Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Pruning a Strawberry Tree



  • Prune the strawberry tree in early spring before the blooming season. This will promote more healthy growth in the growing season, when the tree can easily recover from the pruning. 








  • Prune the tree so that it grows with a single, strong trunk. Cut away any excessive twists or splits that may cause a second trunk to grow. Strawberry trees will try to grow multiple trunks, but are easier to control with one strong trunk.








  • Trim branches below the desired canopy level. Strawberry branches will droop as the tree grows, reducing visibility of the trunk and limiting the vehicles or people that can pass below. Establish a safe canopy level and prune any branches that droop or develop beneath that level.








  • Cut away any dead or diseased branches to prevent the spread of disease and to promote good health on all branches.






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    Sunday, December 25, 2011

    Care of a Strawberry Tree

      Here are some tips

              Soil
      1. Test the soil in the planting location. The strawberry tree is hardy and will grow in clay or dry soil, but the prefers rich, loamy soil. The soil should also be well-draining, high in acidity and free of lime. While the strawberry tree will tolerate some lime, it grows much better if the soil is lime-free. Use a soil pH testing kit to determine the amount of lime in your soil, but the chances are low that you have lime unless you or someone else previously added it to amend the soil and reduce acidity.

        Location

      2. Strawberry trees are very tolerant of pollutants. For this reason, they are often planted along city streets, in parking lots or in containers on rooftop gardens. Strawberry trees also are tolerant of salt, so they can be planted near warm coasts. Strawberry trees do need some protection from cold winds. These trees prefer full sun or partial shade, and grow best when exposed to morning sun and afternoon shade.

        Watering

      3. Water when the top layer of soil dries out. Strawberry trees are moderately drought tolerant, which means they can withstand short periods of drought, but not extended, dry periods. Test the soil by inserting the tip of your finger into the ground or container soil. If it is dry down to a depth of 2 or 3 inches, the tree needs watering.

        Pruning

      4. Prune your strawberry tree aggressively. The tree should be trained to grow on one trunk to promote strong growth. Prune off secondary trunks in early spring, as well as any branches growing below the desired canopy and branches growing vertically or crossing another branch.
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    Monday, December 19, 2011

    History Of Persimmons

    Japanese persimmons, ‘Diospyros kaki L.,’ were introduced into the United States from Japan by Admiral Perry who discovered the fruit growing on the coast of Southern Japan in 1851.

    Most of the early Japanese persimmon introductions in 1828 were sprouted from seed in Washington, DC, but were unsuccessful, because of the unusually cold winters experienced during that period.

    The USDA introduced grafted cultivars of Japanese persimmon into California and Georgia beginning in 1870, and many of these experimental persimmon tree trials were begun in Central Florida in the early 1900’s at the University located in Gainesville, Florida.

    One thousand cultivars of Japanese persimmon are available from Japan, but from the hundreds of tree cultivars tested in the United States during the past years, only a handful of commercial trees should be considered by the home gardener for reliable fruit production.

    The cultivars of Japanese persimmon trees recommended for home gardeners are Fuyu, Fuyugaki, Giant Fuyu, Chocolate, Eureka, Hachiya, Jiro, Tam-o-pan, and Tanenashi.
    Many cultivars were planted in Florida by Professor Hume of the University of Florida at Gainesville, Florida during the early 1900’s. The trees were a sensation because of the prolific early bearing and the observation that the trees ripened into large crops of colorful, juicy fruit in late fall when very few fresh delicacies are available. Reports of early Japanese persimmon tree orchards show that in excess of 22,000 trees were being grown commercially in Florida alone. The Japanese persimmon trees are classifieds into two categories using two terms that confuse most people. The use of the term “non” is interpreted by most people as a negative, meaning a tree that demonstrates a less desirable quality. Japanese persimmon trees produce fruit that is non-astringent or astringent. The non-astringent term in this case is more desirable for eating to the prevailing garden public, because it contains a “non” bitter taste in the green or hard fruit state. Eventually the astringent Japanese persimmon fruit will develop a juicy, flavorful, very desirable, taste when it ripens to the point of being soft. The peak flavor of a Japanese persimmon never really climaxes until both the non-astringent and the astringent persimmon both ripen completely on the tree to the point of softness. The use of these terms in recommending the purchase of Japanese persimmon trees has been unfortunate, to the point of discouraging many gardeners from planting trees of the astringent persimmon cultivars. Plum trees, for instance, are not classified into two categories of sour and sweet, even though a hard green plum before fully ripening is sour to taste, yet it becomes pleasantly sweet and juicy in the soft colored stage.

