Dallas Fruit and Vegetable Grower

Growing Apricots in Texas

 

Before planting our two apricot trees, I rarely would eat apricots from the store.  When I did, they were either mushy,  mealy or tough.  I also would eat dried apricots, but dried fruit cannot compare to fresh fruit.

My eyes were opened when our first crop of Moorpark fresh apricots ripened.  Without doubt, fresh, ripened apricots are the treasure of our fruit garden.  The taste, texture, and sweetness was otherworldly.   Because apricots are so tender and do not ship well, a homegrown apricot is one of the types of fruit that really excels over what you can find in the stores.  For that reason, in my opinion, one or two apricot trees can be a very rewarding addition to your fruit orchard if you have the space.

Now, keep in mind that apricots get a pretty bad rap.  They have a reputation of being very finicky.  One of the main issues is that they tend to bear biennially -- every other year -- or worse.  In fact, they have a reputation for sometime producing fruit only once every five years!  My trees have produced every other year, to date.   A major issue in obtaining reliable fruit production is the vulnerability of apricot fruit buds.  Apricots have a reputation for blooming very early in the Spring such that their blossoms are damaged if a late freezes occurs (which is often the case in Texas and the South) -- harming fruit set.  Many apricot varieties will be the first to bloom in your garden.  This risk can be reduced by selecting later blooming varieties.

Northwest Texas fruit grower Richard Ashton wrote an informative article on growing Apricots in Texas for The Texas Gardener a few years back, and this article continues to be relevant.  You can read the article here.  Ashton's website for his Oak Creek Orchard also cites to a prior article printed in NAFEX's Pomona Magazine by Richard Purvis which is equally informative: Apricots - A Wider Geographic Possibility?

Texas A&M's material on apricots and other stone fruit can be found - here.

Varieties

In terms of variety selection, Ashton suggests a variety developed at the research station at Prosser, Washington called Tomcot.  Ashton states that although Tomcot does not bloom late, it blooms over a three week period of time which means that "if the first blooms are bitten by a late frost the later blooms have a good chance of producing fruit."  Tomcat matures early, can be of good size, and I have read several reports that it has outstanding flavor and sweetness.  It is a favorite of some growers.  Ashton writes that its size makes Tomcot appropriate as a commercial apricot because of its large size and good shipping qualities. 

Ashton also suggests a central Asian apricot variety called Jerseycot.  This variety is a cross between an asian and french variety.  It is reported to bloom nearly two weeks later than most American apricot varieties.  You may have to do some searching to find this variety.

In other material, Ashton also recommends Bryan's orange fleshed, medium sized fruit that ripens in late May to early June.  Ashton also recommends the following varieties for their later blooming habits:

"Hunza - Very sweet, small fruit on a very late blooming tree. This tree takes a little longer to start bearing, not as productive as some but the very sweet fruit are worth it. (Close to 30 brix). Considered a sweet-pit apricot, we have not tried the kernels. We have one hunza variety apricot but there are several hunza type apricot varieties. They come from the hunza valley of far northern Pakistan where people live to be older than in most areas and cancer is practically unknown, the hunza people eat mainly millet and apricot products ie. dried apricots, apricot kernels (roasted) and apricot kernel oil. This variety has a high chill requirement and is only suited for northern plantings. Matures about June 5th in west-central Texas. Good size with excellent taste.

Chinese (Morman) - Heavy producer of small to medium, golden fruit with a red blush. Very Cold and late frost hardy. This was one of the first trees recommended for late frost prone areas, now we have others as shown here. This is a very good tasting, semi-clingstone fruit. Some people consider this a sweet-pit apricot, we have not tried them. Blooms and fruit seem to be more resistant of cold weather than most varieties. Matures about June 10th in west-central Texas.

Tilton – Good fresh or processed. Medium to large fruit, firm, rich flavored. Adaptable tree, late blooming but not the latest. Ripens about June 1st in west-central Texas. Good sized fruit with excellent taste.

Tisdale – Medium sized, freestone, good flavored fruit on a consistently bearing tree. A later blooming tree. From Roy Tisdale in Belton, Texas. Matures early about May 20th in west-central Texas. Medium sized fruit with very good taste. 

Harglow -- Medium size, dark orange with red blush, firm, sweet fruit on a late blooming tree. Early to mid season ripening fruit.  

Goldensweet (pp#8932)-- Freestone, sweet (15-18 brix), frim fruit on a moderately vigorous, productive tree. Blooms about a week later than common varieties. Self-fruitful.

Texas A&M also recommends some of the same varieties as Ashton -- Bryan and Chinese.  A&M further recommends Blenheim and Moorpark, stating:

"Blenheim is a medium size fruit with orange peel and yellow flesh. It has been the most consistent variety across the state and ripens in late June.

Moorpark has medium to large fruit with orange flesh that ripens in mid-June.

Bryan ripens in late May to early June with orange fleshed medium size fruit.

Chinese (or Mormon) seems to be more cold hardy in some locations as it has an extended bloom. Fruit are small to medium in size."

Another North Texas grower has told me that Robado is one of his favorites for taste and that he has had success with it.

Blenheim and Moorpark are common commercial varieties.  I am growing both Blenheim and Moorpark.  In my garden, my Blenheim and Moorpark trees are not genearlly the first fruit trees to bloom.  The pluots, plumcots, pluots, and cherries bloom shortly before the apricots.  My trees have produced fruit biennially, to date.

Habits

Apricots are self-fruitful, but it is always better to have more than one variety to help with pollination.

As to chill hours below 45 degrees, many varieties need 700 hours of chill hours.  However, there are varieties that require less.  For example, Ashton suggests that Gold Kist has a  lower chilling requirement of 300 hours and Katy only needs 400 hour chill hours.

For other listed varieties, I cannot pers0nally vouch for the following chill hour requirements, but these are some of the levels that are being reported by nurseries:

Tomcot  - 500 hours

Jerseycot

Bryan 

Hunza 

Chinese (Morman) 

Tilton - 600 hours

Tisdale –  600 hours

Harglow --  800 hours

Goldensweet 

Blenheim - 400 hours

Moorpark  - 600 hours

Dallas, Texas generally gets 700 - 800 chill hours in a typical year.

If you live in Texas and do not know what  chill hours you typically get in a given year, go to this site for that information - Texas chill hours.

If you live in the Southeast in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina or South Carolina, this is a really cool tool to determine your chill hours - Southeast chill hours.

California also provides good information - California chill hours.

Alternatively, here is a national map created by the University of Maryland:

 

 

Growing Pear Trees in Dallas and Texas

There seems to be a fair amount of agreement on the varieties of pear trees that you should be growing in North Texas.  Most resources recommend fireblight resistant, Oriental hybrid varieties that can be just as good as the European pears. 

Everyone seems to agree that the European pears such as Bartlett, Doyenne, Bosc, Comice, and D'Anjou do not do well in Texas because of fireblight.  This is a real shame because these varieties are excellent varieties for fresh eating with their fine, sweet, melting flesh.

