PORTLAND FRUIT TREE PROJECT

PORTLAND FRUIT TREE PROJECT 5431 NE 20 th Ave. Prtland, OR 97211 503-284-6106 inf@prtlandfruit.rg www.prtlandfruit.rg Beginner s Guide t Ripening, Harvesting, & Tree Care fr Fruiting Vines, Walnuts, and Other Cmmn Tree Fruit Figs, Grapes, Kiwis, Persimmns, Walnuts One f the main gals f Prtland Fruit Tree Prject s Fruit Tree Stewardship Prgram is t empwer tree wners with the knwledge and skills t care fr their fruit trees themselves. This first sectin prvides a general verview f fruit tree care basics. Later in this dcument, yu will find tips and inf specific t fruiting vines, nuts, and ther cmmn fruit trees (nt classified as pme r stne fruit.) We prvide this infrmatin free f charge t the general public. Hwever, if yu have fund this dcument useful, cnsider supprting the wrk f Prtland Fruit Tree Prject (PFTP) by dnating thrugh the Supprt Us tab n ur website (www.prtlandfruit.rg). Als, please keep in mind that we have created this reference with PFTP-registered tree wners as ur target audience. If yur fruit tree is nt registered with us and yu wuld like t d s, please click n the Register Yur Tree tab under the Get Invlved menu n the hmepage f ur website. PFTP als ffers hands-n wrkshps n all f the tree care tpics mentined belw. As a PFTPregistered tree wner, yu may attend ur Tree Care Wrkshps free-f-charge. Upcming wrkshps are psted n ur website and sent ut in ur mnthly e-newsletter. If yu are nt already subscribed and wuld like t receive t ur e-newsletter, please cntact us t sign up. YOUNG FRUIT TREES: SELECTION, PLANTING, & CARE This resurce is designed t educate wners f lder, established fruit trees. In the future, this sectin will be expanded t include further infrmatin n fruit tree selectin & planting. One imprtant thing fr wners f lder trees t understand is that the variety and rtstck that was initially selected, the lcatin where it was planted, hw the tree was planted, and hw it was cared fr and trained while develping in its first five years, have all factred int the current health & prductivity f yur fruit tree(s). WATERING If yur tree is still yung (under 5 years), summer watering is very imprtant. Here in Prtland, it is generally a gd idea t water yung trees 10 gallns per week (a single, deep watering) between early June and late September. If yur tree is lder than 5 years, summer watering is nt necessary but is recmmended if yur tree is planted in a parking strip (the area between the street and the sidewalk) r

ther lcatin where it has limited access t water infiltratin. Watering is als recmmended if the weather has been especially ht and dry fr mre than a week. PRUNING Pruning is mst easily learned thrugh hands-n demnstratin. Fr this reasn, we strngly recmmend that yu attend a pruning wrkshp befre attempting t prune n yur wn. PFTP ffers hands-n pruning wrkshps in winter and summer. Why prune? Pruning is imprtant fr fruit tree health and prductivity. Prper pruning can: Reduce tree size s that fruit is reachable Imprve structural strength Induce branching (when that is desired) Imprve air flw t decrease fungal susceptibility Increase light penetratin - t increase fruit prductin and fruit ripening Prevent branches frm breaking by decreasing weight n the lateral branches Cncentrate the tree s energy int grwing and ripening its fruit. Imprve the aesthetic/beauty f the tree When t prune? Winter Pruning is perfrmed when the abve-grund prtin f the tree is drmant. This is a time fr large renvatin cuts and fr invigrating the tree s grwth. December, January, & February are the mnths when yu can expect the greatest beneficial respnse frm yur winter pruning cuts. Early t mid-march is still gd but the beneficial respnse is smewhat reduced. Summer Pruning is a time fr smaller detail pruning f water spruts, suckers, tip die-back, etc. The benefits f summer pruning will be greatest between June 21 st & mid-august. Hw t prune? 1) A gd apprach fr thse new t pruning is t fcus n remving the 3 D s: Dead, Diseased, r Disriented branches. Dead branches shw n signs f grwth r leaves. Diseased branches have unusual grwths r mal-frmed leaves. Remve dead & diseased wd first. Then disriented branches, which include branches that are crssing, grwing inward tward the center f the tree, r at an angle that might cause the branch t snap when laded with fruit. 2) There are 2 main kinds f pruning cuts: Heading cuts shrten a branch; Thinning cuts remve a branch entirely. Heading cuts are made just abve a bud, and thinning cuts are made at the branch cllar. T learn mre abut pruning cuts, please attend a PFTP pruning wrkshp. 3) It s best nt t remve mre than 1/3 f the tree in a single seasn. Nte: There may be exceptins t this. Please see the guide specific t yur fruit type, later in this dcument. 4) Make sure that yur blades are sharp, s that yur cuts g straight thrugh. Using dull tls can create rugh wunds that are difficult fr the tree t heal, and mre prne t pests & disease. 5) Sanitize the blades f yur pruning tls between trees, t avid spreading disease. We recmmend using a simple rubbing alchl slutin, applied with a clean rag r spray bttle. PEST & DISEASE MANAGEMENT Keeping yur tree healthy is yur first line f defense against pests and disease, because healthy trees are naturally mre resistance t pests & disease. Later in this dcument, yu will find pest and disease infrmatin specific t yur type f fruit tree(s). Here are sme general tips that apply t all fruit trees:

Spring Pest & Disease cntrl: Spring is a gd time f year t fcus energy n sil health and managing existing pest & disease factrs. Here are sme basic tips. Remve grasses and ther weeds in a 2-3 ft radius arund the base f the trunk, s that they will nt cmpete with yur tree fr water & nutrients. Apply rganic mulch (straw, wdchips, cmpst) within that 2-3 ft radius, up t 10 thick. Leave 6 f space between the mulch and the base f the trunk t discurage crwn rt. Traps can be set in the spring t reduce pests specific t yur tree. Mre specific recmmendatins may be listed under the particular tree types, later in this dcument. Spraying may be necessary if yur tree has severe pest r disease issues. Depending n yur specific tree type, we may ffer suggestins f rganic ptins later in this dcument. Fall Pest & Disease assessment & preventin: During and just after harvest seasn is a great time t assess the pest & disease situatin f yur tree and t get yur tree ff t a healthy start fr the fllwing year. A few things yu might want t cnsider: Clean up all fallen fruit. This is very imprtant fr breaking (r preventing) the life-cycle f pests & diseases. Any fruit that isn t harvested shuld be raked up and ht-cmpsted away frm the tree, r put in yur yard waste bin fr remval. Try t identify yur pest & disease issues. If yur fruit shw signs f pests r disease, Fall is a great time t get that diagnsed s yu can take apprpriate steps t address it. Please see the Tree Care Resurces page n ur website fr a list f bks, websites, and ther lcal rganizatins that may be able t help yu with this. In additin, PFTP ffers a Fall Tree Care wrkshp each year. FRUIT THINNING Fr several species f fruit trees, thinning ut sme f the yung fruit during May & June is recmmended. Later in this dcument, yu can see if this is suggested fr yur particular type f fruit tree. Fruit thinning prvides the fllwing benefits: Larger, sweeter fruit! Thinning cncentrates the tree s energy n prducing a smaller number f high quality fruit, rather than a large number f small, lwer quality fruit. Increased air flw between the fruit, reducing susceptibility t disease and limiting pests ability t infest multiple fruit Reduced lad f fruit n each branch, decreasing the chance f brken limbs frm fruit weight.