    Some botanist historians argue that the Japanese persimmon tree documented as growing there one thousand years ago actually originated in China. This argument is often repeated by academics, when national origins of plants are debated about many other plants, but the argument is meaningless. It is realized by geologists that the land boundary of Japan was united to the continent of Asia at some past period of ancient history.

    Japanese persimmon fruits are produced in great numbers by California orchardists and the fruit begins showing up on grocery shelves around Thanksgiving. South American persimmon fruit production matures at different seasons than persimmons, ripening period in America, so that many grocery stores can stock this delicious tasty fruit year round. Japanese oriental fruits can be stored for two months for future consumption at a refrigerator temperature of 30 degrees Fahrenheit.

    Japanese persimmons grown from seed can grow to 40 feet tall; however, modern grafted cultivars rarely grow very tall. Fruit shapes vary wildly from plum, tomato, and heart-shaped to square, oval, tear drop, and lobed or many combinations in between.
    The small yellow wax-like flowers fill the air with a sweet pleasant aroma. The flowers may or may not require cross pollination, and will mature into a various array of sizes--up to one pound each—and the color ranges from yellow to dark-reddish orange.

    The wood is among the hardest known to man, being highly prized and desirable for wood carving by Japanese artists. The Japanese persimmon tree is a very important landscape specimen tree because of the deep green waxy leaves that turn such brilliant colors in the fall, often appearing like a brightly lit Christmas tree in the landscape.

    The American persimmon, ‘Diospyros virginiana,’ was found growing in Virginia by the early American Captain John Smith in 1609, who described the tree and the persimmon fruit in great detail and as tasting like an apricot.

    William Bartram, the famous early American botanist encountered the native American persimmon trees, ‘Diospyros virginiana,’ as documented in his book, Travels, of 1773. The native American persimmon was also brought to the attention of early American Presidents and plant collectors, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson.

    American persimmons contain a few seeds in the juicy, pinkish-orange fruit which often ripens in September. These delicious fruits have a natural juicy, sweet, fruity taste when overripe in the pinkish-orange stage and should never be picked from the tree until plump, soft to the touch, and completely ripe.

    The American persimmon grows in almost every forest habitat of the United States, and the hard wood of the trees is valued by mountain wood carvers for its decorative grain. The wood is also in high demand for the manufacture of golf clubs prized for the durability and bounce projectability of golf balls coming in contact with the golf club wood.

    Tuesday, December 13, 2011

    Caring for Your Peach Tree

    Soil

    Peach trees should be planted in well drained sandy or loamy soil. Loamy means soil that contains a certain amount of clay. Over time, you can amend your soil to allow good growth of your peach tree. Most peach trees grow best when the soil pH is near 6.5. Taking a soil sample to your local cooperative extension office for evaluation will help with making soil amendments. It's a good idea to check your soil about every three years. When planting more than one peach tree, the trees should be planted in rows 12 to 15 feet apart.

    Planting the Peach Tree

    Pick a place to plant your peach tree that is at least 20 feet away from other trees to gain the full benefit of the sun. Dig the hole for our peach tree about a foot deeper and a foot wider than the pot. The amount of loose soil that is filled in around the roots will allow for good root growth. Add more loose soil into the bottom of the hole in order to plant the peach tree as deep as the top of the soil already in the pot. Place the peach tree in the hole, fill with loose dirt and add water to the hole. Pack the dirt firmly around the peach tree. If the peach tree is planted on a slope, make a little trough for watering.

    Fertilizer

    Fertilize your peach tree about a week after planting and again about a month later. You may need to fertilize again in the spring. A good 10-10-10 fertilizer or fruit tree fertilizer spikes will work well for peach trees. The older the peach tree, the more fertilizer you may need to use.
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    Mulching

    Heavy mulching at least three feet around the peach tree trunk will help prevent weeds and retain valuable moisture. If weeds are surrounding the peach tree, you should keep it mowed or spray with herbicides. Doing so will cut down on insects.

