New Member from Maine

I would like to introduce myself. My pen name is Swizzle. I live in Maine and I like to grow things that people here say I can’t. I grow apricots, sweet cherries, figs, American persimmons, pecan, black walnuts, quince, native plums, raspberries and Franklinia Altamaha. My zone is 6. I look forward to getting to know other gardeners and fruit growers.

9 Likes

Welcome Swiz!

This is the place to talk fruits.

Tony

Welcome, Swizzle. Participating here will help you to not only grow what you do even better, it will increase your desire to try even more!

Welcome home, Swizzle! I’m pleasantly surprised Maine is Zone 6. Are you on the coast?

There are a few places along the coast that are zone 6. I live in one of them. I enjoy seeing people’s reactions when I tell them what I grow. They always tell me that won’t grow here and I tell them to tell that to my trees.

3 Likes

Good to have you here. Like the others I’m surprised to see Maine is zone 6

Swizzle welcome! I too lived in Maine in about four different towns or cities. No zone 6 there even in York Harbor on the sea. Where are you?

Hello from a fellow Mainer, I’m up near Bridgton and Fryeburg, and a zone+ colder…although we heat up a little quicker in the spring sometimes.
I’d like to hear more about your quince and figs and how they’ve done for you in Maine.
I’m trying both too, but just a couple years in so little fruit to sample here.

Hi Swizzle,

Welcome to the group.

My wife is from Maine.

You have a Franklin tree there? Very impressive. In-ground or pot culture? How many years has it survived?

Nice to meet you.

Welcome to the forum!

Welcome Swizzle! I grow peaches here in Zone 5A Central Maine but that is about as tropical as I am going to get. I do have a couple of Apricot trees though.

Here is a USDA map of Maine. As you can see there are a couple of pockets along the coast that are considered Zone 6A. Realistically I’d still go with Zone 5 to be safe.

Mrsg47, as you can see by the post from Maineorchard there is a few area along Maine’s coast that are zone 6. I live in Scarborough, in Cumberland County just north of the York County line. I live in an area near the None Such River.

Matt in Maryland, my Franklinia is in ground. I have had it for a year now. I moved it from a location in Portland Maine. It had been there for about 10 years. It seems to doing well.

JesseS, I planted my quince in 2008 and have had a few fruit the last 2 years. Originally I had been pruning it to stay in bush form but last fall I pruned it to be less dense. I noticed the fruit produced in areas of less growth so I open up the middle of it to produce more fruit. As far as figs go I have two in ground and 5 in my house and 3 in the garage wintering at this time. I intend to plant more of my figs in the ground. I want to do a Japanese style pruning of some of my in ground figs.

At present I am propagating some pawpaw seeds and some more apricot seeds. I will let you know how the turn out. The one thing I’m most proud of is that all of my trees were started from seeds. I have found that trees are much more hardy if they start that way.

I have also grafted some other varieties of apricots to my existing tree last summer and they seemed to be doing well. I will let you all know how they did through the winter.

I am looking for black mulberry seedling if anyone might have some for trade.

Maineorchard, what type of peaches and apricots do you grow. My apricot was started from seeds I got from a tree in Colorado my parents found at around 7000 feet. I figured they will do well here and they have.

I know exactly where you are! I had a friend in Scarborough. I was much farther south than you in York Harbor, before the Portsmouth, NH border (I considered it the 'banana belt of Maine). But we still got -10 during the winter. We were on the Ocean. Lots of ‘sea smoke’ and incredible lightening! My other houses in Maine were further north in Kennebunkport, Portland and Dark Harbor. All pretty places. You live in a lovely state, I know it very well. Welcome to our great forum!

Welcome Swizzle! Prepare to become addicted (If you aren’t already)!

Nice to meet you,

Jennifer

I’m from Maine too, from Cape elizabeth originally and now in central maine. 4b. I’m starting a permaculture design that includes Persimmion, pawpaw and a few other lesser known trees. Hope they do ok. :slight_smile: I have 4 fig trees started, and a dwarf pomegranate and a dragonfruit on the way.

3 Likes

Welcome, LT!
It would be enjoyable to hear about your design plans. I like that you are attempting to grow interesting and lesser known fruits, though I’m guessing that maybe not all of them are part of your permaculture project. I’ve never experienced living in Maine, but imagine that some of those plants would be well outside their comfort zone during a Maine winter.

1 Like

Welcome Swizzle, I’m new also and have found everyone to be very friendly and helpful.

1 Like

Welcome Swiz!

After joining this forum, you will need to buy more land to hold all your dreams. I did. Hoping the dreams will become fruit this year.

2 Likes