Almond
FRUIT AND NUT TREES |
6 |
ANY FRUIT IS A GOOD FRUIT. It was extremely difficult to choose the top ten fruit and nut trees, because there are so many in the marketplace, and so many are nutritious.
It is well documented that eating four or five pieces of fruit a day can reduce the risk of cancer, stroke and heart disease. Yet the upward nudge in fruit consumption is barely noticeable. Why? It surely must be about education and what parents are giving their children. How do we encourage parents to investigate and adopt a healthy eating lifestyle?
In keeping with the theme of grouping trees into their preferred growing areas, this section lists fruit and nut trees according to their optimum climatic zone. While some trees will adapt and grow in dryland climates as well as temperate climates, it is rare that tropical trees will grow elsewhere, unless particular cultivars are bred for this purpose.
The focus here is also on human foods, as fodder for animals is discussed later. As an example, carobs can be both human food and stock feed (in dry climates), but they are discussed in the chapter on fodder for farm animals as few humans eat the products from carob powder, although this is slowly changing.
I have included at least two nut trees for each climate zone, although some plants have both edible fruit and edible seeds. The lists were compiled from basic nutritional data, including levels of particular vitamins and minerals, but there has been no consideration of amounts of phytochemicals, carotenoids, flavonoids and polyphenols and a host of other substances commonly found in plants that are linked to health, antioxidant activities and prevention of disease.
For example, apples contain high levels of antioxidants but are much less nutritious than many other fruits. Blueberries have exceptional amounts of disease-fighting chemicals but just miss out in a spot in the top ten for the most all-round nutritious fruits.
The energy contained in fruit consists of sugars, and is digested in about 30 minutes.
The energy animal products contain consists of fat and proteins. This needs about six to eight hours to be digested. Fruit has high levels of fiber, animal products have no fiber, and the water percentage of fruit is about 80%, whereas that of meat is 15%.
For simplicity, dryland climates are those with annual rainfalls of less than 24 in, often with hot summers and high evaporation, so we are looking for plants that survive in these harsh conditions.
The following plants are tough and survive well in low rainfall areas. Some of these plants will need supplementary watering, especially during fruiting and their growth stages, and during any long, dry periods.
Some of these plants are more often found in the cooler climate regions and make obvious choices for planting in this zone.
About half of the following fruit and nut trees are deciduous, and this may help to explain why they can grow in dry, desert areas, where nighttime temperatures can fall below freezing and trees with foliage could be severely damaged.
The almond is a deciduous tree that grows to 20 ft. Almonds are like woody peaches, with the flesh of the peach replaced by a leathery coat around the shell and seed. Almonds are incorrectly labeled as nuts, because the seed is large and eaten, but it is botanically a drupe — a plant that produces a fruit with a central seed inside. Stone fruits (e.g. plum, cherry, peach, apricot) are all drupes.
Almond
Almonds have a good range of the most common vitamins and minerals, and are high in vitamin E, riboflavin, protein, fiber, manganese, calcium and magnesium.
Tree-like, columnar cactus that produces red fruit with white flesh similar to dragon fruit. Also known as Peruvian apple. Under-researched nutritional value, but the sweet fruit has had a long traditional use.
Cacti do not have true leaves. The green stems carry out photosynthesis. The leaves have been reduced to become spines (see chapters 8 and 10). No doubt the thorns also protect the plant from browsers.
Apple cactus
Prickly pear (Opuntia spp.) is another possibility as they can be a great source of fiber, vitamin C and magnesium, and most species have mild amounts of other vitamins and minerals.
However, they are invasive and have been declared as noxious weeds in many regions and states.
Creeping cacti, also known as pitahaya, with red, white or yellow flesh depending on the species. The white-fleshed, red-skinned variety, Hylocereus undatus, is the most popular. High in fiber, vitamin C and calcium, with fair amounts of B vitamins, phosphorus and iron.
Dragon fruit
A large-spreading, multi-stemmed shrub, fig trees are deciduous and produce false fruit. The “fruit” is not the traditional ripe ovary and seeds, but a bunch of flowers and multiple ovaries on the inside on a hollow fleshy stem.