Prtland Fruit Tree Prject Ripening, Harvesting, & Tree Care Guide Fruit Type: FIG Ficus carica Cmmn varieties include: Brwn Turkey, Desert King, Stella Harvesting & Ripening Mst Figs bear tw crps ne in early summer and anther in late summer and fall. Figs shuld be picked when they are fully ripe. Take a bite t test the ripeness. If it tastes gd they are ready t pick! Full clratin is als a gd indicatr. If yu want PFTP t harvest yur tree, the best time t give us tw weeks ntice is when abut 33% f the figs have reached full clratin and are sftening up. The tw mst cmmn varieties f figs that are grwn in Prtland are Desert King and Brwn Turkey. Desert King ripen t a light green with red flesh inside. Brwn Turkeys ripen t a purple-green skin with red flesh inside. Mre specifically, when the neck f the individual fruit begins t bend dwn ver the stem and the fruit begin t crack this is the ideal harvest time. After picking, if milky white sap (latex) drips ut f the stem the fruit is nt at its ideal ripeness. TREE CARE Pruning Prune figs in the winter t keep the fruit-bearing wd within reach. D nt prune in summer unless yu are fllwing a very specific training system. Thinning ut the canpy in winter by 1/3 shuld allw fr a gd first crp. Pest & Disease Management Generally, figs are nt very susceptible t pests and disease. Be sure t keep up n harvesting and clean up yur fallen fruit t avid attracting flies, bees, and ther insects. Smetimes fig trees will develp mld if there is nt enugh air flw and light penetratin. Fruit Thinning - Figs d nt require fruit thinning. Surces fr Fig sectin: 1. The Hme Orchard, a University f Califrnia Agriculture & Natural Resurces Publicatin (2007) 2. Fruit Tree Shrt Curse (Instructr: K.Tillu) at Clackamas CC http://depts.clackamas.edu/hrt 3. Hme Orchard Sciety s Mnthly Organic Guide fr Hme Orchards and Gardens: Maintaining Balance Within Yur Hme Ecsystem by Ted Swensen

Harvesting & Ripening Prtland Fruit Tree Prject Ripening, Harvesting, & Tree Care Guide Fruit Type: GRAPE Vitis vinifera, Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis rtundiflia The best way t tell if a grape is ripe is t taste it! When fully ripe the natural blm r whitish cating n the fruit shuld be visible The clr f the seeds will have changed frm green t brwn. The fruit shuld be slightly less firm t the tuch If yu want PFTP t harvest yur vine, it is a gd time t give us 2 weeks ntice when abut 33% f the fruit has reached full size and clratin. Remve clusters with a knife r hand-shears. TREE CARE In additin t the General Fruit Tree Care tips prvided in Part II, here are sme specific tips fr Grape vines: Pruning Grapes are vigrus vines and require strng supprt t grw - such as a trellis, arbr, r fence. Grapes shuld be pruned t have 2-4 ne year ld canes. These canes shuld have 15 buds per cane. The best canes are thse that are expsed t the mst sunlight Pruning shuld be dne January thrugh March and 90% f last year s wd shuld be remved. Fruit is prduced n current seasn s grwth n last seasn s wd. Heavy pruning prvides the best fruit. Pest & Disease Management Birds are the mst cmmn pest related t Grape vines. Putting netting ver the vine shuld keep birds ut. In the Prtland area, the mst cmmn health issues with Grape vines tend t be fungalrelated. Fllwing ur general tips fr fruit tree care (in sectin II) shuld reduce the likelihd f fungal infectin. Fruit Thinning Fr maximum fruit quality and size, grapes can be thinned t ne bunch per sht.

Surces Prune Yur Grape Vines Heavily in Winter. Carline Savnen http://extensin.regnstate.edu/gardening/nde/642 Grwing Grapes fr Hme Use. Emily Hver & Peter Hemstad (2008) http://www.extensin.umn.edu/distributin/hrticulture/dg1103.html

Prtland Fruit Tree Prject Ripening, Harvesting, & Tree Care Guide Fruit Type: KIWI Actinidia arguta, Actinidia delicisa, Actinidia klmikta There are three different types f Kiwis that grw in the Pacific Nrthwest - the hardy kiwi (A. arguta,) the fuzzy kiwi (A. delicisa,) and, the Arctic kiwi (A. klmikta.) In general, yu will need t have bth a male and female vine t crss-pllinate and prduce fruit. Only the female will prduce fruit. One male is needed fr every 6-10 females. Self-fertile cultivars require n male, but benefit frm crss-pllinatin. Harvesting & Ripening Fuzzy kiwis d nt ripen n the vine in ur climate and shuld be harvested after the first hard frst and ripened in cld strage. Hardy kiwis can ripen n the vine and be harvested in late Octber thrugh the end f Nvember, depending n yur site. Wear glves when harvesting t prtect the skin f the fruit. Hardy kiwis shuld be picked withut the stem, break stem ff at the fruit-stem juncture by hand. Black seeds indicate ripeness, check yur kiwis peridically in strage. TREE CARE In additin t the General Fruit Tree Care tips prvided in Part II, here are sme specific tips fr Kiwi trees. Pruning Kiwis are vigrus vines and require a strng supprt t grw - such as a trellis, arbr, r fence. Pruning is best dne in January r February when vines are drmant. Summer maintenance pruning after blming may als be necessary. Kiwis frm fruit n ne-year-ld wd. Prune ut ld laterals as they reach the end f their life span and allw new laterals t grw in their place. Pest & Disease Management Phytphthra rt rt may cause weak plant grwth and develpment f small yellw leaves. Avid ver irrigatin. D nt plant in heavy, wet clay sils.

