Interesting note on Sweet Cherries in North Texas

10 years ago

I was listening to a fruit tree expert from Texas A&M on a podcast and he was asked a question about Sweet Cherries in North Texas. He said that we definitely get enough cold that the cold is not what gets them. He said it is the heat that happens after the cold that gets them. They have a very short heat requirement. It is cold they are dormant, it warms up the sap starts moving, it gets cold again and the south side of the cherry tree freezes. He suggested white washing the cherry tree to help protect it from the sun that stimulates the growth that causes it to freeze.

He also said Nectarines are not good for North Texas because of the wind. He said they taste great, they just end up getting scarred from the wind and look scaley. They are not like the stuff that comes from the "Garden In Heaven" called California.

Just thought this was interesting information about North Texas.

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Comments (4)

fruitnut Z7 4500ft SW TX
10 years ago
Was the podcast by Larry Stein? Larry is the statewide leader of fruit extension.

The other guy I've visited with is Jim Kamas. He's stationed in Fredericksburg, center of the hill country fruit district.

My fruit growing experience in north Texas is around Amarillo. Not what most think of as north Texas which would be the Dallas area. Freezes, wind, and hail were the major production hazards in the panhandle.
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charlietexan
Original Author
10 years ago
It is Dr. George Ray McEachern who is on Neil Sperry's talk show every Super Bowl Sunday. He is a professor at Texas A&M and according to Neil Sperry he is the leading expert on pecans and fruit in Texas.
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fruitnut Z7 4500ft SW TX
10 years ago
Maybe pecans but not fruit. We were on staff at the same time and butted heads once or twice. I think we share a couple publications.
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charlietexan
Original Author
10 years ago
Did you attend or were on staff at Texas A&M?
I graduated there in '97 but studied Computer Science so did not have any interactions with the horticulture professors.

And yes, his specialty is definitely pecans....but he seems to have a fair knowledge of backyard fruit in North Texas and he grew up on a citrus orchard in Louisiana so that is his wheelhouse as far as fruit goes.

This post was edited by TexanCharlie on Thu, Feb 5, 15 at 16:51
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