Home Orchard Planning - Tree Suggestions Please

15 years ago

I'm in the process of planting a home orchard and I'm planning my purchases for next bare-root season now. There were a few existing trees on the property and I planted a few more last year, so this is what I currently have growing:

Apples - Gravenstein and Hidden Rose

Fig - Black Mission

Plums - Santa Rosa, Elephant Heart

Cherry - unknown multi-graft

Pear - D'Anjou Red

Persimmon - Hachiya

Pawpaw - Mango, Taytwo

Shipova

I want to add a Che tree, an Apricot and two Peaches - white and yellow. And I might replace the multi-graft cherry with a single, stronger tree some day.

So if you were only to grow a single apricot, and you lived in a cool summer climate like Sonoma county, which would you choose? If you could only have one yellow peach, which would it be? What about white?

And can you think of any other trees I should add to my list?

Thanks in advance!

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Comments (4)

joanne8777
15 years ago
We grew Blenheim apricots when I was a kid in San Jose, CA. They are absolutely heavenly fresh off the tree. A Blenheim apricot tastes rather like sunshine, in my humble opinion. I'm planning to espalier a Blenheim apricot in my back yard against a fence. I have gathered a lot of information about fruit trees from the Dave Wilson Nursery site. I am leaving the link for you. http://www.davewilson.com/index.html

Peace, love and tie dye!
Jo

Here is a link that might be useful: Dave Wilson Nursery
maryneedssleep
15 years ago
You might want to post on the Orchard forum.

I have just a few young peaches that haven't fruited yet, so I can't speak from experience, but here are some that get good reviews -- this is my list of peaches and nectarines to consider for future planting. Your location may be very different though!

Things to consider are whether you prefer normal-acid varieties or low-acid sweets, and also disease susceptibility for your area.

White Peaches: George IV, Arctic Supreme, Carolina Belle, Polly, Raritan Rose.

White Nectarines: Arctic series (Arctic Glo, Arctic Star, Arctic Jay, Arctic Rose, Arctic Queen, Arctic Blaze, and Arctic Snow), Heavenly White, Snow Queen.

Yellow Peaches: John Boy, Clayton, Windblo, Ernie's choice, Foster, Gold Dust (early).

Yellow Nectarines: Honey Blaze, Honey Royale, Fantasia, Independence, Liz's Late.

Good luck!
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fruithack
15 years ago
Scratch the apricots unless you see some within five miles bearing good crops. Suggest you think about trying table grapes like Jupiter, Glenora, Suffolk Red or Steuben. Che tree is decent choice, but Pakistan or Illinois Everbearing mulberries are much better (don't plant near septic. Che ripens at same time as figs. Named variety loquats like Big Jim or Gold Nugget (rollingrivernursery.com) are probably the ultimate zone 9 EL tree- bear heavily in early June, evergreen, trouble free, delicious.
familyfarmer
15 years ago
You'll probably need another pear as they are not self pollinating. Seckel are great, but can't cross with Bartlett. Also. if there are squirrels where you live, they go for nectarines first. If you want to grow more cherries (only sour cherries are self-pollinating) and you have extra room, a mulberry matures its fruit at the same time and will lure birds from your cherries. Mulberries are good to eat too!