i remember trying to grow a grapefruit tree for a science project. my project was specific to how much water was needed to get it to grow. i planted two grapefruit seeds (something that was abundant at times in my house growing up) and watered each pot with 1 cup of water in one and 1/2 cup in the other. well, needless to say, the seeds take a long time to develop and my science project proved nothing. but, i have toyed with the idea of saving the peach pits on the windowsill on a piece of wet cotton. that never produced anything and neither did the grape seeds i tried to grow nor the orange seeds i planted. but, i have tangerine seeds tucked into a pot on my windowsill as i type this. we'll see what happens this time! fruit trees are all over the place here. (i have recently relocated to the L.A. area). have never seen fruit trees just casually growing in a small yard over abundant in fruit. in Louisiana, fruit trees were hard to grow although my neighbor had fabulous peach and green apple trees. i hope my tangerine seeds produce a plant and hopefully that plant will produce fruit so i don't have to spend money buying tangerines!! oh, and something i've noted while leafing through various seed catalogs, some trees actually require two trees to produce fruit--kiwi for instance. and others self-pollinate. still learning about this as i'm just trying to grow seeds. oh, but i did have some success with a currant berry bush i purchased from a catalog. only had her for two years (when we had to move) and she gave me wonderful leaves each year. but, remembering the time line for shrubs to begin outward growing, this plant will probably produce wonderful fruit for the new owners of my house this summer!

as posted by marcia: Topic 17 of 59 [Geo]: Archaeology: The world as a time capsule Response 785 of 786: Marcia (MarciaH) * Mon, Jan 28, 2002 (18:41) * 19 lines Evidence shows Greeks were first to cultivate the almond tree and enjoy the taste and nutrients the dry fruit offered BY CONNIE PHILLIPSON ALMONDS are probably the oldest and most widely known of the world's nut crops, having helped to sustain our hunter/gatherer ancestors with their monounsaturated oils, more calcium than any other nut, B vitamins and vitamin E, and a small amount of protein. The nuts are the fruit seeds of Prunus dulcis, that was formerly known as P amygdalus, and which is also known as Amygdalus communis. Don't you sometimes wish that scientists would make up their minds! At any event, the almond tree is native to the Mediterranean area and western Asia, and was apparently first cultivated by the Greeks. An almond seed was found at the Neolithic level of Knossos on Crete, under the palace complex, and wild almonds were discovered at the Neolithic sites of Sesklo and Dimini in Thessaly, showing a presence in the Aegean area of at least 5,000 years. more... http://www.athensnews.gr/athweb/nathens.prnt_article?e=C&f=12946&t=04&m=A40&aa=1

and the tangerine seeds i mentioned in response 1 have been planted for a month now and no seedlings yet (but fruit trees do take a while to sprout)

Wolfie, the rule of thumb out here is from seed a fruit tree takes 5 years to produce fruit or bloom. Some longer and others less time. I grew a tangerine tree in West Viriginia on my windowsill and for the first time in my life learned how bark was made. Never got fruit but I sure did learn about bark! In Hawaii, everyone has some sort of fruit trees. Just as in California, the trees bear more than the family can eat and it falls to the ground to rot. I once had star fruit and lime-quat trees as well as bananas. I am now just a banana lady. I had to fight the local vermin and lost the battle for the fruit of the other trees!

Don't bury your seed too deeply. On the surface with a light coating of soil and plastic wrap to keep in the moisture is what worked for me.

i've got them down about 1/2 inch and keep it moist. this worked for me back home when i got some grape seeds to sprout.

That should be sufficient. Patience is the hardest part. I remember. Here, though, even my compost pile sprouts!

*laugh* my compost back home would sprout with weeds and fire ants! no room for one now. but they want us to recycle everything, so weird!

I hope they do - but my son is making a little wee compost bin for the back yard for kitchen green waste - it will suit his purposes just fine. No need to recycle coffee grounds or cabbage leaves!!! Or don't they allow even that?

did i tell you guys, my tangarines have sprouted and are working on their first set of real leaves!!

Fantastic!!! No, you didn't. Srart counting. Countdown to fruit has commenced.

there are four trees working here and i'll just pick one to grow to maturation--but, i'll need hints as to choosing the strongest. does it really take five years??

