March 5, 2009 Issue
4-H Fruit Plant Sale Orders Due March 30
The Watauga Cooperative Extension office is currently accepting orders for the 2009 4-H Fruit Plant Sale. The order deadline is Monday, March 30. Proceeds from the fruit plant sale help support 4-H programs such as clubs, competitions and workshops.
The plants are bare root plants, which means they do not come potted in soil. This allows the plants to be sold at a lower cost. One possible advantage to bare root plants is that they do not have to transition between soils and may establish more quickly. Because the plants are bare root, it is important to plant them immediately after pickup. If the plants cannot be put in the ground right away, make sure they stay moist. You can place them in a temporary trench and cover them with moist sand, saw dust or soil.
To help you plan for your plants before they arrive, you can download plant-specific information at the following websites or request a copy at the Extension office. The websites are http://watauga.ces.ncsu.edu/content/fruitnut&source=rutherford and http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/hortinfo.html. The Cooperative Extension reserves the right to substitute suitable varieties in the event of short supply or when the variety requested is not available. Plants are not under warranty beyond date of distribution.
Following is a list of the fruit plants available for sale. Pickup dates are Tuesday and Wednesday, April 21 to 22. For more information, call the Cooperative Extension office at 828-264-3061.
BLACKBERRIES ($4.00 per plant)
Navaho (thornless)
Upright growing; late ripening; medium fruit size.
Shawnee (thorny)
Upright-growing, productive; noted for consistent high fruit yields; large fruit size; ripens late over longer period; shiny black, firm, attractive, very large fruit.
BLUEBERRIES ($4.50 per plant)
(At least two varieties are needed for better pollination.)
Bluecrop (large, tart berry)
Light blue; stores well, good for cooking; stands cold well, good for short growing season; upright, hardy, ripening date usually July 15; yield approx. 65 berries per cup.
Blueray (large, sweet berry)
Large, firm, sweet berry; upright, spreading plant; ripens usually July 18; yield approx. 60 berries per cup.
Jersey (small, mild berry)
Small, mild, light blue berry; mild flavor; ripens mid-season to late; excellent fresh and for cooking; handsome hedge or shrub border; needs acid soil, moderate moisture, good drainage; ripening date about July 30; yield approx. 110 berries per cup.
GRAPES ($6.50 per plant)
Concord (seedless)
Beautiful blue grape with large bunches; excellent for jelly, jams, preserves
and fresh fruit.
Thompson (seedless)
Top commercial seedless, green grape; ripens early mid-season; clusters well filled with rather long, mild-flavored fruit.
Reliance (seedless)
Pink seedless, cold hardy, buds out later. Delightful flavor and very sweet.
RASPBERRIES ($4.00 per plant)
Bristol (black, nursery matured)
High producing; medium to large, firm glossy fruit, moderately hardy, very vigorous
Heritage (red)
Everbearing; large, bright red, firm, extremely attractive; vigorous upright canes which do not require staking; very disease free.
STRAWBERRIES ($4.50 per 25 plants)
All Star (late bearing)
Late mid-season, large fruit, red and firm, mild, sweet flavor, disease-resistant with high yield
Earliglow (early season)
Medium berries; mildly sweet; hardy, vigorous and runner well, recommended for beginners
Seascape* (ever bearing) (U.S. Plant Patent #7614)
Fruit is large and productive, good flavor and firm berry
*Subject to U.S. Plant Patent Laws and Royalties. This variety cannot be propagated for sale without a license from the plant patent holder*
HERITAGE APPLE TREES ($15.00/Tree)
Only a limited supply is available this year. Because of limited quantities of the Heritage Apple Trees, please call the office at 828-264-3061 to reserve your trees before adding them to your order form.
1-Year Bare Root Plants
These semi-dwarf trees will reach 10 to 15 feet in height and need to be planted 15 to 20 feet apart. Semi-dwarf trees bear fruit in two to four years. They live 55 years.
Summer Banana
A very attractive apple with a distinct banana flavor and aroma when fully ripe. Very sweet flavor. The fruit is slightly conical, having deep yellow skin with a faint red blush and pink and red stripes. The Summer Banana ripens in August to September.
Rusty Coat
The American Golden Russet (Sweet Rusty Coat). An old, well known variety popular in the South. Origin difficult to trace. This apple originated before 1800. The skin is a rusty-coated, golden color sometimes described as bronze. The fruit is excellent for fresh eating, drying and especially for making cider. It is well known for its sugary juice. Flesh is yellow, crisp, aromatic and sub-acid. The Rusty Coat ripens from September through October.
Virginia Beauty
Once a very well known and desirable apple rivaling Red Delicious for popularity, Virginia Beauty is now a rare apple. The apple originated from a seed planted in 1810 in the backyard of Zach Safewright in the Piper’s Gap community of Carroll County, Va. The original tree stood until 1914. The fruit is medium to large, often lopsided, with smooth, dark red or purplish skin. Flesh is greenish yellow, fine-grained, tender and juicy. Virginia Beauty ripens in October and is a good keeper.
Yellow Transparent (Early Transparent, Russian Transparent)
One of many old Southern apples of Russian origin brought into this country in 1870 by the USDA. Resistant to cedar apple rust and scab and can be grown in all areas of the South including the warmer coastal plain. Fruit is medium sized with smooth transparent yellow skin. White-fleshed, tender, fine-grained and juicy. Ripens early in June to July.
Gala
The only non-heirloom apple being offered is known to do very well in this area. This apple originated in New Zealand. The Gala apple blends modern and old-fashioned parentage. It is aromatic with a very sweet flavor and crisp and firm texture. Gala has Cox’s Orange Pippin, a wonderful old-fashioned English favorite, and both Red and Golden Delicious in its family tree. It’s very sweet, crisp and juicy and very good for eating fresh. Voted tops by tasters for a delicious aroma, and is a tied winner for the most pleasantly sweet apple. It is also excellent in salads, sauces, pies and other baked goods. The Gala is of medium size, keeps well and ripens in September.
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