Figs have small amounts of most vitamins and minerals, including potassium and manganese, and vitamins B and K. They are great to eat fresh off the tree, but equally taste fantastic when dried or made into jam.
Fig
Jujube is also known as Chinese date. The most remarkable thing about this fruit is that the flavor changes as it develops. You can eat when young, firm and green and it tastes like an apple. As it turns brown and shrivels up it tastes more like the common date.
While not having exceptional amounts of nutrients, it does have high vitamin C, and contains no fat and cholesterol. As it dries the relative concentrations of nutrients change, with vitamins generally decreasing and mineral content increasing. So dried fruit has proportionally more potassium, calcium and magnesium.
Jujube
It survives in low rainfall areas, without additional watering once it becomes established. Unfortunately, this deciduous tree has traditionally been grafted onto thorny rootstocks that sucker. Non-suckering varieties are available.
Thorny small evergreen tree with yellow-orange, apple-like fruit that is tart (acidic) to eat (you have to add sugar). Has male and female plants. Frost and drought tolerant. Contains high vitamin C (more than oranges) and a good range of amino acids and proteins (high in pectin too). Leaves used as fodder, fruit also eaten by animals. Used to make jams and jellies. Although from subtropical Africa it survives well in drier areas.
We should also mention Natal plum (Carissa macrocarpa), which is another thorny shrub from South Africa, as an alternative to Kei apple. The small crimson fruit can be eaten whole, and is very high in vitamin C, and has fair amounts of iron, potassium and copper.
This salt-tolerant, evergreen plant is well adapted to dry coastal areas and is both drought and cold tolerant, but does prefer warmer, moist climates for its best production.
Kei apple
A large-spreading, deciduous tree from Africa, this is a multipurpose plant. The fruit, seeds, leaves and flowers are all edible and the bark is used traditionally for medicinal purposes.
Marula
The fruit contains four times the vitamin C of oranges. However, it is the kernels inside the central seed that are most valued by humans, although the fruit can be made into jam and fermented into a liqueur. Animals have been known to become drunk when they eat the fallen, fermented fruit. The kernels are high in protein, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus and fat. Oil from the kernel has antioxidant properties and is used for cooking and as a moisturizer for the skin.
Nutritionally, olives are not that great. While they do have reasonable levels of iron and fiber they are often also high in sodium (salt) and lacking many vitamins and minerals. Despite this, olives have been cultivated for over 5,000 years as we just love to cook and drape food with their oil. Olive oil is cholesterol-free and mainly contains both mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids — so it is generally healthy to consume.
The fruit need to be pickled to enable them to be eaten. They survive in dry climates because they have extensive root systems, but need to receive over 20 in annual rainfall to fruit well.
Olive
Pistachios are deciduous trees growing to 15 ft. The plant is not self-fertile — there are male and female plants. The seed (nut) is rich in edible oil and it has high levels of fiber, protein, vitamin B6, thiamine, phosphorus, copper and manganese. Pistachio nuts are widely used in confectionery, ice cream and cakes in addition to their main use as a snack nut.
Pistachio
Originally from the Middle East, the pomegranate is a small deciduous tree, the fruit of which is high in fiber, folate, vitamins C and K, and minerals potassium, copper and manganese.
The fruits split open when ripe and the pulpy seeds are often sucked and then spat out, which is a shame as the seeds are edible and contain lots of nutrients. Pomegranates are more often consumed as a juice, and they are used in soups and beverages such as grenadine.
Pomegranate
Many other fruiting plants can be grown in dry regions. Grapes, mulberry, Natal plum, peach and apricot can survive provided additional watering is undertaken.
