What size pot/how much fruit can you expect?

Mine are in 15 gal pots. So far I haven't gotten more than 12 fruit off one potted tree. But this is my first yr of potted nectarines of these varieties. I could probably leave 20 fruit next yr. One advantage of nectarines over the various pluots that might compete for "best fruit" is that nectarines are self fruitful. But if you're going to try this, it's not about quantity rather quality is key.

I've had lots of fruit already this yr and in past yrs that is very sweet and these nectarines are extemely sweet. But it is the extordinary flavor that wins my vote. My low acid white flesh nectarines have been very sweet this yr. But they don't compare for flavor

I'm thinking that in a humid climate like WI, you will need a small shelter covered with clear poly to keep the rain off the fruit. Just one layer of poly over the top and open sides for ventillation. Raising the afternoon temperature 5-10F would also help. Proper control of ventillation would do this. My greenhouse gets to 100% humidity at night but that hasn't caused problems when there is no rain on the fruit.

In the past Bay Laurel has offered Honey Kist on Citation as a special order tree before Nov 14. Citation is the perfect root for a potted tree.

The Fruitnut

Hey Fruitnut, what type of media do you use for most of your containers.

I might just have to buy one of those nectarine trees. Sounds very tasty.

Also, do you have any pics of all your plants? After reading a lot of your postings, it sounds like you have a great setup.

rad7:

For fruit trees I use a well drained potting soil. I don't want a mix that is too well drained but also not too wet. Don't really know how to describe it better than that as I am still learning about potted culture. A rootstock that is tolerant of wet soil and somewhat dwarfing, like Citation, is what I look for. If in doubt it is better to be too well drained.

I have read a couple reports of people growing fruit trees in very well drained mix, like pine bark. But they were watering more than once a day. That would be a whole new learning curve.

What I have learned is that nectarines are very easy to over or under water. Overwatered and they are big, beautiful, and tasteless. Underwatered and they get rough, crack on the tip end, and shrivel up; but at least they are sweet although often with an off flavor. Watered just right they are medium size, russeted on the tip, and superlative.

I bought a digital camera just so I could post pictures here. About the time I had it figured out, the camera quit working. I keep trying to figure out what's wrong but cann't even get it too blink. I'll go try again:)

The Fruitnut

I keep trying to figure out what's wrong but cann't even get it too blink. I'll go try again:)

fruit, those things have batteries and yours is dead. :)

I have to agree about the low acid yellow anything. Much more productive than pluots. And fruit isn't kidding when he says it is easy to overwater a peach or nectarine to the point where you have washed out the flavor.
fruit, have you every tried any of the old varieties like Babcock or ???

Geraldo

Geraldo:

I bought about $40 of super duper batteries and a charger with the camera. I've tried charging the batteries again, that doesn't help. But you are probably right. So I'm thinking; buy a new charger or buy some cheap batteries to test??

I've tried Babcock and many of the other white and yellow fleshed nectarines and peaches. Really don't care for most white peaches; maybe cann't grow them right. Have had some very good low acid, yellow fleshed peaches. Valley Sweet is huge and is the best peach I've ever eaten. It is another of Zaiger's Zee Sweet varieties same as the Honey series of nectarines.

With all these fruits, they have to be grown right to be great. My experience says it is much harder to grow them right than most people think. Just any old tree ripened peach or nectarine isn't necessarily good. I bought an awful lot of mediocre fruit from fruit stands in California. In fact, the fruit was mediocre way more often than not.

Have you tried any of Zaiger's Zee Sweet varieties, either peach or nectarine?

The Fruitnut

Fruitnut,

I am glad for you. Now be a help and tell everybody where you bought Honey Blaze, Honey Kist, Honey Royale and Valley Sweet.

Or is it survival of the fittest?

plumfan:

I bought them when I lived in California. I had an orchard and was a commercial customer of Dave Wilson Nursery. I've written to both Dave Wilson and Bay Laurel asking them to make these varieties and some others avaliable retail. But I doubt that they even read their email and if they do they won't listen to me.

You can possibly buy Honey Kist from Bay Laurel if you get your order in early.

The Fruitnut

fruit, without doubt the Zeesweet Arctic Jay nectarine is a fave. Also the White Lady peach is really good in its season. Actually just good period. Most of the other Zee Sweets don't seem all that remarkable to me, but it might be that I need to pay more attention to growing them. I get busy that time of year.

geraldo:

I'm eating Artic Jay right now. It is one of the highest rated fruit of all time in Dave Wilson's fruit tastings. When ripe enough mine almost turn to candy. They are very good. But I also had an early Honey Royale today. The yellow have such a great flavor, unlike anything else. To me the yellow flesh is simply sensational, clearly better than the white.

