Fruit trees and Tennessee springs

[Preacherman]

Weather-wise is Tennessee the worst state to grow fruit trees? Since I moved to TN eight years ago from FL, I have planted around 50 fruit trees- apples, peaches, pears, persimmons (American and Asian), figs, cherries, crabapples as well as chestnuts. Since most of my trees became mature enough to produce around 2018, I haven’t had one spring where a late freeze hasn’t killed the blooms or small fruit. The small amount of fruit I’ve picked wouldn’t fill up a five gallon bucket combined. Our local commercial apple orchard faces the same thing and has to import apples from other states. My late blooming persimmons, figs, and chestnuts are about the only thing that make it. If I plant anymore fruit trees, they will need to be late blooming varieties. Just wondering if TN is the worst state weather-wise for growing fruit trees. And does anyone have suggestions on late blooming varieties?

 

[Native Hunter]

You might be planting your trees in the wrong location. If you are on low ground with a bunch of those Tennessee mountains around, that's what we would call a frost pocket. The cold air sinks to the low ground. Ridges and hillsides are better places for fruit trees. I have a frost pocket on my land where I can never get pears, but 200 yards away on higher ground, we get lots of fruit. Just two or three degrees of temp can make the difference between a 10% kill and a 90% kill.

 

[SwampCat]

My Arkansas Black Apple trees seem to be late bloomers

 

[buckdeer1]

Are you in a frost pocket

 

[Preacherman]

My Arkansas Black Apple trees seem to be late bloomers

Don’t the Ark Blacks take two pollinators. If so what do you use to pollinate? They would have to bloom late too.

 

[Preacherman]

Thanks for two of you suggesting maybe frost pockets. Generally my eight acres lies in a shallow valley between two ridges. On the eight acres I have, there are low and high areas. Most of my trees are planted on the high areas. But overall you may be right although out temperatures at the house don’t very much from the nearby city. Yet…

 

[Telemark]

I don't think any apple tree requires two pollinators.

 

[Native Hunter]

I think the confusion about two pollinators comes from the fact that AB can't pollinate another variety. So, when someone plants a variety to pollinate AB, they need a second pollinator to pollinate the first pollinator (because AB can't do it). Hence, people usually plant two other trees with AB so that all three trees will be able to produce.

PS - There are close to 100 varieties listed on Orange Pippin's Website that will pollinate AB. Lots of good ones to choose from.

 

[H20fwler]

There are a few crabs that seem to be very resistant to frost and late spring freeze that will still put fruit on. DropTine and Golden Hornet come to mind right away...they also start fruiting very young.

 

[4wanderingeyes]

If you have more room, plant a bunch of late bloomers, that will eventually answer your question.

I have had issues as well, in Northern Wisconsin. I have been trying to plant a bunch of late bloomers now. But I am having problems this year with my late bloomers not blooming at the same time, so I am not sure if they will be pollinated or not.

 

[Preacherman]

I think the confusion about two pollinators comes from the fact that AB can't pollinate another variety. So, when someone plants a variety to pollinate AB, they need a second pollinator to pollinate the first pollinator (because AB can't do it). Hence, people usually plant two other trees with AB so that all three trees will be able to produce.

PS - There are close to 100 varieties listed on Orange Pippin's Website that will pollinate AB. Lots of good ones to choose from.

Thanks for explaining why people plant two trees when planting AB. I’m going to look a second time at planting an AB.

 

[Preacherman]

If you have more room, plant a bunch of late bloomers, that will eventually answer your question.

I have had issues as well, in Northern Wisconsin. I have been trying to plant a bunch of late bloomers now. But I am having problems this year with my late bloomers not blooming at the same time, so I am not sure if they will be pollinated or not.

Are you referring to apples only? What varieties are you planting that are late blooming?

 

[Preacherman]

There are a few crabs that seem to be very resistant to frost and late spring freeze that will still put fruit on. DropTine and Golden Hornet come to mind right away...they also start fruiting very young.

Do you know a good source for Droptine and Golden Hornet?

 

[H20fwler]

Do you know a good source for Droptine and Golden Hornet?

DropTine is sold by Whitetail Crabs at; https://www.whitetailcrabs.com/order-here-2022/p/style-02-kkflf
Lots of places sell Golden Hornet, I would get them with M111 rootstock or bigger. BlueHill sells them on Dolgo; https://bluehillwildlifenursery.com/product/golden-hornet-crabapple-tree/

 

[Preacherman]

DropTine is sold by Whitetail Crabs at; https://www.whitetailcrabs.com/order-here-2022/p/style-02-kkflf
Lots of places sell Golden Hornet, I would get them with M111 rootstock or bigger. BlueHill sells them on Dolgo; https://bluehillwildlifenursery.com/product/golden-hornet-crabapple-tree/

Thank you. I appreciate the info.