Hello. I live in the Los Angeles area about 3 miles from the coast (zone 10b, or Sunset zone 24). I’ve gardened off-and-on since the late 1990s. I grow bananas, capers, cherimoyas, figs, a (struggling little) mulberry, persimmons, pomegranates, and rose apples. And I often grow 1 or 2 vegetables (kale for now).
I have a compost bin that I don’t take too seriously, but reap the benefits from every few years (mostly coffee grounds and plant trimmings). And recently I bought a couple of bags of hardwood lump charcoal that I’m going to sort through and use the small pieces of as biochar.
Thank you to everyone on the forum who’s sharing the benefits of your trials, errors, and discoveries!
Hello,
I’ve been reading this forum for some time, first time posting. I’m in the Iowa City / Cedar Rapids area. I’m 2-3 years into turning my 1+ acre backyard into an orchard. So far I’ve started a number of apple, peach, plum, cherry, pawpaw, hazelnut, persimmon, and medlar trees. No fruit yet. Will likely be adding many more apples next spring.
I also grow a few citrus with the help of a heated greenhouse. My kids love those. Some figs too. There are also a few berries and a garden. I’m trying microgreens this winter out of Covid winter boredom. Not as good as the garden, but better than not having fresh veggies.
Hi Bud!
Welcome and hope you enjoy your time here.
I have a little zone 10 envy but can’t complain too much as zone 8 has been good to me. I do see the rare banana in the perfect microclimate here.
Welcome! I’m a bit further south in San Diego, but you’re in good company as we have a few members in LA.
If you have not already, you may want to look in to your local California Rare Fruit Growers association as they can be a wealth of information and in normal years, they hold a once-year scion exchange.
Thank you. I have to admit that growing up in a colder area I resented not being able to grow plants that seemed exotic and always out of reach. Then a few years after moving to CA I realized I could do that now, and it felt really good! Sorry – I’m not trying to gloat; but it felt freeing. I don’t like apples. There are some pears I really like, but we’ve already had fireblight in our yard, and I don’t want anything that’s high maintenance. If I had to spray it every year and pamper it, it would just end up dying.
Wow – a banana anywhere in zone 8 should make heads turn!
Thanks! I’m in the CRFG, and it’s a great organization! I’m glad you’re getting the word out about it. There are plenty of folks who don’t know about it; just like I didn’t know about this forum. I just happened across it while looking for other things.
Hi everyone! Just made my first post earlier today and realized I should probably introduce myself too.
After growing up in Miami as an impoverished rascal roaming the streets in search of fallen fruit to filch, I spent my 20s in the mid-Atlantic, and learned all the hiking trails with good wild pawpaws and persimmons.
Now, I’ve settled down in Seattle (8b), bought a house, and ready to fill the yard with cold-hardy tropicals/subtropicals, and hope to build a greenhouse within a few years. In the meantime, I’ve got a little “jungle” invading my living room under grow lights, with the following indoors for now:
I have been in Cincinnati for 62 of my 63 year. I am growing the following
Kumquats—Fukushu and Meiwa sme grafted and some seedlings.
New Zealand lemonade rootstocks—C35, Seville, and US897
Valentine Pomelo on US897 rootstock.
Pears–Giant Turnbull, Maxine delicious, and moon-glow.
sour cherries—Northstar, Montmorency.
Blueberries 7 bushes northern hi-bush.
honey-berries four bushes
Peaces— Red haven from seeds. 12 trees.
Sweet cherries sweet September & 2 other varieties
Glendale goose berry 1 bush.
Figs Hardy Chicago and Lattarulla.
Paw Paws
Common persimmon
@Quill I was wanting to try air layering the feijoa soon anyhow, so I’d be happy to add another one if you’re local/regional and wanted to arrange a swap. I’ve heard air layering works well on lower branches, but often takes 6+ months to root. Mine was cloned from a tree known to produce good fruit in this area, but I wasn’t told whether the parent tree was a named variety or seedling-grown. PM me if you’re interested.
I am a hobby grape breeder.
Have come up with a few good Muscat flavor wine hybrids.
I’m also into Figs
Black currants
Tomatoes
And Hardy citrus.
Used to give talks about viticulture to local garden clubs.
Jenna here who just signed up and saying hi! I hope everyone is safe and well.
I have a degree in botany and have been a voracious reader of and visitor to many gardening forums, but decided to join just one
If I have to declare a ‘specialty’, it will be potted ornamentals. Mainly because I live in an apartment. But would like to grow fruit trees someday. This forum is clearly a trove of knowledge and experience.
Greetings all,
My family and I are in Northern Virginia and we are interested in figs, paw paws, and persimmons. We first became interested in figs when traveling in France. The first bite of those fresh figs surprised us and opened a whole new world of possibilities.
Little did we know that we were surrounded by figs in Virginia and the history dates back to the 1600s.
We have a collection of Virgina unknown figs and we caught the bug to aquire more varieties that we read about on the online forums and youtube.
Welcome @Figs4all, That makes two of us I started wanted to have figs with out not even knowing that they are all over. Near where I live is located the hog island fig where Grover Cleveland ate in 1892. I remember eating figs since I was little but didn’t know we could grow them here so when I find out about it that got me going then I found the Ourfigs website then one of the members told me about this website and I started visiting till I signed up and has been a great place to be with lots of great people with lots of knowledge not only on figs but most any fruits and vegetables you can think of. Lots of us we think a like or we like the same type of fruits! Me too I’m after Persimmons , Pawpaws and Jujubes! I live in Virginia too but south east on the eastern shore! You will love this site! Take care…,
