Fruit Trees Fact Sheet

Inspiration A ready source of food has traditionally been a critical element for the survival of mankind. To pass on this knowledge not only equips the recipients with important survival information it also connects us to our heritage. To be directly involved in growing, harvesting and eating fresh food enhances our lives. Through this process we become aware of the sight, feel, smell, taste and even the nutritional value of quality, fresh food. Growing fruit trees provides access to all of these benefits as well as a multitude of educational opportunities in the school curriculum including:

• food issues - nutrition, freshness, seasonality, variety, food miles • environmental sciences - biology of plants and animals, geography of plants, geology and

soil science, basic chemistry and meteorology and weather patterns, interdependence between flora and fauna

• food cultures from indigenous to the multitude of cultures in our society • social interaction of staff, students, parents and the wider community, food opens up

conversations!

Success stories

Bridgewater Primary has embraced an orchard offering a diverse selection of fruit trees

At Black Forest Primary a cyclone fence has been used

Here at Black Forest Primary deciduous trees are combined with garden beds allowing sunlight to reach winter crops

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Getting Started Luckily we live in a state with few fruit fly or disease problems and Adelaide’s climate is suited to plants from cool temperate to subtropical zones, so there is a wide variety of species to select from. The following points broadly outline aspects to consider for the novice fruit grower that will influence the timing, quality and quantity of fruit produced from your trees:

• often fruit trees take several years before they start to bear fruit and the early fruit producing years may have small yields

• timing of fruit production can also vary not only with different species but also with different varieties within the same species

• physical resources such as space, water, soil, shelter / shade, micro climate and aspect are also important factors that may impact on the final selection and success of any particular tree

• depending on resources it may be important to select a species that requires less attention than others

• planting fruit which matures during school term. Table 1 in this fact sheet will help to make selection easier in order to have a healthy fruit producing tree well suited to your particular unique site.

Site Selection For greater success and to avoid costly removal of poorly located mature trees make sure you have taken into account the flowing:

• fruit trees generally do best with an open aspect which has 8-12 hours of sunlight daily and protected from strong winds and harsh western summer sun

• summer irrigation is generally necessary and you may wish to consider having a timer with drip irrigation

• trees will cast shade and create a visual barrier which may be an issue with existing built structures

• tree roots can travel up to 3 to 5 times the height of the tree and may penetrate drains or lift up paving and footings

• teaching space requirements and final tree size needs to be considered when selecting site • run off from paving or rooves may provide very useful supply of water • 3 – 4 metres between trees is generally an adequate spacing • avoid underground services such as electricity, gas, water and drainage.

Large containers can offer a solution if some of the factors listed above prove to be problematic. In this situation vines and other fruiting plants can be used to great effect.

Benefits for Students Gardening activities foster vital skills for students’ future.

• observing emergence and growth of a young plant and grasping the whole cycle of plants offers insight into food security, food preparation, eating healthily and creates an appreciation for food and encourages food waste minimisation

• engaging with nature and gaining insight into basic survival • pride in sharing with parents and the school canteen the food grown at school, or at home • volunteering for watering and garden care during short holidays and long weekends • taking responsibility

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• numeracy and literacy can be incorporated through calculating the cost of production and producing literature promoting the benefits of healthy eating and growing your own

• increasing respect and understanding for the food chain.

Integrating the fruit trees with the other school activities Food is an integral part of life and is easily incorporated in many school activities, for example: • the canteen can use the garden produce • fund raising from the sale of food creates a logical extension of the garden • inclusion of worm farms to produce worm juice which can be used to fertilise the garden and

many maths activities can be built in to this process • indigenous fruiting trees are an excellent springboard to learn about other cultures • gardens offer outdoor inspiration for craft • home economics is clearly connected to produce gardening • migrant heritage, both recent and established, can be connected to produce gardening • school culture and sustainability can be reinforced with a produce garden • local food production can help to minimise transport and carbon footprints • healthy eating can be embraced through the growing of food and • compost bins and Bokashi can become an integral part of the food garden.

Site Preparation Factors such as drainage, soil texture and the pH (is the soil acidic or alkaline) all have a part to play in determining the success of your school’s fruit orchard. A brief summary of these soil characteristics will be discussed later. Regardless of your particular site’s soil characteristics the soil will benefit from the generous addition of organic matter in the form of compost and mulch. Both will improve the soil’s drainage capacity, water holding capacity, its ability to release both nutrients and water to the fruit trees, to allow oxygen into the soil, keep the soil cooler and prevent loss of water during summer through evaporation. The addition of compost to sandy soils improves its water holding ability and reduces leaching through otherwise rapid drainage. Compost improves the friability of clay soil creating pockets of air by clumping of very fine particles of clay together to form small granules, however avoid using mushroom compost as it is too alkaline. Growing of green crops through winter which can be dug in to the soil before they set seed is another great way to introduce organic matter into the soil. Worm castings or Bokashi are also excellent additions to improve soil quality. All of these steps will encourage earth worms which will in turn further help to improve the soil’s characteristics.