Fruit or nut tree |
Cultivation |
Almond |
While you can buy self-fertile varieties, most almonds need a pollinizer tree nearby to enhance pollination. |
Apple cactus |
Don–t over-water (if at all, depending on your climate). |
Dragon fruit |
Provide a frame or trellis on which they can climb and spread out. They are originally from the subtropics, but seem to do well in drier climates. |
Figs |
Keep restricted to a manageable size, otherwise they just keep growing. Prune after leaf fall. |
Jujube |
Buy grafted varieties as plants grown from seed or cuttings never seem to produce large fruit and they may take many years before they produce. |
Kei apple |
Need male and female plants so get at least three plants to increase your chances of having both sexes. It is extremely thorny and makes a great living fence or barrier. Handle with care. |
Marula |
Can get large, so plant where you have room. There are separate male and female plants, so if you want fruit buy a few plants and hope for the best. |
Olive |
Choose the type you want — either for table (eating) or for oil. Some varieties have both functions. Some you pick when green, others when black, and others either color. |
Pistachio |
Obtain at least one male plant for every ten female plants. |
Pomegranate |
Can be kept in a large pot. It can become scrappy, so when it is dormant prune dead wood out and internal twigs and branches to open up the plant in the center. |
Table 6.1. Cultivation notes for dryland fruits and nuts.
» DID YOU KNOW?
Many flowers are dioecious — individual flowers are either male or female, but only one sex is to be found on any one plant, so both male and female plants must be grown if seed is required. These plants benefit when two different varieties are planted close to each other. Plants in this category include carob, pistachio and kiwifruit. Monecious plants are those that have male and female flowers or reproductive parts on the same flower or plant. Most plants fall into this category.
Cold climate areas have annual rainfalls from 24 to 40 inches or so, and include temperate and Mediterranean climates.
While our top ten ranking of fruits is based upon their content of various nutrients such as vitamins and minerals, different texts will list varying levels of these. So ultimately there will be conflicts and differences of opinion about what should be on the list.
Availability, ease of growing and harvest, storage, other uses and their survival in a range of different soils and climates also influenced this list.
Apricots are a good source of vitamins A and C, fiber and potassium. They are very low in saturated fat, cholesterol, starch and sodium.
Apricots make a good dried fruit, and if you are prepared to crack open the “stone” you can press oil from the seeds (or kernel) or eat them as a substitute for almonds. A medium-sized deciduous tree (all stone fruit are).
Apricots will grow in dry climate areas provided they experience enough chill hours.
Apricot
Very good levels of vitamins A and C, and potassium and fiber, and smaller amounts of most other vitamins and minerals.
The red varieties are sweeter than the normal variety, so most people should be able to eat these raw. An evergreen small tree or large shrub, grapefruit have “wings” at the base of the leaves, and this is how you can distinguish them from other citrus.
If you don’t think you would eat a grapefruit then plant a lemon tree. Lemons are more cold tolerant than grapefruit.
Grapefruit
The hazelnut is a deciduous tree that grows to 20 ft × 10 ft. It is easy to grow, produces suckers and yields in 3–4 years. They need to be protected from strong winds, certainly in their early life.
Hazelnuts are wind pollinated, and require another variety nearby for pollination. A mature tree (10 years) may yield between 15 and 20 lb of nuts. Hazelnut trees have additional value as hosts for truffles, which can be lucrative.
Hazelnuts are very high in fiber, protein, monounsaturated fat, vitamin E, thiamine, magnesium, manganese and copper.
Hazelnuts
» DID YOU KNOW?
Many fruit trees can be espaliered or kept in large tubs, if space is limited. You can train and trellis apple, persimmon, apricot and pomegranate. Passionfruit and kiwifruit are vines anyway. Most types of citrus, guava, apples and hazelnut can be placed in containers, and moved around as required.
Kiwifruit (also known as Chinese gooseberry, where they originated) are high in vitamin C, fiber, potassium and magnesium.
You need male and female vines; they tolerate cold and you grow them on a well-supported trellis as they can be prolific producers. They like sun but will not survive long summer weather. Deciduous vines.
Kiwifruit
There are many cultivars and species of Morus, which can hybridize. The black mulberry is the most common, but red and white mulberries are becoming popular too.
Mulberries are high in vitamins C and K, iron, magnesium and potassium. They are large deciduous trees with extensive root systems.
Mulberries can grow in drier climate areas provided their roots can tap into underground water supplies.
