Phoenix Tropicals Gardening

[Amadioranch]

Looking to get some practical experience from my fellow Phoenix fruit enthusiasts on apples that really work here. Im looking for varieties that you might have that are really producing well. We have a medium sized Anna that just fruits like mad. Put a Pink Lady in the ground 16 months ago and it barely leafed out last spring, no flowers. Its not even swelled buds yet this year and im getting ready to pull it in favor of something special that really works here. Or I may graft on top of it. Any suggestions are welcome.

[Bkaus]

I had the same question about apples and at the last year fall AZRFG plant sale they had a speaker (Kevin Hauser, Kuffel Creek Apple Nursery) on apples and gave the run down on growing apples in a warm climate. Here is the link to his website.
http://www.kuffelcreek.com/favorites.htm
Based on his and many other club member advice on what grows best I went with the Anna and Golden Dorset apple they say you need both to increase fruit and quality on M111 root stock. Will try some other varieties next year.

[myamberdog]

So far, the Einsheimer apple(sp) is a good producer for me! Though I live in Palm Springs, CA, I think their would be similar results with our desert growing conditions. I have a new Anna that YES, does look like it will be a good producer too - lots of flowers....

But I will say so far I'm disappointed with the 2 low-chill cherries I bought. I think they came up in discussion last year. They are now leafing out with NO sign of any flowers, and I thought our cold spell (like yours) was exceptional this year.....also the 4 in 1 low chill peach only has flowers on one variety - all the rest just seem vegetative in this the beginnig of its 3rd year...

The FloridaPrince Peach also looks like it's going to be a winner - see lots of peanut sized fruit on that one....


myamberdog

[Amadioranch]

Thanks for the opinions guys. Myamberdog, our 4 low chill cherries are just at budswell and are just getting ready to do their thing. Ill report back in a couple weeks on how the flowers turned out. Im actually quite pleased to see that they are waiting till later in March to come out of dormancy. We have issues with some of trees coming out too soon and the freezes getting them. We also have Lapins, Stella, and just added Royal Raineer. The Lapins and Stella are just at the beginning stages of emerging from sleep, they look to be at least 2-3 weeks behind Royal Lee and Minnie Royal.

[Amadioranch]

Bkaus,


There has been quite a bit of discussion about Kevin Hauser and his ideas on apples over on the cloudforest forum. Im of the opinion that Kevin's advice really must be taken with a grain of salt. Chill hours do matter in apples and as a few of us have seen, not every apple will produce in the low chill/high heat areas hes promoting. Pink Lady is a good example of this. Im reading that many people are having the same experience that I am, which is to say that it hardy leafs out and barely hangs on.

[ajbcirc]

The top four apples in my orchard (in central Scottsdale) for production are Golden Dorsett, Anna, Ein Sheimer, and Tropic Sweet (from Florida) on M111. Ein Sheimer is a particularly lousy apple here and I plan on pulling it. Summer apples, as you know, can be hit or miss depending on when you pick them.

I've also had good results with regular Fuji and Gala, but the fruit have been small and in the case of Gala, gets mealy fast as it matures in September. That's why it's often used as a cider apple in Las Vegas. I know people that have had some success with Granny Smith and Cameo in Wickenberg, which may do ok in Laveen.

Gordon, Pettingill, Arkansas Black, Pink Lady, and Beverly Hills have been failures, likely due to the summer heat or soil issues.

I would like to try to find another apple that matures in October/November rather than the summer. I have Sundowner in the ground this year and I have on order another five different fall/winter varieties to try in Phoenix, like Stump and Dixie Red Delight.

[ajbcirc]

[Amadioranch]

ajbcirc thank you, fantastic info. That was exactly what I was looking for and appreciate you sharing what has taken many years to know. A cultivar im looking at currently is "winter banana", anyone know anything about growing it here?

[ajbcirc]

It apparently does well in low chill areas, but the apple is mealy, supposedly. Didn't want to try it.

[Bkaus]

ajbcirc

Thanks for sharing your finding. I have been thinking about planting a Fuji for my next apple it good to know that you are having success with it.

Bruce

[phoenixtropicals]

I am trying Fuji right now on M111. I just planted one about a month ago. It is just starting to bud out, but of course it got its chill hours somewhere else. Maybe even in a refrigerator. It is planted on the NE corner of my house so it will get lots of afternoon shade there and it always seems that plants on the north side of my house get more chill because the really bone chilling winds in the winter come from that direction.

My neighbor has an Anna and Golden Dorsett planted next to each other and gets tons of apples from them every year. They fruit in June which is totally different than what most people think apple season should be, which is the fall. I find his Annas to be pretty bland while the Golden Dorsetts are better with a little tang to them. Neither is what I'd consider a great apple. I grew up in Albuquerque and fresh apples from the tree there are really fantastic. Winters are much colder there of course.

My neighbor ends up putting shade cloth next to his trees every summer because they are in full sun and get fairly beaten up in summer. Interestingly though, there is a grove of Annas (maybe Golden Dorsetts too) at the Chinese cultural center in Phoenix that are in full sun and do very well and are very productive, so I don't know why my neighbors seem to get sunburned so much. Maybe the ones at the Chinese center get burned too but no one worries about it.

[Amadioranch]

Interesting detail on the summer burn, cant say i see that ever in our Anna or really any of the other deciduous fruits. I see burn like that in alot of the tropicals I grow. Wonder if its a watering issue? We are on flood, which of course makes a big difference.

[ajbcirc]

My apples are in full sun and do well. In fact, here's a shot of my Dorsetts from last year. These trees get full blown Western exposure. The only sun sensitive tree deciduous tree fruit that I grow seems to be my Fuyu persimmon. I've opted not to shade my cherries this year and see how it goes.

[/img]

[ajbcirc]

I only had about 250, maybe 300 hours last winter and my Fuji still fruited pretty well. It did take my tree about four years to start producing, so be warned.