Texas A&M's AgriLife Extension recommends three varieties as the best for Texas and provides the following descriptions of them:

Warren. Excellent dessert quality in both the flesh and peel with a smooth, buttery texture and small- to medium size, red-blushed fruit. Ripens in August. Highly resistant to fire blight. A seedling tree discovered in Hattisburg, Mississippi by T. O. Warren.

Ayres. Excellent dessert quality, although not as good as Warren. Medium-size fruit with a brown russet and red blush. Ripens in August. Highly resistant to fire blight.

Magness. Excellent dessert quality with medium size fruit similar to Warren. Ripens in August. Highly resistant to fire blight.

(http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/extension/homefruit/pear/pear.html; http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/extension/fruit/pear/pear.html)

Bob Wells of Bob Wells Nursery, an East Texas nursery specializing in fruit trees and bushes, also recommends Ayers which he says is a "very sweet summer pear."  Mr. Wells also favors Orient which he says is a "large bell-shaped pear" that "ripens late summer" and is "very sweet."  He also likes LeConte which he describes as a "crisp, sweet summer pear" with "great color."

Texas A&M's AgriLife Extension also lists these same varieties, along with several others, as additional options for Texas, but claims that they are inferior to Warren, Ayres, and Magness:

Maxine. Very good dessert quality with medium to large attractive fruit. Good to fair fire blight resistance. Ripens in August-early September. Reported to be the same pear as Starking Delicious.

Moonglow. Good dessert quality with medium to large fruit that ripens in August-early September. Good fire blight resistance.

Garber. Good dessert quality with medium to large, crisp-textured, attractive fruit of a shape similar to Delicious apples. Ripens in August. Good to fair fire blight resistance. Often called apple-pear or pear-apple.

LeConte. Good dessert quality, medium-size, attractive fruit that ripens in August-early September. Fair fire blight resistance. Fan-Still, a variety propagated and sold in the San Antonio area, appears to be a LeConte seedling with similar quality and reported better fire blight resistance.

Monterrey. Good dessert quality with large fruit that ripens in August-early September. Good fire blight resistance. Propagated and sold chiefly in the San Antonio area.

Orient. Fair dessert quality, coarse textured, russetted, medium to large fruit. A consistent, heavy bearer that ripens late August-September. Highly resistant to fire blight. Used primarily for canning/baking.

Kieffer. Old standard, coarse-textured fruit that are poor to fair for dessert use but good for canning and baking. A consistent, heavy bearer that ripens late September-October, highly resistant to fire blight.

 (http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/extension/homefruit/pear/pear.html)

You will note that AgriLife's opinion differs from Mr. Wells on LeConte and Orient, but that just goes to show that the issue of taste can often be very subjective to the individual with different people preferring different taste characteristics.  

Two other varieties that you may want to consider that have been recommended for the South in other resources, are:

Seckel.  Described as a small to medium yellow russetted pear with extraordinary flavor.  The fruit is extremely sweet and very juicy with a distinctive, spicy, rich, aromatic flavor.  It is also known as the "sugar" pear which is all I needed to hear!  It is self-fertile, fireblight resistant, and requires 500 chill hours.

Pineapple.  Crisp flesh which is said to have a pineapple flavor.  It is yellow in color blushed with red.  It is also self-fruitful and fireblight resistant.  It requires approximately 150 chill hours.

Interesting, all of these suggestions seem to overlap more or less with an article in Mother Earth News which rated some of the top flavored pears as:  Magness, Kieffer, Pineapple, Seckel,  Warren, Maxine and Honeysweet.

Not previously mentioned, several other sources claim that the Potomac is also an excellent, fire-blight resistant variety introduced by the USDA in 1993 with rich buttery taste.  It's parents are D'Angou and Moonglow. 

My Pear Trees

I myself have planted the following varieties in my garden: Orient, Moonglow, Monterrey, Warren, Magness, Kieffer, Pineapple, and Seckle.

Rootstock

When selecting your trees, it is very important to look closely at the rootstock upon which the trees are grafted.  The rootstock will dictate how large the tree will get.  You do not want to plant a tree that will get too big for the space in which you are placing it.  You will be very disappointed and, along with the additional work entailed, the additional pruning to keep its size in check may adversely impact fruit production.   

 

Cross-Pollination

While several varieties listed here are self-fertile, you are going to want to plant at least two varieties of pear trees to ensure proper cross-pollination and fruit set.  Some varieties require a cross-pollinator.  Even the self-fertile varieties will set more fruit with another pollinator.  To ensure good cross-pollination, make sure that you have two varieties that will bloom around approximately the same period of time.   I have not found a thorough list of bloom times for all of these Oriental hybrid varieties, yet.  However, note that Moonglow, Seckel and Honeysweet should be good pollinators for the vast majority of these varieties, with the exception of Magness.  Magness will not be a good pollinator, because it is sterile.

 

Considerations Regarding Fireblight

Many varieties of pears, even the more resistant varieties, can be impacted by fire blight.  The best way to avoid fire blight is to not use fertilizer with a high nitrogen content.  Excessive amounts of nitrogen encourages fire blight.  If fire blight does show up, cut the infected branch off as soon as you can and destroy it.  In caring for your pear trees, I have found that the occasional spraying of Garrett Juice or compost tea seems to ward off problems for me.  Additionally, the makers of Actinovate claim that the use of their product as a foliar spray can help prevent fireblight.

 

Ideas on Nurseries

If you are looking for an instant orchard, your choices are limited.  Check now with your local nurseries to see what varieties they are or will be caring this Spring and in what sizes.  I typically only see 5 gallon containers in my local nurseries.

Bob Wells Nursery will often carry 5, 10, and 15 gallon trees, so you can try that. 

If you are a more patient person and are willing to plant a smaller tree, there are a lot of options out there.  Some of them include:

Texas Nurseries:

Bob Wells Nursery 

Womack Nursery

Cummins Nursery

Caldwell Nursery 

 Nurseries Outside of Texas

Raintree Nursery

Trees of Antiquity

One Green World

Ison's Nursery

Edible Landscaping 

Johnson Nursery

Chestnut Hill Tree Farm

Stark Brothers

Grandpa's Orchard

Bay Laurel Nursery

Big Horse Creek Farm

Kuffel Creek Apple Nursery

Cloud Mountain Farm

Burnt Ridge Nursery

Greenmantle Nursery

Southmeadow Fruit Gardens

If you have planted pear trees in Texas that are bearing fruit, please post a comment and share your experiences along with your favorite varieties for Texas.

 

New USDA Plant Hardiness Map

 

The USDA recently issued a new Plant Hardiness Map that changes some of the zones.

My neighborhood in Dallas appears to have remained 8a.

It is interesting that parts of Dallas are 8b while the remainder of Dallas is 8a.  In particular, parts of west Dallas fall within 8b.  In fact, it appears that the zone changes less than 4 miles from my house!