Thrips is the ther mst cmmn pest that affects kiwis in Prtland. High ppulatins f thrips at blm are thught t cause scarring injury (ladderlike appearance) n fruit Thrips are tiny, slender insects with fringed wings. They are 1/20 th f an inch lng. Neem il r Insecticidal saps can be used t rganically cntrl thrips. Fruit Thinning Kiwi fruit d nt need t be thinned. Surces- Pruning Kiwis http://www.hmerchardsciety.rg/article/22 The Hme Orchard, a University f Califrnia Agriculture & Natural Resurces Publicatin (2007) als mstly available nline at http://hmerchard.ucdavis.edu/

Prtland Fruit Tree Prject Ripening, Harvesting, & Tree Care Guide Fruit Type: PERSIMMON Dispyrs kaki Cmmn varieties include: Fuyu, Hachiya Harvesting & Ripening Persimmns shuld be picked when they have reached full clr but befre they are fully ripe. If yu want PFTP t harvest yur tree, it is a gd time t give us 2 weeks ntice when abut 33% f the fruit has reached full size and at least partial clratin. Persimmns f the Fuyu variety are squat and usually cnsist f fur lbes, running frm the stem t the base f the fruit, which divide the persimmn int quarters. Persimmns f the Hachiya variety are acrn-shaped. It is best t harvest persimmns when they are range but befre they get t sft. They will get prgressively darker in clr, sfter, and sweeter. Persimmns, if nt bruised r slashed, will stre fr awhile and will ripen n the cunter. Fuyus can be eaten when they are still firm. Hachiyas are very astringent until they have reached a squishy-sft ripeness. Pruning shears are recmmended when harvesting persimmns. Cut the stem smewhere between the fruit and the branch but make sure t leave sme f the stem with the fruit. When harvesting, be careful nt t break the stem ff f the fruit. If brken, this will act as a wund n the Persimmn and reduce the amunt f time that the fruit will last n the shelf/in strage. TREE CARE In additin t the General Fruit Tree Care tips prvided in Part II, here are sme specific tips fr Persimmn trees. Pruning Persimmns require relatively little pruning. It is apprpriate t prune them in the winter. Persimmns can be grwn in a mdified central leader r pen center training system. In general, nly the end three r fur buds n a ne-year-ld branch will bear fruit. Fr this reasn, yu shuld nly perfrm light winter pruning. Make heading cuts n sme branches t 10-25 inches frm the main branch t prevent branches frm getting t spindly and unable t hld the weight f their fruit, and t encurage renewal f mre reachable fruiting wd. Pest & Disease Management Birds are the mst cmmn pests related t persimmn trees. Starlings, and ther birds, are attracted t persimmns when they start t becme bright range and increasingly sweet. Thus, it is recmmended t pick the fruit befre it reaches full ripeness. Yu can als hang used CDs r ther shiny bjects frm yur tree t repel birds. Hwever, these may need t be mved thrughut the seasn s the birds d nt becme

accustmed t that landscape feature. Fruit Thinning Persimmns are nt ften thinned but, as with all fruit, thinning will help increase the size f the remaining fruit. Thinning the fruit t ne every six inches is a general rule. Surces: 1. The Hme Orchard, a University f Califrnia Agriculture & Natural Resurces Publicatin (2007) als mstly available nline at http://hmerchard.ucdavis.edu/ 2. Karen Tillu s class utlines fr the Fruit Tree Shrt Curse at Clackamas Cunty CC (Jan 2010) http://depts.clackamas.edu/hrt 3. Hme Orchard Sciety s Mnthly Organic Guide fr Hme Orchards and Gardens: Maintaining Balance Within Yur Hme Ecsystem by Ted Swensen

