72 mph winds reported in Concordia just recently so some of the people in Kansas will get heavy damage tonight. Anyone caught in these strong storms? So far we have been luckier than normal this year.
I’m starting to learn that OHF87 does not do well in North TX. I’ve planted out bareroot and container grown pear trees on this rootstock. All have struggled or died. Come to think of it, even the OHF97 did poorly. OHF333 died. Callery, Betulifolia and even quince do much better.
1 Like
It’s been scorching hot this spring and flipped cold frequently this spring with a mix of storms in there. Hopefully others are doing well and the weather has been pleasant in your area!
Pawpaw love this heat and humidity
2 Likes
This is Kansas cold or hot temperatures but little in between. Thankfully it’s cooling down a little bit due to the breeze. You can still make yogurt outside very easily. If you think it’s like an oven your right it is like an oven and the pears love it!
More storms and wild swings let’s hope it doesn’t spawn any tornadoes. This either is unusual for June 24th.
Sounds good this new plant should help with jobs weve lost in Kansas Panasonic to build $4 billion Tesla battery plant in Johnson County, creating 4,000 jobs
Your all aware it’s been a real scorcher this summer with constant high tempetaures this summer. Solar panels work really well here. Ev cars will need a lot of power.
3 Likes
85F at 6am here. Take it back! 
1 Like
Forecast for 108 today. 84 now at 7AM. One of my AC units died at midnight. But hey, I harvested some wax jambu this weekend. Fruit of my homeland, hadn’t tasted it in over 30 yrs.
2 Likes
Been a very hot summer! The news has been full of heat related deaths. Some of those who died from the heat were small children. In our area the summers have been dangerous. These events are tragic and some of them can be avoided.
Same thing last year
Many other heat related deaths are under investigation this year
https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article263745913.html
Its not just people it’s dangerous for animals Thousands of cattle dead due to heatwave in Kansas | US news | The Guardian
This centipede we encountered plenty of times and my mom always told me it was poison so i assumed everyone knew. Apparently not everyone has a mom like mine Giant Red-Headed Centipede | Missouri Department of Conservation . We have been in surrounding states and throughout Kansas plenty but there is always something we dont know.
1 Like
Is the Central Midwest group a good place to ask about harvesting times for our area? I could ask this in General Fruit topic, but I will get info from all over the states.
I’m curious who is harvesting apples in Kansas (or general central midwest), and what varieties?
I do not have a lot of apples this year, as my trees are still fairly young. I don’t have enough to sample repeatedly until I determine they are ready… I’ll run out of apples first!
I realized I don’t have a good source for timing of apple harvest in Kansas.
If you have harvested any of these, or others, would you tell us what your harvesting window is, if you recall?
Off the top of my head, the varieties currently carrying apples are:
39th Parallel
Calville Blanc d’Hiver
Campfield
Crimson Crisp
Fireside
Fuji
Golden Delicious
Gold Rush
Granny Smith
Harrison
Honeycrisp
Jonathan
Liberty
Odysso
Pink Pearl
Snowsweet
Stayman
I’d appreciate any input!
Thanks!
1 Like
We have been picking Liberty for a couple weeks now, things are a bit subjective as to when you like the flavor pick them. LOL I would say most folks would say that Liberty is just hitting the ripe stage now. Goldrush will not be until late October at the earliest.
2 Likes
Every year is different. Things seem off this year because of the late Spring. Some varieties ripen over an extended period. A refractometer is a good investment allowing you to objectively gauge ripeness. You also need to consider how the apples will be used. Fresh market apples are often picked before peak ripeness to keep better. With cider, you want to let them hang longer for maximum sugar.
39th Parallel Early to Mid September. I will probably start picking them today.
Calville Blanc late October / Early Nov
Fuji Late October/ early Nov
Fireside Early October
Goldrush Late Nov / December, until Hard Freeze. Not a long enough growing season to be optimal here.
Jonathan Mid September
Liberty ? Could be picked Mid-September but, hangs well and flavor improves if you give it more time.
Honeycrisp Early September
Harrison Late September / early October
Pink Pearl Mid-August
Stayman Late October. Has a tendency to split before ripe unless grown In dry location / year.
3 Likes
@39thparallel @TurkeyCreekTrees
Thanks for helping @KSprairie with that. Im sure otherwise the question of ripening time would go unanswered. @39thparallel i dont think anyone grows the amount of different apples and pears that you do in Kansas!
1 Like
Thanks @TurkeyCreekTrees!
I didn’t think my Liberty were ready, but after I read your post this morning I looked at them a bit closer. They are still half green. I picked one and ate it anyway, but it was not ripe. Very hard and starchy. I’d say it needs a few more weeks at my location.
Looking back to 2021, my notes say I picked a few Goldrush around Nov 15, and then the remaining Goldrush on Nov 30.
Thank you for the detailed harvesting time notes! This is going to help me quite a bit.
I agree that ripening times are off compared to last year at my location as well.
In 2021 I had picked all of my Stayman and Jonathan by this time. Currently my Stayman aren’t even solid red yet. Jonathan may be ready though, I need to pick a few and try them.
I didn’t think Honeycrisp were ready either. This morning the tree was bare. Some critter stole them all last night. Now I wish I would have picked a few. I was so looking forward to trying them for the first time!! I think it’s coons that are sneaking in at night. I had trouble with them in the peaches this year too.
Thank you so much for your help!
Thank you to @clarkinks too for getting others involved. I appreciate you guys very much!!
39th Parallel picked today 9/11/22
3 Likes
Hey everyone, I’m starting the process of getting replacement credit for about 5 trees from Stark Bros. that didn’t survive. Most of them had died by the end of June. I think it might have been deer eating the new growth, combined with the heat. For next year, I’m going to invest in t-posts and wire fencing for my 11 trees. That said, with all of the credit from Stark, I will need to consider what trees I should invest in, and I would appreciate any thoughts on specific trees to get.
At this time, I have a mix of Apple and Pear trees that have survived and our growing well. Pretty standard varieties. My moonglow and bartlett pears are doing the best. I have a Liberty, Arkansas Black, and Fuji Apple all doing fairly well, and just one Romeo Cherry bush that really did well this year.
My preference for backyard fruit would be Sweet Cherries, but from my understanding, those are impossible to grow near me just Southwest of St. Louis. That said, there is an orchard near me that has a few rows of Montmorency cherries that I actually really like the taste of, even fresh from the trees. They taste sweet enough for me. One of my trees that died was a Montmorency, but I am not sure if it was the local conditions or if it was the deer eating the tree that killed it.
I am thinking of replacing all my trees with multiple types of tart cherries or another from Stark Bros., but do any of you think I would be better off going for an easier to grow type of fruit tree. Pears seem to grow well in my yard, so maybe I should go with pears. Any thoughts on which strategy would be best for producing lots of fruit with lowest maintenance?
So long story, for ease of growth, pest and disease resistance, and general production, any recommendations for the St. Louis area?
2 Likes
My opinion thats a pretty easy area to raise fruit but there are lots of deer there. Have family and friends in that area. You might really want to give thought to fireblight resistant type trees. As far as pears go i think these will do good there as an example
Drippin’ honey
Maxine
Potomac
Harrow delight
Harrow sweet
Duchess d’ angoulme
Douglas
Ayers
Ten
Karls favorite aka ewart
2 Likes