Do you have fruit trees or plants

[66vette]

We have about 3/4 acre of blackberry plants & manage to freeze a few gallons every year. It's nice to have blackberry cobbler or pie in the winter.
I wish we had peach & apple trees but we rely on getting those from people we know.

Anybody else have a good supply of home grown fruits & do you let others pick for themselves ?

 

[Sam7sf]

I’m in the city so I don’t have a large lot but do have big tubs for planting. Currently growing radish, carrots, and potatoes. If I could get out in the country I’d grow some corn too.

I’d like to grow blackberries. They are very helpful medicine too.

 

[birddog]

Peaches, nectarines, and the best damn figs you’ve ever eaten. Tree candy.

I thought the rabbits had whacked my asparagus but it’s been making for a couple of weeks. I pick it every three days or so.

edit - forgot to add watermelon to the list. I brought some home from my folks years ago and shared a couple with some workers. We spit the seeds in the flower bead next to the house and now I have watermelons every year. We also have a bunch of poke salad plants that pop up everywhere. If you like collard greens or cooking with fresh spinach you’ll like poke.

 

[BuzzinSATX]

I planted most of my fruit trees 3 years ago this month a few months after moving into our Hill Country home. We have three apples, three peach, two pear, 1 jujube, 1 pomegranate, 2 apricot, 1 fig, and 4 grape vines. Also have 3 citrus in 45 gal containers.

I have raised beds for growing vegetables, and Aquaponic set ups for winter greens and summer tomatoes and strawberries.

Some pics below;

 

[BuzzinSATX]

More pics

 

[BuzzinSATX]

Everything I grow is grown using 100% organic composts, fertilizer, and soil/amendments.

You want great advice on growing plants, go to Bob Garrett’s website:

www.dirtdoctor.com

 

[66vette]

Some of you are doing good.
I like the raised bed idea.
I'm looking for a couple of peach & apple tree starter plants.
Maybe a pear & apricot also.

 

[BuzzinSATX]

If I could get out in the country I’d grow some corn too.

I’d like to grow blackberries. They are very helpful medicine too.

If you built a 4 x 10 x 1 foot deep raised bed in mostly full sun, filled it with quality garden soil, amend it with some great fertilizer like A good Medina or Happy Frog product, and keep it watered, you can grow 3-4 rows of 8-9 corn plants. Depends on the variety, and you should experiment on spacing. But I generally get 2 good ears per stalk, so maybe 4-6 dozen ears. I get enough for several good meals with friends and family of nice, super fresh and sweet, non GMO corn!

Good stuff here: https://foxfarmfertilizer.com/category/happy-frog.html

For blackberries, you can make a couple large wicking beds from a used 55 gallon food grade barrel (check around for reclaimed barrels from soda bottlers).

Cut the barrels in half and build a couple wicking beds. You can put a plants in each barrel and with good soil and fertilizer, you’ll get a few gallons or more berries per plant beginning every other year. You have to cut the plants back every year, as black berries grow branches one year and put out fruit on those branches the next (but only fruit good once).

A good video on wicking beds can be found here:

 

[BuzzinSATX]

Some of you are doing good.
I like the raised bed idea.
I'm looking for a couple of peach & apple tree starter plants.
Maybe a pear & apricot also.

When buying fruit trees like peaches, apples, and pears, be absolutely sure of the species, variety, and most importantly, chill hour requirement. My neighbor bought some apple trees from the local Lowe’s, and while they are 7 years old and beautiful, they have never bloomed or produces a single piece of fruit. I am 95% sure he has a northern variety that requires 600 or more chill hours (45 degrees or below) to fruit.

My trees are 3 years old, and while I don’t think I’ll have good fruit for another year or two, they blossom every year and produce some small fruit.

https://www.dirtdoctor.com/garden/Fruit-Varieties-for-Texas_vq2138.htm

 

[karlac]

Lot in Houston is too small for much, but I do plant tomatoes every year in Earth Boxes. Netting helps to insure you get a few, but I don't put it up until they bloom.

Often switch to okra mid-season, when tired of fighting democrat critters for a tomato.

Around here they help themselves to the fruits of your labor, but turn up their picky noses at okra ...

 

[66vette]

I have 3 plastic barrels I can cut in 1/2 so I'll use those for now.
There's a few nurseries in East Texas
I think 1 is Bonnie plant nusery

I made some large cones from chicken wire in the past that helped keep critters away.

 

[BRD@66]

3 peach trees. Harvest is shared equally between me, the squirrels, & white tail deer.

 

[BuzzinSATX]

Lot in Houston is too small for much, but I do plant tomatoes every year in Earth Boxes. Netting helps to insure you get a few, but I don't put it up until they bloom.

Often switch to okra mid-season, when tired of fighting democrat critters for a tomato.

Around here they help themselves to the fruits of your labor, but turn up their picky noses at okra ...

View attachment 168747

Nice set up!

When I first began, I lost most of my tomatoes to birds that would peck them a few times. Frustrating!

Then, I switched to cherry/grape tomatoes. So much better as far as bird loss is concerned. I grow a variety of red, yellow, and purple ones. They have different flavors...all good! Some are sweet, some more like a beefsteak tomato.

I also learned a trick from a local master Gardner. Hang red Christmas bulbs around your plants. Birds will come to them and peck at them but after a while, will simply lose interest. It definitely works to a degree for me. I’m back to planting large varieties and little bird losses in last couple years.




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[BuzzinSATX]

Took some new pics this morning. This is how the trees and gardens stand as of right now. Things are coming along okay, with fruits on peaches, apples, pears, and grapes

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[BuzzinSATX]

More...

Aquaponics

Citrus in wicking pots

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[karlac]

Gorgeous setup!!
When's supper?

 

[BuzzinSATX]

Thanks!

Tomato cucumber sandwiches and stir fry veggies will be ready in about 60 days. Fruit salad in summer of 2021

 

[FireInTheWire]

I planted 3 fruit trees last year. Cows knocked 1 down... not sure on the other 2. No buds yet. I don't think my soil is right for them.

The kids and I seed planted some Moonflowers, morning glory, 4 o clocks, rosemary and thyme last night.

We have plans to do a raised bed garden. Gonna do tomato, bell pepper, onion, jals and okra.

Beautiful setup BuzzinSATX!

 

[BuzzinSATX]

I planted 3 fruit trees last year. Cows knocked 1 down... not sure on the other 2. No buds yet. I don't think my soil is right for them.

The kids and I seed planted some Moonflowers, morning glory, 4 o clocks, rosemary and thyme last night.

We have plans to do a raised bed garden. Gonna do tomato, bell pepper, onion, jals and okra.

Beautiful setup BuzzinSATX!

Thanks!

Good luck with your crops...Excellent on you getting your kids involved in producing food!

 

[Sam7sf]

Anyone know what stores might have sungold tomatoes?