Common “European” Fruits and Nuts for San Diego County                                                                   2008/07/07

 

Chill hours are the duration of hours some fruit trees require to produce a significant amount of fruit year after year.  The hours listed for a particular fruit are an approximation, usually obtained by trial and error.  To compute chill hours in your yard:

      Between Nov. 1 and Jan. 1, the # of hours below 45 °F minus the # of hours above 65 °F.

Note that this date range only contains a total of 61×24 = 1464 hours.

Here is a listing of chill hours for some areas of San Diego County:

The immediate coastal areas (e.g., Imperial Beach, Solana Beach) rarely exceed 100 chill hours.

The coastal bluffs (e.g., Chula Vista, Kearny Mesa, Western Penasquitos) rarely exceed 250 chill hours, with the exception of ravines that receive cold air drainage from surrounding hills.

The coastal interior valleys of Otay Lakes, Lemon Grove, El Cajon, Santee, Poway, and San Marcos contain various terrains.  The slopes rarely exceed 350 chill hours, while the valley and streambed bottoms have 400-500 chill hours.

Julian achieves 1200 chill hours.

Fruit trees with low chill hour requirements generally also do well in colder areas.  For more information, contact a local nursery.

 

Remove fruit from newly planted trees for the 1st  year.  Each fruit @ energy to grow 1 four-foot branch.

 

To plant your tree in a pot: Choose at least a 25 gallon pot and use Kellogg’s Patio Mix, Uncle Malcolm’s Potting Soil, or 1/3 washed sharp sand + 1/3 .25” pumice + 1/3 ground coir / dry hardwood.

 

To plant your tree in the ground: Excavate a hole at least 3 feet in diameter and 2.5 feet deep.

·         If your local soil is pure sand, remove all of it and refill the hole with Kellogg’s Garden Soil or Patio Mix.

·         Otherwise:

o        Fill the hole with water.  If the water does not drain out naturally each time in 10-15 minutes:

§         construct one to three “French drains” with a 2-3” gravel (not pipe) bottom.

o        From the excavated soil, remove all rocks larger than a golf ball.

o        If your remaining soil is pure clay, remove half of it too.

o        Replace volume lost from rock and/or soil removal by mixing in ONE of the following:

Kellogg’s N’Rich, or 4 parts Sunshine All Purpose Soil Mix + 1 part .25” pumice.

·         Fill the hole back up so that the soil is 2 inches above the old soil line.

·         The soil line on the tree should be maintained when placing tree in the hole.

·         Under all circumstances keep the graft union well above the soil level.

·         Apply mulch:

o        3 inches thick under tree to the furthest extent of branches or 3 feet, whichever is farther.

o        Keep the mulch about 5 inches away from trunk of tree so insects won’t eat the bark of the tree.

 

Water your tree no more than once per week.            

·         A newly planted tree from a 5 gallon pot needs about 10 gallons per week.

·         A tree 5-6 foot high and wide needs about 25 gal. / week.

·         After at least a quarter inch of rain, you need not water for one week.

·         If the leaf veins are somewhat green but the leaf body is yellowing, you are over watering.

·         Use soaker hose (not laser cut) for slow delivery that soaks in.

o        Create a loop around the tree about 18” from the trunk.

o        Insert 8 to 12 pressure-compensating emitters in the circle, the 4 gallon per hour variety.

·         Measure your loop output rate in a large barrel for 3 minutes to determine how long it should be on.

 

Prune your trees to promote fruit production and the health of the tree.

·         Train your tree according to How to Prune Fruit Trees, by R. Sanford Martin.  It is available for about $6 at many local nurseries, but quite expensively online.  No better book has been written for the backyard orchardist.

·         If your tree is very large but out of form, its o.k. to use a chainsaw to get it in shape.  It will recover quickly.

·         After the spring or summer harvest, top your tree at the 8-foot level, or lower if you can’t reach that high.  Any branch you can’t reach is literally for the birds.  For citrus, avocado, and trees with sun-sensitive bark: cover any exposed openings with 50% shade cloth until new growth emerges to shield the trunk.

·         When pruning your tree during the winter dormant period, top it again at 8-foot (or lower).

 

Feed your trees with a low phosphorus, high nitrogen and high potash fertilizer.  Put the nutrients where the water will hit it.

