apple question ......
Kate
Could any of you tell me if its possible in the part of the country ? I
have been here en years and have never seen nor heard about any grown
here. Would love to have them growing in my back yard. Thank you kindly,
kate
Steve
I'm a looooong way from south Texas so I have no first hand experience
with growing there.
I do know that most apples require a prolonged time of cold weather to
do well. They need the cold to go dormant but they also need a certain
number of hours (days) of cold weather so they know when to wake back
up. Apples grown where it stays too warm don't go dormant properly and
then they try to stay dormant, finally starting to grow with one branch
leafing back out but others not yet. Each variety of apple has it's own
requirement for chill time. There are a few low chill varieties that can
do well pretty far into the south. Maybe some southern apple grower will
offer some advice on which ones are worth trying.
Steve in the Adirondacks of northern NY
Kate
I was afraid I'd hear that. Oh well, I guess I will have to be happy
with my oranges, lemons, figs, papaya and tangerines. All new to me .
I am also, from the north. An apple would make a fine salad though.
Can't have everything. I would love to grow some nuts. Maybe I'll settle
for that next. I haven't heard of anyone growing apples around here. The
reason I decided to check with you good folk. many thanks, Kate
Lynn
cold to grow oranges and lemons (Nova Scotia). I guess we have to be
grateful for what grows well in our areas and buy from other areas.
--
:) Lynn
"Kate" <h...@granderiver.net> wrote in message
news:11mp6qu...@corp.supernews.com...
Kate
> Probably not Kate, it would be too hot for apples. just like here it is too
> cold to grow oranges and lemons (Nova Scotia). I guess we have to be
> grateful for what grows well in our areas and buy from other areas.
>
Right you are . But people like me move to a different climate and right
away try to grow things we have had our whole lives and mess up the
humidity in the new area . Thank you kindly, for the come back, Lynn.
hugs, Kate
Pan Ohco
> Thank you Steve,
> I was afraid I'd hear that. Oh well, I guess I will have to be happy
>with my oranges, lemons, figs, papaya and tangerines. All new to me .
>I am also, from the north. An apple would make a fine salad though.
>Can't have everything. I would love to grow some nuts. Maybe I'll settle
>for that next. I haven't heard of anyone growing apples around here. The
>reason I decided to check with you good folk. many thanks, Kate
Kate, depending on how far south you live you may be able to grow
Gala's and Granny smith apples.
Some catalogue (stark bro's) say that Granny's will grow in northern
zone 9 and Galas to southern zone 8.
I'm going to try them next year.
I'm on the border of 8 & 9.
Pan Ohco
Jim Carlock
> I will have to be happy with my oranges, lemons, figs,
> papaya and tangerines.
Hi, Kate.
What about an avocado tree instead of an apple tree?
They grow to approx. 30 feet high. There seems to be
2 different varieties of avocados and they seem to do
very well in hot humid environments.
Also, if you're into smaller plants, belle peppers,
jalapenos, serranos, and others could do pretty well for
you.
What's it take to grow papayas and figs?
--
Jim Carlock
Post replies to the newsgroup, thanks.
simy1
yard, but I came to admire the quality of Michigan apples. Maybe you
can grow figs for me (and persimmons, and lemons).
Kate
them here. But would love to try. We are in a severe drought. I
wouldn't try growing apples this year. If the drought lets up , maybe.
Kate
We have not been able to aquire the taste for avocados. They are a
pretty tree. But don't really need just a tree. Thanks, though for the
suggestion.
Kate
Figs are a real treat for us. We hadn't seen them grow before planting
three trees. They do great here. And produce at a very early stage.
Surprised us. Persimmons , haven't tried either. I have two lemon trees
though.
Doug
We grow Anna, Winter Banana, Beverly hills, Fuji in So. California
Search for low chill Apples.
Apples for North Florida
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/MG368
sherwindu
My references show Gravenstein growable in zones 2 to 9. Northern Texas is in
zone 7, central zone 8, and southern zone 9. Seems like you should be able to grow this apple,
unless you are at the very southern most tip of Texas which is in
zone 10. I think it is worth a try.
Sherwin D.
Steve
>.............
> ...........................
> Thank you Steve,
> I was afraid I'd hear that. Oh well, I guess I will have to be happy
> with my oranges, lemons, figs, papaya and tangerines. All new to me .
> I am also, from the north. An apple would make a fine salad though.
> Can't have everything. I would love to grow some nuts. Maybe I'll settle
> for that next. I haven't heard of anyone growing apples around here. The
> reason I decided to check with you good folk. many thanks, Kate
I would love to be able to try all the things you can grow there, but
don't give up on the idea of apples yet.
Check this web site (actually, I see that Doug beat me to this one but
I'll post it anyway: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/MG368
Take note of table one, near the bottom of the page.
Here is a way to estimate the chill hours you receive at your location:
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/stonefruit/images/Chill.jpg
That chart probably only works for southern areas. In the north, several
months would be off the chart and temperatures too cold don't count
anyway because the tree is so dormant, it stops "counting".
