Growing STONE FRUITS in Zimbabwe

STONE FRUITS

Peaches, Nectarines, Plums, Apricots and Almonds

Success in growing fruit trees and in producing quality fruit doesn't just happen. Careful attention must be given to basic management practices including site selection, variety selection, weed control, water and pest management.


Soil and Site Requirements

Good soil moisture drainage is essential for growing healthy, productive trees. Soils with standing water or ones that remain saturated for even a day or two following a heavy rain are unsuitable for fruit trees.

A soil fertility test before planting helps avoid undesirable sites, and minerals such as phosphorus and potassium can be added before planting where needed.

Plentiful sunlight is a key to maximizing fruit production. Choose an area that is sunny most or all of the day.

Soil Preparation and Planting

Thoroughly prepare the soil by deeply cultivating, either by hand or with a rototiller before planting. At this time also make any recommended adjustments to the soil.

Pruning and Training

Pruning a young tree controls its shape by developing a strong, well-balanced framework of scaffold branches. The open center pruning system is best suited for stone fruit trees. Since most fruit trees bear fruit on wood that grew the previous year, this wood is regrown from year to year.


Weed Control

Eliminating weed competition around young trees is critical for survival and rapid growth. Heavy weed or grass competition results in severe nitrogen deficiency (yellow foliage with red spots); trees will produce little or no growth and often may die. Ideally, keep the soil surface weed-free in an area at least as wide as the limb spread of the tree.


Fertilization

Fruit trees can be fertilized the first year after they leaf out in the spring. Place the fertilizer at and slightly beyond the canopy edge of the tree but never against the trunk. If your soil pH is above 7.5, do not apply phosphorus fertilizer.


Varieties

Nectarines

The nectarine is a mutation of a peach and not a cross between a peach and a plum. Nectarines are not generally well adapted because the smooth-skinned fruit is especially vulnerable to diseases and wind-scarring.

NECTARINE VARIETIES

Sun Red
Armking
Crimson
Redglobe


Plums

Plant at least two varieties to ensure pollination of certain varieties. The recommended varieties are Japanese or Japanese-hybrid plum varieties. The large-fruited European-type plums that commonly reach the supermarkets are not as well in South Africa because of greater disease susceptibility and lower production.


PLUM VARIETIES

Gulfruby
Gulfgold
Bruce large
Allred
Methley
Morris large
Ozark Premier

Apricots

Contrary to common belief, apricots are self-fruitful and do not require a pollinator. Unfortunately, fruiting is inconsistent on all varieties. The greatest consistency in fruiting is on trees planted near buildings, although it is not uncommon to have yearly fruiting on certain trees growing in the open. Frost damage sometimes causes crop loss, but fruit often fails to set when there is no frost damage.


APRICOT VARIETIES

Bryan
Hungarian
Moonpark
Royal
Blenheim



Peaches

Peaches are well adapted to most parts of South Africa. Because all peaches are self-fruitful, it is not necessary to plant more than one variety. One tree normally supplies more peaches than one family can consume. The later ripening varieties are of better quality.


PEACH VARIETIES

EarliGrande
TropicSweet
TropicBeauty
Springgold
Juneprince
Bicentennial
Surecrop
Royal
Sentinel large
La Feliciana
Redglobe
Summergold
Fireprince
Bounty large
Milam
Loring
Denman
Redskin