kind of landscaping is that eating the fruit doesn’t ruin the scenery, something that’s not the case when you landscape with annual vegetables like lettuce. A persimmon’s fruits cling to its branches for weeks and bear in such profusion that the trees’ festive look lingers well into autumn despite a gardener’s picking and eating plenty of their bounty. Perhaps the biggest bonus is that you get to eat homegrown fruits, nature’s original desserts.

  For more information on luscious landscaping, read Landscaping with Fruit by Lee Reich, from which much of this section was excerpted.

  Edible dooryard

  Edible hedge

  An Overview of Luscious Landscape Plants

  Subtropical Fruits

  Once you’ve caught the fruit “bug,” you might want to try growing subtropical fruits, a possibility even for cold climates if you plant them in pots. In addition to getting to eat these luscious, exotic fruits, you achieve a special landscape effect, one that can evoke, depending on the plants, the lusher, warmer climate of, say, mountainous Asia or the sunny, warmer climate of the Mediterranean.

  Winter care is where these subtropical fruits part ways with temperate-zone fruits. Subtropical fruits cannot be left outdoors where winters are cold. Just how much cold can be tolerated depends on the particular fruit and is spelled out below for each. The favored winter home for these plants is a sunny window in a cool room, a barely heated basement, a Florida room, or — the Ritz of winter quarters for subtropicals — a cool greenhouse. Subtropical fruits that are evergreen require some light in winter. The cooler the temperature, the less light they can get by with. Of course, don’t make the temperature so cool as to harm a plant.

  Orange

  Citrus (Citrus spp., various species that include oranges, lemons, and limes): Hardiness variable, generally to about Zone 9. Mandarins are among the most hardy, tolerating some frost, and Key limes are the least hardy. Many varieties exist of each of these other citrus fruits, and the smorgasbord has been further expanded with hybrids within this genus and even within the related genus of kumquats, resulting in such tongue twisters as citrangequats. All are beautiful plants with glossy, dark green, evergreen leaves that set off the fragrant white flowers and then the usually bright yellow or orange fruits. The only citrus to avoid is the one most commonly grown in pots, the calamondin, which is practically inedible yet no prettier or easier to grow than any other citrus.

  Most citrus will bear fruit without cross-pollination and require little pruning beyond some cuts to let in light among the branches and to balance the top with the roots lost when repotting. No need to harvest fruits just as soon as they ripen, which is when they are fully colored, because the ripe fruits keep well hanging on the plant for a while — and look very decorative doing so.

  Lemons

  Feijoa (Acca sellowiana, also commonly known as pine apple guava): Zone 8. This green, torpedo-shaped fruit has a flavor that combines the best of pineapple, strawberry, and mint. The plant has downy, evergreen leaves and flowers whose fleshy, purple-tinged white petals enclose a bottlebrush center of dark pink stamens. The petals, incidentally, are also edible and delicious, minty and very sweet.

  Prune lightly, only as much as is needed to balance root loss when repotting and to keep the plant correctly sized to its pot. A few varieties exist and most require cross-pollination for fruit set. You can tell when the fruit is ripe by the slight color change or, more dramatically, because it will have just dropped from the plant.

  Fig (Ficus carica): Zone 8. If you’ve never tasted a fresh fig, you’re in for a treat, a juicy, sweet treat that tastes very different from the more familiar dried product. The plant is deciduous and lush when in leaf even though it’s native to Mediterranean climates. Figs are very easy to fruit in pots because they tolerate all kinds of pruning, most varieties do not need pollination, and many varieties bloom on new growth. Encourage vigorous growth and protect the old stems through winter and you’ll get two crops from some varieties: the first, earlier crop on the previous year’s stem growth and the second, late-summer crop on new shoots. Prune one-crop varieties more severely to encourage vigorous new growth on which fruits are borne.