Prtland Fruit Tree Prject Ripening, Harvesting, & Tree Care Guide Fruit Type: WALNUT Juglans regia (English), Juglans Hindsii (Black) Cmmn varieties include: Hartley, Scharsch Franquette, Placentia, Chandler, Hward, Pedr, Tehama Harvesting & Ripening Walnuts have an inedible uter hull (r husk) that yu must remve prmptly after harvest s the nuts can dry prperly. The lnger the hulls remain n nuts after harvest, the mre the nut quality deterirates. After harvesting and hulling, yu have t dry the nuts prperly t reduce kernel misture. Undried r imprperly dried nuts are mre likely t develp mlds and a disagreeable flavr (rancidity), and have a shrter strage life. Walnuts are mature when the hull will cut free frm the nut. They are usually harvested nce the rains have begun t make the walnuts fall t the grund, in Octber. Nuts will rapidly decline in quality nce they have fallen - s harvest frequently. Yu can shake the limbs t make the nuts fall, but d it carefully s as nt t harm the tree. Use glves when harvesting t avid staining yur hands. TREE CARE In additin t the General Fruit Tree Care tips prvided in Part II, here are sme specific tips fr Walnut trees. Pruning The mdified central leader training system is recmmended fr Walnuts. Mderate pruning is needed every 2 t 3 years. Thin ut shts in the tps f trees t maintain prductin. Once the tree is matured, heavy pruning shuld take place every 3 t 5 years. Walnuts shuld be pruned in the winter seasn when the abve-grund prtin f the tree is drmant. Pest & Disease Management Cdling mth is ne f the tw mst cmmn pests that affect Walnuts in Prtland Cdling mths are small, ½ inch lng, mttled gray mths. When yu find a wrm in yur walnut, it is usually a cdling mth larva. Mths becme active in late April and begin mating when sunset temperatures reach 62 degrees. Eggs are depsited n fruit r nearby leaves. After the eggs hatch, larvae seek ut and bre int develping fruit. They leave brwn-clred hles in the fruit that are filled with frass (excrement.) Cdling mths are difficult t manage s cmbining a number f techniques is imprtant fr achieving psitive results. Trapping, fruit barriers (e.g. paper baggies r nyln fties,) fruit thinning, and cleaning up fallen fruit are all practices that can help t reduce cdling mth damage. Yu can make cheap, rganic traps fr yur trees by wrapping crrugated cardbard arund the trunk and large branches r by hanging plastic cntainers filled with a mixture f 1 cup cider

vinegar, 1/3 cup dark mlasses, 1/8 teaspn ammnia, and enugh water t make 1-1/2 quarts f liquid. Walnut Husk Fly is the ther mst cmmn pest that affects Walnuts in Prtland The larval r immature stage f this insect is a maggt up t 3 16 inch lng, which feeds in the husk. Larval feeding destrys the husk tissue and stains the nut and kernel. Walnut husk fly is nly cnsidered a prblem fr cmmercial rchards. Typically, hme rchardists can ignre them. Walnut Blight is the mst cmmn disease that affects Walnuts in Prtland Walnut Blight verwinters n infected buds. Frequent prlnged rains befre, during, and, after blm result in severe Blight utbreak. Three sprays f OMRI-apprved cpper during the blm perid are recmmended fr blight cntrl. Fruit Thinning - Walnuts d nt need t be thinned. Surces: 1. Harvesting and String Yur Hme Orchard s Nut Crp: Almnds, Walnuts, Chestnuts, Pecans, and Pistachis. E. Perry & G. Sibbett (1998) http://hmerchard.ucdavis.edu/8005.pdf 2. Walnut Cddling Mth IPM. University f Califrnia (2011) http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/pmg/r881300211.html 3. Walnut Husk Fly IPM. University f Califrnia (2009) http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/pmg/pestnotes/pn7430.html 4. Walnut Pest Management Guide fr the Willamette Valley (2011) http://ir.library.regnstate.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/1957/20062/em8421.pdf 5. Grwing Walnuts in Oregn. OSU Extensin Service (2006) grups.ucanr.rg/nutrientmanagement/files/81460.pdf 6. Grwing Nut Trees in Yur Backyard r Orchard. OSU Extensin Service - Judy Sctt http://extensin.regnstate.edu/gardening/nde/1050