Go here for an interactive map -- Interactive Map.

The new map is based upon temperature data from 1976 through 2005, and an article on NPR claims that some of the shifting zone boundaries were the result of more sophisticated mapping, taking into account for the first time the effects of elevation, large lakes, and whether a place is located in a valley or on top of a ridge. 

Growing apple trees in Dallas and Texas - 2012

(1st row: Red Delicious, Sonya, Golden Delicious; 2nd row: Ambrosia, Honey Crisp, Granny Smith; 3rd row: Fuji, Jonagold, Gala  - ©iStockphoto.com)

This is a re-post from last year that has been updated with additional information.

If you are planning to add some apple trees to your landscape, now is the time to start planning for them.  Texas A&M recommends that bare-rooted apple trees be planted during the period between January 1st and February 15th and that containerized plants be planted between January 1st and March 31st.

In this post, I have listed some of the varieties that are good choices for North Texas and/or zone 8, in terms of climate and in terms of taste.  These lists include both heirloom and newer cultivars.

Everyone has a different opinion as to which are the best tasting apples.  And my favorite apple may be your least favorite, depending upon our varying tastes and whether we prefer a sweet taste, an acidic taste, or a combination of the two.  When I was trying to decide upon the types of apple trees to plant in our garden, I purchased 10 or more different varieties from several grocery stores, and I put them to a blind taste test to all the members of my family.  The highest rated ones were planted . . . after I made sure that they would perform well in the South.

Texas A&M's Tried & True

Texas A&M opines that the following varieties are suitable for growing in Texas.  I have emboldened the varieties that I also personally believe have a good taste.

Gala        "Originated in 1965.  Cross between Golden Delicious x Cox's Orange.  Red striping on golden skin gives a red orange color.  Crisp, dense, aromatic flesh.  Excellent quality.  Stores well.  Large, vigorous tree.  Requires about 140-160 days from bloom to harvest.  Requires at least 600 hours of chilling." *

To read a more detailed description of this variety, please visit - Gala

Fuji                 "Developed in Japan.  Introduced in 1962.  Cross between Ralls Janet x Delicious. Bloom well.  Hard to thin.  High quality apple with a poor appearance.  Medium sized fruit with a tall, rectangular shape.  A yellow-green skin with orange to red stripes.  Crisp, juicy, white flesh with good texture.  Requires about 140-160 days from bloom to harvest.  Ripens mid-summer.  Stores well.  Vigorous, productive, somewhat bushy tree.  Needs some annual detailed pruning.  Needs pollinator.  Susceptible to Bitter rot and red mites.  Heat resistant.  Requires 400-600 hours of chilling." *

To read a more detailed description of this variety, please visit - Fuji

Granny Smith "Originated in 1868 from some discarded apples which Mrs. Thomas Smith of Eastwood Ryde, Paramatta Rive, New South Wales, Australia brought from Tasmania.  Medium to large, waxy, grassy-green fruit. Firm and bruise resistant.  Hardy, crisp, juicy, white flesh.  Fairly sweet with a somewhat tart taste.  Excellent quality eating and cooking apple.  Keeps good texture during baking, never gets mushy.  Excellent shelf life.  Very vigorous, annual bearing.  Good productivity.  Self-fertile.  Requires about 170-210 days from bloom to harvest.  Holds well in heat.  Requires about 500-600 hours of chilling.  Hardy in zones 5-8." *

To read a more detailed description of this variety, please visit - Granny Smith

Anna               "Medium-size low chill apple for South Texas only. Has a slight red blush, crisp, good-flavored fruit. Noted for heavy production." *

To read a more detailed description of this variety, please visit - Anna

Braeburn        "Red, highly flavored with an even sugar to acid balance. A heavy cropper that will usually need thinning to maintain yearly cropping." *

To read a more detailed description of this variety, please visit - Braeburn

Mutsu (Crispin)          "Developed in Japan in 1948.  Golden Delicious x Indo.  Large, round, yellow fruit.  Crunchier flesh; more juice and tartness.  Distinctive, delicate, spicy flavor.  Good dessert and processing apple.  Excellent for applesauce and cider.  Large, spreading, vigorous tree; reliable.  Resistant to powdery mildew.  Susceptible to scab, blister spot, and bitter rot.  Requires 500-600 hours of chilling.  Hardy in zones 4-8." *

To read a more detailed description of this variety, please visit - Mutsu

Pink Lady (Cripps Pink)        "A cross between Golden Delicious and Lady Williams from the Western Australian apple-breeding program.  Oblong, green fruit turns yellow at maturity and is overlaid with pink or light red.  Fine-grained, white flesh.  Thin skin, bruises easily.  Hard to train.  Ripens in October.  Blind wood problems.  Chilling requirements similar to Granny Smith (500-600)." *

To read a more detailed description of this variety, please visit - Pink Lady

Mollie's Delicious      "Introduced in 1966.  Summer apple not to be confused with Red Delicious strains.  Attractive, large fruit with unique, slightly conic shape.  Light yellow background about half covered with a red blush.  High quality flesh.  Good flavor.  Stores for about 10 weeks in refrigeration.  Vigorous, productive tree.  Fruit tends to set in clusters, requiring 2-3 pickings.  Excellent pollinator.  Some disease resistance.  Requires 400-500 hours of chilling.  Best in zones 6-8." *

Imperial Gala              "Medium sized, oval to round reddish orange fruit.  Extremely firm, very juicy, sweet, mildly aromatic, yellow flesh.  Vigorous tree with long, pliant branching." *

Royal Gala                  "Developed in New Zealand.  Matures to a bright overall red color rather than the orange red blush of Gala.  Medium size, conical to round fruit.  Bold red stripes over yellow background.  Firm, juicy, fine textured, yellow-white flesh.  Sweet, slightly tart flavor.  Compact growth habit, prolific bearer.  Requires heavy thinning to maintain fruit size and prevent biennial bearing." *

Smoothie                    "A Golden Delicious type apple with a clear skin.  They have a very tender complexion, a little dew on the fruit in the morning and they are covered with russet.  This visually makes them an undesired fruit, but if given a chance, taste good." *

Red Delicious             "Skin color varies from red to red and green stripes.  Crisp, sweet, and mild flavored.  Stores well.  Colors poorly in the heat.  **

To read a more detailed description of this variety, please visit - Red Delicious

(Personally, I do not care for the Red Delicious that I have had in the past.  Here is an interesting article on the history of the Red Delicious.)

Golden Delicious        Yellow to green skin with yellow flesh and russet dots.  Sweet, juicy and fine textured.  Stores well.  Susceptible to bitter pit, bruising, and russetting.  Erratic in self-fruitfulness. **

To read a more detailed description of this variety, please visit - Golden Delicious

Holland           Originated in Texas around 1923 at the home of J. W. Kincaid of Weatherford, Texas.  Originally named Kincaid.  The apple was once an important commercial variety in Texas. It is a productive variety which ripens early to produce a large, red, flavorful apple. ***

Jerseymac       An early McIntosh type released by the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station in 1971.  Tart and tender. Medium size.  Ripens in early August.