Mulberry
These are sweet oranges and cultivars include seedless varieties. An evergreen small tree, oranges are high in vitamin C and have fair amounts of vitamin K, riboflavin, fiber, iron and potassium.
Orange
The bitter orange (Citrus aurantium), also known as Seville orange, is commonly used to make marmalade.
An underrated food plant, although it can be difficult to grow and keep alive. Some vines are aggressive and grow forever, while others just die for no apparent reason.
Vines grown from seed are usually short lived, so known passion-fruit varieties are often grafted onto vigorous, long-lived rootstocks. Unfortunately, these rootstocks tend to sucker and spread throughout the garden.
Passionfruit are high in fiber and protein, vitamins A, C, riboflavin and thiamine, and minerals iron, potassium and magnesium. This evergreen vine can spread over a trellis, wire fence or chicken pen enclosure.
Passionfruit
Exceptionally high in manganese and very high in fiber, protein, thiamine, vitamin B6, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc and copper, pecan nuts have no cholesterol even though they do have your daily allowance of fats in a cupful (the fats are mainly mono- and polyunsaturated).
Pecan trees can get large, so you need a big backyard or a paddock to allow them to spread. Like almonds, pecans are not true nuts but are a drupe — a single “stone” surrounded by flesh. In this case, it is a seed inside a thin shell, inside a husk. The green husk matures and dries to brown and splits open.
These long-lived, deciduous trees usually need another nearby for pollination. I should mention that walnuts have similar nutrient levels (even higher in some nutrients) but they require specific growing conditions and a narrow climate. Walnuts are big trees too but they may be more suitable for your area.
Pecan
The persimmon is a deciduous small tree, and different varieties produce fruit that can be astringent or non-astringent.
This means that they either taste sandpapery due to excessive tannins in their fruit or they are firm and sweet.
The most popular persimmons are the non-astringent type. However, when astringent varieties fully ripen they are very sweet as well.
Persimmons have good quantities of fiber, vitamins A and C, and minerals manganese and potassium. They are usually picked when they are an orange-red color, still firm and allowed to ripen off the tree. It is a misconception that they should be left to really soften and be almost rotten.
Persimmon
It is hard to imagine that strawberries have more vitamin C than oranges, but this is the case. Besides vitamin C, strawberries have fair amounts of fiber, folate, manganese and potassium.
They also have very little fat and cholesterol, and surprisingly, relatively low sugar.
Strawberries are easy to grow and propagate for the next season. Strawberry plants are essentially low-lying, evergreen herbs.
Blueberries, lemon, feijoa, loquats, walnuts and grapes all should get a worthy mention in the next group of nutritious fruits.
Very common fruits such as apples, pears, peaches and plums, and less common fruits such as quince and limes, are nutritious but a little further down the list.
Strawberries
» DID YOU KNOW?
Strawberries are not true fruit either. A fruit is defined as “a ripe ovary and its seeds”, and this includes oranges, passionfruit, apricots and persimmon.
Strawberries are formed from a swollen receptacle, which is the section below a normal ovary. The “seeds” seen on the outside of a strawberry are the ovaries and the seeds are inside these.
Apples and pears are also false fruits. The core of both the apple and pear is the ovary (seeds inside). We eat the swollen, juicy receptacle, and throw away (usually) the ovary. For normal fruit we eat the female reproductive organ of the plant: what a thought!
Fruit or nut tree |
Cultivation |
Apricot |
Can get fruit fly attack in some areas. |
Grapefruit |
While not that popular, they are tough and hardy. The fruit can interfere with some types of medications, especially those taken for any cardiovascular complaints (cholesterol, heart, blood pressure etc.). |
Hazelnut |
A good understory crop for oaks and pecan nut trees. |
Kiwifruit |
Make sure you obtain male and female plants. They don’t tolerate full sun and drying wind early in their life. Protect them from frost. |
Mulberry |
Maintain their height as they want to grow large. Some red and white varieties can be smaller. |
Orange |
Orange trees love full sun, so plant a citrus grove in a warm, open position. You might like to try a red (blood) orange or a Seville for variety. |
Passionfruit |
Heavy feeders, so add manure and compost every now and again. |
Pecan |
These want to grow up to be giants, so make sure you have the space. Many pecan varieties named after Native American tribes. Seem to do better with neighbors nearby for pollination. |
Persimmon |
Can be espaliered along a fence. If you leave the fruit to mature as long as you can (without it going too soft and rotten) the tannins slowly diminish and the sugar levels rise. The fruit is better to eat at this stage. |
Strawberry |
Strawberries generally have male and female flowers, but are normally propagated by their runners. Keep the developing fruit off the ground and away from snails and slugs. |
Table 6.2. Cultivation notes for cold climate fruit and nut trees.
