Featured Plants : fruit trees

Brown Turkey Fig Tree

barb-nhn — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:06:00 GMT

A Fig Tree is a picturesque deciduous tree, that grows up to 50 feet tall, but more typically to a height of 10 - 30 feet. If you take a close look at the branches, you will see that they are muscular and twisting, spreading wider than they are tall. The Brown Turkey Fig Tree grows to a height of 10-15 feet, and thrives in zones 7-9, so plenty of sunshine is the key to maximizing fruit production. It is best to choose a site that has lots of sun most of the day. Figs must be allowed to ripen fully on the tree before they are harvested in July.

The Brown Turkey Fig Tree produces a fig that has a reddish-brown skin tinged with purple. The pulp is reddish-pink and of good quality. It is subject to cracking in wet weather and has a larger eye than Celeste, and hence will sour more quickly. What a unique fruit it is! The fig fruit is an inverted flower with both the male and female flower parts enclosed in stem tissue. Unlike most fruit in which the edible structure is matured ovary tissue, the fig's edible structure is actually stem tissue. You can use this fig for making home preserves or for various fig recipes.

The bright green fig leaves on the Brown Turkey Fig Tree are a rough hairy on the upper surface and soft hairy on the underside. In summer, their foliage lends a beautiful tropical feeling. Figs grow extremely well along the Texas Gulf Coast. However, trees require cold protection in the far northern and western areas and supplemental irrigation in the state's drier areas.

Moro Blood Orange

barb-nhn — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 13:27:00 GMT

Moro Blood Orange is a variety of orange with crimson, blood-colored flesh. It is easy to peel, medium-size, and is usually seedless. By the time the fruit matures, the flesh is deep red. The name 'Blood' derives from its red blotches on the fruit's skin and its reddish flesh and juice coloring.

Moro is also the earliest ripening of the blood oranges and usually ripens in the late winter and early spring in addition to being hardy to about 27 degrees F. The fruit is smaller than an average orange, and its skin is usually pitted, tight, but can be smooth. It is known for its high content of Vitamin C, Potassium and Carotene. Culinary Chefs are making this orange quite popular because it adds visual appeal and outstanding flavor to salads, sauces, appetizers, and desserts.

This early ripening semi-dwarf fruit tree grows 7-10 feet in height and needs to be planted in a lot of sun to develop the sugars that makes its fruit appealing and so rich in color. This citrus tree forms a sturdy branching structure and requires regular watering.

If you are in a cold winter climate and temperatures begin to drop in the thirties, bring your tree indoors and place in a window with a western or southern sun exposure. It will need full sun, fertile, well drained soil, and moderate watering.

The Early Season Arctic Glo Nectarine

barb-nhn — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 10:46:00 GMT

The is an exciting new sprightly-sweet, early season white-fleshed nectarine! The Arctic Glo has scored high in taste tests. The taste has a nice balance of sugar and acid which makes for a very appealing flavor. The Arctic Glo is a is a semi-freestone and is highly recommended for home orchards. This white nectarine will be one piece of fruit worth waiting for!

The fruit produced is medium sized with a dark red skin. Arctic Glo fruit matures about 5 days after the Redhaven Nectarine. This fruit tree does not need a pollinator and can be kept to any height by summer pruning. Nectarines are smooth skinned peaches and are grown like a peach, in a location with sloping well drained land, to permit prime air flow. They prefer a light slightly sandy well drained soil that permits deep root formation, but will adapt to many different soil types. Although, heavy clay soils with poor drainage or soils with hard subsoil will cause short-lived trees.

You will also enjoy the pretty pink blooms in the springtime that precede the fruit, which usually ripen late June to early July. The Arctic Glo Nectarine requires 400 to 500 hours of chilling, so it is a variety that could take a fair amount of cold as well. It grows 10-25 feet in height and thrives in zones 5-9.

Cot-N-Candy Aprium - it is like eating candy!

barb-nhn — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 20:29:00 GMT

Aprium trees produce fruit that is extremely sweet. The fruit has a strong apricot overtone with a hint of plum. The Cot-N-Candy Aprium is an apricot-plum hybrid that resembles an apricot. It looks like an apricot, but has a distinctive flavor and texture all its own; skin has a slight reddish pink blush.

Cot-N-Candy's white flesh is extra sweet and juicy with a plum-like aftertaste; one of the earliest ripening fruits. The fruit is usually about 2 1/2 inches in diameter. Blooming very early, it ripens in June; generally difficult to grow in late frost areas. It ripens one week later than Flavor Delight. Does best in zones 7-10.

It is a multi-stemmed, shrubby, small tree with a spreading crown. Cot-N-Candy is partially self fertile but you will get bigger crops if pollinated by an apricot. It is best to thin the fruit early to maximize size and quality. Cot-N-Candy needs well-drained, moderately fertile soil in full sun.

This is a semi-dwarf tree that will reach 3/4 of standard size (about 12—18'); but by pruning you can keep your tree at any height.