Dorsett Golden           "Yellow, low chill apple for South Texas only. Pollinator for Anna." *

Adina              "Large fruit, sweet with distinctive taste."  *

Ozark Gold     "Yellow, Delicious-type dessert apple. Good pollinator." *

"This apple is a cross of A1291 and Golden Delicious and was developed at the Missouri State Agricultural Experimental Station and introduced in 1970. It is similar in flavor and appearance to Golden Delicious but ripens about three weeks earlier. It bears young and shows some disease resistance but is a biennial bearer.  It is a large to very large apple with bright yellow waxy skin."  ***

Starkrimson Red         "Red, excellent quality, Delicious-type, widely planted in this Delicious area." *

To read a more detailed description of this variety, please visit - Starkrimson

*          http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/extension/homefruit/apple/apple.html                         http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/hillcountry/Apples/varieties.html

**        The Home Orchard, C. Ingells, P. Geisel, & M. Norton, University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources Publication (2007)

***      http://www.bighorsecreekfarm.com/descriptions2.htm

Additional Varieties That Should Be Considered For Taste

The following apple varieties have reputations for outstanding taste and are also suited for Texas' southern climate.  You should consider growing these in zone 8.

Ashmead's Kernel     A juicy, aromatic apple with a sharp flavor that is both acidic and sweet.  It is believed that several weeks of storage enhance its flavor giving its high acid content time to balance with the sugars.  Skin is orange or reddish bronze with golden brown russetting.   It dates back to the 1700s.  ****

To read a more detailed description of this variety, please visit - Ashmead's Kernel

William's Pride          This variety is reputed to have unusually good flavor for an early summer apple.  The flesh is granular, crisp and mildly acidic.  It is typically deep red over a green background which transitions to a yellow background.  It is resistant to fire blight and powdery mildew and immune to scab and cedar apple rust.  This apple was developed by the Purdue/Rutgers/Illinois fruit breeding program.  ****

Goldrush         This variety has a spicy flavor of intense acidity and high sugar content.  It is a yellow green fruit with light russetting, sometimes having an orange blush on the sunward side.  It may keep for six months or more.  It is immune to apple scab and somewhat resistant to fire blight and powdery mildew.  It is also a result of the Purdue/Rutgers/Illinois fruit breeding program.  ****

To read a more detailed description of this variety, please visit - Goldrush

Calville Blanc D'Hiver          This variety dates back to the 16th century and is known for having a tart and rich taste described as effervescent.  It often tastes better after storage.  It has pale green skin that develops an orange color with light red dots where exposed to the sun.  It can be susceptible to scab and powdery mildew. ****

To read a more detailed description of this variety, please visit - Calville Blanc

Rubinette       An offspring of Cox Orange Pippen.  A very good sweet and sharp balance of taste.  It can be susceptible to scab and powdery mildew. ****

To read a more detailed description of this variety, please visit - Rubinette

King David        Aromatic fruits have yellow to light cream flesh that is firm to hard.  Crisp and juicy with spicy, ciderlike flavor.  Medium to large fruit that is dark red with darker red stripes over a pale green undercolor.  Tough skin with flesh that can be coarse, softening with storage.  May be a cross of Jonathan and either Winesap or Arkansas Black.  Good for dessert, cooking, and cider.  Harvest in mid to late summer.  Fruit can be harvested for several weeks.    Blooms late.  Low susceptability to fire blight and resistant to apple scab and cedar rust. ****

 "Resembles Winesap in appearance and taste. Many uses - pies, cider, sauce or eating fresh. Found as a chance seedling in fence row in Washington Co., Arkansas in 1893. Medium size, deep red when full ripe. Hangs on tree well. Ripens about 1st Sept." ++

To read a more detailed description of this variety, please visit - King David

**** The Best Apples to Buy and Grow, B. Hanson, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Inc. (2005);

            see also http://www.kuffelcreek.com/favorites.htm

Varieties With Reputations As The BEST Tasting

The following three varieties are reputed to be the best tasting ever.  As I mentioned before, taste is a matter of opinion; however, it is remarkable how much is written about these varieties.  There are several caveats to growing these trees because they are better suited to more Northern climates.  Particularly, they may suffer more in our heat; they may be more susceptible to disease than the hardier varieties; and their taste qualities may not be as good as trees grown in a milder climate.  Nevertheless, if you have the space and have also already planted some of the hardier varieties listed above, you may want to take the leap and plant a few of these as well:

Newtown Pippin:        This apple is firm, crisp, juicy, and moderately acidic with a fresh taste.  Loved by Thomas Jefferson and was a prized export to England from the United States in the 1800s.  It is green in color becoming yellow to greenish-yellow with a reddish blush.  It stores well.  The tree is susceptible to scab and powdery mildew.  Also known as Albemarle Pippin ****

To read a more detailed description of this variety, please visit - Newtown Pippin

Cox Orange Pippin:   It has a crisp texture and a richly aromatic and semi-tart flavor.  It became the most popular apple in England and dates back to the early 1800s.  The skin has an orange red blush on a light yellow background.  It is susceptible to scab. ****

To read a more detailed description of this variety, please visit - Cox Orange Pippin

Esopus Spitzenberg:  This variety is rich, juicy, and more tart than sweet.  Known as another one of Thomas Jefferson's favorite apples -- along with a lot of other people.  Often ranks at the top of taste tests.  The skin is red with speckles of yellow.   This variety is susceptible to scab, mildew and canker. ****

To read a more detailed description of this variety, please visit - Esopus Spitzenberg

**** The Best Apples to Buy and Grow, B. Hanson, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Inc. (2005);           see alsohttp://www.kuffelcreek.com/favorites.htm

Other Varieties Offered By Texas Nurseries or Suggested for Southern Climates

Some of the other varieties that I have seen offered by a few Texas nurseries or which are otherwise recommended for growing in the South, are listed below.  The nursery descriptions are included.   I am unable to offer an opinion as to the taste qualities of these varieties other than what is written here:

Einshemer:     An "Israeli variety that produces bright yellow fruits with a semi-acid, sweet flavor." +

Jonared:          "Very productive Jonathon cross.  Improved Hybrid." +

Stayman Winesap:     "Firm, crisp fruit with tangy flavor.  Good for dessert or canning" +

Flesh is "finely textured, juicy, and moderately acidic with a sprightly, wine-like flavor."  Greenish-yellow undercolor with light red stripes or crimson blush.  It can be stored for 2 to 3 months.  Can be susceptible to fire blight.  ****

To read a more detailed description of this variety, please visit - Stayman

Jonathon:        "A favorite for home orchards.  Moderately tart and crispy." +

Firm, crisp, juicy, and very aromatic flesh.  Flavor can range from mild to tart with its acidity.  Thought to be a seedling of Esopus Spitzenberg from New York.  Bright yellow overlaid by bright red skin.  Can be susceptible to fire blight.  ****