    Watering

    Watering is a tricky business. Over watering is bad for the peach tree and under watering is bad too. Sandy soil will drain much quicker than clay soil and needs to be watered more often than clay soil. A hot summer day will make your peach tree need more water than a cool day. As long as the top few inches of the soil are moist, you should be fine. Looking for leaf droop will also let you know when your peach tree needs watering. Practice will let you know how much water your tree will need on a given day.

    Sun Requirement

    Peach trees need to be planted in an area that will receive full sun, that is, at least six to eight hours per day. Sunlight is important in drying the leaves and the fruit of the peach tree, thereby cutting down on disease. A nice blush on the peaches will depend upon the amount of sun the fruit receives.

    Thursday, December 8, 2011

    History Of Peach Trees, Prunus Persica

    Peach trees, Prunus persica, are originally believed to have come from China to the Mideast through the trade routes known to extend to Turkey and Iran (Persia). The peach seeds could be used to plant and grow trees throughout North Africa and Europe and finally were introduced to America in the mid 1500’s. The first appearance of peaches in China may date back to 2000 BC.

    Historians believe that peach trees were first introduced into the colonial settlements of the United States by the French explorers in 1562 at territories along the Gulf coastal region near Mobile, Alabama, then by the Spaniards who established Saint Augustine, Florida in 1565 on the Atlantic seaboard. The peach trees were planted from peach seed imported from Europe in an effort to establish a self sustaining, agricultural. fruit tree product to feed the colonists. American Indians spread the planting of the peach trees throughout vast territories by transporting the peach seed to other tribes that lived in the interior regions. This new crop of fruit was fast growing, producing a delicious peach two or three years from planting. The trees were so productive and vigorous that sometimes, widespread impenetrable thickets became established from the peach seeds that fell to the ground from fruit unharvested. The illusion was formed by settlers after 1600 that the peach trees were native to the United States, since they were so widely spread and grew so vigorously everywhere.

    Captain John Smith wrote about peach trees that were growing in Jamestown, Virginia in 1629. William Penn recorded in 1683 that dense, native thickets of wild peach trees were full of fruit just north of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

    The first plant nursery to become established in the United States was the Prince Nursery of Flushing, New York, in 1774 that sold grafted cultivars of peach trees to customers. General George Washington visited this nursery and had previously purchased fruit from them. An extensive group of grafted peach trees was sent to the Thomas Jefferson fruit tree orchards from Prince Nursery. President Thomas Jefferson was instrumental in the importation of many new agricultural products from Europe through his influence as Minister to France before the American Revolution. The aggressiveness and monumental fruit production of peach trees impressed him to establish a “living fence,” that encircled his expansive gardens at his home at Monticello, Virginia, in 1794. Jefferson found many other uses for peach trees such as the brewing of brandy in 1782. Jefferson wrote to his granddaughter, Martha, in 1818 that a slave “is busy drying peaches for you.” These sun-dried peaches were called “peach chips” and retained a good quality for eating, even after months of storage. Peaches were juiced and mixed with tea to form a delicious drink. In December of 1795, Jefferson planted 1151, peach trees after he had experimented with planting in 1807, the “black plumb peach of Georgia,” (Indian Blood Cling Peach). This naturalized peach wonder had been planted throughout the State of Georgia by the Indians and was a dark-red velvety color with tiger-like striping. This fragrant peach was extremely desirable because of its rich coloring and taste. Also, this peach was a perfect size to peel and pickle into a Southern holiday treat. This aromatic peach was ideal to make into jams, preserves, cobblers, pies, cakes, and ice cream. Jefferson believed that this Indian cling blood peach was a cross between naturalized peach trees and a French cultivar peach, “Sanguinole.”

    William Bartram, the famous American botanist and explorer, wrote in his book, Travels, in 1773 several accounts of his observations of ancient peach and plum orchards growing in Georgia, South Carolina, and Alabama. Bartram visited the ruins of a French plantation in 1776 near Mobile, Alabama, and recorded “I came presently to old fields, where I observed ruins of ancient habitations, there being abundance of peach and fig trees loaded with fruit.”

    Peach trees are grown primarily as a fruit tree; however, great interest in the non-fruiting, flowering peach tree was shown by President Thomas Jefferson who planted a double flowered tree that spectacularly bloomed at his home in Virginia in 1805.