CHOOSE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING AND APPLY MONTHLY: FEBRUARY THROUGH NOVEMBER

(you may also double or triple the dose and apply every two or three months instead)

Use ¼ dose for trees in pots, one-half dose in 1st year for newly planted trees, and 1.5 dose for oversize trees

·         0.85 cup (½ pound) Grow More water-soluble formula 20-5-30

·         1.5 cups Vigoro Rose Food (12-6-10) plus ¼ cup Sul-Po-Mag (0-0-22)

·         1 cup Gro-Power Plus (5-3-1) plus 1 cup Gro-Power Flower & Bloom (3-12-12)

·         3.5 cups Alaska Deodorized Fish Emulsion (5-1-1) plus 6.75 cups Ground Rock Potash (0-0-5.2)

·         15 cups (about 1 gallon) Alfalfa Meal (2-0-3)

·         2.6 gallons composted Horse Manure (0.7-0.3-0.6) plus ¼ cup Sul-Po-Mag (0-0-22)

 

Protect your trees from pests and diseases.

·         Do not spray blossoms, you will kill insects that would otherwise pollinate the blossoms for fruit.  Instead, spray immediately before bloom begins and then wait until blossoms are fertilized and closed.

·         For deciduous trees: spray with a sulfur emulsion such as Lily-Miller “Poly-Sul” in the winter just before “bud break”.

·         During the growing season (all fruits):

o        Spray trunk, branches, foliage, and mulch every 3 weeks with Green Light Fruit Tree Spray.

OR

o        Spray monthly with an insecticide product, either:

§         a pyrethrin-based product, such as Bayer PowerForce Insecticide.

or

§         a biological agent, such as Spinosad.

o        In the spring and early summer, also spray monthly your peaches, nectarines, and almonds (two weeks from insecticide) with a garden fungicide such as “Poly-Sul” or “Liqui-Cop”.

o        Spray pears and quinces monthly (two weeks from insecticide) with “Liqui-Cop” to deter the “Fireblight” virus.  Hint: removing all ornamental pear trees in your area will also help.

 

FRUIT VARIETY

CULTIVARS

ALMOND (Prunus dulcis).  Requires considerable summer heat to ripen.  Expect foraging birds.

Garden Prince Genetic Dwarf.  250 chill hours.  Self-fruitful.

 

All-In-One Genetic Semi-Dwarf.  4 grafted varieties.  500 chill hours.

 

 

APPLE (Malus sp.).

Anna. 200 chill hours. Self-fruitful, occasionally multicrops.  Great taste.

 

Beverly Hills.  300 chill hours.  Self-fruitful.  Summer season.

 

Dorset Golden.  100 chill hours.  Self-fruitful.  Late Spring.

 

Einsheimer.  100 chill hours.  Self-fruitful.  Early Summer.

 

Gordon. 400 chill hours.  Self-fruitful.

 

Pettingill.  100 chill hours.  Fall Season.  Self-fruitful.

 

Pink Lady.  200-400 chill hours.  Fall Season.  Self-fruitful.

 

Reverend Morgan.  400-500 chill hours.  Late Summer.  Self-fruitful.

 

White Winter Pearmain.  400 chill hours.  Fall Season.  Self-fruitful.

 

 

APRICOT (Prunus armeniaca).

Autumn Glo. 500-600 chill hours.  Late Summer.  Self-fruitful.

 

Blenheim.  500 chill hours.  Mid-Summer.  Self-fruitful.

 

Earli Autumn. 500-600 chill hours.  Late Summer.  Self-fruitful.

 

Flora Gold. 500 chill hours.  Early Summer.  Self-fruitful.

 

Goldkist. 300 chill hours.  Early Summer.  Self-fruitful.

 

Katy. 400 chill hours.  Early Summer.  Self-fruitful.

 

 

APRICOT × PLUM (Prunophora L.).  Crosses between the two fruits that are more like apricots.  See also PLUM × APRICOT.

Plum Parfait.  400 chill hours.  Pinkish-orange skin, marbled amber flesh, freestone.  Mid-Summer.  Self-fruitful.

 

Flavor Delight Aprium®.  < 300 chill hours.  Freestone.  Early Summer.  Pollinate with any apricot.

 

 

CHERRY (Prunus sp.)

Craig’s Crimson.  Natural dwarf.  800 chill hours.  Summer.  Self-fruitful.

 

Minni Royal & Royal Lee planted in same hole. 250 chill hours.

 

Morello hybrid [not English Morello].  400 chill hours.  Self-fruitful.

 

Van.  700 chill hours.  Summer.  Needs pollinator.

 

 

CHERRY × PLUM (Prunophora L.)  Cherry-size fruits with unique cross-flavor.

Delight.  Tangy flavor.  Clingstone.  400 chill hours.  Use “Sprite” cultivar or any Japanese plum with same bloom period for pollinator.

