Sweeten Up Your Garden! by Dr. Clark Springfield

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Sweeten up your Texas garden with the secrets to growing grapes, berries and fruit trees. Dr. Clark Springfield, VP Ran-Pro Farms presents planting tips, care tips and specific variety recommendations of sweet edible plants for Texas at Calloway's Nursery during the 2010 Gardenfest event held at the Plano garden center on Preston Road. More plant and gardening information can be found at www.calloways.com.

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Sweeten Up Your Garden!  Growing Fruit, Grapes and Berries:

Sweeten Up Your Garden! Growing Fruit, Grapes and Berries Dr. Clark Springfield Ran-Pro Farms Tyler, TX

Today we will discuss:

Today we will discuss Who is Ran-Pro Farms? Practical guidelines for growing Fruit Trees Blueberries Blackberries and Raspberries Grapes Comments and Questions

Slide 4:

Ran-Pro’s Handgrown Difference

Container grown for a well-developed, robust root ball:

Container grown for a well-developed, robust root ball

Slide 6:

Hand staked to provide a straight, well-formed plant

Slide 7:

Hand pruned and individually shaped to give you the perfect form

Slide 8:

Grown using environmentally friendly, sustainable practices

Slide 9:

Potting mixes and fertilizers specific to the needs of each plant

Slide 10:

Adequate spacing allows the plants to develop to their full potential

Consumer friendly LABELS:

Consumer friendly LABELS

EASY TO ACCESS INFORMATION:

EASY TO ACCESS INFORMATION

Fruit Trees:

Fruit Trees

Why grow Fruit?:

Why grow Fruit? High in beneficial nutrients Antioxidants Dietary fiber Potassium Folic acid Low in Fat Sodium Calories. Do not contain cholesterol

Grow Your Own Fruit:

Grow Your Own Fruit Know exactly what you are getting Control what is applied to the fruit your family eats Sprays Wax Chemicals

Benefits of Fruit Trees:

Benefits of Fruit Trees Look beautiful Pretty spring blossoms Colorful fall foliage Provides shade Produces fruit Attract songbirds Shelter wildlife Filter the air Attract pollinators to your garden

FIVE Keys to Fruit Tree Success:

FIVE Keys to Fruit Tree Success Variety selection Tree selection Site selection Planting Tender Loving Care

Choosing the right variety can be confusing!:

Choosing the right variety can be confusing ! P ollinator required? Chill hours Hardiness zone

Choosing the Variety Pollinators:

Choosing the Variety Pollinators Fruit trees Self-fertile Self-unfertile

Chill Hours:

Chill Hours Number of hours between 32 o and 45 o Needed to B reak dormancy Induce normal bloom Start vegetative growth DFW 750 – 850 hours annually

Insufficient Chill Hours:

Insufficient Chill Hours C hilling requirements too low Bloom early Damage from late freeze

Insufficient Chill Hours:

Insufficient Chill Hours Chilling requirement is too high S low to break dormancy Abort fruit Symptoms of insufficient chill hours Delayed foliation Reduced fruit quantity Reduced fruit quality

Hardiness Zone:

Hardiness Zone The geographical area in which a specific category of plant is capable of growing Can withstand minimum temperatures of the zone Does not factor in Maximum heat Soil conditions

Old USDA Hardiness Zones:

Old USDA Hardiness Zones

New USDA Hardiness Zones:

New USDA Hardiness Zones

Varieties for the DFW Metroplex:

Varieties for the DFW Metroplex APPLES Anna Granny Smith Jonathon Mollie’s Delicious Yellow Delicious PEACHES Belle of Georgia Harvester Loring Ranger Red Globe Redskin

Varieties for the DFW Metroplex:

Varieties for the DFW Metroplex PEARS Kieffer Moonglow Orient PERSIMMONS Fuyu NECTARINES Surecrop PLUMS Bruce Methley Morris FIGS Celeste Brown Turkey

Tree Selection:

Tree Selection Choose the right variety Purchase a healthy tree Plant fruit trees while fully dormant December through March

Practical Guidelines for Tree Selection:

Practical Guidelines for Tree Selection

Site Selection:

Site Selection Plenty of sunlight Soil Sandy loam topsoil 18 to 24 inches deep Red-colored, well-drained clay subsoil

Site Selection Drainage:

Site Selection Drainage Drainage is more important than soil fertility Avoid sites that are not well drained Water stands for more than 24 hours after a rain S ubsoil is Dull colored B lue G ray Mottled color

Site PREPARATION RAISED BEDS:

Site PREPARATION RAISED BEDS Where drainage is a problem P repare well-drained, raised beds Bring in or scrape up topsoil 6 - to 12-inch-high mound 8 to 10 feet across

Site Selection Fertility:

Site Selection Fertility Soil fertility test Local county Extension office Texas AgriLife Extension Service - Soil, Water and Forage Testing Laboratory – College Station http://soiltesting.tamu.edu/

Planting:

Planting

Watering:

Watering

Fertilization:

Fertilization Generally not necessary to fertilize fruit trees if the lawn in the vicinity of the fruit trees is fertilized on a regular basis

Blueberries:

Blueberries

Blueberry Benefits:

Blueberry Benefits Highest antioxidant content of all fresh fruit Daily consumption of blueberries keeps you Active Fit Sharp In a good mood

Blueberries:

Blueberries Easy to grow Require little care Seldom bothered by pests Beautiful fall color

Keys to Successful Blueberry Production:

Keys to Successful Blueberry Production Variety selection Site selection and preparation

Blueberries Northern Highbush:

Blueberries Northern Highbush Most commonly planted across the U.S. High chill hours requirement Blueray Bluejay Rubel Patriot Legacy Northland

Blueberries Half-High Varieties :

Blueberries Half-High Varieties Half-High Blueberries “Wild” flavor Bred for exceptional cold hardiness Carry a heavy snow load without damage to branches Northblue Northcountry Polaris Chippewa

Blueberries Southern Highbush:

Blueberries Southern Highbush Rabbiteyes Superior fruit Excellent soil adaptability Heat tolerant Low chill requirements Jewel Jubilee Oneal Misty Sharpblue

Blueberry Varieties for the Metroplex:

Blueberry Varieties for the Metroplex Brightwell Premier Tifblue

BlueberrIES Pollination:

BlueberrIES Pollination Do not require a pollinator, but cannot reach maximum yield without a pollinator

Blueberries Site Selection:

Blueberries Site Selection Sunny Well drained S oil pH of 4.0 to 5.0

Blueberries Planting:

Blueberries Planting Remove from container L ightly score (roughen up) the outside surface of the root ball Set the top soil line of the plant about 1-2 inches higher than the existing ground and firm around root ball Mound soil up along sides of exposed root mass Water

Blueberries FertilizinG:

Blueberries FertilizinG Very sensitive to fertilizer! Don't apply commercial fertilizers the first year Apply 1 oz. of fertilizer the second year For subsequent years, use 1 ounce of fertilizer for each year from planting to a total of 8 ounces per plant

Blueberries Mulching:

Blueberries Mulching Blueberries do best with a 3- 4" mulch over the roots Acidifies the soil Conserves moisture Prevents weeds Adds organic matter .

Blueberries Watering:

Blueberries Watering Initial spring watering should be relatively light Water once per week rather than daily Water is especially important during the long fruit-ripening period

Blackberries and Raspberries:

Blackberries and Raspberries

Blackberries a Beneficial Fruit:

Blackberries a Beneficial Fruit Low in: C alories C arbohydrates F at Rich in : Vitamins Minerals Fiber High in antioxidants

Blackberries:

Blackberries Easy to grow in home gardens A biennial Begins bearing the year after planting Best production in years 3 through 8 M ay produce for 15 years if well managed

Blackberries SITE SELECTION:

Blackberries SITE SELECTION G row best in deep, sandy soil pH range of 4.5 to pH 7.5 Good drainage If soil is not well drained, grow in raised beds

Berries Planting:

Berries Planting Remove from container L ightly score (roughen up) the outside surface of the root ball Set the top soil line of the plant about 1-2 inches higher than the existing ground and firm around root ball Mound soil up along sides of exposed root mass Water

Blackberries - Watering:

Blackberries - Watering Water weekly beginning in March R educe watering in September to slow new growth and allow hardening of the canes Infrequent winter watering may be needed during drought years

Fertilizing berries:

Fertilizing berries Limit to nitrogen only Apply in small frequent amounts in a band along the row, beginning at bloom

Blackberry Varieties:

Blackberry Varieties Arapaho ( thornless ) Navaho ( thornless ) Brazos Rosborough Raspberry Varieties Dorman Red

Grapes:

Grapes

Benefits of Grapes:

Benefits of Grapes R ich in V itamins A, C, B6 and folic acid Potassium Calcium Iron Phosphorus Magnesium Selenium C ontain powerful antioxidants

Keys to Successful Grape Production:

Keys to Successful Grape Production Select the correct variety Site selection Fertilization Training and Pruning

Grapes Variety Selection:

Grapes Variety Selection How will you use the grapes? Wine Eating/Juice Select to fit the climate Champanel Mars Seedless Seibel 9110

Grapes Site Selection:

Grapes Site Selection Good air circulation Sunlight exposure W ell drained soil Soil pH of 5.5 to 7.0

Grapes Planting:

Grapes Planting Prepare a hole large enough to let the roots spread out naturally Prune to remove any damaged roots Plant at the same depth as in the container in which you purchased the vine Amend topsoil as indicated by the soil test Do not place fertilizer in the hole Place topsoil over and around the roots Tamp the soil firmly around the roots Water

Grapes Fertilizer:

Grapes Fertilizer After setting the vines and just before growth starts Apply 1/2 cup (4 ounces) of 10-10-10 fertilizer in a 20-inch circle around each vine Repeat monthly until mid-July In the second year Double the first year amounts but follow the same schedule For bearing vines S catter 1 to 2 pounds of 10-10-10 fertilizer per plant over the area Repeat with 1 pound per vine in mid- June

Grapes Fertilizer Caution:

Grapes Fertilizer Caution DO NOT USE A COMBINATION FERTILIZER AND WEED KILLER on lawn areas near grape vines the weed killer may be absorbed by the grape roots and injure the vine

Grapes Training and Pruning:

Grapes Training and Pruning After setting the vine, prune it to one stem and cut this stem back to two or three buds. When new growth begins and the first shoots from the two-bud cane reach 6 to 10 inches in length, select the most vigorous and prune away the others. Tie the shoot gently to the training stake as it grows during the first season.

QUESTIONS?:

QUESTIONS? COMMENTS?