  ‘Brown Turkey’ (one crop), ‘Celeste’ (mostly one crop), ‘Green Ischia’ (two crops), and ‘Black Mission’ (two crops) are among the recommended varieties, but there are many, many more from which to choose. Delay harvest until the fruit is very soft and drooping, at which point it usually has a “tear” in its eye.

  Figs

  Kumquat (Fortunella japonica, F. crassifolia): Zone 9. Kumquat is a citrus relative bearing small, orange fruits that are unique in that you eat the whole thing, skin and all. It is the skin that is sweet and the flesh that is tart. ‘Nagami’ is the usual, oblong-shaped market variety; the less common ‘Meiwa’ is round and not so tart. The shiny, dark green, evergreen leaves form a perfect backdrop for the heavenly scented white flowers and then the orange fruits. The plant requires neither cross-pollination nor more than a little pruning to contain it, shape it, and thin out crowded branches. Harvest when the fruit is fully colored.

  Passionfruit (Passiflora spp.): Zone 9. This evergreen vine yields a breathtakingly beautiful flower, fragrant in some species, as well as an egg-shaped, highly aromatic fruit. Most commonly eaten is the purple granadilla, P. edulis, a self-fruitful plant bearing a fruit the size and shape of an egg but purple. Within the tough, inedible skin is a cavity filled with numerous edible seeds, each surrounded by an ambrosial sac of jelly. Other passion fruits, such as yellow passionfruit (P. edulis var. flavicarpa) and red granadilla (P. coccinea), do need cross-pollination. Passionfruits bear flowers in the leaf axils of new growth, so new growth is always needed for continued flowering. Coax new growth and contain the plant by pruning in late winter, cutting back all weak stems and shortening by at least half any vigorous stems. Also provide some sort of support for the vines, which cling by tendrils. Harvest by picking up dropped fruits.

  Pomegranate (Punica granatum): Zone 8. This familiar and ancient fruit grows on an extremely attractive shrub with glossy, bright green leaves that naturally drop in autumn and flamboyant flowers that look like scarlet crepe paper that’s been crumpled into and is bursting out of a scarlet funnel. It is native to western Asia and prefers dry climates and abundant summer heat. Prune lightly, thinning out dense growth, shortening lanky growth, and removing excess suckers from ground level. Many varieties exist — some sweet, some pink, and some almost seedless — in addition to ‘Wonderful’, which usually graces supermarket shelves. Pomegranate is partially self-fertile, so planting two or more varieties increases fruit set. Harvest in late summer when fruit is fully colored and makes a metallic sound when tapped.

  Drying Fruits

  Fruits should be dried when they are fully ripe and at their most flavorful — just before they become overripe. For best flavor, allow fruits to ripen on the tree or vine.

  Some fruits can be dried whole, but fruits sliced as thin as possible or chopped into very small pieces will retain the best color, flavor, and nutritional value during drying. Cut pieces uniformly so they will dry evenly.

  Some fruits tend to darken when cut up. Treating them with an antioxidant will prevent darkening and will also reduce the amount of vitamin C lost during drying. Both this step and sulfuring are considered unnecessary by many who want to dry fruits as naturally as possible.

  For a different taste treat, many people like the confection-like taste of fruit that has been dipped in a solution of 1 cup sugar, 1 cup honey, and 3 cups warm water. Drain well before drying. A less sweet dip to try is pineapple juice.

  Fruits should be covered with a layer of cheesecloth before drying outdoors to protect them from insects and birds. Prop the cheesecloth up to keep it from touching the fruit and place the trays in full sun where there is good air circulation. Take the trays inside at night.

  Drying Fruits

  Dried fruit will keep well for a year or m
ore in a dark place, but light will destroy its color and flavor.

  Fruits to be dried in a dehydrator can be sliced directly onto the dehydrator trays and dried at approximately 120 to 130°F (49 to 54°C) until no moisture is left in the center of the pieces. Stir the pieces and rotate the trays top to bottom and front to back once or twice during drying, if necessary, for even drying. At the end of the recommended drying time, cool a few of the pieces and cut or bite through the center. If they are not dry, continue drying another few hours.

