I am a professional gardener and also volunteer as the coordinator of our middle/high school garden. Wondering if any of you knowledgeable folks can direct me to an expert fruit grower on the coast (really coastal, not inland several miles where they have a different climate) from whom I can learn more. I know a fair amount about growing fruit, but think a 'coastal mentor' for specifically growing fruit in our climate would be helpful. We are hoping to eventually plant a mini-orchard at the school and I would like to be especially careful about what to select there since it's a learning site.
Thanks in advance! Contact: jdaschel (at) gmail.com if you prefer not to post on the forum.
Unfortunately, this question has never been answered (to my knowledge) on this Forum… With family on the Oregon Coast, those ‘with a view’ can’t even grow raspberries, let alone fruit trees -- and, as you mentioned, those inland don’t count – with their varying degrees of success…
I remember looking over a ‘test garden’ in Tillamook (obviously inland), in front of their fair grounds I believe. Though at that moment they were weeks behind me, who is generally weeks behind the Portland area… I think they had a few fruit trees among mainly vegetables. I also know of an older couple who unfortunately passed away before their ‘coastal orchard’ came to fruition. They were only set apart from surf by some sand and a bay. The trees looked fairly good in the beginning, but I’ve not stopped to meet the new owners…
With thoughts of living at the Coast myself, and obviously into fruit trees, the two don’t appear to mix. I’ve kept my eyes open for producing coastal apple trees with the knowledge I could graft any variety that appeared successful and give it as a gift to my kin with the view… but the trees are generally so ragged and the apples so… scabby I’ve not run across anything worth the effort. I was told last ‘summer’ was the coldest gloomiest summer they could remember over there, and I doubt they get the heat units necessary to ripen tree fruit, or anything strong enough to survive the wind, salt air and summer fog. …But I’d sure like to hear from someone who knows better 
Good news if you ever come to the coast, Viron. I live just east of Hwy 101 in Lincoln City (no view but less wind) near the Tanger Outlet Mall if you know where that is... we are about 15 min walk to the beach. I have a very successful peach fan 'Frost' on the south wall of my garage (blocks the north wind in summer, traps heat) and tremendous raspberries 'Saanich'... also am growing an espalier apple and pear in less-than-ideal location for sunlight. The 'Liberty' apple grafts do very well, though the tree is young. I've had a few pears but think the raccoons get to them first. In my back garden I have 3 blueberries that benefit from reflected warmth of a west-facing board fence.
Believe it or not, one of our clients has a property with view, 1/2 block from ocean and on the west side of his house a large fig tree, a green fruit variety but don't know which. It's enclosed in sort of a heat sink-- tall stucco wall and house on three sides, open to the west-- and produces very well. Also across the street from me there is an old 3-way apple that we neglect to spray for scab but produces tons of apples, and 2 enormous cherry trees that only produce the small sour cherries. If I owned that lot I would try grafting on some sweet ones!
If you think of anyone later on, let me know. I have planted lots of other fruits here but they are still too young to report any results.
What about Western Washington University and all the fruit trials and all the varieties they as a co-operative extension of the university have tested in Mount Vernon Washington? I know they produced a bulletin of several pages of specific recommendations several years ago which at that time ended the program for testing tree fruits. I picked a bulletin up from the local extension in Washington where I live but I remember giving it away to a HOS member a couple of years ago.
About 8 years ago I was trying to recommend to a fellow in charge of the Mt. Vernon program to try things that I have seen prosper on Vashon Island (west of Seattle) and around Tacoma. The word I got back was that they only want to test named varieties that are familiar to people in the trade or fresh releases from institutions such as Universties. Some how the Orcas pear that was found on Washington's coast made it in the trial and was highly recommended. I grow an Orcas now in SW Washington and every year has the best pears next to any.
If your season length and heat units are not a limiting factor for Orcas (Sept 1-8 ripe in Portland for me) then try one. If Orcas is too late then I can dig up some starts of pears that I have from Vashon Island which ripen earlier than Orcas (4 weeks) and are even more productive and no apple scab at all. The Vashon pear can ripen on the tree or picked a bit early to taste like some of the firm asian pears but ripe flavor is pear and not near what an Orcas is.
…Views are relative 
You’re your own experiment station of sorts, if utilizing any & all microclimates… I’m definitely going to pass on “Saanich†as a possible raspberry; the classic “Willamette’s†just couldn’t make it outside the big valley…
So you should be teaching us! …and funny you mentioned raccoons - they continue to be the biggest re-location project one relative has ‘over there.’ ...as well as ‘city deer’… or government goats…
I’m happy to hear of the fig success – I suspect it’s a ‘Desert King,’ the earliest ripening green figs I’m aware of (with pink/red centers). Anything that’s early-ripening sounds as if it has a chance. Any Asian plums, like Satsuma or Shiro..? They’re early, and I couldn’t be without them…
I’ve heard ‘pie’ or sour cherries are the best bet in damp climates. Cherries are very tricky to graft over, I’ve done some of my ‘best work’ and had it fail… Budding small trees with plenty of light works well, but ‘top-working’ an existing tree is iffy at best. And as mentioned, the sweet cherries may not do well…
Keep posting – You’re a Pioneer on the far western edge of our continent 
Idyllwild
simplepress
jafar
Marsha H
Viron
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