School Fruit Garden Planning: Varieties for Spring and Fall Harvest

For an elementary school fruit garden with harvests before summer break or after August:

Late Spring (May): Serviceberry (Amelanchier × grandiflora 'Autumn Brilliance') may produce some sweet berries before school ends. Southern highbush blueberries are another possibility.

Fall (August–October): Disease-resistant apples like 'Freedom', 'Liberty', and 'Arkansas Black' ripen late. Fig bushes bear in August (need 15'×15' space). 'Fuyu' Asian persimmon produces large, non-astringent fruit in fall.

All these options have minimal pest issues beyond bird protection. Focus on varieties with proven disease resistance to minimize spray requirements in a school setting.