I bought a Florida Queen Peach tree two days ago from Lowe's. I've heard that it's not a good idea to buy from bix box retailers, because you never know what kind of root stock the nursury used. I've heard they might use bay laurel, which is interesting, because I transplanted a bay laurel near the area where our big oak tree died. I probably should have learned my lesson about bix box trees, because I now have thorny, trifolate orange tree growing where I should have had a tangerine tree. Last year I bought a tangerine from Walmart, and when the winter came, all but the rootstock died, leaving a kind of orange tree that yields very bitter fruit. I probably could have dug it up and brought it back to Walmart, but I let it grow. I hear one can still make juice with the fruit, and I think the trees are kind of pretty. For what it's worth, the White House Garden has a similar orange tree growing, but the fruit is edible.
With that said, I'm a little worried about cold weather breaking me on my new purchases. I bought a fig, peach tree and a bluberry bush. Should I plant them? I have had very little luck with store-bought flora so far, so I'm wishing a magical Earth fairy would come to my house to be my spiritual plant guide.
I really want some long-term food growing outside of my space for garden veggies. I'd like to have some trees that yield some fruit that we could nibble on between garden yields. Okay, that's not my true intention. My true intention is creating a sort of Garden of Eden right in my yard that wields lucious fruits and flowers in such abundance that my family and neighbors can join us in indulging in the offspring of our planet Earth. Maybe I shouldn't have written that out loud, but I can't be the only one with this fantasy.
I have sort of cultivated some plants that grow wild out this way. I have some Beautyberries, Persimmon, and Sumac growing on our lot. Hey, if they grow out this way naturally, then maybe I don't have to try to figrue out pests and fertilizers. The soil must be right for them if they like it out here!
These Beautyberries were growing on the property before it was even cleared for our house. They look so pretty when they are in bloom and when the berries form. Right now, the plant is losing the berries, but they were very striking to see when the berries were new. The berries are edible, but they don't taste much like anything. I have made a jelly with them, though, and it tastes very refreshing. It's like a sweet rose taste. All you do is boil the the berries, strain the liquid until its pink, add pectin and sugar, then let it set. There's a good view of it and how to make it at this blog.
The berries on the Sumac grow in little clusters that look kind of like grape clusters with tiny little pinkish-red berries. You can't really eat the berries, but if you touch them and tast your fingers, you'll see how lemony-tart they are.
Ground sumac is sometimes used as a spice. We used it in a wing sauce, and it was pretty good. You can let the sumac berries dry, the crush them. A coffee grinder works well.
Here is a little persimmon tree that I saved from the wrath of development across the street from us. I got it at the same time we got the two sumac bush/tree things. So far, it has survivied, and I'm looking forward to seeing it grow. There are some wild ones growing nearby, and one had a lot of fruit on in, but when I finally checked back in on that one, all the fruit was gone. I always thought of persimmons as having fruit that lasts through the winter, but maybe animals get it first? Maybe our persimmons just grow early? I should check into it.
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