The Stella Cherry Tree Bears Fruit at a Young Age

barb-nhn — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 14:08:00 GMT

Stella Cherry Trees are self-fertile and will begin to bear fruit at a very young age. Cherries are the first stone fruit tree to flower and fruit, welcoming the arrival of summer. In April, bright pink blooms burst open on the Stella, and it does not ripen until later in the year, starting in July; later than many other types of cherry trees. This tree eventually reaches up to15 - 30 feet tall, depending on the root stock, and will grow in zones 5-9.

Rich in nutritional value, the Stella produces a fruit that is large, nearly black, and sweet in flavor; the fruit doesn’t crack easily. The Stella Cherry Tree is very similar to its parent tree, the Lambert Cherry. The Stella Cherry will pollinate a Bing Cherry Tree, except in mild winter climates. Cherry trees produce bigger crops in areas that have frosty conditions. Growing your own fruit trees assures that your fruit is free of harmful chemicals. It is quite naturally satisfying to walk out in your own yard, pick a clean fresh fruit right off the tree, and eat it. Join in the fun and plant your own cherry tree. Also, watch out for birds because they love the Stella!

The Orient Pear Tree

barb-nhn — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 11:05:00 GMT

Need a pear tree that will give you a wonderful mild pear flavor and also a plentiful harvest? The Orient Pear Tree has the reputation of being the heaviest bearing pear tree. Used for canning and eaten fresh, an Orient Pear has smooth yellow skin, a juicy, melting, creamy flesh, and a mild flavor. The fruit grows on long-lived spurs and is spherical to typically pear-shaped. It should never be allowed to ripen on the tree. It is resistant to fire blight and is ready to harvest in August.

The Orient Pear is good for cooking as well as having great landscape value as a flowering spring tree. Covered in white blossoms in early spring to late spring, it prefers well-drained sandy loam soils and full sun. Pears will grow more vigorously and produce more fruit in full sun. Morning sunshine is particularly important for early drying of dew; thereby, reducing the incidence of disease. The Orient has strong vertical branches and requires little pruning. This semi-dwarf tree grows anywhere from 12-18 feet in height. Don't confuse the Orient with Asian pears. The Orient is a domestic variety named because of its large round shape that is similar to that of Asian pears.

Pears trees bloom early and blossoms are subject to spring freeze damage, which occurs most often on pears planted in low areas. By weighing down or pegging the branches on the first and second years, you can create a strong, earlier bearing pear tree. Pears ripen best at room temperature. If you want too keep them a few days you have to keep them in a dark and cold place. Pears are good for the skin, and are healthy fruits that contains plenty of fiber.

Red Jonathan Apples In Your Own Backyard

patti-nhn — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 13:44:00 GMT

Jonathan apples are one of the most popular apples for fresh eating. They are an easy treat and healthy as well. I am partial to Jonathan apples since my oldest son is named Jonathan. No, I didn't name him after the apple but I made him eat quite a few as he was growing up.

Jonathan apples are a late ripening variety that can be harvested mid-September to mid-October. They can also be used for cooking in sauces and baking in pies, typically thought of for desserts but can also be used in roasting with meat or included in a stuffing or in a fresh fruit salad. I have a friend who uses apple wedges to dip in peanut butter as a treat. Wildlife are attracted to the apples as well, I also have a friend whose dog likes to pick up the ones that have fallen and chew on them.

The Jonathan apple is a medium sized fruit and will turn bright red in warmer climates and it will be striped in cooler climates. They are hardy to zones 4-8 and prefer cold winters, moderate summers and high humidity. Apple trees do need another tree to pollinate in order to produce the fruit. Good pollinators are Granny Smith, Golden Delicious and Delicious apples. You will want the trees to be no more than 100 feet apart for the best pollination. You can also use a flowering Crabapple tree like a Dolgo as a pollinator.

Comice Is the Connoisseur's Pear

patti-nhn — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 16:32:00 GMT

The Comice Pear is considered the Connoisseur's Pear. Used often by chefs in the best restaurants in fancy desserts. These are also the pears that you often find in gift baskets. Pears make a great sauce like applesauce, or you can even add some apples into the pear sauce to give it a little different flavor. Comice is a large sized pear and very juicy. Eaten off the tree the juice will run down your chin. The flavor is awesome.

Another Pear tree is required for pollination, you could try a Bartlett or D'Anjou among others. It does require full sun as do most fruit trees. It's bloom period is mid-April and harvest is mid-August. A Semi-Dwarf tree is available that grows to 12-14 feet which is a good size to reach for picking. They are blight resistant which is a plus. Just think how nice it would be to have a pear tree in your back yard for enjoying at your leisure.

This Strawberry Is An All Star

patti-nhn — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 22:18:00 GMT

I love strawberries fresh, with angel food cake and whipped cream, chocolate covered, I could go on and on. They are one of my favorite fruits. Strawberries are full of antioxidants, vitamins and fiber. They are a pretty easy care plant and will provide fruit for up to 3 to 4 years. The All Star Strawberry will fruit in June and the berries are very large and sweet. They can be planted in the garden or in containers of many types. I remember that I grew strawberries one year in a new plastic garbage can. It was brown and I cut holes in the sides of the can to plant each individual plant in and then filled the can with good healthy dirt. Then I planted one plant in each hole. It was fun watching them grow and it made it easy to care for them and also to harvest them.