  When it is dry, the fruit should be cooled, then stored in plastic containers or small glass jars. Store containers in a cool, dry, dark place. In a few days, check for condensation on the inside of the containers. If condensation is found, the fruit is not thoroughly dry and must be returned to the dehydrator. Dried fruit will keep well for a year or more in a dark place, but light will destroy its color and flavor.

  Dried fruits can be eaten as snacks or soaked overnight in water and then served as a cooked fruit.

  A dryer that can be used in a home oven

  A dryer that can be used over a heat source

  Country Wines

  Country wines are those made with homegrown ingredients; they may not have the balance and complexity of wines from the great châteaus, but they can be surprisingly good and are delightful to use for drinking and cooking. You can make wine from many easy-to-find fruits and plants, such as peaches, grapes, herbs, and even dandelions.

  Country wines come from diverse traditions. Recipes accompanied immigrants from many different countries. Other recipes were developed by pioneers who made wine by following the most basic principles: Mix fruit juices, sugar, and yeast; allow the mixture to ferment away from air; wait patiently. In a few months, a new wine will be ready for tasting.

  Winemaking Ingredients

  Yeast. Bread yeast should not be used for winemaking; commercial wine yeasts yield superior results and are inexpensive. Wine yeasts come in several specific varieties for different kinds of wines. They give you a firmer sediment than does bread yeast, which makes racking easier and more efficient.

  Yeast nutrient. A natural “vita-min pill” helps the yeast develop efficiently. Especially useful for honey-based wines.

  Pectic enzyme. With honey wines and wines made from certain high-pectin fruits, clarity can be a problem even after diligent racking. Cloudiness probably results from too much pectin — the same substance that turns fruit juice into jelly. Adding pectic enzyme to these wines solves the problem; it digests the pectin that keeps the wine from clearing.

  Acid blend. This commercial formula provides nutrients essential for fermentation as well as the acid component that gives wines their character. Some older recipes use citrus fruit or juice for this purpose.

  Campden tablets. These tablets release sulfur dioxide gas when dissolved. They are used to sanitize the winemaking equipment and to ensure that wild yeasts and bacteria that would interfere with the wine yeast are not present.

  Tannin. A component of the skins and stems of some fruits — especially red fruits, such as grapes, plums, apples, and elder-berries — tannins give wine a certain zip by creating a hint of dryness in the mouth when you drink it. Equally important, tannins improve a wine’s keeping qualities. Old-time winemakers used raisins or a tablespoon of strong tea.

  Winemaking Equipment

  The following tools are the basics of the winemaker’s kit. The plastic fermentation vessel isn’t essential, but it is a favorite modern convenience. It comes with its own fermentation lock, which makes the airtight, secondary fermentation easier. Many other gadgets, from hydrometers (to measure the alcohol content of the wine) to corkers, are widely available in specialty stores and catalogs. They are not necessary but are fun to acquire if you are going to make more than a few trial batches.

  • 2-gallon plastic bucket. Even if you are making only 1 gallon of wine, you need a container large enough to allow room for active fermentation.

  • Plastic cover for bucket.

  • Siphon tube. About 4 to 6 feet of narrow, clear-plastic tubing.

  • 1-gallon glass jugs or plastic fermentation vessels.

  • Fermentation lock.

  • Wine bottles. New or used.

  • Corks. Must be purchased new each time.

  • Mallet. For pounding corks.

  • Strainer.

  Cleanliness in every aspect of the winemaking process is extremely important. Equipment must be sanitized. Bacteria that cause spoilage or turn wine to vinegar always lurk in the background. Sanitizing every piece of equipment greatly improves the taste and keeping quality of wine. You can also use a 10 percent bleach solution to sanitize equipment (which then must be rinsed well in hot water three times) or Campden tablets (see page 129).

