I am a fruit enthusiast from Portugal. I have a small farm where i grow more than 20 different fruit types for self consumption. I haven’t updated my list of varieties lately but they probably exceed a couple of hundred by now what makes me also a collector.
My aim is to select the best varieties in terms of taste that can produce in my climate and type of soil. I started this hobby more seriously 6 years ago, so i’m still quite new to some of the “tricks of the trade” regarding the care and grow of several fruit varieties.
Apart from the figs my main interests now are apples, pears, peaches, plums (also some of the new hybrids like pluots), cherries and some more exotic one’s in this parts like pistachio and paw paw.
I live near Caldas da Rainha, near the Atlantic Ocean (30 km away), so i have plenty of humidity what is a problem with some fruit varieties. My soils are poor and usually with lots of clay, what is a problem with drainage.
I also don’t usually have more than 350-450 chill hours, except on very cold years what is a problem with some fruit types and varieties. My winters have lots of rain and my summers are usually not very hot, except for one or two occasional weeks, which is a problem for some fruits to mature properly. Some fruit types probably aren’t going to produce much or anything at all but, nevertheless, i want to try them for myself.
Well, it’s all for know.
I hope i can learn more with the contributions of this wonderful forum community that shares the same interests and that i follow for some time.
Jsacadura, some times patience is require on this site. The most knowledgeable guys are pretty busy this time of year so may only get on once or twice a week.
cckw,
One thing that this hobby teaches you is patience as some varieties may take 5 years or more to fruit so, no worries. I can wait a few days for a reply.
Ray,
Hi. Yes we have exchanged messages in F4F. Glad to see you here also. I was lacking feedback on apples, peaches, plums and other fruit types in F4F. I am into figs but not exclusively.
Mike,
Good motto and “on the nose” regarding this hobby - we really tend to over do it. Specially if you have a collector’s bone in your body - and i have.
A big welcome to you, though a bit late on my part…great to have your Portuguese pespective and learn a bit about your local varieties from so far away. Like you, preserving and enjoying historic heirloom varieties is important to me, mostly apples around here.
In my list i have several old and traditional apple, pear, peach and even some plum varieties that are worth preserving. Usually they are well adapted to my climate and most are resistant to the most common diseases reducing the need to spray - a big plus in my book. They are not so flashy or have the big publicity and marketing of the newer varieties (some of which i also have and like) but they compensate that in other ways - sometimes in their unique flavor. And diversity never hurts an orchard. It’s even a blessing in complicated years like we are having (odd winter, with very high temperatures, delayed bloom and quite sparse crop in many varieties - some have not a single fruit!)
To compensate, the local apricot variety has the biggest density of fruit i have ever seen since i planted it. Now, if i only could keep the birds away from them…