Growing Fruit in Texas Clay

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AlittleSalt
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Growing Fruit in Texas Clay

#1

Post: # 42890Unread post AlittleSalt
Fri Mar 12, 2021 11:22 am

Yesterday we looked at some fruit trees at the local nursery. $25.99 each so not too high, but still...

We found:
Texas Everbearing Fig
Elberta Peach
Harvester Peach
Santa Rosa Plum
Methley Plum

Do any of you have experience and/or opinions on these varieties? They will be growing in zone 8A Texas in clay of every color you can imagine - full sun - close enough to drag a water hose to. Temperatures can be as cold as -2F up to 114F.
Any help will be nice even if it's discouraging.
Texas Zone 8A

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worth1
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Location: 25 miles southeast of Waterloo Texas

Re: Growing Fruit in Texas Clay

#2

Post: # 42892Unread post worth1
Fri Mar 12, 2021 11:58 am

Look up chili hours for the peaches and plums.
Worth
25 miles southeast of Waterloo Texas.

You can't argue with a closed mind.
You might as well be arguing with a cat.

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karstopography
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Location: Southeast Texas

Re: Growing Fruit in Texas Clay

#3

Post: # 42896Unread post karstopography
Fri Mar 12, 2021 12:47 pm

https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/ext ... /fig1.html
Chill hour map of Texas.
Elberta is listed at 850 hours
Harvester at 750
Methley 250
Santa Rosa 350
Texas Everbearing fig cold tolerance is 0-5 degrees F
Zone 9b, located in the Columbia bottomlands, annual rainfall 46”

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AlittleSalt
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Re: Growing Fruit in Texas Clay

#4

Post: # 42912Unread post AlittleSalt
Fri Mar 12, 2021 4:31 pm

Thank you :)
Texas Zone 8A

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Shule
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Re: Growing Fruit in Texas Clay

#5

Post: # 43506Unread post Shule
Tue Mar 23, 2021 4:38 pm

[mention]AlittleSalt[/mention]

Elberta is a fantastic peach for SW Idaho. I would guess you might want a different kind for Texas, though, but I could be wrong.

In our garden, it was extremely prolific, tasty, juicy, sweet, and wasn't bothered by the frost like our apricots were. Freestone. Big peaches. Ours was a semi-dwarf (not sure what the rootstock was). It got a disease that made the pits rot, but it didn't rot the fruit, and the foliage was fine. No worms. Occasional mild leaf curl fungus after moisture.
Location: SW Idaho, USA
Climate: BSk
USDA hardiness zone: 6
Elevation: 2,260 feet

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AlittleSalt
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Re: Growing Fruit in Texas Clay

#6

Post: # 43523Unread post AlittleSalt
Tue Mar 23, 2021 11:52 pm

Thank you Shule, Our Elberta peach looks great. The Harvester peach tree still doesn't show signs of life. I've been monitoring it like an ICU nurse. It was only $25.99, but still.
Texas Zone 8A

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wildcat62
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Re: Growing Fruit in Texas Clay

#7

Post: # 43601Unread post wildcat62
Thu Mar 25, 2021 12:27 pm

Fruit trees here in a Northern Kentucky big box store were 35.00 each. I planted both a Elberta & Belle of Georgia tree a couple of days ago. We already had one peach tree in our yard that has been there for at least 40 years but I'm not sure what type they are. Small, yellow flesh & delicious.
Now we have 3 peach & 2 cherry trees.
Good luck Robert.

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AlittleSalt
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Re: Growing Fruit in Texas Clay

#8

Post: # 43623Unread post AlittleSalt
Fri Mar 26, 2021 1:06 am

Wildcat, that 40 year old peach tree might be the real thing instead of an F1. It's hard to tell, because manmade F1s started centuries ago. I personally would save seeds and learn everything possible.
Texas Zone 8A

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worth1
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Location: 25 miles southeast of Waterloo Texas

Re: Growing Fruit in Texas Clay

#9

Post: # 43627Unread post worth1
Fri Mar 26, 2021 4:21 am

Probably got room for a few trees now that I think the freeze killed off a bunch of stuff.
Apricots are my favorite but hard the grow here.
To much of a fluctuating temperature from warm to cold.
Causes them to bloom too early.
Worth
25 miles southeast of Waterloo Texas.

You can't argue with a closed mind.
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karstopography
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Re: Growing Fruit in Texas Clay

#10

Post: # 43630Unread post karstopography
Fri Mar 26, 2021 5:38 am

I have two ancient pear trees in my yard, in the coastal clay, they both bloomed like crazy this year. Not sure what type. They might have produced 5 pears since I lived here and the squirrels got, but this may be the year.
Zone 9b, located in the Columbia bottomlands, annual rainfall 46”

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