While The All Star Strawberry requires at least 6 hours of sun a day for good fruit production and ripening, full sun is preferable. The plants will put out small white flowers before they fruit which make it a very attractive plant. Their mature height is 12 to 18 inches and spread out 12 to 15 inches. They need moist, well drained soil. This variety of strawberry is hardy to zones 4 to 10 and is resistant to verticillium wilt disease. The All Star Strawberry is a perennial plant but should be replaced after the third or fourth year to insure good fruit production.

Green Gage-Bavays Plum is Good for Small Spaces!

patti-nhn — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 14:30:00 GMT

The Green Gage-Bavays Plum tree is not known for it's beauty but once you taste it you'll be hooked! It's a European Plum with a rich, sweet flavor. Their color is lime-green and they are smooth textured. Their flavor and juiciness is just right for jams and jellies, pies, fruit compotes and also as chutney's and sauces for meats.

If you are looking for a fruit tree for a small space, this is the one. Since it's a semi-dwarf, it's mature height is only 12-14 feet tall, so easy picking. You can harvest these plums in mid-September and the Green Gage does not require a pollinator. It does require full sun to ripen properly and is a great choice for cold climates. It is hardy in zones 4-8. Since it is a later bloomer than some of the others, you could plant other varieties and have a potpourri of plum choices.

Dolgo Crabapple - An Excellent Pollinator for Apple Trees

patti-nhn — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 23:30:00 GMT

If you are interested in growing your own apple trees, one of the main things you will need to look into is whether your tree requires a pollinator. Most apple trees do. What you may not be aware of is that you can use a Crabapple tree as a pollinator. You will want to make sure that the bloom time of the Dolgo will overlap with the apple tree that you want to pollinate. Being beautiful on their own the Dolgo has wonderful pink buds in early April that open to fragrant white flowers. It is a great ornamental smaller yard tree at only 15-20 feet in height. They also tend to ripen sooner than the other types of crabapple trees.

The Dolgo crabapples are bright red and large in size, similar to small plums. The Dolgo tends to be sweeter than the smaller varieties of crabapple trees. They can be eaten directly off the tree. They are often used for many of the same things you would use regular apples for like pies, sauces, ciders, butter, jellies and jams and can be included with the regular apples to add more flavor to the recipe. To pollinate, they will need to be within 100 feet of the other apple trees for optimal pollination. They will attract birds and add great color to your landscape.

The Dolgo is an exceptionally beautiful tree and is hardy from zones 3 to 9. It does need full sun and is not picky about soil.

Polly White Peach Tree

patti-nhn — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 14:30:00 GMT

The Polly White or Polly peach will give you reliable crops of tasty, sweet, medium-sized, white-fleshed fruit. It is hardy to 20 degrees below zero. It is self-fruitful so a pollinator is not needed. It blooms beginning in late April. It's mature height is 18-20 feet. You can harvest these great peaches in early August.

This would be a good peach for smoothies and desserts as well as eaten fresh. I remember going to my aunt's farm and fruit orchard in Iowa, and by the way Iowa is where this peach was developed, and picking fresh peaches off the tree. The sugary sweet juice dripping down my chin and onto my formally clean clothes. The dogs loved it as they tried to lick the juice spills off my clothes and face. She did a lot of canning with peaches and the made the best pies, jams and desserts that I had ever tasted. Unfortunately, we didn't get to visit often but those visits were memorable visits!

2 in 1 Sprite Delight Part Cherry-Part Plum

patti-nhn — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 13:52:00 GMT

If you like cherries and plums, you'll want to try this combination of cherry and plum fruit that has been grafted into one tree. You can grow your own in your backyard and enjoy them at any time. They do not require a pollinator and they are 16-18 feet when mature so they don't take up a lot of space. They will bloom in mid-April and can be harvested in late July.

Their excellent sweet fruits can be eaten off the tree and make great jams as well as any fruity dessert. They will produce their fruit in approximately 2-3 years and are widely adaptable but do require full sun. Be the first on your block to grow the 2 in 1 Sprite Delight. Not only will you have a new fruit with a new flavor but you will save space to add more of these wonderful fruit trees.

Dessert Quality Warren Pears

patti-nhn — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 22:18:00 GMT

SWEET AND JUICY is probably one of the most important factors to me. It is considered a dessert quality pear. Both the flesh and peel have a smooth, buttery texture. They are small to medium in size and have a wonderful red blush to the fruit. I know that if I'm going to take the time to grow it, I want it to taste SUPERB!

If you are looking for a pear tree that does not require a pollinizer, this is the tree. Of course, fruit production can be increased when you purchase another pear tree. The more trees, the more bees and other insects to carry that pollen around to each tree. One of the big pluses is that unlike many other pear trees it is resistant to fire blight. Harvesting the pears is easy since it only grows to approximately 15-18 feet, standard pears can reach up to 30 feet tall and ripens in August. Another good thing to know is that pear fruits contain antioxidants and no fat as well as Vitamin A, B1, B2, C, niacin, calcium, phosphorus, iron and potassium! What more could you ask for! They are great tasting and healthy for you!