 

Sprite.  Sweet, freestone.  400 chill hours.  Use “Delight” cultivar or any Japanese plum with same bloom period for pollinator.

 

 

CHESTNUT (Castanea L.)  Requires considerable summer heat to ripen.  Expect foraging birds.

Collosal.  Asian-European hybrid.  400-500 chill hours.  Use “Nevada” cultivar or “Collosal” seedling for pollinator.  Prolific producer.

 

Nevada.  Hates alkaline soil.  400-500 chill hours.  Use “Collosal” cultivar or “Nevada” seedling for pollinator.  Prolific pollinator.

 

 

FIG (Ficus L.).  White, Green, Tiger, and Brown fig trees are pruned differently than Black.

Janice Seedless Kadota.  100 chill hours.  Sweet, white fig.  Great near coast or inland.  Bears on same-year wood in late Fall.

 

Panache Tiger Fig.  100 chill hours.  Classic fig flavor.  Great near coast or inland.  Bears on same-year wood in late Summer.

 

Black Jack.  100 chill hours.  Classic fig flavor.  Small  tree, often labeled semi-dwarf.  Summer.  Great near coast or inland.

 

Mission.  100 chill hours.  Classic fig flavor.  Large tree.  Summer.  Great near coast or inland.

 

 

HAZELNUT [FILBERT] (Corylus L. Often grown as ~15'×15' bush.  Expect foraging birds.

Tonda di Giffoni (Corylus avellana L.).  600 chill hours.  Resistant to Eastern Filbert Blight.  Excellent quality.  Good pollinizer for Lewis.

 

Lewis (Corylus avellana L.). 600 chill hours.  Resistant to Eastern Filbert Blight.  Excellent quality.  Recommended pollinizer is Tonda di Giffoni.

 

 

JUJUBE [CHINESE DATE] (Ziziphus jujube).  Fruit is sweet like date when dark and wrinkled.

Li.  < 150 chill hours.  Ripens early Fall.

 

Lang.  < 150 chill hours.  Ripens mid Fall.

 

Chico.  < 150 chill hours.  Ripens late Fall.

 

 

MULBERRY (Morus L.).  Vigorous, large if kept unpruned.  Great for all areas of county.

Alba or White.  Almost white-colored fruits with pink blush.

 

Pakistan or Red.  Red fruits that darken when ripe.

 

Persian or Black.  Darker fruits than Pakistan.

 

 

NECTARINE, WHITE (Prunus sp., Amygdalus subgroup).  Nectarine trees can grow quite large, consider buying on dwarf rootstock.

Arctic Star.  Semi-freestone. <300 chill hours.  Ripens early (May-June).

 

Snow Queen.  Freestone.  250 chill hours.  Ripens early (May-June).

 

Arctic Jay.  Freestone.  800 chill hours.  Ripens midseason (July).

 

Arctic Glo.  Freestone.  600 chill hours.  Ripens late (August).

 

Heavenly White.  Freestone.  650 chill hours.  Ripens midseason.

 

Silver Lode.  Freestone.  400 chill hours.  Ripens midseason.

 

 

NECTARINE, YELLOW (Prunus sp., Amygdalus subgroup).  Nectarine trees can grow quite large, consider buying on dwarf rootstock.

Flavortop.  Freestone.  650 chill hours.  Ripens late (August).

 

Double Delight.  Freestone. < 400 chill hours.  Ripens midseason (July).

 

Desert Delight.  Freestone.  < 200 chill hours.  Ripens early (May-June).

 

Panamint.  Freestone.  250 chill hours.  Ripens midseason (July).

 

 

PEACH, WHITE (Prunus sp., Amygdalus subgroup).  Peach trees can grow quite large, consider buying on dwarf rootstock.

Snow Beauty.  800 chill hours.  Ripens midseason (July).

 

Arctic Supreme.  700 chill hours.  Ripens late (August).

 

Sugar May.  600-700 chill hours.  Ripens early (May).

 

Tropic Snow.  < 200 chill hours.  Ripens early.

 

Babcock.  250 chill hours.  Ripens midseason.

 

 

PEACH, YELLOW (Prunus sp., Amygdalus subgroup).  Peach trees can grow quite large, consider buying on dwarf rootstock.

Harken.  Freestone.  850 chill hours.  Ripens midseason (July).

 

O’Henry.  Freestone.  750 chill hours.  Ripens late (August).

 

May Pride.  Freestone.  < 200 chill hours.  Ripens early (May).

 

 

(PEACHES, YELLOW continued)

Eva’s Pride.  Freestone.  <200 chill hours.  Ripens midseason.

 

Saturn.  Freestone.  250 chill hours.  Ripens midseason.

