Dec. 16, 2010

Here's Randy's Weekly KTRH GardenLine Tip:

Issue #192

It's the time of the year when everyone should be preparing for the great 2011 fruit tree sales. It's a GardenLine tradition to spotlight these events, and this year will be no exception.

If you've benefited from them in the past, that's great. But, if you've ignored them ... and have always said you want to take advantage of the ultimate fruit tree sale ... this could be your time.

Throughout the year, I get countless calls and e-mails from folks wanting to know where they can buy specific fruit trees. While most nurseries carry basic peaches, plums, apples and pears, nothing compares to the fruit tree sales that most county extension offices put on in January and February.

What separates them from fruit tree sales at local nurseries is that they always have something newly tested for our area. This year, in addition to the now-famous Grumichicama and Jaboticabas, they are even stronger with the acclaimed dragon fruit.

The experts suggest taking a look at Sprite & Delight cherry-plums. Delight is a hybrid of cherry-plum and Japanese plum. It's a flavorful, tangy, clingstone and produces heavy crops. They also require only 400 chill hours. And here's the kicker: Delight has to be pollinated by Sprite, so they're grafted to the same tree. The Sprite, a cross between cherry-plum and Japanese plum, is sweet and freestone and more refreshing than the Delight.

And you can look for the old standards in citrus and stone fruits plus newer blueberry varieties this year. Be sure to attend one of these sales rather than buy a fruit tree from a big box store in 2011.

Here's the agenda:

Urban Harvest Fruit Tree Sale Sat. Jan. 15 Sale: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. University of Houston Campus - Robertson Stadium www.urbanharvest.org 713-880-5542 Montgomery County Master Gardener Fruit Tree Sat., Jan. 22 Montgomery County Extension Offices, 9020 F.M. 1484, Conroe Seminar: 8-9 a.m. with Tom LeRoy Sale: 9 a.m.-1 p.m. www.montgomerycountymastergardeners.org The Arbor Gate/Treesearch Farms Fruit Tree Sale Sun., Jan. 30 15635 F.M .2920, Tomball Seminar: 9-10 a.m. with Heidi Sheesley Sale: 10:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m. www.arborgate.com 281-351-8851 Galveston County Master Gardener Fruit Tree Sale Sat., Feb. 5 Wayne Johnson Community Center Carbide Park on F.M. 519, LaMarque Seminar: 8-9 a.m. with Heidi Sheesley Sale: 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/Galveston

Fort Bend County Master Gardeners Fruit Tree Sale Sat. Feb. 12 Fort Bend Co. Fairgrounds, 1402 Band Road Seminar: 8-9 a.m. with Shari Graham and other master gardeners Sale: 9 a.m.-1 p.m. www.fbmg.com 281-341-7068 Brazoria County Master Gardener Fruit Tree Sale Sat., Feb. 19 21017 F.M. 171, Angelton (New Location: a mile from BEES office) Seminar: 8-9 a.m. Sale: 9 a.m.-noon txmg.org/brazoria/ Harris County Precinct 2 Fruit Tree Sale Sat., Feb. 26 Pasadena Fairgrounds Campbell Hall, 7600 Red Bluff, Pasadena Seminar: 8-9 a.m. with Heidi Sheesley Sale: 9 a.m.-1 p.m. harris-tx.tamu.edu/hort/fruit.htm Harris County Fruit & Nut Sale Sat., March 5 Harris County Bear Creek Office, 3033 Bear Creek Drive (They are combining with the Tomato and Pepper Sales for the first time. This is tentative information since I could not confirm times, exact location and/or speakers for this event prior to publication.) 281-855-5600

And this will be the last GardenLine e-mail tip for 2010. The next issue will be Jan. 6, 2011. Until then, have a merry Christmas and a happy holiday season!

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