choosing a fruit and nut tree

rwilson


Joined: 14/04/2008
Posts: 87

Message Posted:
23/08/2009 09:22

I would like to plant a small, decorative tree which has tasty produce of some kind.



I'm happy to look after it, watering etc. but I live 200m from the sea.



What would you recommend (including variety) please.

mikelapta



Joined: 20/11/2008
Posts: 2186

Message Posted:
23/08/2009 09:59

Have a look what neighbours are growing.If just one tree the pomegranite has beautiful red flowers,now I have lovely russet brown fruit turning red,ready to eat by end of month.There's about 20 fruit on tree planted 2 years ago.

Mike

Tenakoutou



Joined: 27/07/2009
Posts: 4110

Message Posted:
23/08/2009 10:32

How about a Pecan nut tree?



You know, the walnut in the thin rugby ball shaped shell!



Our Pecan (in Paphos), grown from seed, produced after 5 years - but they do like to be reguarly watered - we had ours automatically watered from a timer.



I'm afraid that a walnut takes 11+ years to fruit - then it might fruit intermittently. When mine, in New Zealand, failed to, the old beekeeper said: 'Thrash it with a chain!'



I did, and it produced a bumper crop of big walnuts!



In TRNC, it's not much point growing apples, pears or peaches, nectarines, cherries, etc - they take a lot of work and can be bought so cheaply.



Otherwise, citrus trees are your next best bet - although nobody seems to know what chemical to spray against 'curly leaf', which results from the leaf-miner, and makes the tree look hideous. I'm still trying all sorts of different sprays against this problem, but to date haven't been successful. There is a (German) BASF spray, available occasionally in the

Tenakoutou



Joined: 27/07/2009
Posts: 4110

Message Posted:
23/08/2009 10:34

South, I used to buy - sorry, I've temporarily forgotten its name!

rwilson


Joined: 14/04/2008
Posts: 87

Message Posted:
23/08/2009 12:49

thanks for the replies so far - what about almond trees? I'm not a gardener but I seem to remember someone saying almond blossoms are nice.

mikelapta



Joined: 20/11/2008
Posts: 2186

Message Posted:
23/08/2009 13:33

Beautiful perfume,and first to blossom in spring.And eat the nuts in Autumn!!!

I planted 1 this year,doesn't get much water,and leaves still on today

Mike

andre 514


Joined: 31/03/2008
Posts: 1163

Message Posted:
23/08/2009 13:57

leaf curl:



an endemic problem with peach and apricot in damp old britain, caused by a fungus

very early in the season supposed to spray with bordeaux mixture or burgundy mixture

see gardening advice websites



andre

adagirl


Joined: 01/06/2009
Posts: 371

Message Posted:
23/08/2009 14:34

Loquat would be my choice - large evergreen leaves, beautiful vanilla scented flowers and of course the delicious golden fruit!! Very hardy and clean - very rarely drops its leaves and also forms without too much pruning into a lovely tree, straightish tunk and a full head.

Tenakoutou



Joined: 27/07/2009
Posts: 4110

Message Posted:
23/08/2009 16:44

I cut all my 10 almond trees down in Paphos - the reason: Admittedly the blossom is beautiful, but very shortlived. After that, the leaves become infested with greenfly and blackfly, which then attracts the wasps and hornets - so badly, that at one stage we couldn't enter the house from the front because of being constantly 'buzzed'!



Apart from the mess of falling leaves and twigs and nuts, almond trees attract ant colonies - usually the large wood ants. Also, almond trees constantly drop clouds (tiny droplets) of resin, which is Nature's way of ensuring that nothing will grow underneath them and compete for waterand nutrients.



You could try Avacado's - but you need a male & female if you want fruit.

rwilson


Joined: 14/04/2008
Posts: 87

Message Posted:
23/08/2009 18:16

eeek thanks for the info on almonds - thats that idea out then - sounds dreadful.



What about apricots anyone?

Jeannie


Joined: 04/08/2009
Posts: 3283

Message Posted:
23/08/2009 18:20

rwilson - I can't advise you what to grow, but from a post I read on here recently, I can tell you what NOT to - a fig tree! After I read the post (I think it was from nurseawful - apologies if not) I googled 'fig tree irritants' and there were some photos on there which were horrendous.



Just a word of warning



J

spangles


Joined: 22/10/2008
Posts: 411

Message Posted:
23/08/2009 19:49

Agree with message 9 re almond. Mine had to go for all the same reasons.

fire starter


Joined: 19/06/2008
Posts: 3401

Message Posted:
24/08/2009 12:40

we have two almond trees but are always spraying them, not the best thing to plant.

Tenakoutou



Joined: 27/07/2009
Posts: 4110

Message Posted:
25/08/2009 12:24

Another thought: How about 'Nashi' - used to be known as 'Oriental Pear'. You need 2 to ensure propagation.

The fruit is ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS. If you've never tasted this fruit you don't know what you've missed! A tree-ripened Nashi - you need to lean over the bath to eat one - that's how juicy they are. I've never seen young trees for sale in all Cyprus - but the fruit has become increasingly available in South supermarkets. You would have to grow from pips - but, why not? The tree is quite hardy and might suit Cy conditions, although like all deciduous trees, needs regular watering - Cy soil ideal. The tree should start producing fruit in about 4-5 years.



The Nashi (sounds delicious - doesn't it?!) is the 'must have', trendy fruit nowadays.



The Chinese brought pips in their pockets when they flocked to New Zealand for the goldrush. Now NZ orchardists grow them commercially for domestic consumption/ export. I bet Sainsbury's have Nashis in stock - bring pips from UK!