Harvest Schedule for Fruit Trees!

             Many of us live in areas where a vegetable garden is simply “not done”, perhaps a vegetable garden is against the HOA's rules where we live. Fruit trees may provide a way for you to grow some food for yourself and connect with nature in a fun, rewarding way.

Ornamental plantings provide value to our properties aesthetically. This is one justification for the huge horticultural maintenance and installation industry. Consider value beyond aesthetics for a few moments, consider the truly profitable landscape plant, the Fruit tree or bush.

The plants listed below do not require a lot of pest control spraying. A dormant oil spray is usually the only spray needed and is considered a least toxic approach. Frankly your fruit may not be store quality in appearance. For example the hard pears may have blotches on the skin of the fruit, however once peeled and sautéed in apple cider you will be wondering why you didn't plant fruit trees years ago. A 7 year old hard pear can produce 150 lbs of fruit in a season to share with your family and community. I recommend avoiding peaches, plums, and cherries in the non orchard environment because they need so many sprays to help them through a growing season.

Some annual pruning is required, but these are small trees 15' -25 ' as a rule. The Blueberries and Blackberries are easily maintained.

May - thru July
Blackberries  (Kiowa Thorned) Self fruiting Space 6' apart, needs trellis system

June

Blackberries Thornless (Quachita and Natchez)

June to mid July

Blueberry, highbush Cross pollinate  Space 6' apart + row

June to mid August

Early June - Blueberry, rabbiteye Cross pollinate  Space 6' apart + row
June - Climax Premier, Tifblue  (Southern standard)
Late June, July - Brightwell

June And September

Raspberry    Self Fruiting   Space 5'-6' apart + row
(Latham, Dorman red, Cumberland Black, Fall Gold)

July to mid August

Asian Pear (Housi) Cross pollinate   Space 15-20' apart + row

July - August and Sept

Fig     Self Fruiting   Space 15-20' apart + row
(Brown Turkey, Celeste, Green Ischia, LSU Purple)

August - Sept
Asian Pear  (Shinko or Korean Giant)

Late August -September

Hard Pears   Cross Pollinate.  Space 15- 20' apart + row
(Kieffer)

 August to mid October

Apple       Space 15' apart + row
Yates   Red Sept – Oct
Gala   Red  Sept - Oct,
Fuji   Red  Sept,
Golden Delicious Yellow Sept –Oct

All Apples / cedar apple rust issues, yellow varieties tend to do better here.

September

Paw Paw  Cross pollination required  8'- 10' spacing + row

(Prolific, Rebecca Gold)

Indigenous / native from seed

Taste varies based on site conditions

October to November

Oriental Persimmon  Space 15-20' apart + row
(FUYU- nonastringent, Hahiya - astringent until ripe)

This list is not exhaustive or complete, for more information you can check the Alabama Extension Service  website.

Compiled from various sources by

Lee McBride

Foodscapes

ISA Certified Arborist SO 254