Humid climates are the tropical and subtropical areas of the world, with annual rainfall of 30 in and more, but most often well over 40 in.
While most westerners would call these exotic fruit, indigenous peoples living in the warmer and humid areas of the world just know them as staples.
Avocado
Avocado are tall evergreen trees that produce a berry fruit with a single large seed. The fruit is a good source of vitamins C and K, folate, potassium and fiber. Well known as a “fatty” fruit, the fats are mainly mono- and polyunsaturated fats and so can be added to diets where meat or dairy products are not available. Fruits are picked green and allowed to ripen off the tree.
Avocado trees do not tolerate frost well, although some varieties are cold-adapted. Plant them in warm, sheltered areas away from strong winds.
There are two types, A and B, each producing male or female flowers at different times of the day. Obtain both types if you can as most avocado trees are not self-fertile and rely on another tree nearby for pollination. Certainly production will be greater with both varieties, but in a domestic situation a semi self-fertile variety will produce enough fruit for the family.
Bananas are another fruit that is seldom allowed to mature on the plant but are picked green and ripened off the plant. Bananas can be more than 10 feet tall, but they are not trees, they are very large herbs. Their stems are layers of leaves tightly wrapped around each other.
The fruit is high in vitamins B6 and C, potassium, manganese and fiber, but also contains a high sugar content. Sweet types are just “bananas,” while starchy types used in cooking are plantains. There are many cultivars and debates about scientific naming.
Some varieties can be grown in temperate climates but unless they are kept in a warm, protected area they will not produce much fruit. Bananas need consistent soil moisture on very fertile soils to produce good crops.
Banana
While Brazil nuts are high in saturated fat, they do contain exceptional levels of selenium, magnesium, copper, phosphorus and manganese, with very good amounts of fiber, vitamin E, thiamine and zinc. Like many foods, small amounts in your diet should be beneficial.
Brazil nut trees are very tall, semi-deciduous (may lose leaves in dry season) and produce very large fruit containing many seeds — the nuts. There is no opportunity to plant these trees outside of South America as they rely on a rainforest orchid and particular orchid bees for pollination: a classic example of symbiosis.
Brazil nut
Cashews are nutritious nuts that are good sources of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, protein, vitamin K, vitamin B6, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, copper and manganese.
Cashew nut trees are evergreen and medium sized, and often spread as much as they are tall. The cashew nut is the seed of a large fruit, which is also edible and can be made into drinks. The cashew apple, as the fruit is known, is another false fruit, because it arises from a swollen receptacle at the base of the ovary. The ovary and cashew nut are found external to this, like a prune hanging on the end of the fruit.
The cashew seeds are found inside a tough shell full of caustic oil, so care is required during harvest. The nuts are normally roasted or deep fried to remove any traces of the chemicals, which will cause discomfort if the nuts are eaten raw.
Cashew
Guava has the highest concentration of vitamin C amongst the common foods, although the Australian bush food Kakadu plum has more (it has 3,000 mg/100 g fruit, which is 12 times more than guava). Besides vitamin C, guava has fair amounts of fiber, vitamin A, folate, potassium, copper and manganese.
An evergreen shrub, the common guava is also known as the apple guava. The strawberry guava (Psidium littorale) has fewer nutrients but still enough vitamin C to meet the daily requirement after one helping of fruit. The common guava can survive in deserts too, provided they get occasional water.
Guava
“Sapote” is an Aztec term meaning soft, sweet fruit, so it is given to three common fruits that are all unrelated. The little-known mamey sapote from Central America is completely different from the black sapote and the white sapote.