Soil analysis To determine soil drainage:

• dig two holes one 50cm deep and one 15cm deep. Fill both holes with a fast running hose 4-5 times

• with good drainage each fill should drain away in 2-3 hours • poor drainage will take 8-10 hours. If this is the case the

sub surface soil will need to be addressed as described overleaf

15cm deep hole............with water added

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Solution: • for each plant dig down to a depth of a metre using a crow bar • for the broader area mechanical ripping such as rotary hoeing can be used • in both cases the addition of gypsum and compost material will help to maintain the

drainage of the soil. To determine soil texture:

• fill a screw tip jar half with soil sample and half with water, secure lid and shake hard • leave to settle for 12 hours • if the water is still cloudy it has colloidal clays and this soil is termed ‘sodic’ • after 24 hours distinct layers will be visible. The bottom layer will be sand, middle layer will be

clay and the top will be organic matter.

Profile of a sandy soil. Solution:

1. If your soil is greater than 50% sand add organic matter and or clay. Note if your drainage test drained rapidly in the 15cm hole only add organic matter/clay to this layer only. If the 50cm hole drained quickly as well then this layer will also need the addition of organic matter/clay.

2. Greater than 50% clay will need the addition of sand and organic matter. 3. Sodic soil will need the addition of gypsum up to 500gms per square metre.

Note it is difficult to overuse gypsum, simply sprinkle on the surface, lightly dig in and water.

For more details on this soil testing including details for the ribbon test go to the useful links below. Note the ribbon test is another useful method for determining whether your soil has more clay or sand content. www.finegardening.com/how-to/articles/hows-your-soil-texture.aspx http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s1676965.htm http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/164615/soil-texture.pdf http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/alpineresorts/20070596App13.pdf To determine pH of the soil

• use a testing kit such as the kit illustrated here by ‘Manutec.’ The instructions and coloured charts make it easy to use

• easily sourced from garden centres or hardware stores • ideal pH for evergreen trees is between 5.5 and 7 and for

deciduous trees it is between 7 and 8 • pH of say 8 is considered alkaline and a ph of 5 is considered

acidic.

This soil testing kit by Manutec is produced locally

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Typically if your site is in the hills it is likely to be acidic and the pH may need to be raised. This can be easily achieved by digging in agricultural lime at 200-400g per square metre to raise the pH by one unit. Note this may take 6 months to take effect Lowering pH is a little harder. For a short term change agricultural or dusting sulphur can be dug in at the surface at 50-100g per square metre to drop pH by one unit. For a longer term change use organic matter such as compost applied with the addition of chicken manure at the soil surface and cover with 30-50mm of mulch. All soils can be improved by the following:

3-5 cm layer of good quality compost, worm castings or “Bokashi” mix with the addition of rock dust covered with 5cm of mulch is ideal

Composting bays can produce excellent compost Manures can be excellent as long as they have been aged for 6 to 8 weeks or added to the start of the composting process.

Aged animal manure such as chicken manure improves soil greatly.

Encourage earth worms through the addition of compost and mulch.

Earth worms thrive in compost and mulch

Sow green manure crops in autumn and slash or dig in to the soil just as the crop begins to flower:

• legumes such as peas and beans • cereals such as ryes, oats, wheat and barley and • brassicas such as mustard can be used.

Green manure is another way of promoting soil health Note mushroom compost is not recommended as it is too alkaline particularly for Adelaide plains soil.

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Making the most of your garden’s aspect The sun, wind and the micro climate of your site can have major effects on plant health. The angle of summer sun is overhead and in winter the sun is much lower in the northern sky allowing winter warmth to reach areas that may other wise be shaded. Typical application of this would be removing mulch on the Northern side of trees to allow the sun to warm the soil or planting of winter crops on the northern side of fruiting trees where the sun reaches the earth. Most deciduous plants like a cool winter and many require winter chill to flower. Apples, pears, kiwifruit and cherries have high chill requirements and may benefit from being on the southern side of a building or wall or in a low point in the landscape where cold air pools at night. Deciduous vines such as grape vines can be utilised particularly on the northern or western side of a building to provide shade in summer and allow the sun to penetrate in winter. This can reduce heating and cooling costs. In summer the late afternoon western sun can be damaging to plants and fruit. While most stone fruit and grape vines can tolerate this western exposure it is wise to try and minimise it for any trees by using shade structures or by placing the hardier plants to the west. In most areas the prevailing winds are from the southwest and sub tropical trees may perform better if protected from these cold winter winds. Similarly protection from hot northerly winds in summer may be required though in urban areas or built up areas the need protection from these hot winds is less compared to exposed sites exposed sites.

Planting Trees may be purchased bare rooted when dormant or growing in potting mix. The best time to plant trees is during a dormant phase of growth. For deciduous trees the planting time is in winter June/July/August. For evergreen trees plant in spring as the weather warms up. For Example night time temperatures start to rise over 15 degrees Celsius. The hole should be the size of the roots. Remove the soil and put to one side to refill the hole. Fertiliser should not be added to the hole or to the soil used to fill the hole as young roots may be injured by direct contact with fertiliser. Refill the hole with the native soil and apply a 5-10 cm layer of compost to the surface to which fertiliser can be added. Cover the compost with 5 cm of coarse mulch. Consult “Citrus for Everyone” by Morphett and Tolley for growing trees in large containers. Of note for this growing method is the removal of the potting mix from the root ball, and spreading out of the roots prior to planting in the new container. This prevents the roots form just growing around the inside surface of the new container. Watering Initially use a dripper either side of the tree or a ring around, close enough to wet the root system. Young trees can be overwatered though stress from under watering is just as common. Depending on soil type and conditions watering may need to be weekly. With sufficient rain this may be reduced as in 2010/2011 when an orchard was established with three waterings over the entire summer. The important thing is to check soil moisture to a depth of 20-30 cm where possible. You can dig down to

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this depth using a small spade and then feel for moisture with you fingers or you can use a moisture metre. These are readily available form garden or hardware centres. As trees mature further drippers can be added further out from the trunk. Remember that the roots will only thrive in moist soil.

