My brother has been wanting to plant an orange tree. So he found this organization in the Houston area (Urban Harvest). They had a seminar on Saturday to tell about the different varieties of fruit trees they will be offering at their upcoming sale. They only sell plants that will thrive in this area. I liked that alot! He asked if I wanted to tag along. (Like he had to ask? ) The seminar lasted about 2.5 hours and was full of info. The sale will be on Saturday. I don't know what all he is planning on getting, but he did mention maybe trying a lime tree or lemon tree too. I think I'm going to get a peach tree!
Sounds like the beginning of a nice orchard. Orange blossoms smell heavenly in the spring, unless it's a huge orchard like in Florida then they will make you sick they are so sweet. Can you grow a Key Lime tree in your area?. The limes are tiny and a pain to squeeze but they make the best pie!!
I believe there was a Key Lime that would grow down here. Since I'm allergic to citrus, I didn't really pay that much attention to the citrus section. I meant to bring the booklet with me to do some more reading on the different varieties, but forgot it.
Cheryl, have you considered Asian pears? We have a small orchard of apples, pears, figs, and almonds (yes, almonds, the Hardy almond). If you are considering apples, there is a handy chart that tells which cultivars pollinate other cultivars at www.fruit-tree.com/applepollen This site may have other charts, I don't remember.
One of my other brothers wants pears... he can come along and pick his own out! The Urban Harvest folks gave out tons of info about pollination, planting guides, freeze hours, etc. They offer all sorts of seminars. When I get the time, I must check out their website.
Good luck with your fruit tree adventure, Cheryl. Be sure and show pics of them once you get back home with your purchases.
Cheryl, The Houston Chronicle's gardening column in today's paper is a list of fruit tree sales by organizations, and also fruit growing seminars. There are sales in Harris Co., Conroe, and several other places. The Urban one is mentioned, also.
Lots of sales going on... must be the right time for planting! I'm looking forward to seeing what all they have on hand. They brochure listed: Apples (4 varieties), Pears (4), Persimmons (3), Peaches (9), Nectarines (2), Plums (6), Cherries (2), Jujube (2), Pomegranates (7), Pecans (4), Figs (7), Grapes (6), Blueberry (9), Blackberry, Mulberry (2), Olives (2), Oranges (9), Grapefruits (2), Pummelo (3), Kumquats (4), Limes (5), Lemons (3), Tangerines (6), Tangelos (2), Satsuma (6), Star Fruit (2), Sugar Apple, Grumichama, Jaboticaba, Lychee (2), Avocado (4), Banana, Dragon Fruit (5). I have to admit... I never heard of some of these fruits! Was very interesting to see and learn about them. I want to get the Red Baron Peach Tree. The brochure says "Double coral red-frilled flowers looking like a giant azalea. Great taste. Freestone. Very good production. Ripens from mid-June to mid-July. 500-600 chill hours (I'm in the 400-600 chill hour range) Bareroot. $28." You can probably guess that I chose this one because of it's beautiful flowers too! I'm also considering getting the Kiowa Blackberry. Brochure says "Can be grown in containers. Produces the largest (bigger than a quarter and 1/3 oz) of the Arkansas varieties. Produces large quantities of outstanding flavorful berries for about 6 weeks. Thorned variety grows 5-6 foot tall with a 4-8 foot spread and blooms earlier and longer than other blackberries. It's so superior to other blackberries for our area that we carry ONLY this variety at the sale. Bareroot. Bundle of 10 for $40". I plan on taking my camera and sharing some photos. Hurry up Saturday! :-D
Ooh I do envy you. Look I am positively green. Only joking. I love the idea of you going all fruity. And to think that all those fruit trees will grow in your area. I too would love to see dragon fruit and Jaboticaba.
If you have the space along a back edge of your yard-field, please let me promote pecan. 1st year plant out stake and water at least weekly. Mulch 2 or more in with a good ring of bark mulch. I mention staking them because they are easy to drive over with a mower. They will stay small for the next couple years, but need little attention after first summers watering. Needs yearly mulch. The roots on these trees grow first, so they'll spend a couple years looking like they are not prospering. It aint true, just let 'em grow. I've planted northernhearty trees (as far north as NH-USA) and they'll make nuts ooo baby! Plant yours at least 20 feet apart. This is a huge tree at maturity (which you will not live long enough to see. Starts setting nuts year 7-10 till year 3-400...
We have too many pecan trees on the property as it is. That's what started all of this. My brother read somewhere about how many pecan trees should be per acre to get the best yield. We had a couple of trees produce really well this year... and some aren't even putting on fruit... other's are just empty shells. So he's going to thin out some of them. And in order to please the rest of us, he said he'd plant fruit trees in their place.