Mamey sapote
The mamey sapote is a huge evergreen tree that produces large oval-shaped, pink fruit with a brown skin. The fruit is an excellent source of vitamins B6 and C, and has fair levels of vitamin E, manganese and potassium. The fruit can be eaten raw or made into drinks and jam.
The black sapote, Diospyros digna, is related to persimmon, and while nutritious with fair amounts of vitamins A and C, fiber and potassium, these are typically lower than that found in mamey sapotes. The white sapote, Casimiroa edulis, is more related to citrus, and is a cousin of the custard apple. It appears to be less nutritious still, although its seeds are being investigated for possible medicinal purposes.
Long-lived, evergreen trees that can grow to 100 ft, although commercially they are kept to a picking height less than 12 ft. Another tree that can grow in temperate climates and these varieties are normally grafted onto cold-hardy rootstock.
Some people refer to mangoes as the “king of fruits” because they are so delicious. The fruit is high in fiber, vitamins A, B6 and C, and contains fair amounts of folate, potassium and copper.
Mango
Papaya (more commonly known as pawpaw in Australia, Africa and the UK) is very high in vitamin C and has good amounts of vitamin A, fiber, folate and potassium. There are male and female flowers on different plants so you need a few plants to ensure fruit will develop on at least one of them.
Some self-fertile (hermaphrodite) and cold-adapted varieties are common commercial plants and are now starting to emerge in nurseries. Papaya like warm sheltered spots, so if you can provide the right microclimate you will have success in cooler regions. Seeds germinate relatively easily and you need to plant papaya in well-draining soil as prolonged waterlogging will kill the tree.
Different varieties will produce yellow, orange or red flesh. The seeds are also edible and can be ground to make a substitute for black pepper.
Papaya
High in vitamins B6 and C, thiamine and manganese, pineapples are easy to grow from a tip cutting. Pineapple is virtually fat-free, cholesterol-free, salt-free and starch-free. The fruit is consumed fresh, cooked or juiced, and it contains enzymes that break down protein, so it tenderises meat and is a useful component of a marinade.
The plant is typically only about 3 ft high and can be kept in a large tub, even indoors. Unfortunately it takes about two years to get mature fruit so you have to be patient.
Pineapple
Soursop, also known as graviola, is a member of the custard apple family. It is a small (12 ft) evergreen tree that produces fruit rich in vitamin C, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, iron, magnesium and potassium.
Like most tropical plants it cannot tolerate frost and cold winds. Besides eating the fruit fresh, it can be made into juice, fruit leather and used in cooked meals.
As you would expect, two closely-related species — the cherimoya (Annona cherimola) and custard apple (Annona reticulata) — have nutritious fruits with good levels of vitamins C and B6, potassium and riboflavin.
There are lots of other tropical and subtropical nutritious fruits and the next wave would include longan, mangosteen, coconut, jackfruit, acai palm and star fruit.
Soursop
» DID YOU KNOW?
Lemon juice prevents oxidation, so it can be poured over apple and avocado slices to prevent them from turning brown.