To read a more detailed description of this variety, please visit - Jonathan

Arkansas Black:         "Purplish black fruit, crisp and juicy."  ++

Hard, very firm flesh, with a course, almost woody texture.  Mild but balanced taste which is more sweet than acidic.  Resistant to fire blight and cedar apple rust but susceptible to scab.  ****

To read a more detailed description of this variety, please visit - Arkansas Black

Grimes Golden:        The course flesh is crisp and tender with a spicy, sweet flavor.  It has a high sugar content.  Dating back to the early 1800s, it is believed to be a parent of Golden Delicious.   The skin is greenish-yellow with some russetting. ****         

To read a more detailed description of this variety, please visit - Grimes Golden

Idared:        Juicy Moderately crisp with a mild flavor that is tart to moderately acidic.  This apple is often used for cooking or cider.  Red fruit on a greenish white under color.  ****

To read a more detailed description of this variety, please visit - Idared

Mammoth Blacktwig:        Crisp, firm flesh that is juicy and mildly tart.  It is believed to be a Winesap seedling originating in Arkansas.  Fruits become sweeter as they mature.  It is red over a yellow background.  It is susceptible to scab but resistant to fire blight and cedar apple rust.  ****

Ralls Genet:        This apple is "dense, crisp, and tender with a flavor that balances tart and sweet."  It has a sweet aroma.  It dates back to the 1700s from Virginia, and it is a parent of Fuji.  It has greenish-yellow skin streaked with shades of pink, red, and crimson.  It is a late bloomer.   It can be susceptible to scab, blossom blight, and bitter rot.  ****  

Summer Champion:        Crisp, juicy, and moderately acidic developing a balanced flavor with old time apple taste.  It originates from Arkansas.  This is an early season apple.  The skin has pink to red stripes over a yellow green undercolor.  ****

Winesap (original):        Winelike flavor with acidity.  Considered to be sweet, tart, and juicy.   It stores well.  It originated in the early 1800s in New Jersey.  It typically is dark red in color.  **** 

To read a more detailed description of this variety, please visit - Winesap

+       http://www.bobwellsnursery.com/

++     http://www.womacknursery.com/apples.html

**** The Best Apples to Buy and Grow, B. Hanson, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Inc. (2005)

Rootstock

When selecting your trees, it is very important to look closely at the rootstock upon which the trees are grafted.  The rootstock will dictate how large the tree will get.  You do not want to plant a tree that will get too big for the space in which you are placing it.  You will be very disappointed and, along with the additional work entailed, the additional pruning to keep its size in check may adversely impact fruit production.  Some of the more common rootstocks are:

Dwarf tree (6-9 feet):                            M-9 or M-26 rootstock

Semi-dwarf tree (12-15 feet):            MM-111 or M-7 rootstock

          Full-sized tree (20-25 feet):               seedling rootstock

However, it has been suggested that these rootstocks will grow smaller trees in hotter climates like Texas.  Consequently, an MM-111 that typically will grow to 12 to 15 feet, may only grow to 8 to 12 feet.  See this posting for further discussion - rootstock.

Cross-Pollination

While a few varieties are self-fertile, you are going to want to plant at least two varieties of apple trees to ensure proper cross-pollination and fruit set.  Please note that triploid apples are essentially sterile and will not serve as a pollinizer.  If you already have crab-apples, those can often serve as pollinizers.

To ensure good cross-pollination, make sure that you have two varieties that will bloom around approximately the same period of time, e.g. early bloom, mid-season bloom, late-season bloom.

Here is a chart regarding bloom times:

 

Early Bloom                         Midseason Bloom                     Late Bloom

Beacon                                       Akane                                              Baldwin

Chestnut Crab                        Arkansas Black                            Ben Davis

Cole's Quince                          Blue Pearmain                             Bramley's Seedling

Idared                                        Braeburn                                       Connell Red

Irish Peach                              Calville Blanc d'Hiver                  Criterion

Jonamac                                   Canada Reinette                         Enterprise

Liberty                                      Chenango Strawberry                   Fuji

Maiden's Blush                      Cortland                                          Golden Delicious

Mantet                                      Cox's Orange Pippin                  Golden Noble

Margil                                       Empire                                             GoldRush

Mcintosh                                 Esopus Spitzenburg                       Horse

Nova Easygro                        Fireside                                           Hubbardston Nonesuch

Oriole                                        Freedom                                         Keepsake

Parkland                                  Gala                                                  Lady

Paulared                                  Granny Smith                                   Lobo

Red Gravenstein                  Grimes Golden                                 Macoun

Smokehouse                          Haralson                                         Melrose

Spartan                                    Honeycrisp                                    Mother

Summer Rambo                   Hudson's Golden Gem              Northern Spy

Swaar                                        James Grieve                                Peck's Pleasant

Twenty-Ounce Pippin           Jefferis                                                Pristine

Wealthy                                   Jonagold                                         Ralls Janet

White Winter Pearmain       Jonathan                                             Rome Beauty

Wickson                                  Kidd's Orange Red                      Simirenko Reinette

Wynoochee                           King David                                      Spigold

Yates                                        Kingston Black                              Tolman Sweet

Yellow Transparent              Lubsk Queen                                       Whitney Crab

Zestar                                      Macfree                                             Winter Banana

                                                   Melrose                                             York Imperial

                                                   Minnesota 1734                

                                                   Mollie's Delicious             

                                                   Mutsu (Crispin)                 

                                                  Newtown Pippin                

                                                  Pink Lady                           

                                                  Pink Pearl                           

                                                  Pound Sweet                      

                                                  Prairie Spy                          

                                                  Red Baron                          

                                                  Red Delicious                    

                                                  Redfree                               

                                                  Rhode Island Greening     

                                                  Ribston Pippin                   

                                                  Ross Nonpareil                  

                                                  Shizuka                               

                                                  Spartan                                

                                                  Spencer                               

                                                  Splendour                           

                                                  Stayman Winesap             

                                                  Suncrisp                              

                                                  Sweet Sixteen                    

                                                  Tompkins King                  

                                                  Tydeman's Red                  

                                                  William's Pride                  

                                                  Wolf River                         

                                                  Zabergau Reinette             

 

                                              Triploid Varieties            

 Arkansas Black                   Jonagold                                      Sir Prize

Baldwin                                   Karmin de Sonnaville            Spigold

Belle de Boskoop                Lady                                               Stayman Winesap

Blenheim Orange                Mutsu (Crispin)                         Summer Rambo

Bramley's Seedling            Rhode Island Greening          Turley Winesap

Gravenstein                          Ribston Pippin                           Zabergau Reinette

Hibernal                                 Shizuka

 

Remember that the Triploid varieties are not effective pollinators.