Fertilisers To feed trees feed the soil from above to allow the soil organisms to produce soluble fertiliser for the roots. Note compost and mulch should be spread around the trees before fertilising. Use quality composts from suppliers such as SA Composters, Jefferies or Peats, and always cover compost with 5-10 cm of coarse mulch. Trees require more nutrients during the active growth phases in spring and summer. If you use compost as a repository for the addition of organic fertilisers such as pelletised chicken products (Neutrog) then one or two applications of a cup per metres growth should suffice for the first season. The addition of a mineral fertiliser or rock dust (Fishers Creek - Alroc) and biological activators such as worm castings, BD 500 or aerated compost teas will complete the job. Young trees are frequently over watered and fertilised resulting in strong growth that if not checked by pruning can result in a poor tree structure Pruning Prune at planting time. Reduce a deciduous tree back to a stick! This sounds rough but growth of the tree will be determined by its roots rather than it’s canopy. Evergreen trees can be reduced to the size of the root ball. The shape and potential size of a tree should be determined at this stage. Consult any of the many books on pruning paying particular attention to the first chapters on good clean cuts as well as the shaping.

Root competition All large and many 4-8 metre trees including natives, pines and figs have extensive and competitive root systems. These may extend out 3-5 times the height of the tree and thus influence the water requirements and growth of other plants. Conversely fruit trees may shade or compete with other plants for water and nutrients. Well watered and fed vegetable gardens in particular are attractive to tree roots. Digging these garden beds will damage tree roots, slowing growth, and possibly introduce infection. Therefore any plants within the drip line of a tree should be shallow rooted. Citrus and most evergreens perform better if the soil is mulched with no plants at all. Deciduous trees can have a cover crop of grasses that are mown or slashed. Shallow rooted plants such as nasturtiums that trail over the ground also suit.

Fruit TreeTips 1. Espalier trees can enable you to plant trees in a limited space offering a greater selection of

species or a greater selection of the same species with different varieties. This can extend the harvesting period. Espaliered tree can be kept more compact and offers easy access for harvesting and netting to protect against birds.

2. Students can enjoy the pleasures of eating the harvest direct from the tree or fruit can be

supplied to the canteen.

3. Preserving the fruit using a microwave can make this traditional process quick and easy, see book below.

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4. Invest in a dehydrator for an alternative way of storing fruit for later consumption.

5. The above methods of fruit preserving and storage can be linked to the curriculum by exploring other cultures and food, or the history of food. Maths can be employed in calculating ingredients required or the money generated through sales.

6. Keeping trees well pruned and compact will make it easier for students to reach fruit when

picking and will make it easier to cover the trees with nets should birds be an issue.

7. Creating an orchard rather than individual trees scattered throughout the school offers many benefits:

a. trees with similar water requirements can be grouped together b. irrigation resources can be used more effectively reducing cost, maintenance and water c. similarly mulching and composting is more effective d. trees that require cross pollination can be grouped together e. bird control and security can be managed more effectively.

Books Citrus for Everyone Author: Bruce Morphett and Ian Tolley An easy-to read answer to the many enquiries, which have been directed to the Adelaide Botanic Gardens, on growing citrus. The handbook deals with varieties and rootstocks, preparation and growing of citrus, general care, pruning, pests and diseases, container citrus for patio or courtyard areas and how to espalier lemons.

Composting – The Ultimate Organic Guide to Recycling Your Garden Author: Tim Marshall This book tells you what you need to know about recycling in your own backyard. In explaining how composting works, Tim Marshall covers many other subjects: how to build a foolproof heap and maintain it well; how to source a wide range of suitable materials apart from kitchen and green waste; and how compost will improve your soil. Other features include sections on biodynamic composting methods, compost methods for different climates and how to maintain a thriving worm colony. There are also many suggestions about ways of using the rich, crumbly organic matter your compost will produce.

Edible Forest Gardens

Author: Dave Jacke and Eric Toensmeier This comprehensive two-volume book constitutes an in-depth course in ecological garden design. Written in a passionate, clear, and engaging style, it integrates the vision and ecology of forest gardening with practical design, establishment, and management strategies. While these authors wrote Edible Forest Gardens as an integrated whole, each volume can stand alone as a valuable learning tool and reference.

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Discovering fruit and nuts

Author: Susanna Lyle An easy-to-read, comprehensive guide to fruit and nut plants that explores old favourites as well as many little-known yet exciting food-producing plants. As well as the A to Z guide to over 220 species, and lists of the most popular cultivars, a general introduction gives a basic background to various aspects of horticulture and plant nutrition. A table of plants for different garden situations at the back of the book is a useful ready-reference. This incredibly thorough and extensively researched book is a vital reference, with everything a gardener needs to know and much that a commercial producer would find valuable in terms of choice of varieties and marketing of the harvest. In preparation: “Discovering vegetables and seeds” - a companion volume that will make these two books the ultimate reference work on gardening with edible plants.

The Complete Book of Fruit Growing in Australia

Author: Louis Glowinski Containing over 200 temperate and sub tropical fruits, nuts and berries, this book is considered to be the best fruit reference book for Australian gardens. The book is filled with coloured pictures and comprehensive, easy to read advice. 382 pages.