To make that work, you will have to figure out the mean temperature of
your colder months. It looks like you need some months with mean
temperatures in the low 60s to start accumulating chill hours. There are
weather sites that will give information on climate (including mean
temperatures) for any location in the country. For example, here is a
chart for my area:
http://www.intellicast.com/Local/USLocalStd.asp?loc=kslk&seg=LocalWeather&prodgrp=HistoricWeather&product=ClimateData&pid=none&prodnav=0406
From there I see our mean temperature for April is 39 degrees. Plug in
your own zip code and check your coldest months.
Steve
Steve
> Hi Kate,
> My references show Gravenstein growable in zones 2 to 9. Northern Texas is in
> zone 7, central zone 8, and southern zone 9. Seems like you should be able to grow this apple,
> unless you are at the very southern most tip of Texas which is in
> zone 10. I think it is worth a try.
>
> Sherwin D.
There's more to it than the hardiness zones. Hardiness zones go mostly
by the coldest single day you have all winter. (they use some other
factors to determine the zones)
Hardiness zones are excellent for figuring out which plants will survive
the winter and which may not. Hardiness zones are not good for
figuring out chill hours. For example, zone 9b is what? 25 to 30
degrees? A location that reaches that temperature dozens of times would
accumulate quite a few chill hours. Another location might only go that
low once all year and be much warmer on the other days. It would still
be zone 9b. The farther away from a large body of water the more likely
there will be an occasional night much colder that normal to put you
into a colder hardiness zone.
Steve
Bill
says...
Check here:
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/extension/homefruit/apple/apple.html
http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/hzm-sm1.html
http://www.sunset.com/sunset/web/Sponsors/Garden/sunsetmonrovia_r1/html
files/zone_map5.html
Mind the wrap.
I grow Anna, Ein Shemer, and Pink Ladys. I'm in USDA Zone 10B/Sunset
Zone 23. You're probably too far south to grow Gravensteins.
Bill
Kate
> Hi Kate,
> My references show Gravenstein growable in zones 2 to 9. Northern Texas is in
> zone 7, central zone 8, and southern zone 9. Seems like you should be able to grow this apple,
> unless you are at the very southern most tip of Texas which is in
> zone 10. I think it is worth a try.
>
> Thats where I am. And as I said before, we are in very drought conditions . Which would require a lot of watering.
I understand that. Thanks, anyway. kate
Kate
Thank you Steve, so nice of you to try and help. I think it's a hopeless
thing here. If we ever get a real wet year , maybe I will try one ,
anyway. I did try two pear trees last spring. They just gave up . Seems
nothing does as well when we water things, as when God does. Hugs, Kate
Kate
We rarely see that low a tempature all winter. Thanks
Kate
I believe you are right. Thank you anyway, Kate
>
Steve
Well, good luck. We tried. :-)
Enjoy your oranges, figs and all the other things that most of us can't
grow, but you can.
Steve
simy1
Kate wrote:
>
> I believe you are right. Thank you anyway, Kate
> >
Kate, looks like you are convinced, but just in case: I have always had
my best results with fruit trees/vines that are at least one zone
inside of their declared range limits. Marginal situations almost never
work. I failed with peaches and pawpaws, being at the northern edge. My
american persimmon is a mediocre tree, and the Concord grape and hardy
kiwis do not produce much. On the other hand, my chestnuts,
jostaberries, raspberries, blackberries, mulberries and pears produce
without much care. One other thing I really love, and you can grow very
easily, is melons of all stripes (green, yellow, orange, cantaloupe,
charentais) and watermelons. The latter are easier than the former. you
still have more choice than most of us.
Kate
The farmer's grow fields and fields of all kinds of melons here. I have
a couple of blackberries, already started. Thinking about grapes.
HAven't decided where to put them as yet. The freeze got both my papaya
trees that were big enough to produce , last year. I am not fond of them
nor is my husband. We were always pawning them off on people. I love
growing things. I most likely will one day try that apple . But will
wait on a wetter year . Thanks so much for the thoughts and offer for
help. hugs, Kate
Pan Ohco
>Kate wrote:
>>.............
>> ...........................
>> Thank you Steve,
>> I was afraid I'd hear that. Oh well, I guess I will have to be happy
>> with my oranges, lemons, figs, papaya and tangerines. All new to me .
>> I am also, from the north. An apple would make a fine salad though.
>> Can't have everything. I would love to grow some nuts. Maybe I'll settle
>> for that next. I haven't heard of anyone growing apples around here. The
>> reason I decided to check with you good folk. many thanks, Kate
Kate, I did a little research.
Go to your local state ag extension service on line, and find out the
number of chilling hours in your area.
If they don't give a list of fruits with their chilling hours, go here
http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/A/ANR-0053-F/
hope this helps.
Pan Ohco
Kate
I appreciate your help so much. I will book mark the site, too. We are
not only in a drought here but the nights are still hugging 70 degrees.
About ten degrees higher than normal for this year. I believe I will
wait for a better time to venture into apples down here. Especially the
gravensteins, that are my favorite ones. Thank you again for taking the
time to check details and research for me. Kate
Steve
Gosh, you sure can't say that people didn't try to help you with this
one! I think we're going for the thread length record here. :-)
Steve