    Flowering peach trees rate high, and desirable new cultivars of ornamental peach trees are available for planting and flowering with colors of white, pink, red, and peppermint (a mixture of red and white flower petals). These flowering peach trees are sterile in fruit production and bloom early in the spring, loaded with large colorful clusters of single or double flowered peach petals.

    Peaches are less popular as a fresh fruit than a few years ago, primarily because most commercial peach cultivars (varieties) are tailored by hybridizers to grow and ship as a firm fruit. The firmness of these peaches is important when a grower considers shipping the peach fruit long distances, but not enough attention has been given by plant hybridizers to saving the ancient qualities of aroma, juiciness, flavor, and seed separation from the pulp. Another problem damaging fresh peach sales is that the labor hired to pick the fruit from the tree is not properly trained nor personally concerned in the ultimate ripening of the peach fruit into a juicy, soft, delicious, tasty peach. The peaches are simply picked too soon and too firm to provide a fruit product that compared to a backyard orchard, tree-ripened delicacy that our older citizens often experienced in their grandfather’s back yard garden.

    Most of the peaches grown by commercial orchards today are fruits that are harvested while too firm with a seed that clings to the pulp called a “clingstone” peach. The best flavored peaches ripen soft and the seed easily separates from the edible portion, and these are called “freestone” peaches.

    Peach trees grown in the United States differ greatly from the aggressive, disease resistant, tasty, aromatic fruits grown by the early Americans. Over the centuries, the immune qualities of the peach trees to insects and diseases have been bred out by hybridizers, and these qualities have been replaced by inferior genes that make it difficult to buy a good flavorful peach at the store. The alternative to this problem is to buy tree ripened soft fruit at a fruit stand, pick-your-own orchard, or to grown your own backyard garden peaches concentrating on planting and growing old cultivars of the non-commercial home garden types.

    Peach trees in American have steadily declined in vigor in the past 300 years, to the point that the life expectancy is only 15-20 years or less. This factor has been explained by some fruit tree observers as due to an array of incremental factors, such as disease and insect weakening of the tree and leaves, nematodes, and improper soils and drainage; however, these problems pre-existed in the environment, when peach trees were introduced into America. The likely explanation of peach tree decline is more probably connected to the weak gene immunity that has appeared in peach tree hybridization focused toward commercial tree production that ends with an early, firm peach, clingstone, with shipping advantages to distant markets.

    The peach tree grows into a handsome canopy of dark-green rich foliage to a height of 6 to 10 feet. Most peach trees available in the United States are adapted and grown successfully in over 30 states. The grafted semi-dwarf peach trees are self pollinated, even before the flowers fully open, and the tree is cold hardy to negative 20 degrees Fahrenheit; however, the red to pink delicate flowers can be damaged by temperatures below 28 degrees Fahrenheit. Some orchardists like light frosts that will thin the bloom set, producing larger fruit. If extremely heavy flowering occurs, the excess flowers can be removed to 6 inch intervals, or by a chemical thinning that results in a much more marketable crop of fruit.

    A developing peach can grow in various sizes of individual fruits on the same tree that requires considerable grading before marketing. The peach is covered with a characteristic fuzz that some growers prefer to reduce or removed mechanically before sales. A nectarine is nothing more than a fuzzless peach, even though certain distinct cultivars of nectarines are offered. In his classic 12 volume book of botanical insight in 1921, Luther Burbank in Fruit Improvement believed that the peach had evolved from a nectarine-like ancestor with the fuzz developing as a shield of protection, unlike the fuzzless nectarine. He theorized that the fuzz shielded the fruit from sunshine, moisture, wind, insect, and disease damage. The nectarine, he felt, was repressed by evolutionary restraints, because the nectarine lacked fuzz as a protective armor. The cousin of the nectarine, the almond, was crossed by Burbank in order to create a nectarine fruit with an edible almond pit, thus two crops from one hybridization, a fruit and an edible nut. Burbank also performed many interspecific crosses of peach with nectarine. The peach is quite fragile and subject to bruising if handled roughly.