 

August Pride. 250 chill hours.  Ripens late.

 

 

PEACH × PLUM (Prunus L.).

Tri-Lite.  600 chill hours.  Ripens June.  Bears heavier when pollinated by Japanese plum.

 

 

PEAR, ASIAN (Pyrus pyrifolia).  Pears are very susceptible to fireblight.  Spray Liqui-Cop every 7-14 days, use 1 tsp. / gallon water.

Hosui.  450 chill hours.  Considered best tasting Asian pear.  Ripens August.  Self-sterile.  Pollinate with Kikusui or any other pear.

 

Kikusui.  450 chill hours.  Excellent taste.  Ripens August.  Self-sterile.  Pollinate with Hosui or any other pear.

 

Tsu Li.  300 chill hours.  Great taste and low chill-hour.  Blooms early.  Ripens September.  Self-sterile.  Pollinate with Ya Li or any other pear.

 

Ya Li.  300 chill hours.  Great taste and low chill-hour.  Blooms early.  Ripens September.  Self-sterile.  Pollinate with Tsu Li or any other pear.

 

 

PEAR, COMMON (Pyrus communis).  Pears are very susceptible to fireblight.  Spray Liqui-Cop every 7-14 days, use 1 tsp. / gallon water.

Bartlett.  800 chill hours.  Ripens July.  Benefits from pollination by Comice or other common pear in non-arid areas; e.g., mountain valleys.

 

Comice.  600 chill hours.  Ripens August.  Benefits from pollination by Bartlett or other common pear in non-arid areas; e.g., mountain valleys.

 

Hood.  < 200 chill hours.  Ripens June.  Partially self-fruitful.  More productive when pollinated by FloridaHome.

 

FloridaHome.  < 400 chill hours.  Ripens August.  Partially self-fruitful.

 

 

 

 

PECAN (Carya illinoinensis).  Large tree.  Expect foraging birds.

Mohawk.  250 chill hours.  Excellent quality, vigorous, bears heavy.

 

Tejas.  250 chill hours.  Excellent quality, vigorous, bears heavy. 

 

Western Schley.  250 chill hours.  Excellent quality, hardy.

 

 

 

 

PERSIMMON, AMERICAN (Diospyros virginiana).  Trees can grow quite large.  Picky about well-drained soil.

Meader.  300 chill hours.  Astringent until soft-ripe.  Mostly self-fruitful, great pollinizer.  Ripens in Fall.

 

Wabash.  300 chill hours.  Small red fruit.  Astringent until soft-ripe.  Considered best tasting.  Ripens in Fall.  Pollinize with Meader or male.

 

Garretson.  300 chill hours.  Medium size fruit.  Astringent until soft-ripe.  Excellent flavor.  Ripens in Fall.  Pollinize with Meader or male.

 

John Rick.  300 chill hours.  Large fruit.  Astringent until soft-ripe.  Flavorful.  Ripens in Fall.  Pollinize with Meader or male.

 

 

PERSIMMON, JAPANESE (Diospyros kaki).  Trees can grow quite large.  Picky about well-drained soil.  Fruit will have seeds if cross-pollinated.  Bare-root not recommended.

Matsumoto Wase.  200 chill hours.  A bud-sport of the classic Fuyu grown in Japan.  Non-astringent.  Eaten fresh when crisp.  Considered best-tasting Japanese persimmon.  Ripens in Fall.

 

Fuyu-Jiro.  200 chill hours.  Not the Fuyu known in Japan, but a similar round, slightly flattened fruit.  Non-astringent.  Eaten fresh when crisp.  Ripens in Fall.

 

Izu.  100 chill hours.  Similar to Fuyu-Jiro.  Ripens in Fall.

 

 

PISTACHIO (Pistacia vera).  Plant from containers only.  Do not disturb root ball.  Thrives in heat and grows well in rocky soil.  Expect foraging birds.

Peters Male.  800 chill hours.  Does not bear nuts.  Pollinizer for up to 11 Kerman females.

 

Kerman Female.  800 chill hours, plus long summer heat to ripen nuts.

 

 

PLUM, EUROPEAN (Prunus domestica L.).

Green Gage.  300 to 600 chill hours, depending upon cultivar.  Considered best tasting European plum.  Ripens August.  Self-fruitful.

 

Blue Damson.  800 chill hours.  Small tart plums.  Self-fruitful.

 

 

PLUM, JAPANESE (Prunus salicina L.).

Weeping Santa Rosa.  400 chill hours.  Considered best tasting Japanese plum.  Easy to espalier.  Ripens in July.  Self-fruitful.