Your Edible Landscape Naturally

Author: Robert Kourik This book first appeared in 1986, and was a self-publishing success from the very beginning. After eight printings, sales topped 50,000 copies, with national distribution in England and Australia. This classic and lavishly illustrated text provides a comprehensive look at the tools, techniques and observations that go into making an edible landscape with natural, non chemical methods. Not surprisingly, it’s as relevant in this millennium as it was in the last.

Gardening Down Under

Author: Kevin Handreck This fully revised edition of Kevin Handreck’s classic best-seller contains a wealth of information for practical gardeners. It will enable you to improve the worst of soils, choose the best fertiliser for particular plants and minimise water use. It also contains a comprehensive guide to managing potted plants. Here also are the basics of soil, composting, fertilisers and potting mixes, as well as simple tests and colour guides to nutrient deficiencies. Gardening Down-Under covers much practical information left out by other gardening books.

Pruning for Fruit Author: Bruce Morphett This book was first published 1993 and revised edition published 2008. A concise guide to the care and pruning of common fruits and vines.

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5- minute microwave bottling Author: Isabel Webb

Bottling fruit has never been so quick and easy! Rediscover the pleasure of making your own preserves, jams, jellies, chutneys, pickles and more with this simple, quick and mess-free method!

Good Gardens with Less Water Author: Kevin Handreck’s

A companion to Kevin Handreck’s best-selling Gardening Down-Under, this new book is a practical guide to gardening with limited water. It has an excellent section on soils including the ribbon soil test which is used for determining percentages of clay and sand in the soil..

What is the best tree for you

Deciduous Trees The “stone fruit” are ideal for our climate. Prune trees to an open vase shape. Espalier readily except apricot. Ripen on the tree so pick when fully ripe:

• almonds • apricots • nectarines • peaches and • plums.

Fruit with out stones are also well suited to our climate: • apples • pears • quinces • persimmons • Jujubes • mulberries and • figs

You can prune all deciduous trees listed above with a “central leader” (pyramid shape). Alternatively you can readily espalier all these trees except apricot. Pears ripen after picking. The others are best picked fully ripe. Cherries are for colder areas though ripen mid to late December. Deciduous trees are generally from a winter rainfall climate and typically require less additional water than evergreen. They fruit in summer and planted when dormant in the winter months, August at the latest. They provide shade in summer and allow sunlight in during winter.

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Evergreen Trees Evergreen trees are considered “subtropical”, so we can grow citrus just as well as avocadoes! Evergreen trees require summer watering as they have shallow surface feeding roots which require moisture. These trees fruit throughout the year, particularly in winter. Plant your trees in spring when soil has warmed up. They espalier readily except banana and paw paw. Prune late winter to early spring. Trees include:

• loquats • cherry guavas • feijoas and • olives.

These are very hardy and tolerant of wind and harsh sun. The other evergreens benefit from a north to north eastern aspect and wind protection and are all relatively easy to grow. These include:

• citrus • avocado • bananas • white sapote and • custard apples

The following need a warm sheltered spot:

• mangoes • longans • black sapote and • paw paw.

Where to purchase your trees Purchasing fruit trees from bigger chain stores can be a fraught process. Often the trees are sourced from interstate where soil conditions are quite different. This often results in these trees having root stock that are for more acidic soils. Much of Adelaide has alkaline soils although the soils in the Hills district are acidic. Nurseries local to your site should have root stock to suit your site. However it pays to discuss this with your local nursery as they will have local knowledge and if need be can order trees with the correct root stock. If they are not able to offer you with this information then consider purchasing your fruit trees from another nursery. A good nursery should also have root stock types clearly identified on the trees.

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roug

h to

pin

k.

Incl

udes

pru

nes

whi

ch a

re w

onde

rful

fres

h.

Req

uire

pol

linat

ors

so p

lant

at l

east

two

varie

ties

of e

ither

Ja

pane

se o

r E

urop

ean.

B

est r

esul

ts fo

r po

llina

tion

use

four

or

mor

e va

rietie

s.

Pru

nes

are

Eur

opea

n pl

ums

and

are

exce

llent

eat

en fr

esh

and

have

a lo

nger

har

vest

per

iod

com

pare

d w

ith m

ost

plum

s.

 15

 

Pom

e F

ruit

Cul

ture

Pru

ne n

ewly

pla

nted

tree

s to

a 1

met

re s

tick!

In s

econ

d w

inte

r, p

rune

out

mos

t sid

e br

anch

es le

avin

g th

e to

p an

d th

ree

to fo

ur lo

wer

br

anch

es to

gro

w. T

his

will

cre

ate

a py

ram

id s

hape

with

a “

cent

ral l

eade

r”. T

hen

tip p

rune

in s

umm

er a

fter

frui

t is

harv

este

d.

Pro

ne to

Cod

ling

mot

h, e

spec

ially

app

les.

The

mot

hs a

re a

ctiv

e on

war

m s

umm

er n

ight

s. B

irds

natu

rally

cle

an u

p pu

pae

so k

eepi

ng

chic

kens

or

allo

win

g sm

all n

ativ

es s

uch

as fi

nche

s an

d w

rens

will

hel

p co

ntro

l. P

hero

mon

e tr

aps

are

avai

labl

e (s

ee M

alco

lm

Cam

pbel

l’s w

ebsi

te -

ww

w.g

reen

finge

rs.c

om.a

u) a

nd th

e fin

er b

ird n

ettin

g th

at a

lso

excl

udes

bee

s w

ill p

reve

nt m

oths

flyi

ng in

. S

pino

sad

(Yat

es “

Suc

cess

”) is

als

o sa

fe to

spr

ay.

