Grapefruit

“How it got the name grapefruit is something of a mystery. Some believe it’s because the large, round fruit hangs on the tree in clusters, like grapes. On the other hand, the size and shape of the fruit strongly resembles grapeshot, or cannonballs. Grapeshot was stacked on the decks of tall wooden sailing ships of the 18th century in clusters, again, like grapes.”  Excerpted from

Read more

Figs

“Soft, juicy, and sweet as honey, fresh figs get top-ratings from most people lucky enough to have tried them. If dried figs are the only figs you’ve ever eaten you’ve got to try some fresh figs. Fresh figs are to dried figs as table grapes are to raisins. Both are good but they are so different in texture and flavor that it’s hard to imagine

Read more

Grapes

“The European grape, Vitis vinifera, the wine grape of  history, legend, romance, and religion has been entwined with human culture for untold millennia. Recent discoveries show we’ve been making wine from this grape for 7,400 years, since the Neolithic period.” Excerpted from “What’s Wrong With My Fruit Garden?” by David Deardorff and Kathryn Wadsworth. Timber Press, December, 2013. Click here to pre-order your copy of

Read more

Currants and Gooseberries

“The berries of currants are small, but potent. They have four times the vitamin C as oranges and black currant has twice as much antioxidants as blueberries. Currant berries are borne in long dangling clusters of gem-like little berries.” Excerpted from “What’s Wrong With My Fruit Garden?” by David Deardorff and Kathryn Wadsworth. Timber Press, December, 2013. Click here to pre-order your copy of the

Read more

Bananas and Plantains

“Bananas and plantains are large-leaved, tropical, evergreen plants grown in the humid tropics and subtropics throughout the world. Banana fruits which are starchy and need to be cooked before eating are called plantains, those that are sweet and eaten fresh are called bananas. Delicious and extremely popular, bananas are the fourth largest fruit crop in the world after tomatoes, grapes, and oranges.” Excerpted from “What’s

Read more

Chestnuts

“Chinese chestnut, Castanea mollissima, is the best, most disease resistant chestnut for home gardens. Japanese, C. crenata, and European, C. sativa, chestnuts can sometimes be grown in the west where chestnut blight is less problematic and where winter temperatures are more mild. But east of the Rockies the Chinese chestnut is the best choice.” Excerpted from “What’s Wrong With My Fruit Garden?” by David Deardorff

Read more

Avocado

“A large, tropical, evergreen tree to 60 feet tall the avocado hails originally from south central Mexico. In cultivation for centuries by the peoples of the new world from Peru to the Rio Grande, the avocado is highly prized today for its savory, not sweet, fruit which, like olives, contains valuable oil. A heart-healthy addition to your diet, avocado contains cholesterol-lowering monounsaturated fatty acids and

Read more

Apricots

“Apricots have been cultivated for at least 3,000 years in India, probably longer in China where it is thought to have originated. It’s been grown from antiquity in the middle east and was originally thought to have come from Armenia, thus the name Prunus armeniaca.” Excerpted from “What’s Wrong With My Fruit Garden?” by David Deardorff and Kathryn Wadsworth. Timber Press, December, 2013. Click here

Read more

Japanese Plums

“The largest plum fruits are Japanese plums. Sweet-tart and very juicy, they generally are eaten fresh rather than dried. Japanese plums flower in very early spring and can be damaged by late frosts. These trees also grow to 15 feet tall but are more wide spreading than European plums.” Excerpted from “What’s Wrong With My Fruit Garden?” by David Deardorff and Kathryn Wadsworth. Timber Press,

Read more

Kiwis

The delicious kiwis are: “large, woody, twining vines to 30 feet tall that are dioecious, that is, vines are either male or female. Male vines only have male flowers that produce pollen but bear no fruits. Female vines only have female flowers that produce fruits but produce no pollen. You must have a female vine in order to get any fruit, and you must have

Read more