"You may as well not even plant Apples here. They won't grow and you will be disappointed."
I Can Grow Apples!
Quietly, perhaps only in my head, I said "I can grow apples". Being raised in Indiana where apples are very abundant I just knew I had to have an apple orchard. So, against the sage advice of a seasoned Texas gardener I planted four apple trees.
For six years now I've been tending for and battling with my apple trees. They have been a major pain in the rear end. The trunks rot, the blossoms fall, the tiny fruit shrivels and rots and the birds take anything even remotely hopeful.
He Was Right
Even though these pictures below show a small harvest (that I'm happy for and proud of), the reality is that Texas is not an apple climate. If I would have listened to the wisdom of one that has been there long before me I may have been enjoying a harvest of plums, pomegranate, peaches or pears (hey wait... those all start with P).
Texas Is Not Apple Country
It's not impossible to grow apples in Texas. In some areas with certain varieties some people have some success (that was a lot of somes). In general, the south isn't right for apples. There are a number of reasons why our climate and soil makes it difficult to grow apples.
Here are just a few of the many many issues and concerns for apples in the southern climate.
Cotton Root Rot
In our dry hot clay soils lay a fungus that is the Cotton Root Rot or sometimes called Texas Root Rot. This is a big bummer for hopeful apple growers because it can lay deep in the soil giving young trees a chance to grow up to build the hope and confidence of young inexperienced growers. Just about the time you think your tree is going to make it... just about the time you think you are an amazing gardener.. BAM. Those roots reach the fungus and within a season your trees are dead. This has not happened to my trees yet, but it is a serious risk in our area.
Cedar Apple Rust
This is an interesting challenge. Cedar and apples should not be grown within close proximity to each other. Look around kid... there's cedar everywhere. Sometimes I just don't know any better. This fungus spends part of it's life on apples and another part on cedar. I've read that there should be no cedar within one mile of an apple orchard. Hmm... that aint happening in our area for sure.
Iron Deficiency - Chlorosis
Our clay soils are very high in phosphorus. This creates a scene where iron cannot be taken up in plants, so it is very common for orchards and gardens to suffer from an iron deficiency or Chlorosis even if there is plenty of iron in the soil. The all-to-common sight of trees with yellow leaves when they should be full and green is another major disappointment to young growers.
Well, even thought my friend was right I had to take this journey for myself. This is an opportunity for me to tuck this information away in my brain to make my gardens and orchards better in the future. There may also be a time when I can offer some advice to a youngster, then just smile when I see determination and defiance in his face. 😉
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