* The Apple Grower, Michael Phillips, Chelsea Green Publishing Company (2005).

 

Considerations When Planting

This is not intended to be a guide for planting an apple tree.  If you are looking for that kind of guidance, I recommend that you visit this link for a pretty thorough "how-to" primer.

Nevertheless, when you plant your trees, I encourage you to add compost, Mycorrhizal fungi, and Actinovate to the backfill when you are planting.

In Texas, apple trees can be susceptible to a soil-borne fungal pathogen known as Cotton Root Rot  (Phymatotricum omnivorum).  Actinovate contains beneficial microrganisms that prevent Cotton Root Rot. 

Many varieties of apples can also sometimes succumb to fire blight.  The best way to avoid fire blight is to not use fertilizer with a high nitrogen content.  Excessive amounts of nitrogen encourages fire blight.  If fire blight does show up, cut the infected branch off as soon as you can and destroy it.

Finally, in caring for your apple trees, I have found that the occasional spraying of Garrett Juice or compost tea seems to ward off problems for me.

 

Ideas on Nurseries

If you are looking for an instant orchard, your choices are limited.  Check now with your local nurseries to see what varieties they are or will be caring this Spring and in what sizes.  I typically only see 5 gallon containers in my local nurseries.

Bob Wells Nursery will often carry 5, 10, and 15 gallon trees, so you can try that. 

Edible Landscaping also sometimes carries larger sized specimen.

 

If you are a more patient person and are willing to plant a smaller tree, there are a lot of options out there.  Some of them include:

Texas Nurseries:

Bob Wells Nursery 

 Womack Nursery

Cummins Nursery

Caldwell Nursery 

 

Nurseries Outside of Texas

Raintree Nursery

Trees of Antiquity

One Green World

Johnson Nursery

Chestnut Hill Tree Farm

Stark Brothers

Grandpa's Orchard

Bay Laurel Nursery

Big Horse Creek Farm

Kuffel Creek Apple Nursery

Cloud Mountain Farm

Burnt Ridge Nursery

Greenmantle Nursery

Southmeadow Fruit Gardens

Orange Pippin Fruit Trees

Urban Homestead

Vintage Virginia Apples

 

Sampling Apples

Starting with your local organic grocer is a good way to explore the different flavors of heirloom apples.

You can also taste some of the less commercial heirloom varieties through these mail order companies:

Applesource

Tree-Mendus Fruit Farm

Kilcherman's Christmas Cove Farm

Lakeside Orchards

 

If you have planted apple trees in Texas that are bearing fruit, please post a comment and share your experiences along with your favorite varieties for Texas.

Cox Orange Pippin - ©iStockphoto.com

 

Fall Planting Times for Dallas and North Texas

 

 

The following is a seed starting schedule for the Dallas area from John Jeavons' outstanding book How to Grow More Vegetables.

This schedule assumes an average first frost date of November 13th.  Note that this is an average date, and different sources claim an average frost date of anywhere from November 11th through November 30th for the Dallas / Forth Worth area.

Here is a link to a useful Interactive Map showing first and last frost dates.

If you are outside of Dallas, adjust the dates accordingly.

 

July 1st

Plant seeds in garden for:

pumpkins (assuming 120 day maturity)

winter squash

 

July 1st - 15th

Start seedlings for:

fall tomatoes (assuming 75-100 day maturity)

 

August 1st

Plant seeds in garden for final corn planting (assuming 100 day maturity) 

Start seeds for:

parsnips

 

August 14th (14 weeks before first frost)

Start seeds for:

broccoli

cabbage

lettuce

chard

brussels sprouts

cauliflower

You are probably better off starting the forgoing indoors and then transplanting them later, but you must slowly harden them before transplanting.  Nevertheless, I am a lazy gardener and prefer to just take my chances by direct sowing them into the garden with regular waterings for germination.

fennel

parsley

cilantro

 

August 28st (11 weeks before first frost)

Start seed for:

peas

carrots

spinach

kale

kohlrabi

fava beans (for fall harvest)

 

September 18th (8 weeks before first frost)

Start seeds:

radishes

 

September 25th (7 weeks before first frost) 

Start seeds:

beets

 

October 1st-October 15th

Plant strawberry crowns for Spring

Plant potted fruit bushes

 

October 15th

Plant:

garlic cloves (for spring harvest)

shallots (for spring harvest) 

onions (for spring harvest)

fava beans (grown as a cover crop)

 

Late December after numerous frosts

Harvest horseradish after numerous frosts.  Divide the roots using the largest to make horseradish sauce.  Transplant smaller roots for next year.

 

The items in red are not listed in John Jeavons' How to Grow More Vegetables.

Some of these vegetables like beets and radishes can be succession planted.

Remember, when you are starting seeds directly in the garden. you need to supply steady, daily moisture to these seeds for them to germinate and thrive.  Also remember to consider the soil depth for the particular variety of vegetable when planting and mulching.

March Gardening To Do List

This gardening to-do list is focused on zone 8, but it should also be somewhat germane for zones 7 and 9.  (The photo above is of a peach blossom)

Plant fruit trees and shrubs - bare-rooted plants should be planted by the end of  the first half of the month.  Potted plants can be planted the entire month.

Plant trees and shrubs that are potted.

Fruit trees can be pruned before the buds begin to bloom (wait until after fruiting for the fruit bushes)

You are running out of time to prune shade and ornamental trees.  Ideally, pruning should be completed before the trees and bushes start to leaf out.

Clear out dead foliage of last year's perennials such as turk's cap.  I do not cut back the bare stems of hydrangeas.

Spring flowering plants can be pruned after they finish blooming, e.g. carolina jessamine, wisteria, lady banksia roses, spirea, forsythia, flowering quince.

Continue vegetable seeds and transplant per the following schedule - Planting Schedule.  Finish cool season vegetable plantings.  You can begin planting warm season vegetables after the last frost date, which is approximately March 20th in Dallas.  Visit the following site for last frost dates - Interactive Map.  You will want to wait until the soil warms up further for some vegetables like sweet corn and peppers.

If you did not fertilize in February, fertilize lawn and beds with organic fertilizer. 

If you did not do so in February, add compost and topdress mulch.

After the last frost date, begin spraying fruit and vegetables with compost tea or Garrett Juice mixture.  I try to spray every other week with a backpack sprayer, but it is not necessary to spray this frequently.  (This year, I am going to experiment with a mixture including Garrett Juice, Seaweed extract, Bt additive (for caterpillers and pests), garlic juice (insects), and actinovate (prevent fireblight and other fungus) -- I'll report back as to how it does).

In the first part of March, spread diatomaceous earth around your strawberry plants to deter slugs and pill bugs.

You can continue to plant cold weather annuals - e.g. petunias, pansies, pinks, alyssum, etc.  After the last frost date, you can begin planting warm weather annuals.

Even after the average last frost date, keep an eye on the forecast for any unexpected late freezes.  Be prepared to water your tender, warm weather transplants before the frost hits.  Be prepared to cover those tender transplants with frost cloth or some other type of covering.