    Peach trees require a certain number of chilling hours in order to break dormancy properly and set a good crop of fruit. During a season most States will experience 500 chill hours in the winter; however, in many states, like central and southern Florida, the trees will not fruit properly unless cultivars are planted to fulfill low chilling requirements. It is very important to plant and grow peach trees on well drained soils. The fruit tastes better if trees are planted in the full sun, so that the early morning light will dry the dew on the peach leaves and fruit. Peach trees should be planted 12-15 feet apart in rows and will benefit by the application of lime and phosphate fertilizers around the ground beneath the branches. Weeds will be prevented in backyard orchards by heavily mulching, but otherwise the weeds should be mowed or sprayed with herbicides. Several kinds of peach varieties are usually planted to extend the availability and ripening of the fruit on the trees. Many cultivars are recommended for planting, such as: the Belle of Georgia, Elberta, Hale Haven, Harvester, Indian Blood Cling, Red Haven, Reliance, Gala, May Gold, Southern Pearl, Suwanee, Florida King, Florida Dawn, and many other low chill Florida fruiting cultivars.

    Peaches contain antioxidants that are important health considerations in maintaining healthy bodies. Many websites that recommend eating pits of peaches or apricots to prevent cancer should be urged to research the fact that the seeds contain a poison organic chemical, cyanogen, which produces fatal cyanide poisoning that has caused sudden death for many people, including Steve McQueen, a famous movie actor of the last century.

    Peach fruit has been demonstrated to contain healthy portions of Vitamin A, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, and Niacin. Peaches also contain the minerals Calcium, Phosphorus, Iron, and Potassium.

    Peach trees may be planted in various semi-dwarf sizes and ages for backyard fruit gardens and occasionally larger trees will grow fruit the first year of planting, but small trees usually begin bearing in the third year.

    Tuesday, December 6, 2011

    Apricot Trees

    Apricot trees have a long history of cultivation. Apricots seemed to have originated in China and from there they were spread throughout central Asia. From there the Romans spread them into Europe. Apricot fruit is very tasty and they are now widely grown and consumed in the United States. Apricot trees flowers are white or pink and the trees produce a stone-fruit with soft flesh. It ripens to an orange-yellow color. Apricots contain good amounts of vitamin A and kalium. It is also an excellent source of minerals like calcium, phosphorus, iron and traces of sodium, sulphur. Manganese, cobalt and bromine. Apricots do not store well and so they are eaten fresh, dried, or frozen. Apricots are a staple of the jam industry.

     Apricot tree need well drained soils for optimum health and production. The soil should be moderately fertile. It is best to thin the fruit early in the season to maximize size and quality. Thin the fruits enough so each individual fruit has about 3 to 5 inches of room. Apricot trees are quite handsome trees in the summer displaying the furrowed bark and heart shaped glossy leaves. A number of apricot-plum hybrids, such as plum-cot, Pluot, and Aprium, have been developed and are gaining popularity. These apricots trees are all orchard quality trees.

    Thursday, December 1, 2011

    How To Save Your Fruit Tree Blossoms From A Spring Freeze.

    In most parts of the country it's still dead of Winter. However, in a few spots like here in the Desert Southwest, the warming weather starts to play tricks on Spring budding trees and plants. They think it's time to wake up when it's really not quite safe to.

    In my own garden, I have an old Peach Tree that produces the most wonderful almost softball size peaches. And up until a few years ago, I rarely got the opportunity to see one make it past the blossom stage.

    As sure as the first warm days would wake the old tree up in a display of absolute pink, so surely would a Springtime freeze bring it to an end.

    But then one day a few Springs back..... I had a great idea.

    It was a little overdue but still quite fortunate that I picked those first warm Spring days to take down and put up the Christmas lights. Because as I held those lights in my hands and looked over at that beautiful pink tree just coming into its glory, a light bulb turned on in my head.

    Hmmm....., are you thinking what I’m thinking? I'm sure you are and it does work.
    From then on I've been able to get the majority of my blossoms to the point of battling birds and June bugs. However, battling the birds and June bugs will be another article altogether.

    While I am more comfortable to grow more fruit trees now, I find that this method still works well for me because I do only have a  few trees. I'm not sure how practical, cost effective, or easy it would be to string Christmas lights through more than a few trees.
    If you do ever use this method, use the old fashioned base type bulbs and not the little twinkling lights. They put off more heat. Also, if you live in an area where the climate is harsher than here in the desert, it may be helpful to place a sheet of plastic or tarp over the trees in addition to the lights.

    While there are other ways of protecting your trees and plants from a freeze, I just thought I would share this with you.