What grows well in Idaho are fruits like apples, apricots, cherries, peaches and nectarines, pears, plums, and prunes. Living in the northwestern state gives you access to vast landscapes and wilderness that is perfect for gardening. In particular, these fruit crops will adapt well in Idaho, but it’s also possible to meet their conditions and requirements using a greenhouse.
Greenhouse gardening will protect your crops from the inconsistencies of temperatures and weather outside. It’s also easy for the caretaker to monitor each plant and address any upcoming plant growth issues. Refer to Krostrade.com to know more about this advantageous structure.
What Grows Well In Idaho
Fruits that grow well in Idaho
According to the University of Idaho, apples, apricots, cherries, peaches, nectarines, pears, plums, and prunes grow well. Each fruit may thrive better in a specific area in Idaho, but you can always meet their requirements by planting them inside a greenhouse. Furthermore, using the fruit variety suitable for the weather in Idaho will help you achieve an abundant yield.
Apples
If you need a fruit-bearing tree that you can be sure of its hardiness, it is the apple tree. It grows well in Idaho because it adapts well to cold weather, but there are also varieties that you can use in warmer climates. For example, northern, central, and southeastern Idaho have cold and short growing seasons.
Therefore, apple varieties that are suitable for these areas are early-ripening apples. On the contrary, you can use many more varieties if you’re growing apples in southwestern Idaho. Like most fruits, you must avoid frost and ensure that the trees will get full sun.
Apricots
Both apricots and peaches grow well in Idaho, but peaches are more robust in cold weather. However, Idaho requires farmers to purchase in the state’s nursery to prevent the spread of diseases. It’s also best to cultivate apricots in southwestern Idaho to avoid frost injuries at -20 to -25°F.
Cherries
Both sweet and tart cherries are suitable for Idaho. However, be aware that the former is not ideal if your temperature reaches -20°F. You would also want to use the Stella cultivar of sweet cherries because it’s best in warm areas.
If you want to plant cherries but your region is cold, tart cherries are hardy at -40°F. Therefore, they are more versatile to grow in most places in Idaho. They also have the advantage of not needing another variety to pollinate.
Peaches and nectarines
Similar to apricots, both peaches and nectarines will do well in southwestern Idaho. This is because northern, central, and eastern locations put them at risk for winter damage. At the same time, you cannot import any part of these plants into Idaho, as recommended by the Idaho Department of Agriculture.
Pears
While apples generally grow well in Idaho, pears are less hardy against freezing temperatures. At the same time, fire blight disease can be a problem in this state. Fire blight disease is an infectious and problematic disease that affects pears and fruits alike, so one must check their area for this disease beforehand.
Plums and prunes
European and Japanese cultivars of plums and prunes are available in Idaho. However, do note that if your area reaches -15 to -20°F, most European varieties will get injured. The same goes for Japanese plums at -10 to -15°F.
When Should I Plant My Garden In Idaho?
The time for planting in Idaho will vary depending on your region’s weather and the other conditions required by your crops. For example, the planting calendar of north Idaho will be different from that of southern Idaho. Let us discuss Coeur d’Alene and Boise as examples.
Locations in north Idaho as Coeur d’Alene can start planting crops like tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants at the end of February. You can also plant broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage at the end of March, with onions and potatoes in the first week. However, most crops do well if you start them indoors in late February before transplanting them in the middle of April.
Locations in south Idaho as Boise can start around April 10 for crops like broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage. However, you can also begin in the second week of March indoors before transplanting them in May’s first week. It’s worth noting that you must know when to harvest each crop because you want to do it before winter frosts in October as well.
Since Idaho has short-season, high-altitude regions, you must be careful with the freezing temperatures. Protect your crops using a greenhouse in combination with heaters and irrigations. This way, you can prevent injuries on the plants once you start planting.
What Planting Zone Is Idaho?
The planting zones in Idaho are USDA hardiness zones 3 to 7. In general, Idaho experiences warm summers and rough winters. The former is shorter, and the areas in the lower elevation of the state will have a milder climate.
When reading planting zones, the larger number means the climate is milder. Therefore, climate zone 1A is harsher and colder than 2B. Central Idaho is majorly in the climate zone 1A, so expect that the areas in this region are difficult for gardening.
It’s essential to know the planting zones in Idaho to create a planting schedule to harvest each crop. However, you must remember that the planting zones are only useful if you’re planting year-round crops. Otherwise, the growing season will be during the summer for seasonal plants.
Is Idaho Good For Farming?
Idaho is good for farming as long as you do your research about the conditions of crops and thrive in your region. In fact, Idaho is the top 10 in the production of 26 crops and livestock among the nation. In numbers, the state earns an average of $27 billion annually from this.
How is Idaho suitable for farming? With the proper information, one can take advantage of the climate in this state. Idaho also uses extensive irrigation systems, cutting edge technology, and transportation networks, alongside a skilled workforce. Therefore, if you’re looking for a go signal in venturing farming in Idaho, these factors and statistics are your green light.
Conclusion
Idaho ranks the top 10 in the nation’s production of 26 crops and livestock. If you’re interested, what grows well in Idaho are fruits like apples, apricots, cherries, peaches and nectarines, pears, plums, and prunes. However, it’s worth noting that each crop has cultivars and varieties that will specifically be more suitable in a specific region.
This is where knowledge of the planting zones, temperatures, and weather conditions come to be necessary. You will only have a successful harvest if your plants avoid damage from frost and other extreme conditions. Using a greenhouse will allow you to keep the crops in a suitable environment, while also taking advantage of Idaho’s extensive irrigation systems, cutting edge technology, transportation networks, and skilled workforce.