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bananaT
01-18-2013, 01:53 AM
Apples and plums!
Things are moving fast this year. My fruit trees are already going, these pictures are a few days old now. Plums are completely leafed out and the apples are golf ball size.

Its been a VERY normal winter here in central FL. The last few have actually been much colder than is the usual. This year is just right.
I even have bananas flowering for me in January. Its crazy, havent had this happen in my area as far back as I can remember.
Hopefully this year will make up for the losses of last year, were I lost some of my most prized fruit trees to flooding.

Here are some pictures of Anna. Flowers are from now, the fruit actually set back in a December bloom.
Anna is one of my tropical apples. No chill hours needed, and she fruits in the spring, summer, and fall!
I can say nothing bad about Anna. The fruit is sweet, crunchy, beautiful!
I will have my first apples of this year in March, instead of May! Sweetness!
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=51953&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=51953&ppuser=11500)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=51954&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=51954&ppuser=11500)

And this is one of my Scarlet Beauty plums.

They broke bud for me right on Jan 1, and the fruitlets are about this size now "O", with the trees fully leafed out.
This is the earliest any of my plums have ever flowered for me. Crossing my fingers for no late frost!

Scarlet Beauty is a tropical plum, with basically no chill needed, its under 50, but it dose take quite a few warm days to get it to break dormancy. These guys drop their leaves late October, early November for me, when its still hot out
Its has nice red to purple skin and amber red streaked flesh. Its my favorite plum, very sweet, very light tartness in the skin, not over powering.

It dose need a very vigorous rootstock though, it puts out very little new growth on its own.
This tree is 3 years old on seedling roots.
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=51952&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=51952&ppuser=11500)

2woodensticks
01-18-2013, 03:40 PM
apples in florida..i did not know we could..thanks so much..i might need to try 1 or 2 here..no chill down needed you say??

barnetmill
01-19-2013, 12:18 AM
In NWFL zone 8B, my Just Fruits and Exotics "Joy" apple never lost most its leaves and is now blooming. Seems to be well adapted for my region.

bananaT
01-19-2013, 02:34 AM
Yes Anna and Dorset Golden, the two most available tropical apples, need no chill hours. There are a few more varieties if you look or ask for them.

Hey there Barnetmill! Ill IM you.

Most of my trees keep their leaves. All of my apples do, the plums are the only trees that drop their leaves completely for me.
Most of the pome fruits have no problem with frost either, the fruits seem to be able to take it as long as they're still in the fuzz stage.

CathyK
01-19-2013, 10:20 PM
Oh yea!
Looking for advice on buying fruit trees. Went to a fruit tree sale today, got there late and most trees were gone. 1 Long long checkout line, would have taken hours just to check out

1 What is the best plum tree to get?
2 How bout peach?
3 And grapes, I prefer dark wine, and want to try some grapes.