 

Emerald Beaut.  600-700 chill hours.  Freestone, with greenish-yellow flesh.  Excellent taste.  Ripens Sept., holds on tree for 1-2 months.  Pollinize with Beauty or Burgundy.

 

Kelsey.  400 chill hours.  Rich, aromatic, low acid.  Greenish-yellow flesh, freestone when ripe.  Excellent taste.  Ripens in August.  Pollinated by Beauty or Santa Rosa variety.

 

Laroda.  400 chill hours.  Dark purple skin.  Excellent taste.  Ripens in August.  Pollinize with Santa Rosa or Weeping Santa Rosa.

 

Burgundy.  150-300 chill hours.  Burgundy colored skin and flesh.  Excellent taste.  Ripens in August.  Self-fruitful.

 

Beauty.  200-250 chill hours.  Amber flesh.  Excellent taste.  Ripens in June.  Self-fruitful.

 

Mariposa, aka Improved Satsuma.  250 chill hours.  Red flesh, freestone when ripe.  Good taste.  Pollinated by Beauty or Santa Rosa variety.

 

 

PLUM × APRICOT (Prunophora L.).  Crosses between the two fruits that are more like plums.  See also APRICOT × PLUM.

Flavor King Pluot®.  < 400 chill hours.  Dark red skin, sweet red flesh.  Considered best tasting plum × apricot.  Pollinated by any Japanese plum with same bloom period (e.g., Burgundy) or any Pluot®.

 

Flavor Supreme Pluot®.  < 400 chill hours.  Green skin, sweet red flesh.  Excellent taste.  Pollinated by any Japanese plum with same bloom period (e.g., Burgundy) or any Pluot®.

 

Dapple Dandy Pluot®.  < 400 chill hours.  Dark red skin, sweet red flesh.  Excellent taste.  Pollinated by any Japanese plum with same bloom period (e.g., Burgundy) or any Pluot®.

 

 

POMEGRANATE (Punica granatum).  Tolerates alkaline soils.  Most varieties need hot, dry summer or fruit will be sour.  All are self-fruitful, and need at most 150 chill hours.

Eversweet.  Bred for coastal climates by John Chater.  Very sweet, non-staining juice.  Inconspicuous seeds.  Ripens in Fall.

 

Golden Globe.  Bred for coastal climates by John Chater.  Golden shell when ripe, red interior.  Inconspicuous seeds.  Ripens in Fall.

 

Grenada.  Red-shelled variety.  Ripens late Summer.

 

Kashmir Blend.  Light pink shell, non-acidic intense flavor.  Ripens Fall.

 

Kazake.  Watermelon-sweet variety from Russia.  Ripens Fall.

 

Parfianka.  Excellent variety from Turkmenistan.  Ripens in Fall.

 

Pink Satin.  Red shelled with pink, non-staining juice.  Ripens Fall.

 

Saveh.  Giant 5”, sweet, dark red variety from Iran.  Ripens Fall.

 

White Flower.  Incredibly sweet variety from Turkmenistan.  Ripens Fall.

 

 

PRUNE, EUROPEAN (Prunus domestica L.)

Sugar Prune.  550 chill hours.  Reddish-purple skin, greenish-yellow flesh.  Excellent taste.  Ripens August.  Self-fruitful.

 

Brooks.  800 chill hours.  Black-purple skin with yellow flesh.  Excellent taste.  Ripens August.  Self-fruitful.

 

French Improved Prune.  800 chill hours.  Reddish-purple skin with yellow flesh.  Freestone.  Excellent taste.  Ripens August.  Self-fruitful.

 

 

QUINCE (Cydonia oblonga).  Quince is very susceptible to fireblight – see Pears.  Attractive tree or shrub.  Tree-ripened fruit has best flavor.

Smyrna.  250-300 chill hours.  Used fresh in combination with other fruits (salads, desserts) or for cooking.  Ripens in Fall.  Other quinces reportedly bear heavier when cross-pollinated with Smyrna.

 

Van Deman.  250-450 chill hours.  Good, spicy flavor.  Ripens late Summer.  Hardier than most varieties.

 

Orange.  250-300 chill hours.  Great for baking, jams, etc.  Ripens Fall.

 

Pineapple.  < 300 chill hours.  Great for baking, jams, etc.  Ripens Fall.

 

 

WALNUT (Juglans L.).  Expect foraging birds.

Pedro.  400 chill hours.  Smaller tree, considered best tasting.

 

Chandler.  700 chill hours.  Heavy loads of high-quality nuts.

 

Serr.  600 chill hours.  Highly resistant to sunburn.  Large, plump nuts.