Canning & Freezing

Fruit that holds its texture, color and flavor in a jar or in the freezer. Everything here scored 6 or higher out of 10. Processing times and methods differ by fruit, so follow the National Center for Home Food Preservation's directions for whatever you're putting up.

More about fruit for canning and freezing

Bartlett pear is the only thing here that scored a full 10 for canning and freezing. It's rated to zone 3b and partially self-fertile. Montmorency tart cherry and Sparkle strawberry came next at 9. Balaton tart cherry, Italian plum, Seckel pear, Contender and Veteran peaches, and Royalty purple raspberry all scored 8.

You can fill the shelves a little at a time if you plant for a long harvest. Rhubarb gets cut May into June, Sparkle ripens late June, and Montmorency comes in late July in Missoula. Debbie's Gold apricot follows in early August, Glohaven peach in late August and Bartlett in September, with Italian plum finishing up in late September. The ripening maps help you plan it out.

In cold country, Debbie's Gold apricot and honeyberry both scored 8. Honeyberry is rated to zone 2 and Debbie's Gold to zone 2b. Debbie's Gold is self-fertile. Honeyberry comes as 3 Aurora plus 1 Tundra to pollenize them, and deer rarely touch it. The peaches, nectarines and tart cherries here are all self-fertile, so a single tree will crop. The apples and a lot of the pears need a partner, so check the pollination maps.

Questions we get

Which pear is good for canning?

Bartlett scored 10 out of 10 for canning and freezing, the top score in this group. It's rated to zone 3b and ripens in September in Missoula. Seckel and Beurré Giffard scored 8.

What fruit freezes well?

Sparkle strawberry scored 9 and freezes well. Royalty purple raspberry scored 8, and so did Nova raspberry, honeyberry and our cold climate blueberry bundle.

Can you grow canning peaches in Montana?

Yes. Contender, Veteran and Glohaven all scored 8 for canning and freezing. Contender and Veteran are rated to zone 4 and Glohaven to zone 4b, and all three are self-fertile.

Loading the plant finder…