App

les

Var

iety

F

ruiti

ng ti

me

Uni

que

note

s G

ener

al N

otes

Gra

nny

Sm

ith

Apr

il G

reat

one

to s

tart

with

. Le

ft to

rip

en o

n tr

ee,

they

sw

eete

n dr

amat

ical

ly a

s th

ey

turn

gre

en-y

ello

w.

Will

pol

linat

e w

ith m

ost

othe

r va

rietie

s.

Jona

thon

B

onza

G

olde

n R

ed D

elic

ious

Late

Feb

ruar

y to

ea

rly M

arch

Dem

ocra

t F

uji

Gra

nny

Late

Mar

ch

Pin

k La

dy A

pril

Sun

dow

ner

Lady

Will

iam

May

Rip

en F

eb o

nwar

ds. R

equi

re c

ross

pol

linat

ion

with

a s

econ

d pl

ant a

nd “

chill

” ho

urs.

Low

chi

ll va

rietie

s su

it A

dela

ide.

D

war

fing

root

stoc

k “M

9” s

uits

pot

s.

MM

102

, MM

106

, M 2

6 or

Nor

ther

n S

py r

oots

tock

for

open

gr

ound

. F

ruit

in th

ree

to s

ix y

ears

.

 16

 

Pea

rs

Var

iety

F

ruiti

ng ti

me

Uni

que

note

s G

ener

al N

otes

Pac

kham

B

eurr

e B

osc

Mid

Feb

ruar

y T

he r

usse

t pea

r w

ith

elon

gate

d ne

ck.

Will

iam

s

Duc

hess

S

ensa

tion

R

ed D

uche

ss

Late

Jan

to e

arly

F

eb

Are

sel

f fer

tile.

Lem

on B

erga

mot

C

orel

la

Jose

phin

e.

Ear

ly M

arch

Nas

hi P

ear

20th

C

entu

ry

Mid

Feb

ruar

y

Ya

Li e

arly

M

arch

The

y ca

n be

left

to

ripen

on

the

tree

.

Are

pic

ked

whe

n th

e fr

uit i

s ha

rd a

nd r

ipen

off

the

tree

. R

equi

re c

ross

pol

linat

ion

and

“chi

ll” h

ours

. Gen

eral

ly

prod

uctiv

e in

Ade

laid

e. W

ell s

uite

d to

esp

alie

r. F

ruit

in th

ree

to fi

ve y

ears

.

Qui

nces

V

arie

ty

Fru

iting

tim

e U

niqu

e no

tes

Gen

eral

Not

es

Pin

eapp

le

Mar

ch

Sm

yrna

A

pril

Bar

ely

edib

le fr

esh

thei

r fla

vour

is s

ensa

tiona

l whe

n co

oked

. S

elf f

ertil

e, h

ardy

and

pro

duct

ive.

Pro

duce

frui

t in

two

to

thre

e ye

ars.

B

est o

n dw

arfin

g ro

otst

ock.

 17

 

Oth

er F

ruits

P

ersi

mm

ons

Var

iety

F

ruiti

ng ti

me

Gen

eral

Not

es

F

uyu

Van

illa

Apr

il T

hese

are

rec

omm

ende

d fo

r sc

hool

s.

May

be

fiddl

y to

est

ablis

h.

Roo

ts a

re b

rittle

so

take

car

e w

hen

plan

ting.

E

stab

lish

pyra

mid

or

open

vas

e fr

amew

ork

then

ligh

t pru

ne a

nnua

lly.

May

esp

alie

r.

Per

sim

mon

frui

t on

curr

ent g

row

th s

o on

ly p

rune

bac

k ha

lf th

e tip

s, le

avin

g th

e re

st to

bea

r fr

uit.

In a

utum

n th

ey m

ake

a sp

ecta

cula

r di

spla

y as

the

larg

e le

aves

cha

nge

colo

ur fr

om g

reen

th

roug

h ye

llow

to o

rang

e an

d th

en d

rop.

The

ora

nge

frui

t may

han

g on

the

bare

tree

m

akin

g it

an e

asy

targ

et fo

r bi

rds

so n

ettin

g m

ay b

e us

eful

.

Juju

bes

Var

iety

F

ruiti

ng ti

me

Gen

eral

Not

es

Per

sim

mon

s Li

M

arch

A

lso

know

n as

‘Chi

nese

Dat

e’, t

he fr

uit h

as h

igh

suga

r co

nten

t whe

n dr

ied

yet i

s cr

isp

and

tast

y fr

esh.

The

frui

t is

este

emed

for

its h

ealth

ben

efits

by

Asi

an c

ultu

res.

Thi

s is

an

extr

emel

y ha

rdy

tree

with

low

wat

er r

equi

rem

ents

. Will

frui

t in

first

yea

r or

two

even

in a

po

t. A

bus

hier

tree

whi

ch c

an b

e tr

aine

d to

any

sha

pe a

nd p

rune

d ba

ck h

ard.

It d

oes

how

ever

hav

e th

orns

and

roo

tsto

cks

may

suc

ker,

so

not a

pla

nt fo

r hi

gh tr

affic

are

as. T

he

varie

ty L

i is

the

pick

of t

hose

cur

rent

ly a

vaila

ble.

