5 Fruit Trees That Practically Grow Themselves in Tennessee
If you want fruit without having to babysit a tree all year‚ plant a Brown Turkey fig‚ a pawpaw‚ a fruiting peach‚ an Asian pear, or an American persimmon․ These all tolerate the clay soil and the moisture extremes of Tennessee‚ are seldom sprayed‚ and will produce a crop after two to four years․
In short‚ Tennessee is in USDA growing zone 6b to 7b‚ ideal for fruit tree growing․ It's just cold enough to ensure trees get the chill hours to go dormant‚ but not so cold that the trees freeze and thaw themselves to death like they often do in many northern orchards․ Almost anything does․ It's that finding ones that will fruit reliably and not need constant spraying‚ pruning‚ and pest management that's the trick․ Here's what actually works․
Fruiting Peach Trees
Forget ornamental peaches that flower but do not fruit․ Fruit-producing peach trees like Elberta and Redhaven provide a glorious show of spring flowers and peaches harvestable in late July and August․
Peaches need about 750 hours of chill-time (hours below 45 degrees Fahrenheit) to break dormancy․ This is easily satisfied over most of Middle and East Tennessee․ Peaches grow best in full sun in well-drained soil․ Waterlogged roots cause more death in young peach trees than cold‚ disease‚ or other issues․ Trees should be spaced at least 15 feet (4․6 m) apart․ In your third year‚ you'll be able to harvest․
The one insect pest to watch for on the peach tree is the peach tree borer‚ which burrows into the trunk at the soil line․ One annual inspection in late summer and some trunk protection will prevent problems․ And speaking of easier fruit trees to grow‚ peaches are refreshingly low-fuss for the payoff they give you - one mature tree can produce over 100 pounds․
Brown Turkey Fig Tree
Figs are probably the single easiest fruit tree you can grow in the Southeast‚ and Brown Turkey is the most cold-hardy to grow in Tennessee․ Figs are self-pollinating ‚ so you only need to plant one tree․ Figs fruit on both old and new wood; if the tree is hard-frozen back part of the way‚ fruit will still be produced on the current year's growth․
Brown Turkey figs typically grow to between 15 and 25 feet (4․6 and 7․6 m) in height in the ground if left to sprawl or in a fig-friendly microclimate in a large container: a technique often used by Tennessee growers to protect the roots in colder pockets of the state․ The small breba crop is grown in early summer․ The main crop is borne from late August to early October․ In most years two crops are produced on one tree․
Figs do best in full sun and require minimal water (1 inch per week once established)․ Figs' aggressive shallow roots should avoid septic lines and foundation‚ but this means they will adapt well to otherwise ordinary soil․ TN Nursery sells Brown Turkey fig trees as a small‚ hardy plant that you can get rooted successfully in the ground or a half-barrel container‚ which is honestly how a lot of our customers in the colder counties grow them․
Pawpaw Tree
Despite being the largest native fruit in North America‚ the pawpaw is the only tree in this list that actually likes shade‚ at least when young․ In the wild‚ it is often an understory plant found in creek bottoms all over Tennessee․ So if you have a partially shaded spot on your property where nothing else does well‚ this is your tree․
The taste is a cross between that of a banana and a mango; the custardy flesh doesn't travel well or last very long․ That's why it's worth growing your own‚ because you're not going to find pawpaws in any store․ If a tree needs cross-pollination to produce fruit‚ ensure that at least two varieties are planted within 30 feet (10 m) of each other․
While it takes five to seven years for pawpaws to reach full productivity‚ pawpaws resist pests and are well-adapted for agricultural purposes․ Deer avoid pawpaws due to their chemical makeup․ The deer will not eat the leaves or bark of these trees․ They probably make the wait worthwhile if there is a lot of deer pressure․
Asian Pear
Asian pears are one of the most underutilized fruits in the South, where I garden․ They are arguably easier than European pears as they are less susceptible to fire blight‚ the bacterial disease that can totally destroy European pears in the South's humid conditions․
Hosui or Shinseiki cultivars produce crisp‚ juicy‚ apple-like pears by the third or fourth year․ These trees can reach a mature height of 12 to 15 feet (4 to 5 m) or so‚ good for compact backyards‚ if two compatible pollinators are planted nearby․ Some varieties are even partly self-fertile․
These require the same care as most fruit trees: full sun and good drainage․ However‚ summer humidity is less of a disease threat than for European pears․ For larger‚ tastier fruit‚ at the end of the spring bloom season‚ thin the clusters to one or two pears each․
American Persimmon
For the lowest-care tree on this list‚ look no further than the American persimmon․ This native tree grows wild in every part of Tennessee‚ in fence rows and around the edges of forests․ What can be less demanding than that?
American persimmon fruit is often smaller and much sweeter at maturity than Asian persimmons commonly found in markets today․ It is inedible until the pulp is completely soft; picked too early‚ it is so astringent it will make your mouth pucker․ Persimmons are mostly dioecious‚ producing edible fruit only on female trees․ Most grafted varieties are self-fertile․
They do well in poor soils‚ tolerate drought well‚ and are somewhat tolerant of periodic flooding․ They have no serious pests and disease problems․ Trees begin to bear fruit after four to six years‚ and the fruit ripens in the fall months (often into November)‚ when almost all other fruit trees are dormant․
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