After the last frost date, begin sowing beneficial insects if you do not have an existing, abundant population.  Ladybugs, green lacewings, praying mantids, trichogramma wasps, beneficial nematodes, etc.

Prepare for the birds.  Get your Eastern Screech Owl and Barn Owl houses up.  Put out the goldfinch feeders with thistle.  At the end of March, get your hummingbird feeders out in case there are any early visitors.  Get your purple martin house up and ready for the scouts.

Cut back and trim groundcover in the first part of the month, if necessary.

Late March is a good time to put down sod.

Water as needed.  March is the rainy season, so only infrequent watering should be necessary.

** The Organic Manual, Howard Garrett (Tapestry Press 2002).

Average Last Freeze Dates in Texas and Dallas

Here is a link to a useful Interactive Map showing first and last frost dates for Texas.  If you "click" on "Plant Maps" at the top left, you can also find similar maps for other states as well.  These maps are great because you can drill down to great detail -- even to your street.

In addition to first and last frost dates, there are also maps for:

Interactive Drought Monitor Map
Interactive Map of Drought Conditions
Interactive Map of Heat Zones
Interactive Map of Ecoregions
Interactive Maps of Native Trees and Plants
Interactive Plantmaps Hardiness Zone Map

According to this map, for Dallas, the average last frost date varies even within the city with some neighborhoods having a last frost date from March 1st through March 10th; whereas, my neighborhood in North Dallas has a last frost date of March 10th to March 20th.

Remember that these are averages!!!  If you look at historical data for my zip code on Weather.com, you can see that my area has had a freeze as late as April 13th.

Available Fruit Trees and Bushes From Dallas and Fort Worth Nurseries - Spring 2011

I have asked a number of DFW nurseries to provide a list of the fruit trees and bushes that they will be  carrying this Spring. 

I have not heard back from everyone, but I have provided a list for everyone from whom I heard back.  I will update the list if I hear from any others.

Some of these nurseries may have a rolling inventory.  Make sure you call them to confirm what they have in stock before you make the trip.

 

North Haven Gardens

7700 Northaven Road
Dallas, TX 75230
(214) 363-5316

www.nhg.com

Apples

Granny Smith

Fuji

Ein Shemer

Gala

Mollie's Delicious

Holland

 

Peach

Dwarf Redskin

Dwarf Ranger

Harvester

Denman

Elberta

Belle of Georgia Dwarf

Redskin

Bonanza

Ranger

Loring

 

Pear

Dwarf Moonglow

Dwarf Orient

Kiefer

Moonglow

Orient

Kiowa

 

Apricot

Moorpark

Early Gold

Asian Pear

Twentieth Century

 

Plum

Bruce

Santa Rosa

Methley

Stanley

 

Pomegranite

Wonderful

 

Avocado

Poncho

Joey

 

Raspberry

Dorman Red Raspberry

 

Blackberry

Brazos

Thornless

Womack

Blackbery

Rosborough

Arapaho

Navajo

 

Blueberry

Woodard

Climax

Tifblue

Powder Blue

 

Cherry

Montmorency

 

Fig

Texas Everbearing

Brown Turkey

Alma

Celeste

 

Grape

Black Spanish

Himrod

Flame

Seibel

Thompson Seedless

Champanel

Blanc duBois

 

Persimmon

Eureka Persimmon

Fuyu

Hachiya

Tanenashi

Tamopan  

 

Pecan

Chocktaw

Mohawk

Cape Fear

 

Citrus

Mexican Lime

Loquat Tree

Kumquat

Improved Meyer Lemon

Indonesian Lime

Mexidwarf Lime

Navel Orange

Satsuma Orange

 

Olive

Arbequina

 

Pineapple Guava

 

Quince

Toyo Nishiki

 

Banana

Siam Ruby Banana

 

Calloway's Nursery and Cornelius Nursery

Multiple locations

www.calloways.com

 

Apple

Anna 5gl

Golden Delicious 5gl

Granny Smith 5gl

Jonathon 5gl

Mollies Delicious 5gl

 

Fig

Brown Turkey 5gl

Celeste 5gl

Plum

Bruce 5gl

Methley 5gl

Morris 5gl

 

Peach

Belle of Georgia 5gl

Harvester 5gl

Loring 5gl

Ranger 5gl

Red Globe 5gl

Redskin 5gl

 

Pear

Kieffer 5gl

Moonglow 5gl

Orient 5gl

 

Persimmon

Fuyu 5gl

 

Grape

Champanel

Mars Seedless

Seibel 9110 - DFW

 

Blackberry

Arapaho Blackberry

Brazos Blackberry

Navajo Blackberry

Rosborough Blackberry

 

Blueberry

Premier Blueberry

Powder Blue Blueberry

Brightwell Blueberry

 

Raspberry

Dorman Red 2gl

 

Citrus

Lemon Meyer 5gl

Lime Mexican 5gl

Nectarine Surecrop 5gl

Orange Satsuma 5gl

 

Pecan

Cheyenne 7gl

Desirable 7gl

 

Rohde's Nursery

1651 Wall Street

Garland, Texas 75041

972-864-1934

www.beorganic.com/index.html

 

APPLES

Mollie’s Delicious             5 gal    

Red Delicious                     5 gal    

Fuji                                       5 gal    

 

PEARS

Moonglow                           5 gal    

Orient                                   5 gal    

Keiffer                                 5 gal    

 

PLUMS

Methley                               5 gal    

Allred                                   5 gal    

 

POMEGRANITE

Wonderful                           5 gal    

 

PERSIMMON

Fuyu                                     5 gal    

Eureka                                  5 gal    

Hachiya                               5 gal    

 

BLACKBERRIES

Brazos                                  1 gal    

Rosborough                         1 gal    

Navajo Thornless               1 gal    

 

Redenta's Nursery

Locations in Dallas and Arlington

2001 Skillman

Dallas, Texas

214.823.9421

www.redentas.com/shops-locations.php

 

Apple

fuji

pink lady

 

Apricot

harcot

 

Jujube

li

 

Nectarine

flavortop nectarine

 

Peach

eldorado miniature peach

belle of georgia

 

Asian Pear

shinseiki asian pear

 

Persimmon

fuyu

 

Almond

all-in-one genetic semi-dwarf almond

 

Blueberry

reveille blueberry

sunshine blueberry

 

Grape

flame seedless grape

perlette seedless grape

 

Blackberries

blackberries - not determined

 

Fig

celeste

brown turkey fig

 

 

Covington's Nursery

5518 Liberty Grove Road

Rowlett, Texas 75089

972-475-5888

 

Apples

These apples are "semi self-fertile", which means that they will usually produce enough fruit for homeowner use but would bear much more heavily with a proper pollinator.

Red Delicious: Large fruit, red waxy skin, pure white flesh. Bears more heavily when pollinized with Yellow Delicious. Ripens: September-October.

