Thanks for the adding me to the group! I wanted to introduce myself here. I am a newcomer to really getting into growing fruit, though I have been a backyard gardener for a few years. Originally from Idaho, I am now living in Hutto, TX in hardiness zone 8a on the outskirts of Austin. I actually work in Austin with the Office of the Texas Attorney General in the Criminal Prosecutions Division. Previously I was in the Army for 11 years with a couple of deployments to Iraq.
Currently we have an established peach tree (five years), a small loquat tree that my wife grew from the seeds of loquats that I that picked in Austin that is now about two years old, and a two year old lime.
Since I live in a subdivision and do not have a lot of room to plant all the trees that I would like, I am looking to try my hand at grafting some other stone fruits onto my peach. I would like to add a plum, apricot and maybe a nectarine onto my Sam Houston peach. Eventually I’d like to graft a lemon and possibly a smaller orange or tangerine to the lime tree, and possibly something else when it gets large enough. Any suggestions as to what would be good varieties to try here in Texas?
Welcome! I can’t give you specifics about varieties suitable for Austin, but I can say that you’ll enjoy grafting. It’s a really neat thing when you start getting takes.
I live in Montana, so we used to be neighbors, sort of. At any rate, I hope you enjoy your new addiction …
Welcome. As a fellow Texan I’ll say you really need to rethink that Packers thing… . I’m in Athens, also 8a but looks like you can grow more things than I can. Loquat won’t work here. It will live but the fruit would be killed by our winter temps. I also have a Sam Houston peach that is only a couple of years old but I’ve gotten two peaches from it and they sure tasted good. I can’t really give you a lot of advice on stone fruit. I’ve just gotten started. I have had some Methley plums but wasn’t really impressed and I took it out because of disease. I have others but they haven’t had any fruit left. There are other forum members here from Austin. I think one is north of Austin but can’t think who it is right now. @fruitnut is ‘way out in Alpine, several in Houston and some in the panhandle. We need more Texans on here…we are outnumbered!
I’m in S. Austin in Shady Hollow 8b. I have 3/4 acre with about 50 different fruit trees. Pears, Plums, Peach, and PFigs. 4P will do well around your area. I’m sticking my neck out a bit with apple, citruses, bananas, blueberries, blackberries, and various pluots
Welcome to growingfruit ! I can’t help you to much with tropicals you can grow in Texas but if it’s pears etc. definately can help out in the future with those. @wildscaper is another great person to ask about what works there.
My mom was born in Conrad, so there’s another connection, neighbor!
Been a Cheesehead all my life! Not doing too well with our QB situation, but who knows what’s in store when Rodgers heals? Glad you enjoy your Sam Houston. I think the mockingbirds and cardinals got to enjoy mine more than I did. I’m looking to try some Methley or Santa Rosa plums to graft onto my Sam Houston. As for the Loquat, it is still very young. My wife planted some of the seeds from loquat fruit that I picked in Austin and a few took with one surviving. I’m hoping next year we’ll have some fruit.
4P? Forgive my ignorance, but still kinda new to the different varieties. 50 different fruit trees? I wish that I could have that many!
I might take you up on your help if I plant a pear. I’ve always wanted to plant a variety of Asian pear. Kansas huh? I used to live in Leavenworth…on the outside of the walls, not in! I’ve had to explain that when I tell people I did two years at Leavenworth. I mean I was stationed at Fort Leavenworth.
Thank you all for the welcome, I’m really hoping to learn a lot here!
Asian pears will do well here. Hosui being the main one that is readily available. Then you can branch out to Korean giant, 20th Century, Shinko, and Cojuro. Don’t confuse these with Orient pear. Although Orient pear will do well in Texas.
@Abolang1 Thank you, I would love all 5p’s in my yard. Currently I only have the peach and shortly after I moved into the house about eight years ago, I planted a Cleveland pear (nonfruiting tree) for shade purposes. I should have planted a fruiting pear tree instead. Wish I had more room! I would love to plant an asian pear. I really got into eating those when I was living in S. Korea. They are a bit expensive, so to just walk into the backyard whenever I want one would be great.
Welcome! Thanks for shout out @clarkinks! Yes I grew stuff in Austin and surrounding area for years. I’ll give a report a little later today. Glad you found us!
Welcome to a great community! You’ll be amazed at how many variety of fruits some people on here have in spaces that are probably as small as yours. I’m constantly amazed at how resourceful and innovated people here are at using small spaces. I caught the fruit growing bug about 4-5 years ago and now I have over 100 trees and am hopelessly addicted to this great hobby. I knew less about fruit trees than anyone ever has, and even today I feel like I know a lot less than most people. But what is important to tell you is that even with my complete lack of knowledge and experience growing fruit, the kind folks on this web site have helped me be able to grow and harvest quite a bit of fruit in the past year or two. So good luck, I’m sure you’ll do well with the space you have.
BTW, thank-you for your service to our country. That phrase has almost become the obligatory statement when finding out someone served, but a lot of us really do mean it. (same to you, @moose71).
If you have room you should plant a fig tree. They will grow like crazy there. Your lime tree might be borderline as far as temperature. I had a lemon and Satsuma orange both freeze back to the ground last year even though I had a insulated cover over both of them.
I’ve lost my young Miho Satsuma. I have a large mandarin that been on the property for year, it took a hit last year and now it’s starting to recover. Trying out some Arctic Frost and Orange Frost. They’re just on their first year, but already produce decent tasting and large fruits. They’re suppose to be good to 15*F. I love that they’re seedless.
