CityView Magazine

CityViewNC.com | 37 APPLE FIG PEAR PERSIMMON PLUM Pawpaws are not the only choice if you want to pick fresh fruit off your back yard trees. Allen West, an agent in consumer horticulture with the Cumberland County office of North Carolina Cooperative Extension, says fruit trees recommended for eastern North Carolina include apple, fig, pear (Asian and European), persimmon (American and Asian), and plum. "Eastern N.C. has several challenges for apple trees that stem from our warm climate," West says. "For example, you can grow apples in eastern N.C., but they may not have as bright and attractive color as those grown in the western part of North Carolina and have more disease pressure than in other climates." West says apple varieties such as Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, Gala, and Stayman are recommended for North Carolina. Fig varieties that do well include Brown Turkey and Celeste, he says. "For plums, Methley and Byrongold are varieties that do well," West says. "Also, for persimmons, Fuyu and Jiro are good choices." West says peach and apple trees can be grown here, but they come with many challenges because of the climate. "One of the challenges with growing fruit trees in eastern N.C. is because of our warm, humid summer weather and frequent rains, which make conditions favorable for certain diseases," West says. "Fruit varieties that are more suited for warmer and humid climates are recommended." Before planting fruit trees, West advises, consider the mature growth and give ample space between other trees and buildings. "Dwarf or semi-dwarf trees take up much less space and can be good options for back yards or landscapes," he says. "Fruit trees like full sun and will need to have a water source in times of drought." West recommends a soil test before planting. Test boxes are available at the extension office. When planting a tree, West says, a good rule of thumb is to dig the hole the same depth as the root ball of the tree and twice as wide as the root ball. Stake young trees until the roots become established. Proper pruning of fruit trees will increase fruit production, West says. So how long after planting will your fruit tree produce? "This depends on the type of fruit," West says. "Some fig trees can bear ripe fruit within three years, while apples, pears and plums can take between four to six years to bear fruit." West says fig trees are his favorite because they are easy to maintain and "provide delicious fruit." Fruits of your labor Consumer Horticulture Extension Agent Allen West will lead a workshop titled "Sustainable Home Fruit Production" with David Cline of N.C. State University. It is scheduled at 9 a.m. March 11 at the N.C. Cooperative Extension center auditorium at 301 E. Mountain Drive. Registration and a fee of $20 are due March 8. Register at Eventbrite. For information, go to https:// cumberland.ces.ncsu.edu. Eastern N.C. is fertile ground for many kinds of fruit trees

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