Mul

berr

ies

Var

iety

F

ruiti

ng ti

me

Uni

que

note

s G

ener

al N

otes

‘S

haht

oot’

Oct

ober

on

war

ds

The

whi

te m

ulbe

rry

is

idea

l for

chi

ldre

n.

A v

igor

ous

tree

that

will

frui

t fro

m th

e se

cond

yea

r on

war

ds.

Long

live

d an

d ha

rdy,

del

icio

us b

ut m

essy

. The

red

and

bla

ck

varie

ties

stai

n so

kee

p aw

ay fr

om p

aths

. The

ver

y sw

eet t

astin

g fr

uit i

s no

n-st

aini

ng a

nd r

ipen

s in

spr

ing

prod

ucin

g tw

o to

thre

e cr

ops

over

sum

mer

. Tra

in to

sha

pe in

firs

t tw

o ye

ars

then

ligh

t tip

pru

ne la

te s

umm

er o

r w

inte

r. A

dapt

s w

ell t

o po

t cul

ture

.

 18

 

Fig

s V

arie

ty

Fru

iting

tim

e U

niqu

e no

tes

Gen

eral

Not

es

Cel

este

Y

ello

w s

kin

and

flesh

.

Whi

te A

dria

tic

Ligh

t gre

en a

nd p

ink

flesh

.

Bro

wn

Tur

key

Janu

ary

to

Mar

ch.

Cop

pery

ski

n an

d pi

nk

flesh

.

For

chi

ldre

n tr

y th

ese

varie

ties

Eas

ily g

row

n, th

ough

req

uire

s a

good

wat

er s

ourc

e fo

r a

heav

y cr

op. M

any

figs

have

two

crop

s, a

n ea

rly o

r “b

reba

” cr

op in

Nov

-D

ec, t

hen

a m

ain

crop

Jan

to M

arch

. Mai

n cr

op m

ay b

e pi

cked

fr

esh

over

a p

erio

d of

wee

ks. T

rain

to a

n op

en v

ase

then

cut

ba

ck y

early

. Hea

vy w

inte

r pr

unin

g w

ill r

educ

e br

eba

crop

and

en

hanc

e m

ain

crop

. Do

wel

l in

pots

. Fre

sh fi

gs c

ome

in m

any

flavo

urs

from

the

very

sw

eet s

ugar

y to

mor

e co

mpl

ex.

Che

rrie

s V

arie

ty

Fru

iting

tim

e U

niqu

e no

tes

Gen

eral

Not

es

Ste

llar

Is s

elf f

ertil

e.

Van

Dec

embe

r

Tol

erat

es w

arm

er

cond

ition

s.

Mus

t hav

e ric

h, w

ell-d

rain

ed s

oil a

nd b

est f

or c

olde

r ar

eas.

As

the

crop

s ar

e pr

one

to w

eath

er c

ondi

tions

they

are

not

hig

h on

th

e lis

t of p

refe

rred

frui

t. T

rain

to a

n op

en v

ase

then

pru

ne la

te

sum

mer

. V

ery

pron

e to

fung

al r

ots,

whi

ch m

ay b

e co

ntro

lled

with

Lim

e S

ulph

ur. M

ajor

pes

t is

cher

ry s

lug

whi

ch s

kele

toni

ses

leav

es

(als

o pe

ars)

. Thi

s is

rea

dily

con

trol

led

with

Spi

nosa

d (Y

ates

“S

ucce

ss”)

.

Pom

egra

nate

sV

arie

ty

Fru

iting

tim

e U

niqu

e no

tes

Gen

eral

Not

es

Apr

il A

toug

h M

edite

rran

ean.

With

stan

ds in

tens

e he

at a

nd fr

ost.

The

bea

utifu

l red

ski

nned

frui

t co

ntai

ns h

undr

eds

of s

mal

l fle

shy

sacs

full

of ju

ice.

Whe

n cr

ushe

d th

is is

the

sour

ce o

f the

dr

ink

gren

adin

e. P

rune

to a

pyr

amid

sha

pe. F

ew p

ests

, low

mai

nten

ance

and

sel

f fer

tile.

 19

 

Eve

rgre

en T

rees

Lo

quat

s V

arie

ty

Fru

iting

tim

e G

ener

al N

otes

E

norm

ity

Cha

tsw

orth

V

icto

ry a

re g

ood

sele

ctio

ns

Mid

Nov

embe

r A

pop

ular

chi

ldre

n’s

frui

t rip

enin

g ea

rly to

mid

Nov

. See

dlin

g tr

ees

will

gro

w to

15

met

res.

C

an b

e pr

uned

dow

n to

siz

e or

pur

chas

e a

varie

ty g

rafte

d on

to q

uinc

e ro

otst

ock

whi

ch

prod

uces

a n

eat 4

-5 m

etre

tree

. A s

elf f

ertil

e, “

low

mai

nten

ance

” tr

ee w

ell s

uite

d to

our

cl

imat

e, p

artic

ular

ly th

e he

at, t

houg

h da

mag

ed b

y he

avy

fros

ts. I

nitia

l pru

ne to

ope

n va

se

shap

e th

en y

early

trim

. Fru

it rip

ens

best

if e

xpos

ed to

sun

.

Che

rry

Gua

vas

Var

iety

F

ruiti

ng ti

me

Gen

eral

Not

es

Oct

ober

on

war

ds in

flu

shes

thro

ugh

sum

mer

.