Fruit or nut tree |
Cultivation |
Avocado |
Fruits only ripen after harvest, so they can be left on the tree for some time, and picked as you require them. Each flower opens twice over two days, firstly as a female and then as a male on the second day. Avocados need free-draining soils and a good shovelful of compost every month when they are producing fruit. |
Banana |
Once the banana bunch has been picked, that “mother” stem should be cut down. Each stem only ever produces a single bunch. New suckers emerge to make future fruit. You might choose to keep the large, strongest suckers (maybe two) and remove the rest. The plants are heavy feeders so fertilize every few months. |
Brazil nuts |
These trees do not produce nuts in cultivation outside the rainforests of South America, so your only source is from bought ones. One of the few trees that are harvested in their natural habitat. |
Cashew |
Easy to germinate fresh seed, and grow and maintain plants. The biggest problem is removing the nuts from their shells without coming into contact with the oil, which can burn the skin and severely irritate eyes. |
Guava |
Reasonably drought tolerant for a tropical plant, and survives in poor soil. Small tree or large shrub, fruit vary as with the cultivar. Whole fruit can be eaten, although most people just eat the flesh and discard the skin. Can be prone to fruit fly, so hang baits to minimize damage. |
Mamey sapote |
Majestic trees that need space to grow. Like most rainforest trees they require well-drained, rich soils, free from frost and damaging winds. You can prune to a required height to enable easier picking and general maintenance. |
Mango |
Some varieties produce seeds that are polyembryonic — several seedlings grow out of one seed, which are usually true to type (no need to have a grafted variety to produce good fruit). Choose the largest, healthiest seedling and carefully remove the others. Self-pollinated, so fruit will form in a single tree. |
Papaya |
Usually grows as a single-stemmed tree, with no branches and just a crown of leaves at the top. The stem is soft and can rot, causing the plant to topple over. Seed is easy to germinate in moist, rich (compost) soil. As long as you keep seedlings protected from too much sun and wind, and sheltered from the cold, you will have great success. |
Pineapple |
Cut the crown off a pineapple. Remove most of the outer leaves and leave the (cutting) stalk for a day or two to “heal” the wound. Place cutting in a flowerpot full of good propagating mix, and leave in a warm position (hothouse is ideal). Don’t over-water (the roots rot easily), and when you see new growth, it’s time to plant in the garden. The plants are prickly so keep them about 5 to 7 ft apart. |
Soursop |
Can be grown from seed and fruit is often true to type. These trees are hard to keep alive as they shut down in cold weather and hate getting “wet feet.” They must be planted in free-draining, sandy soils and in warm, sheltered positions. If they get too hot or too cold they drop their leaves, and you might not be able to save them. |
Table 6.3. Cultivation notes for warm humid climate fruit and nut trees.
Some types of fruit trees may not produce fruit unless they are subject to cold temperatures over a period of time. Stone fruit, such as cherries, plums and peaches, as well as pistachios, walnuts, apples and pears, for example, require a certain number of “chill” hours. This refers to the number of hours below 45°F that the trees are subject to, as they need a certain amount of “cold” to trigger the development of leaf and flower buds (and therefore fruit). If the chill hour requirements are not met, the plant will develop leaves sporadically over the tree, flowering will be disrupted and little or no fruit will be produced. For this reason, selecting varieties of fruit trees that match the chilling hours for the area is essential for successful fruit production.
If you live in a warmer area then look for varieties with a low chilling requirement. These fruit trees produce fruit “early” in the season. Early, low chill varieties are a useful strategy to miss fruit fly and other pests that attack summer crops. For example, low chill peaches and nectarines may produce fruit in May and June. The fruit fly season starts in July and goes through to September. This means that you will be able to have a good feed of organically grown fruit well before the fruit fly is about.
» DID YOU KNOW?
Fresh fruit is always the best to eat. Heating, canning and drying any fruit depletes vitamins, enzymes and a host of other organic substances. Heat and other processes denature (rearrange and break down) molecules so they become ineffective. Canned fruit often has its fiber-rich peel removed and some fruits are packed in syrup, which contains high levels of sugar. So up go the calories.
Size does matter! Many fruit trees can be found and bought in one of three forms: dwarf, semi-dwarf or standard. Standards are the old traditional fruit trees. These need to be regularly pruned or they become very large trees.
Dwarf fruit trees are small trees for small spaces, and they are becoming more popular for the home gardener because they produce roughly the same amount of fruit for the space they take up as do standard trees, and at a younger age.
Harvesting and pruning are both easier because of their size. You can reach all parts of the tree from the ground without using a ladder.
Dwarf varieties are often better to espalier than standard varieties. However, some dwarfs are not as sturdy in high winds and need support when they are heavy with fruit, and many also don’t live as long as standards.
» HANDY HINT
Citrus leaves. You can tell the species by the shape of the leaves.
L to R: Grapefruit has small wings at the base of the leaf. Mandarin has long, narrow leaves. Orange and lemon have squatter leaves, and a little rounder.
Crush and smell the leaves and you should be able to distinguish between a lemon and an orange.