Supposed it does as a rule of thumb... Five years to bear friut which is one of the reasons for grafting. If you have 24/7 warm and lotso of sunshine I suspect you might get fruit a little sooner. But, even in my rain forest, it took that long to get my poinciana (my giant tree) to bloom for the first time. Pick the thickest tallest one and snip the others off at ground level.

i think i've found my strongest tree (they're still in the pots i seeded them in). oh, and i've saved a couple of papaya seeds (have never eaten the fresh fruit before)

Wonder if it's the right time to plant fruit trees in Texas? Too early? Too late?

Maybe it has been too long but all I remember growing in TX is cedar and pecans...

And mesquites.

And a few oaks.

Wonder what fruit trees grow best around here?

RECOMMENDED FRUIT, NUT AND BERRY CULTIVARS FOR NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS Prepared by: Drs. Nancy Roe, Calvin Lyons and Larry Stein Extension Horticulturists, Texas Cooperative Extension Cultivar selection is one of the most important steps in successful fruit growing. A cultivar may perform very well in one area of Texas yet be a complete failure in another area. For this reason, the Texas Agricultural Extension Service has prepared this list (based on 800-900 hours of chilling) to identify those cultivars which have demonstrated outstanding performance in this area of the state for several years. It is a good idea, if space allows, to include at least two cultivars of each crop in the home fruit planting as one may do better than another in certain years. In other words, put your eggs into more than one basket as one cultivar may survive a late freeze better than another, etc. Remember, fruit trees do not grow "true" from seed. Instead, the desired fruit-bearing cultivar is budded or grafted onto a particular rootstock which is well adapted to the soils of our area. Example: buds of the peach cultivar known as 'Ranger', an outstanding fruit producer, should, if planting in an acid sandy soil, be purchased already grafted onto a 'Nemaguard' rootstock which has built-in resistance to certain nematodes. The correct rootstock is just as important as the recommended fruit-bearing cultivar. Although fruit trees are traditionally planted during their dormant season, healthy, well-rooted trees (except figs) grown in containers can be planted all year. APPLES (Malus pumila): Cultivars: Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Gala, Holland, Jerseymac, Mollie's Delicious, Fuji, Granny Smith Rootstocks: mature tree size of any of the above cultivars can be regulated by grafting onto one of the following: dwarf tree: M-9 or M-26 rootstock semi-dwarf tree: MM-111 or M-7 rootstock full-sized tree: seedling rootstock Cross-pollination: to ensure adequate cross-pollination and thus good fruit production, plant at least 2 cultivars Planting dates: bare root: January 1 - February 15 containerized: January 1 - March 31 APRICOTS (Prunus armeniaca) Note: Due to their early bloom date, most apricots are subject to spring freezes. Many apricot trees produce fruit as infrequently as one of every 3-5 years. Cultivars: Bryan, Hungarian, Moorpark Rootstock to request: 'Lovell' for alkaline clay soils, 'Nemaguard' for acid sandy soils Planting dates: bare root: January 1 - February 15 containerized: January 1 - March 31 BLACKBERRIES (Rubus sp.) Cultivars whose canes are thorny: Brazos, Womack, Shawnee, Rosborough Planting dates: root cuttings: January 1 - February 15 plants: January 1 - February 28 Cultivars whose canes are thornless: Navajo, Arapaho Planting dates: plants: January 1 - February 28 CHERRIES, SOUR (Prunus cerasus) Cultivar: Montmorency Planting dates: bare root: January 1 - February 15 containerized: January 1 - March 31 CITRUS, SATSUMA (Citrus reticulata) Note: satsumas are not winter hardy in north central Texas. Thus, they should be grown as patio or terrace container plants, in containers of 20 gallon capacity or greater. Move plants into a sunny location indoors when temperatures drop below 26 F. When temperatures exceed 26 F., move plants back outside into full sun. Planting dates: containerized: March 1 - April 15 FIGS (Ficus carica) Cultivars: Texas Everbearing, Celeste Planting dates: bare root: February 15-March 15 containerized: January 1- March 31 GRAPES, AMERICAN (Vitis sp.) Cultivars: Black Spanish, Champanel, Golden