Hi Everyone I'm new here and need advice
Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2009 4:37 pm
by spoiltmom
I'm a stay at home mom and with everything getting so expensive I planted my first garden last year. It was great! We had more veggies and peas than we could eat.
Now I want to try fruit. I'd like to plant some apple, peach, pear and plum trees. I'd also like to try some strawberries and grapes.
Where do I start though? I'm in TX. When is the best time to plant fruit trees here? Do some varieties grow better than others?
Thanks Everyone!
Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2009 5:25 pm
by hendi_alex
Texas is so big. Parts can grow citrus, but I'm not sure how cold it gets in your location. Make sure that you get enough chilling hours for the fruit trees that you grow. I've tried fruit trees many times over the years, but finally gave up on most, as they require way too much spraying and maintenance. The keiffer type of southern pear is very easy to grow, requires no spraying and is relatively disease and pest free. IMO the small fruits give the best bang for the buck for home gardens. Blueberries rank number one for me. Super easy, almost no maintenance, and in my yard virtually no pests, except for a bit of sharing with the birds. Number two on my list would be strawberries, raspberries, and black berries. Tons of fruit with very little care. Figs are easy, bear early, and give a reliable crop. Choose a variety that is good for your area, and plant it in a relatively protected location. Blueberries can be selected from different varieties that have a wide range of ripening dates, so fruit can be harvested from June into August. The plants bear young with 18-24 inch plants bearing the first year, and after a few years you will have more berries than you can eat, just from a few bushes.
Good luck with you increased interest in gardening. Be sure and throw some of the small fruits and berries in the mix, and you will be well rewarded.
Alex
Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2009 10:37 pm
by cynthia_h
I recommend finding a local, independent garden-supply store and asking someone on staff what works in your area.
I've driven across Texas; it took me 16 hours to get from the Louisiana state line to El Paso. I don't know how long it takes to get from Corpus Christi/Brownsville to Amarillo, but there is a lot of acreage to cover and, as said previously, many many climate zones.
Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9