Yellow Delicious: Large fruit, golden yellow. Excellent pollinizer variety. Ripens: September-October.

Mollie's Delicious: Very large, yellow skin with red blush. Pollinate with Granny Smith. Ripens: Late July- August.

Granny Smith: Large fruit, bright green skin which remains bright green for quite a while after harvest. Excellent pollinator of other apples. Ripens: August-September.

Apricots

The apricot listed is self-fertile.

Moorpark: Large, brownish-red skin, orange flesh. Ripens: late June to early July, harvest through July.

Blackberries

Blackberries are self-fertile.

Brazos

Navaho

Arapaho

Apache

Figs

All listed types are fully self-fertile.

Brown Turkey: Medium to large sized, brown to violet colored fruit with strawberry colored flesh. Small-eye variety.

Black Jack: Large, long, purplish fruit with strawberry red flesh. Natural semi-dwarf, easily maintained around 6-8' tall.

Blue Giant (Texas Blue Giant): Large fruit, purple skin, amber flesh.   

Celeste: Small to medium sized, light brown fig with pink flesh and a tightly closed eye. One of the best tasting varieties, produces best off the previous year's wood. Proven to have excellent cold resistance.

Texas Everbearing: Medium to large, bell-shaped fig, brownish-yellow skin, amber flesh. Bears young, tolerates colder areas.

Peaches

All listed types are self-fertile.

Golden Glory (Dwarf cultivar): Very large fruit, gold skin with light red blush, yellow flesh. Freestone. The smallest growing peach tree available (5' tall at maturity). Good for smaller locations. Ripens: August.

Belle of Georgia: Medium sized, white-fleshed fruit. Freestone. Ripens: mid-July.

Elberta: Large, elongated fruit. Golden yellow skin, flushed with red where exposed to sun. Yellow flesh, freestone.

Florida King: Medium, semi-cling fruit. Florida King is one of the earliest season peaches around. Ripens: mid-May.

Harvester: Medium to large fruit, bright red skin evenly blushed over yellow. Acidic, yellow flesh. Ripens uniformly instead of staggered ripening. Freestone. Ripens:  late June.

Loring: Large, yellow skin with red blush, yellow flesh. Freestone. Ripens: mid-July.

Ranger: Large, brightly colored red skin, yellow flesh. Late blooming, good for colder areas, heavy producer. Freestone. Ripens: early July.

Redskin: Large, deep red skin over yellow. Yellow flesh, good for eating or canning. Freestone. Ripens: early August.

Sentinel: Medium to large fruit, yellow skin with red blush. One of the sweetest peaches, semi-freestone.  Ripens: mid-June.

Pears

Ayers: Yellow fruit with red blush, semi-self fertile. Ripens: August.

Kieffer: One of the best self-pollinating pears, greenish yellow skin blushed red, stores well, coarse texture (high stone cell count). Ripens: October to November.

Moonglow: Large, brownish-green skin, soft flesh, juicy, low grit.  Best with Bartlett as a pollinator. Ripens: early August.

Orient: Large, round, yellow skin. Smooth texture, better production with pollinizer, either Bartlett or Kieffer.

---DallasFruitGrower Does Not Recommend Bartlett ---- 

Bartlett: The #1 pear in the world for a reason, large, smooth, yellow skin with white flesh. Vigorous grower, self-fertile but better production with a pollinator. Pollinates other pear types well.

Persimmons

All persimmons listed here are fully self-fertile.

Fuyu Giant: Orange skin, non-astringent flavor, round to semi-oblong and large.  Bears from an early age, no seeds unless planted with other varieties.  Ripens: November.

Tanenashi: Medium size, cone-shaped fruit, orange skin, seedless, astringent.  Bears from an early age.  Ripens: October.

Plums

Bruce: Large fruit, red skin and flesh, early ripening variety. Needs a pollinizer like Methley. One of the largest fruiting plums in the area. Ripens: mid-late May.

Methley: Medium fruit, purple skin, amber-red flesh. Fully self-fertile. Ripens: early June.

Morris: requires pollinizer, large, round, deep-red skin, bright red flesh. Outstanding flavor. Excellent disease resistance. Ripens: mid-June.

Santa Rosa: Large, oval plums, purplish-red skin with blue highlights, yellow flesh to dark red near the skin. Self-fertile. Ripens: mid-June.

Pomegranates

Wonderful: Extra-large fruit, red skin, red flesh, the most commercially available pomegranate. Ripens: September.

Grapes

Flame: nearly-seedless red, color may fade in hot summers but fruit quality does not, medium table grape. Leave long canes on this grape to train along wires or trellises, as it develops the best fruitwood away from the main cane. (Cane prune) Ripens: late July.

Perlette: large white grape, seedless variety. (Cane prune) Ripens: Mid-July.

Seibel 9110: large white-yellow fruit in large clusters. Wine or table variety. Prune back to within several buds of the main canes to leave small spurs for the development of new wood. (Spur prune)  Ripens: August to September.

Summer Royal: medium-sized black seedless grape. (Cane prune) Table variety. Ripens: August.

Pecans

All pecan varieties do better with a pollinator, but some are more self-fertile than others. 

Cheyenne: early shedder, soft-shell medium-sized pecan, excellent flavor, early producing. Good pollinator for other varieties.  Ripens: late Sept-early October.

Choctaw: late shedder, very large nutmeat, soft shell, good quality. Early bearing, semi self-fertile. Ripens: late Oct-early November.

Desirable: early shedder, large, medium-soft shell.  Semi self-fertile.  Ripens: late Oct-early November.

Pawnee: early shedder, soft shell, early ripening - ripens late September.

Fruit Forums

In addition to being able to post questions on this site, there are 2 additional fruit forums that I encourage you to visit:

iVillage GardenWeb Fruit and Orchards Forum

Cloudforest Gardener

These forums are great places to ask questions and receive pretty quick answers from other experienced fruit growers.  They are also interesting sites just to browse and see what other fruit growers are growing in their gardens or to investigate what issues other growers are currently trying to tackle.

February Gardening To Do List

This gardening to-do list is focused on zone 8 and further south, but it should also be germane for zone 7.

Plant fruit trees and shrubs - bare-root and potted

Prune fruit trees (wait until after fruiting for the fruit bushes)

Prune shade and ornamental trees, along with bush form roses and evergreen plants

Start vegetable seeds and transplant per the following schedule - Planting Schedule.

Transplant any plants, shrubs, or trees needing to be moved.

Fertilize lawn and beds with organic fertilizer. 

Add compost and topdress mulch.

Test ph for blueberry beds.  Take measures to acidify the soil with sulfur or acidified mulch if necessary

Water as needed.  Frequent watering will not be necessary, but don't let your beds completely dry out.

Plant cold weather annuals - e.g. petunias, pansies, pinks, alyssum, etc.

** The Organic Manual, Howard Garrett (Tapestry Press 2002).