  A collapsible plastic fermentation vessel (top) and fermentation locks top the list of useful winemaking equipment.

  Basic Steps in Winemaking

  Winemaking is an adventure to be enjoyed from the first crushing of the fruit to the last sip of your homemade vintage. Use fresh fruit and flavoring; read all the basic steps of the recipe before you begin.

  Primary Fermentation

  During this first step, the basic ingredients — fruit, juice, sweetener, yeast — are combined into must. The must sits and ferments vigorously as the yeast takes on oxygen and reproduces.

  2–4 pounds fruit

  1 cup granulated sugar

  1 gallon boiled water Citric acid or acid blend (if specified in recipe)

  1 Campden tablet, crushed

  1 teaspoon yeast or yeast starter culture

  Yeast Starter Culture (optional)

  1½ cups tepid fruit juice (orange juice or juice from the fruit in the wine recipe)

  1 package (5–7 grams) wine yeast

  1 teaspoon yeast nutrient

  1. Sanitize all equipment. Rinse thoroughly with hot tap water. You will need the following materials:

  • 2- to 3-gallon plastic container (for primary fermenter)

  • plastic cover with fermentation lock

  • strainer (if specified in recipe)

  • siphon tube

  • 1-gallon glass container

  2. Bruise the fruit; placing fruit in a straining bag makes the later removal of the pulp much easier. Place in the plastic container.

  3. Add sugar, water, and acid, according to recipe directions.

  4. Add the Campden tablet; let sit for 24 hours to work and dissipate before adding yeast.

  5. Make yeast starter culture (optional). This helps the yeast develop more rapidly and efficiently (just as with breadmaking). In a small, sanitized container, combine the fruit juice, wine yeast, and yeast nutrient; cover and shake vigorously. Let stand at room temperature for 1 to 3 hours, until it becomes bubbly.6. Add yeast or yeast starter culture to the must. Cover; attach the fermentation lock.

  7. Allow must to ferment according to time in recipe, usually three to five days; it should work actively and may develop a “cap” or layer of solids floating on top.

  8. Punch a hole in the cap if recipe calls for it, taking care not to push the solids back down into the liquid.

  9. Strain, if directed in recipe. Most wines do not need to be strained; the racking process usually separates the wine from its cap and lees (sediment).

  10. Insert the siphon tube to 1 inch above sediment. Rack (siphon) wine into the clean gallon jar.

  11. Discard lees and cap that are left behind in the fermentation vessel.

  Secondary Fermentation

  By the secondary fermentation, the liquid is now called wine; it is racked into a clean vessel and sealed with a fermentation lock. It will now sit again to ferment until clear, while the yeast converts the sugars to alcohol and carbon dioxide. For some wines, the racking and airlocked fermentation process needs to be performed a third time.

  Bigger Batches

  If you increase the ingredients in your wine recipe to make a larger amount of wine — say,
5 gallons instead of 1 — you do not have to use additional starter culture. The yeast in the wine is alive and growing, and it will continue to grow in the must until it has converted the sugar to the maximum concentration of alcohol that a given yeast will tolerate. Once the alcohol content reaches that point, fermentation will stop and whatever sugar remains in the solution gives the wine its sweetness. Dry wines have little sugar remaining in them; sweet ones have more.

  1. Sanitize all equipment. Rinse thoroughly with hot tap water. You will need the following:

  • 1-gallon plastic or glass container (for secondary fermenter)

  • fermentation lock

  • siphon tube

  2. Fill the container almost to the rim. Attach fermentation lock to the spout of the plastic container or rubber stopper; this will allow carbon dioxide to escape without letting any air in.

  3. Let the wine sit to work until clear, anywhere from two weeks to several months. This fermentation will not be nearly as vigorous as the first one.

  4. Rack again into a clean container, if necessary, for further clarification.

  When selecting wine bottles, look for high-quality, dark green bottles. Thick glass and deep indentation denote quality.