Muscat (These are resistant to Pierce's Disease) Planting dates: cuttings (non-rooted): January 1 - February 28 rooted cuttings (1 year old, bare root): January 1 - February 28 containerized: January 1 - March 31 GRAPES, HYBRID (Vitis sp. - French x American hybrids) Cultivars: Seibel 9110, S.V. 12-375, Aurelia, S.V. 12-309 (These cultivars are susceptible to Pierce's Disease; however, they have lived for several years in many areas of the state where occurrence of this disease is quite common) Blanc Du Bois (resistant to Pierce's Disease) Planting dates: cuttings (non-rooted): January 1 - February 28 rooted cuttings (1 year old, bare root): January 1 - February 28 containerized: January 1 - March 31 GRAPES, HYBRID SEEDLESS TABLE (Vitis sp.) Cultivars: Flame, Reliance, Himrod, Glenora, Venus (seed remnants) Note: these cultivars susceptible to Pierce's Disease Planting dates: cuttings (non-rooted): January 1 - February 28 rooted cuttings (1 year old, bare root): January 1 - February 28 containerized: January 1 - March 31 JUJUBES (Zizyphus jujuba) Cultivars: Li, Lang Planting dates: bare root: January 1 - February 28 containerized: January 1 - March 31 PEACHES (Prunus persica) Cultivars categorized by period of the growing season in which they ripen: very early: Bicentennial early: Sentinel, Ranger, Harvester mid-season: Redglobe, Milam, Majestic, Denman, Loring, Belle of Georgia (white flesh) late: Dixiland, Redskin, Jefferson very late: Frank, Fayette, Ouachita Gold Rootstock to request: 'Lovell' for alkaline clay soils, 'Nemaguard' for acid sandy soils Planting dates: bare root: January 1 - February 15 containerized: January 1 - March 31 PEACHES, DWARF (Prunus persica) Note: these are genetic dwarfs; they produce full-sized fruit on very dwarf plants Cultivars: Bonanza II, Early Golden Glory Planting dates: bare root: January 1 - February 15 containerized: January 1 - March 31 PEARS (Pyrus sp.) Cultivars: Orient, Moonglow, Kieffer, LeConte, Ayres, Garber, Maxine, Warren Rootstocks to request: 'Calleryana', 'Old Home' Planting dates: bare root: January 1 - February 15 containerized: January 1 - March 31 PEARS, ASIAN (Pyrus pyrifolia) Note: Asian pears are susceptible to fire blight. Cultivars: Shinseiki, 20th Century, Hosui Rootstocks to request: 'Calleryana', 'Old Home' Cross-pollination: to ensure adequate cross-pollination, plant at least 2 cultivars; or one Asian plus one regular pear cultivar Planting dates: bare root: January 1 - February 15 containerized: January 1 - March 31 PECANS (Carya illinoensis) Cultivars: Moderate to intensive management situations: Sioux, Pawnee, Desirable, Choctaw, Kiowa, Caddo, Cape Fear Low management situation: seedling (ungrafted) Planting dates: bare root: January 1 - March 10 containerized: January 1 - April 15 PERSIMMONS, ORIENTAL (Diospyros kaki) Cultivars with astringent fruit: Eureka, Hachiya, Tane-nashi, Tamopan Cultivar with non-astringent fruit: Fuyu (Fuyugaki) Note: this cultivar is more susceptible to cold; top of tree may sustain freeze injury during some winters in north central Texas Planting dates: bare root: January 1 - February 15 containerized: January 1 - March 31 PLUMS (Prunus salicina) Cultivars: Morris, Methley, Ozark Premier, Bruce Rootstock to request: 'Lovell' for alkaline clay soils, 'Nemaguard' for acid sandy soils Note: 'Bruce' requires cross-pollination Planting dates: bare root: January 1 - February 15 containerized: January 1 - March 31 RASPBERRIES (Rubus idaeus) Cultivars: Dorman Red Planting dates: root cuttings: January 1 - February 15 plants: January 1 - February 28 STRAWBERRIES (Fragaria x ananassa) Note: plants must be completely covered with mulch (straw, dry leaves, etc.) when temperatures drop below 15 F. When, in a few days, temperatures exceed 15 F., pull back mulch to again expose foliage. Annual system (replant each fall): Cultivars: Chandler, Douglas, Sequoia Planting dates: plants: September 20 - October 15 Perennial system (matted row): Cultivars: Sunrise, Cardinal, Allstar (all of these cultivars are everbearing) Planting dates: plants: February 15 - March 15 from http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/plantanswers/publications/fruitlist.html

good info terry!

saw kiwi trees being sold in pairs at the local garden shop...was tempted too (i love kiwi fruit)

Will they grow outdoors?

i'm sure they would but haven't done much research on them...