Growing apples in Florida
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Can you grow apples in Florida? The answer is yes - and not just the type you think might grow here. Since I'm on an apple kick right now... today I'm posting some more tantalizing info... this time on growing apples in the tropics.
The article below was pointed out to me by several folks and is definitely worth sharing:
It is a shock to many people
that yes, apples can be grown in a tropical climate, and have been grown
by the millions for many years.
This goes
against the conventional wisdom that apples need between 800-1,000 hours
below 7° C.
(45° F.) in
order to break dormancy and set fruit. But experience has shown that
using tropic apple culture methods can fool the tree into thinking that
it's chilling-hour needs- whatever they may be- have been satisfied and
it will then blossom and fruit. You still must be choosy about
which varieties to plant, and the tree will act much different than in a
cold climate, but the end result is crisp, juicy, tasty apples.
It was then assumed that apples could be grown only
in the highland tropic areas that receive quite a bit of cold weather,
but not down in the lowlands with the heat and humidity.
However a three-year study¹ in
Nigeria and Southwest Cameroon proved that this was wrong. In that study
18 localities in Nigeria and 8 in Southwest Cameroon comprising both
cool highlands and hot tropic lowlands were selected and planted with the
apple variety Anna and a pollinator. Several different cultural
methods such as planting density and irrigation were employed at each
location and an evaluation of the fruit pack-out was done at the
completion... (KEEP READING)
Before I "retired" as a Master Gardener, I was taught that you can basically only grow Anna, Dorsett, Ein Shemer and Tropic Sweet apples in Florida... yet I'm discovering that apples are apparently a lot more tolerant of our climate than previously suspected. Even some of the classic "northern" varieties can be managed in Florida with a little adjustment.
The more you think you know...
posted by David The Good @ 7:00 AM
6 Comments
6 Comments:
Another great article. http://kuffelcreek.com/applelist.htm this list is crazy who would guess there where so many "warm weather" apples.
Yes Kevin Hauser from Kuffelcreek helped inspire me to try growing apples here.
I have read through his list many times.
It surprised me that Fuji and Granny Smith are fantastic warm climate apples if left to ripen fully on the tree.
Some more good research from the Uni Of California on warm climate varieties here :
http://ucanr.org/sites/urbanhort/files/80158.pdf
I would love to try growing apples here where we live. I was told of some on the island that grows one apple tree but, don't know if it produces for him. Will have to find something out about that. Like I don't have enough fruits to eat already : )
"Anna" is a variety developed in the Bahamas. If I get any apples off mine this year, I'll mail you the seeds. You can plant them all and you'll likely get a variety worth growing and eating.
If you could manage apples at your place, you'd make no end of profit.
Very cool - thank you for the link.
I know. Seriously. This is why we keep trying... nothing is totally set in stone.
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