The Fruitnut

Bay Laurel has this:

"ZEE GLO
Price: $ 25.95
Taste test winner. Delicious late summer fruit with classic zesty, nectarine flavor. Superb balance of acid and sugar. Attractive, dark red skin. Harvest about two week after Fantasia, mid to late August in Central Calif. Showy pink blossoms in spring. 6-700 hours. Self-fruitful. Patent No. 64008. (Zaiger) Available on Cit

What do you think? They have a lot of others. I haven't found anyone with the 3 you mentioned.

franktank:

Zee Sweet is a term Zaiger uses for many peaches and nectarines. It's probably a particular genetic component that imparts low/non acid and certain flavor characteristics. On Zaiger's harvest chart, Zee Sweet varieties are followed by a Z in a circle. Despite the name, I don't think Zee Glo is a Zee Sweet type.

Honey Kist last year was offered by Bay Laurel in a special section in the back of their catalog as a special order item. Order needed to be in by Nov 14. I'm going to call them this fall after their catalog comes out and ask if they can get me some varieties that they probably won't have listed. Among those will be Honey May and Honey Diva, the earliest and latest of the Honey series of yellow, low-acid nectarines. These are new ones just listed by Dave Wilson. If enough people call asking for something, it might help immediately or affect what they offer the next year. Cann't hurt.

I'll try to remember to post about this after Bay Laurel's catalog comes out in Sept or Oct.

The Fruitnut

I thought I'd respond to your interest in some of the Honey line of nectarines. At DWN they grow more than 1100 different types of fruit trees each year and offering every product to every market is a great way to confuse people and dilute their ability to get the right fruit to the right markets. You are right, Honey Blaze is an excellent nectarine, one of the most widely planted nectarines in the world in terms of acreage. However, it needs a lot of heat to generate its true potential as such it has a limited geographic appeal as a home garden or wholesale variety. Honey Kist, which ripens roughly the same time, has more predictable flavor and a wider geographic adaptation which is one of the reasons it is available in their retail division. Honey May, is only suitable for very low chill locations. Honey Diva is a pretty late variety which will harvest in the mid to late September range unless you are in the southwestern states.
Again, that limits who can grow it successfully.

I'm confident that Dave Wilson has no less than a dozen sub-acid nectarines that are in Honey Blaze's time slot for maturity but every fruit has it's own limitations. There is no universal fruit for all locations, for all palattes or for the range in grower ability. Likewise, it would be impractical to offer all twelve selections at your local or mail order nursery. The staff of your local retailer would go crazy trying to understand the nuances of each variety. I'm sure that dividing the market amongst the dozen in the example will drive up the costs as well.

But I agree, and submit that all of the Honies are great nectarines.

zeetreeboss:

Thank you for your input. You are providing information that, to my knowledge, is not avaliable on Dave Wilson's website. Where can one obtain more information about these varieties?

There are a lot of passionate fruit growers on this website. We would appreciate your input at any time. Also, what is the most appropriate way for us to provide feedback? Would that be thru Ed Lavio or Tom Spellman?

Thank you!!

The Fruitnut

Usually the best place to get information on Wilson varieties is the Dave Wilson website. However, sometimes the newest varieties are not described on the site for whatever reason: limited availability, patenting issues, etc. etc.???

Just to note that, from where I'm sitting, the objectives of the home gardner, the fruit stand grower and the commercial orchardist have never been more congruent than they are today. This phenomenon has and will continue to cause more product overlap between these fruit enthusiasts but it will never be a complete overlap. Thus the varied products offered. Nonetheless, contacting DWN about particular selections may be the most fruitful.

Best of luck!

Zeetreeboss

Look what i found...

http://www.acnursery.com/acn_nectarine.php?idye=honeyblaze&yellow=View&idwh=arctic+glo

????

frank:

Good deal!! They list Honey Blaze as Honeyblaze but I'm sure it's the same thing. They also have Honey Royale. In your case Blaze is better because Royale is too late for your climate. Also, take note of what zeetreeboss said, Honey Blaze needs a lot of heat for best quality. That is one reason I recommended the rain shelter. It could be constructed simply and cheaply to increase the afternoon high to about 90F, about 10F above your ave. Don't cook the thing, just a little warmer. My greenhouse runs about 90-92F where the nectarines are.

Ate one of the first Honey Royale yesterday. Sure wish you could try one like that. If it's not the best fruit I've ever eaten, I sure don't know what would beat these beauties.

By the way, the pictures they show of these fruit would be of overwatered fruit for me. Too smooth, no russet. My good ones always have russet on the tip end. The tip always tastes better than the stem end. When at their best the tip is still better, but the whole fruit is great.

They listed Blaze at 800-900 hrs. That might delay bloom past frost in some climates, but not here. Don't think these are hardy enough for you to plant outside, not sure of that but won't try it.

The Fruitnut

Just noticed Adams County lists Lovell as their rootstock. This is not the best choice for pot culture, too vigorous and too sensitive to wet feet. Citation and Krymsk 1 would be better.

The Fruitnut