Today was very productive and anytime I can find myself wandering through a huge nursery I am happy. I selected my new Rouge de Roussillion apricot. Almost in bloom (worrisome but not bad), two cassissier (black currants, one Andega the other Neva) has anyone grown these? I would like to hear about them. Six gariguettes strawberry plants, two sungold tomatoes and one green zebra. Could not resist the white and red striped Camellia. Wow, to grow a Camellia is heavenly to me. Just beautiful.
New Anduze and Uzes pots to grow them in, plus soil that will be delivered saturday. Life is really good!
gariguettes is a really tasty strawberry! One of my taste favorites. Together with F.M.S lambada and polka.
Black courrants are quite nice. If you rub the leaves you can already smell the cassis smell. The fruits (berry’s) aren’t that great fresh (although some people like them). But can be great to cook with.
They are in the same family as Redcurrants and goosberry’s i like those 2 more for fresh eating. (redcurrants more sour taste. goosberry more sweet. both quite aromatic)
The blackcurrant are really aromatic. but also have a slight bitter like taste. Usualy the black courants grow a little stronger/taller than the redcurrants or goosberry’s. If you ever come acros it, a jostaberry is also really intresting. It’s a complex hybrid from the ribes family (including black currant and gooseberry)
I personaly place those berry’s near my fruit tree’s. To keep em a little out of the wind. And not completly full sun. I noticed mine grow a little less tall then my neighbours (full sun open placement) But i get more and bigger fruit, and my plants just look healtier overal. Since your a little warmer and sunnier than me. I think they will also enjoy a similar placement as mine. (not full open sun all day). Although if you water em enough they can certainly handle full burning sun.
I remember you mentioned your temps seldom dip below 40F. Do you think you will have enough chill for black currants? For some context, no one here in Bay Area (400-600 CH) has fruited any variety so far.
I don’t really know. This winter we had snow for one day. First time in ten years. It can hover to about 38F for about a week. They sell them in the nurseries so I am hoping. I have grown all currants for the past for 18 years. I just love back currants. I will see.
Oscar I too love Garriguettes. I have just moved to France over a year ago. I sold my house with small orchard that was in RI. I grew fruit trees and berries there for 19 years. The first investment I made in France was in fruit trees. This time I am crossing my fingers and hope I can grow them in pots!
Although not imposible, growing fruit tree’s in pots seems like a hassle to me.
Is your tarrace on a roof or concrete foundation? or is it posible to lift up a few tiles near the edges of the terace and plant in the soil? A terrace framed by espaliered tree’s on the edges looks really great and is a lot more practical than growing in pots in my opinion.
I don’t know about chill needed though. since that is never a consideration where i am.
On the one hand im jealous of you, you have a lot more choice in grapes, figs, apricots, peaches etc. But on the other hand you might run into winter chil problems with plums apples etc
Intresting edible hybrids (tetraploid)
Passiflora byron beauty
Might need another tetraploid passiflora as pollinator though.
In your spot you can probably leave most of them out for the winter. (although some are frost sensitive so might need to be coverd or moved to a frost free spot)
WOW really impressive flowers! Untill now i failed to have them outside here. My alata and purple edulis survived last year and flowered but this year they got killed by frost… but i will not give up!
Congratulations!
Oscar, that is true but we have from time Le Mistral. The wind is strong so vines do not do well. I also wanted wisteria and climbing roses. Can’t have them. And no pots on the the top of the walls!
@Luisport. Alata and purple edulis are the tropical ones. They usualy want 10celcius + year round. (edulis can take colder in winter). You also got a bunch you can try that easily handle down to just above freezing. And than you have those that can handle -15 celcius or -8 celcius.
Betty myles young (-8 celcius =17 F)
@mrsg47 Aw thats a shame of Le Mistral. Did not know about that. Thanks for telling me about it seems to also leads to your extreemly sunny climate though. so it’s not all bad.
Passionvines can usualy handle quite a bit. But i can imagine that wind being to extreme!
shame about wisteria to though. I love that plant. Waterfals of blue flowers for days, And then when they start to drop and the wind blows it’s snowing blue flowers. Just amazing.
If also seen wisteria bonzai’s with really thick tree like stems. Might be a cool project to try out.
Thank you very much for your comment. I just want to grow good edible varieties… do you know cold hardy passiflora varieties? The ones you told have good fruits?
Thank’s!
Sorry for going a bit off topic. Did the rest via PM. Can you keep us up to date though? i think today they will be dilivered right? i hope they do great . I am especially curious about your cassiers.
I found a dutch language source that discribes
Andega. Good resistance. Ripens start to middle july. Berry with appealing cassis aroma. Productive
seems to also leads to your extreemly sunny climate though. so it’s not all bad.