Sm

alle

r, e

asily

gro

wn,

toug

h, a

dapt

able

tree

from

Sou

th A

mer

ica.

Will

frui

t rea

dily

in a

pot

. A

n at

trac

tive

tree

with

glo

ssy

leav

es it

can

be

prun

ed to

a h

edge

or

topi

ary

shap

e. R

ed o

r “s

traw

berr

y” h

as a

mor

e co

mpl

ex fl

avou

r th

an th

e sw

eete

r ye

llow

. Pro

duce

s fr

uit i

n fir

st

few

yea

rs.

Fei

joas

V

arie

ty

Fru

iting

tim

e G

ener

al N

otes

Mar

ch

Sm

alle

r tr

ee c

lose

ly r

elat

ed to

gua

vas,

it is

als

o kn

own

as th

e “p

inea

pple

gua

va”.

Ver

y ha

rdy

with

gre

en s

kin.

S

low

gro

win

g in

hea

vy o

r al

kalin

e so

ils.

Req

uire

s tw

o tr

ees

for

cros

s po

llina

tion

by b

irds.

Tip

bea

ring,

so

initi

al p

rune

to s

hape

then

lig

ht p

rune

yea

rly in

win

ter.

 20

 

Oliv

es

Var

iety

F

ruiti

ng ti

me

Gen

eral

Not

es

T

he h

ardi

est f

ruiti

ng tr

ee fo

r ou

r cl

imat

e an

d th

us a

wee

d in

our

nat

ive

bush

. Pru

ne to

an

open

vas

e th

en y

early

to k

eep

cent

re o

f tre

e op

en. N

ot a

fres

h fr

uit s

o m

ust b

e pr

oces

sed

eith

er b

y cr

ushi

ng fo

r oi

l or

pick

ling

for

the

tabl

e.

Man

y sc

hool

s ut

ilize

loca

l tre

es o

n ei

ther

priv

ate

or p

ublic

land

to h

arve

st o

lives

for

oil.

Bei

ng la

bour

inte

nsiv

e (k

nock

ing

oliv

es o

nto

tarp

aulin

s) th

is is

an

idea

l exe

rcis

e fo

r sc

hool

s. O

lives

can

be

proc

esse

d at

a n

umbe

r of

pre

sses

aro

und

Ade

laid

e.

The

Mar

ouda

s ol

ive

pres

s at

The

bart

on is

fully

cer

tifie

d or

gani

c.

The

loca

l wild

oliv

es w

hils

t sm

all a

re v

ery

tast

y pi

ckle

d an

d pr

oduc

e ex

celle

nt o

il.

Kal

amat

a

Gia

nt K

alam

ata

Are

rec

omm

ende

d fo

r pi

cklin

g al

thou

gh, a

s w

ith m

ost o

lives

, the

y ca

n be

cru

shed

for

oil.

Man

zani

llo

Mis

sion

V

erda

le

UC

13A

6

The

see

ds a

re

spre

ad b

y bi

rds

so fr

uitin

g tr

ees

shou

ld b

e ha

rves

ted

befo

re fr

uit f

all

in M

ay-J

une

Are

all

dual

pur

pose

.

 21

 

  Citr

us

Cul

ture

An

idea

l fam

ily fo

r sc

hool

s as

the

frui

ting

perio

ds g

ener

ally

sui

t the

sch

ool y

ear.

Req

uire

goo

d dr

aina

ge a

nd s

oil p

repa

ratio

n.

Pla

ntin

g in

to a

mou

nd s

impl

ifies

this

. P

lant

in s

prin

g w

hen

the

soil

war

ms

up. S

oil t

ype

and

pH in

fluen

ces

root

stoc

k se

lect

ion

alth

ough

, unf

ortu

nate

ly, m

any

tree

s ar

e so

ld w

ithou

t the

roo

tsto

ck b

eing

iden

tifie

d.

Mul

ch w

ell k

eepi

ng th

e m

ulch

aw

ay fr

om d

irect

con

tact

with

the

trun

k. D

eep

wat

er w

eekl

y, e

very

thre

e da

ys in

a h

eat w

ave.

F

ertil

ise

with

“ci

trus

” fe

rtili

ser

in s

mal

l reg

ular

am

ount

s A

ug to

Mar

ch. P

rune

in A

ugus

t - th

is c

an b

e qu

ite r

ough

as

this

stim

ulat

es

flow

erin

g!

Not

e, c

itrus

sho

uld

be le

ft to

rip

en fu

lly o

n th

e tr

ee, m

any

are

pick

ed to

o ea

rly a

s th

ey d

evel

op c

olou

r an

d ap

pear

rip

e w

eeks

bef

ore

they

are

fully

rip

e.

Bei

ng a

sub

trop

ical

you

sho

uld

not l

et th

e so

il dr

y ou

t in

sum

mer

.

C

itrus

may

be

slow

to d

evel

op a

goo

d ro

ot s

truc

ture

for

the

first

few

yea

rs. S

oil p

repa

ratio

n, ti

min

g an

d pl

antin

g te

chni

que

are

very

im

port

ant.

Roo

ts o

f pot

ted

plan

ts s

houl

d be

teas

ed o

ut to

pre

vent

a r

oot b

all f

orm

ing

whe

re th

e ro

ots

circ

le a

roun

d w

ithou

t eve

r gr

owin

g ou

t int

o th

e so

il. C

onsu

lt th

e bo

ok “

Citr

us F

or E

very

one”

by

Ian

Tol

ley

and

Bru

ce M

orph

ett b

efor

e pl

antin

g.

