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Friday, June 7, 2013

Gifts: Persimmon Trees and Squash plants

 
 
Persimmon trees, four, I think
sixth area
He took a shovel and with one scoop got about a dozen trees, all growing at the base of these larger trees. He had the pots below all ready for me and asked how many I wanted. Four seemed like enough. It gives me room to kill some of these below. He even potted the tiny trees.

baby Persimmon trees
 
Remember the Alley Garden? One of the guys at the dinner asked me if I wanted persimmon trees. Yes, I did. He asked for my number and said he would give it to the guy with the persimmon trees. I hesitated to give him my number, but only for a second. Then, a guy called and told me he was a friend of this guy that owned the apartment complex. That was a shock--that he owned the apt building.
 
Below, are pictures from this guy's gardens. He has garden plots all over the place. I just had to take pictures of the home where my persimmon trees lived before I got them. I did not capture half his garden spots.

 
 
beans in first garden

 

 ???
 
 
 second garden
 
 
 
third garden
 
 
 
 muscadine vines
4th garden area
 
 
 grape vines? fifth garden area
 
Now, I need to learn how to grow persimmon trees. Although I have picked persimmons and eaten them all my life, I know nothing about anything special they require. He said to leave them in the pots for about three years. Sounds good to me.
 
 
three squash plants he gave me
 
See the blossom on the right. I saw that, thought it was a yellowed leaf and it was dying. The cataracts need to go. I love squash. He said he germinated too many seeds and was just giving these away. Nice. Thanks!
 
When I told him I made pepper jelly, he said he did, too. He loves pepper jelly, so I will give him some of that since he  asked for it, so at least I know he will like it. I had offered to buy the trees, so he said he would like jelly.
 
He promised me a yellow Canna. I hope to get a cutting from a muscadine vine. 
 
 
Your turn
Has anyone grown persimmon trees?  Any advice? Do you love to eat persimmons as much as I do? Have you ever accidentally eaten an under ripe persimmon? Isn't his place beautiful?
 

8 comments:

  1. I haven't eaten very many persimmons but the tree is one of my favorites. In the Autumn they look as if they havejumped the gun and put up their Christmas decorations really, really early! Bare branches and big orange balls. They are oh so pretty. Good luck with your new orchard.

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  2. Janet,
    It will be a few years, but I am looking forward to persimmons.

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  3. I planted 25 persimmons last year from the forestry department, but lost a couple in the drought last year. But then I found some seed in opossum scat, and brought it home and planted it, and they've grown. I just need to transplant them.

    I don't know too much about them, but I guess there are male and female trees, so it's good to plant a few. Here's an interesting article about it.

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  4. Ron,
    That link is so interesting. I asked the guy about getting male and female trees. He sort of sneered at me and said he never heard that, like I was a silly girl. I should have done the research. So, now that I have four, I will have a better chance of having at least one female tree. He also said that the fruit would be ripe in June or July. HUH??? So, I thought maybe this was a variety of which I was not aware. When I have the time today, I will put that link in the post. Thanks.

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  5. I have no persimmon trees so this was a fascinating post for me. Thanks for sharing this information.

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  6. Jane,
    I could probably mail some to you since he has so many and is willing to share. There are dozens beneath each tree.

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  7. How generous! Aren't gardeners great people! Persimmons are not a fruit I care for but.. I would love to pick his brains about the grapes. We have family clearing some out and said we can have all we want YEAH!

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  8. Katidids,
    I was happy with it all. My advice about the grapes would be to get about three times what you want. Most important thing--never prune when the sap has risen. Prune only in January when they are still dormant. I pruned my grapes in March one year and they bled from the cuts all summer and I had no grapes. You will love having grapes.

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Okay, hoping the annoyances have gone away.