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September 2009
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I read a blog yesterday that talked about how kids love homegrown veggies. It talked about a study that showed the benefits of homegrown: I can testify to the idea that kids love food out of the garden. My Luke makes a beeline to the tomatoes EVERY TIME we're outside. And it's a good thing I'm there to watch, because he'd eat the green tomatoes if I let him (of course, I don't). He also loves fruit, and when I noticed this weekend that one of the persimmons on the tree was finally ripe, I got out a knife and plucked it off the branch. He had his hand out sooner than I could cut him a piece off the fruit. It was mushy and sweet, and he shoved the entire thing in his mouth, greedily. Juice ran down his face and his hands were sticky with pulp. "Hey," he said, sticking his arm out. 'Hey' is his word for everything from 'what's that' to 'give me.' I gave him another piece, which was quickly devoured. He had a huge grin on his face. The persimmon didn't last long enough for my husband to try a piece. Yeah... it was that good. I knew it was ripe when the fruit -- which is a Fuyu variety -- had turned orange and felt soft when I squeezed it gently. We probably could have eaten the fruit if it had still been very firm. The Fuyu persimmon is non-astringent, which means it's still palatable before it's very mushy and ripe. According to Wikipedia, Jiro and Hanagosho are also non-astringent. All of these are oriental persimmons. I found the Fuyu persimmon tree to be easy to grow. We planted it like any other fruit tree and made sure to water it frequently while it was establishing its roots. We put compost around the base twice a year and keep grass away from the trunk. My tree produced one fruit last year, which fell off before it was ripe. This year, it's loaded with fruit, most of which are now yellowy-orange in color and firm to the touch. I've seen Texas persimmons at local nurseries in addition to oriental varieties. The City of Austin Grow green Guide recommends growing Texas persimmons because they are drought resistant and need little extra water once established. They are also really easy to grow in most soils and relatively pest-free. However, The Texas persimmon is recommended as an ornamental tree, not a fruit tree. I don't think I've ever heard anyone recommend growing a Texas persimmon for its fruit, so there's a trade-off. At my house, we're all about edible landscapes, so we decided on the Fuyu for its fruit. It's definitely been worth the effort. Just ask Luke. 2 CommentsLeave a comment |
Hi there,
I am looking at growing a good persimmon tree that will bear edible big persimmon fruits. Do you know where I can buy these trees for planting in my backyard? Also, how long does it take before a persimmon tree will bear enough fruits for harvesting?
Thanks,
jasmine
I found my persimmon at a local nursery -- Howard's -- which closed a few years ago, but I've seen them at local nurseries all over town, including the Natural Gardener. The ideal time to plant fruit trees is in the winter, but you may still be able to find one now and get it established in the ground before the summer heat sets in.
Don't confuse persimmons that bear big fruit with the native Texas persimmon. Look for Eureka or Fuyu or Hachiya, which will bear large fruits that can be harvested in the fall. Know that some varieties are astringent, which means they shouldn't be eaten until they are really ripe, and some are non-astringent. The variety in my yard -- Fuyu, is non-astringent.
You may have to be patient for your persimmon to give you lots of fruit -- the tree needs to be well established. My persimmon produced 1 fruit the fall after we planted it. The next year -- 2 or 3. The 3rd fall -- after all of our huge rains (2007) -- we got a bushel. Last year after the drought -- nothing. but then again, it's not uncommon for a fruit or nut tree to give very little the year after a huge yield or in a drought year.