What fruits did you eat today?

[warmwxrules]

I see some of the smaller ones are totally red…while i have some that are still green. They are usually mid aug ripening here.

I’ll be honest…imo…they are a very “eh” plum. Decent flavor but nothing like a Satsuma. The solid is that they can get huge.

[mamuang]

Brady and @warmwxrules,
If I recall correctly, @scottfsmith, grow all the three, Purple Heart, Satsuma and Santa Rosa so he orobably can make the comparison.

[Bradybb]

Why even compare?They all have their unique flavor. Brady

[warmwxrules]

Just wondering if adding purple heart will be much of a difference from satsuma… although if they have different ripening times? that is always a bonus. I had a purple heart graft at one time, but the whole tree died (cot).

I still find the flavor (flesh) of Superior is better then any plum i’ve had outside of maybe Flavor King pluot. Just my opinion… if you can thin them and get them to size up and ripen …they are out of this world.

I bought some plum/pluot…almost black flesh…it was excellent…might grow out the seed and then graft that over. That is sort of my method these days. Grow out seedlings and graft them to an established tree…figure out what they are (turds/non turds)…go from there.

[Levers101]

It would be nice if we could get a normal spring that doesn’t send plums into an early bud break so they can get fried in March. That way I could sample more than a handful of plums…

I added Waneta and another hybrid plum that I forgot the name of this spring, but the grafts have not grown much.

[Levers101]

Look awesome, congrats on a nice harvest. How is the flavor, texture, etc?

Thanks! They are nice and peachy flavored. They are averaging around 11-12 Brix, which isn’t very much, but they are still dripping juicy and melting peaches. Redhaven has a reputation for a reason. The skin is also not bitter. I had some Missouri peaches that had a bitter skin a couple weeks ago.

I could have done a much better job at thinning. If I had I think the sugar would be higher. Also the 8" of rain we got in July probably didn’t help.

[mrsg47]

Three cheers for that comment! I thought I was going to have the fruit season of my life this summer. Guess the last of the cold winds in March had a huge effect on my trees.

[warmwxrules]

I’m really bad with thinning peaches/nectarines. The donut varieties do a good job with self thinning.

I ate some more Lavina today… good plums. I think i’ll need to give a bunch away. I’d like to strip the tree and then prune it back some before fall.

I have some Flavor King coloring up nicely. Between 3 trees…maybe 30+ fruits…

We picked some Splash yesterday…about a dozen left to pick. Kids love Splash. Be a good one to sell at a farmer’s market. Simple to grow…super clean fruit…even in a non stop rain summer. I don’t spray fungicides…all i spray for PC.

Splash has no bitterness to the skin…its just a little sugar bomb.

Here is an Alderman of mine. I found one on the ground…full red. It had PC in it…2 of them! PC must have hit these super late.

[Jwsemo]

I find splash very easy to grow here as well, and I like it more than most plums

[Mountain_Donkey]

what is a cctc?

[kshaunfield]

Choa Chou Tien Chieh kat mandarin (which is a mouthful, hence CCTC). It is a VERY hardy mandarin from central China. Small, seedy but productive and great flavor. Has withstood 7F in Arlington, TX. Its mildly popular in SE TX. I grew mine from seed started 15 yrs ago. Its ~30’ tall (no irrigation) and my dad eats about a dozen a day from Dec-Mar.

[kshaunfield]

Though I appreciate the CCTC, the Pong Koa is large, more or less seedless, and superbly flavored with no hardiness issues where they’re at, so one day I may graft it over, if my dad would let me. Plus, its in a way better spot with more sun.

[Levers101]

It is nice to have this abundance of peaches this year. I feel like I can be patient with them. I can let the ones that aren’t softening stay on the tree for another day or two, and not freak out about a drop or two.

I cannot say the same about my Zestar! apples. I found two on the ground chewed by a bunny or squirrel and immediately freaked out and picked the ones that would come off easily. I am also finding more scab on them this year than last. I wasn’t as gung-ho about spraying sulfur after petal fall and it is showing.

[subdood_ky_z6b]

We were allowed to pick some Z’s at the orchard last week, about two weeks ahead of schedule. I would think yours would also be ready because of your hot temps recently, and that would accelerate the ripening of this early apple.

BTW, how old and big is your Redhaven tree? Ours was planted last year and is still struggling to get going. I’m afraid it’s going to have to be moved next winter, as the soil isn’t ideal (low-ish pH, about 5.0), and it doesn’t get the max amount of direct sun. I was going to move it last winter, but didn’t have a chance to do it.

[warmwxrules]

I ate another Williams Pride yesterday. It was perfect. I have about a dozen on there. Nice having an early apple. This one wasn’t bird damaged (my metal hardware cloth is working so far).

[scottfsmith]

Just wondering if adding purple heart will be much of a difference from satsuma… although if they have different ripening times?

They are not super different. Purple Heart is bigger and is a bit earlier, though some years they overlap. I find Satsuma to taste a bit better, but my tree is also in a better location. If nothing else PH is a good season extender for Satsuma.

BTW I see some water core on your Williams Pride. I had more than 10x as much on mine. they still tasted great.

[mamuang]

First two William’s Pride dropped today. Looks like two different apples, both in size and coloring.

[warmwxrules]

I will be very interested in my return bloom next year. It seems to have set a lot of apples on not much branch. Luckily for me its grafted to a big’ish seedling tree so it has plenty of leaves to fuel everything. I’m grafting a bunch of seedlings i have to it…

[mamuang]

I assume you talked about WP apple. I will be interested in your WP and temperature. Flower buds are not very harder.

Your are in a colder zone. I think if you do not have temp fluctuation in Feb/March, it ahould not be an issue,

[Mountain_Donkey]

thank you for the reply i think i will look it up