Lem

on

Var

iety

F

ruiti

ng ti

me

Uni

que

Not

es

Gen

eral

not

es

Trif

olia

ta

Sui

ts a

cid

soils

and

pot

s. G

ener

al

Not

es

Citr

ange

C

leop

atra

S

uit m

ost m

etro

polit

an s

oils

/ A

dela

ide

soils

.

Lisb

on s

F

or c

olde

r ar

eas.

Has

thor

n.

Eur

eka

Thi

cker

ski

nned

and

is th

ornl

ess.

Citr

us

Mey

er

For

mos

t of t

he

year

.

Whi

lst n

ot a

true

lem

on, i

s th

in s

kinn

ed,

swee

ter

and

thor

nles

s.

No

stre

et (

or s

choo

l) sh

ould

be

with

out a

le

mon

. Pro

duct

ive

and

bear

ing

for

mos

t of t

he

year

they

can

be

situ

ated

in m

ost s

pace

s in

clud

ing

pots

and

esp

alie

r.

 22

 

Ora

nges

V

arie

ty

Fru

iting

tim

e U

niqu

e N

otes

G

ener

al n

otes

Nav

els

S

eedl

ess

Sw

eet

Val

enci

as

June

to

Nov

embe

r S

eedy

S

wee

t

Was

hing

ton

June

to

Nov

embe

r

Blo

od o

rang

es

D

evel

op a

red

fles

h in

col

d co

nditi

ons.

Man

dari

ns

Var

iety

F

ruiti

ng ti

me

Uni

que

Not

es

Gen

eral

not

es

Em

pero

r Ju

ly to

Aug

ust

Impe

rial

Apr

il to

Jun

e

Mur

cott

Kar

a A

ug to

Oct

ober

M

urco

tt sw

eet b

ut s

eedy

.

Man

darin

s m

ay g

row

to a

larg

er tr

ee o

r be

pr

uned

to s

uit.

Cum

quat

s V

arie

ty

Fru

iting

tim

e U

niqu

e N

otes

G

ener

al n

otes

M

arum

i

Rou

nd v

arie

ty h

as s

wee

t ski

n an

d fle

sh

and

hold

s its

frui

t thr

ough

spr

ing,

m

akin

g a

grea

t fea

ture

pla

nt.

Cum

quat

s ar

e a

won

derf

ul s

mal

l pla

nt fo

r a

pot.

Fru

it ca

n be

eat

en fr

esh,

drie

d or

gla

ce.

Tan

gelo

s V

arie

ty

Fru

iting

tim

e U

niqu

e N

otes

G

ener

al n

otes

Orla

ndo

June

Min

neol

a Ju

ly to

S

epte

mbe

r

Tan

gelo

s ar

e a

cros

s be

twee

n a

grap

efru

it an

d a

man

darin

. The

y ar

e w

onde

rful

ly s

wee

t whe

n fu

lly r

ipe

(unl

ike

man

y av

aila

ble

in th

e sh

ops)

.

 23

 

  Avo

cado

V

arie

ty

Fru

iting

tim

e U

niqu

e N

otes

G

ener

al n

otes

H

ass

Mar

ch to

Apr

il M

ost c

omm

on v

arie

ty g

row

n in

A

dela

ide.

F

ruit

chan

ges

from

gre

en to

pur

ple

whe

n rip

enin

g.

Gen

eral

ly fr

uits

with

out a

pol

linat

or

alth

ough

Bac

on o

r F

uert

e w

ill h

elp

if th

is is

a p

robl

em.

Bac

on

Sm

alle

r an

d m

ore

cold

tole

rant

allo

win

g fr

uit t

o rip

en.

Fue

rte

Ree

d M

ay to

Jun

e La

rge

gree

n sk

inne

d cr

eam

y fr

uit.

If yo

u ca

n gr

ow c

itrus

you

can

gro

w a

voca

does

. F

or th

is r

easo

n A

voca

do h

ave

been

incl

uded

in

the

citr

us s

ectio

n.

The

y ha

ve v

ery

sim

ilar

requ

irem

ents

; soi

l, cl

imat

e, w

ater

ing

and

fert

ilisi

ng. P

lant

ing

tech

niqu

e is

impo

rtan

t as

for

citr

us. A

nor

th

east

ern

aspe

ct s

uits

, esp

ecia

lly fo

r th

e hi

lls.

Pla

nt in

ear

ly s

umm

er a

nd p

rote

ct fr

om s

un w

ith

shad

e cl

oth

for

the

first

two

year

s, p

artic

ular

ly

on th

e w

este

rn s

ide.

Ext

ra p

rote

ctio

n m

ay b

e ne

cess

ary

for

youn

g tr

ees

durin

g a

sum

mer

he

at w

ave.

Reg

ular

wee

kly

deep

wat

erin

g w

ill

also

hel

p.

Avo

cado

es w

ill n

ot r

ipen

fully

on

the

tree

so

can

be p

icke

d gr

adua

lly a

s th

ey m

atur

e gi

ving

a

long

har

vest

sea

son.

The

tree

s m

ay g

row

to 1

5 to

20

met

res

in h

eigh

t so

star

t tra

inin

g to

sha

pe

and

size

whe

n pl

antin

g if

a m

uch

smal

ler

size

is

desi

red.

Pru

ne y

early

in A

ugus

t or

tip p

rune

th

roug

hout

the

year

.