Sunday, March 22, 2009

Another fruit census...

I did this last year in March. Some stuff died, some stuff I ripped out... Here's my fruit census for 2009:
  • Citrus: Honeybell Tangelo, Hamlin Orange, Owari Satsuma (these all on Flying Dragon), Sambokan Lemon, a Kumquat in a pot, and a kaffir lime in a pot
  • Figs: 'Alma,' 'Brown Turkey,'Celeste.' (I planted these in the ground after a year in pots.)
  • Brambles: Bababerry, unidentified blackberry, unidentified raspberry (from tony_k), and a 'Brazos' blackberry
  • Blueberries: Climax, Primadonna, Gulf Coast x2, Marimba, Emerald
  • Grapes: Nesbitt, Black Spanish
  • Pomegranate (Grenada)
  • Pommes: Anna Apple, Dorsett Golden Apple, Hood Pear, Pineapple Pear
  • Various pineapples
  • Mulberry (Black Beauty Mulberry Tree, unidentified weeping dwarf)
  • Carambola ('Sri Kambangum')
  • Bananas (four kinds, mostly dwarf, including Oronico & Ice Cream)
  • Mango (Cogshall)
  • Two peaches (Flordabell, FlordaPrince)
  • Fuyu Persimmon
Not bad for a tiny urban yard... Most of these plants are too young to produce, though the peach tree looks to bear heavily this year, and I have tons of blueberries on my bushes. The figs might give me a good crop this year, depending on how they take the transplanting. The Carambola made it through its first winter (a tough one) in the ground, so given the right season, it too might produce this year. My persimmon produced a few fruits last year. The mulberry is the right size to fruit well this summer. Bananas fruit every year, though sometimes too late or early to ripen.

Response to comments: I strongly recommend "Just Fruits and Exotics" for all fruit tree purchases. Many of the things I have bought from Willis have died, and they have very poor customer service (never answered my questions about reimbursement).

Lea--my vegetable and fruit garden is thirty feet by fifty. That sounds small, but I have been very thoughtful about the plants and the organization, use a lot of trellises and pots. You'd be surprised what you can do in a small space.

3 comments:

Jane said...

wow, i am so happy to find your blog! are you on fb? I would like to ask you some questions! My husband is interviewing for a job in Orlando, and we live in MA. Until I read your blog, I was kind of despairing of gardening in Central Florida, because I kind of have the idea that it is becoming a parched, desertified place with shallow poor soil, despite the towering palms and other tropicals that grow there. I want to grow vegetables! How's your soil? Have you had to amend it? How hot does it really get? Are you on watering restriction in your subdivision? We are looking at homes in Windermere. Thanks! My husband wants to take this job because he has arthritis and thinks he might feel better there, but I'm not so sure.

Lea said...

I would like to place an order for a dozen mangoes and ten pounds of blueberries. I desperately miss the taste of a tree ripened mango, and the 20 lbs of blueberries I froze in August are now all gone (fed to three ferocious blueberry eaters). I can't believe you have all that fruit growing in your yard. What size lot do you have?

I'm really enjoying your blog and am planning to start my own gardening blog soon--what a great way to keep track of what you're doing. We pulled some spinach from our cold frame last week and had a tender and sweet spinach salad. Can't wait to get winter out of our spring.

Love,
Lea

Susan said...

Very impressive! I printed a copy of your list as I am beginning to add more fruit (besides citrus) to our yard, too. Have you had any apples yet? If so, which ones are the best? I just bought two thornless blackberries (navajo and arrapajo) and I'm in search of a peach tree. I believe you mentioned a nursery in Georgia in a previous post where you have purchased fruit trees/plants from. If so, please name it again. Thanks and enjoy your bounty.