Ron Ludekens

Ron Ludekens

Monday, 03 June 2013 11:34

Fig Wilting After Planting

Question: I planted a White Fig from your company, two weeks ago, I added commercial compost to my soil, I soak it three times a week, as our weather is very hot. My fig today is curling its leafs, what does that mean?  Patricia, Terlingua, TX.

Answer: I assume since this is June that the tree you planted was in a container (not bareroot) and the root ball fully enclosed with dirt (in other words, the dirt did not fall off and expose the roots as you planted it).  Since the fig was happy in the container at the nursery and not happy in the hole filled with compost and water, that something changed that it did not like.  Figs, for the most part, are a desert loving tree.  They do not like too much water.  Adding compost will retain moisture and soaking the tree 3 times a week is likely creating a soaked condition that is not allowing the roots the oxygen it needs. The roots are likely rotting and not taking in new moisture for the tops.

1) Stop watering immediately and let it dry down so you only feel dampness (not wet) 3" down in the hole.  2) Since I am assuming the roots are damaged, they need to recover but the top is still giving off water through photo synthesis.  I sould reduce the top to reduce the need for water until the roots recover and can support the top.  Thus I would trim back the top to only a few small branches with leaves.  That will reduce the demand for water so the tree does not dessicate itself.

Ron Ludekens

6-3-2013

Tuesday, 28 May 2013 14:19

RECOMMENDED VARIETY LISTS - EDIBLES

See Introductory Article here: Taste Is Tops

 

1)  Locate your Sunset Climate Zone by Region here:

SUNSET CLIMATE ZONES MAPS

 

2) Click on Zone Number in Left Column for PDF of Recommended Variety List

 

SUNSET

 

ZONE

ZONE DESCRIPTION

REPRESENTATIVE CITIES

A1

Alaska's Interiors:

No List Created - Can anything survive there?

A2

Anchorage & Cooke Inlet:

No List Created Yet - but there is hope of a very short list
A3

Alaska's Maritime Climate:

Panhandle including Juneau, Kodiak, Seward, Haines

1A & 1B

Coldest Zones East and West of Rockies:

Bend, Redmond, Ketchum, Aspen, Durango, Billings, Truckee, Susanville, Alturas

2A

Cold Mountain & Intermountain Regions:

Idaho Falls, Sandpoint, Missoula

2B

Warmer Summer Intermountain Climate:

Spokane, WA; Coeur d'Alene & Twin Falls, ID; Flagstaff, AZ; Denver, Pueblo, CO; Gallup &Taos

3A

Mild Mountain & Intermountain Climates:

Snake River Valley, Salt Lake City & Ogden, UT, Prescott & Winslow, AZ, Farmington, Clayton, NM

3B

Mildest Mountian & Intermountain Climates:

Tri - Cities, WA; Silver City, NM

4

Cold Maritime Areas Along the North Coast:

Vancouver & Victoria, BC, Bellingham, Chehalos & Puyallup WA

5

Northwest Coast and Puget Sound:

Seattle, Redmond, Bremerton, Port Angeles, Astoria, Newport, Coos Bay, Bandon

6

Willamette and Lower Columbia River Valleys:

Portland, Salem, Eugene, Roseburg, Vancouver, WA.

7

Oregon's Rogue River Valley & California Grey Pine Belt:

Coast Range - Atascadero, Paso Robles; Foothills - Angels Camp, Grass Valley; Grants Pass, Medford

8

Cold Air Basins of California Central Valleys:

San Joaquin & Sacramento Valleys

9

Thermal Belt of Calififornia Central Valleys:

San Joaquin & Sacramento Valleys

10

High Desert Areas of Arizona, California, New Mexico, Nevada & W. Texas:

Kingman, Albuquerque, Las Cruces, Carlsbad, Lubbock, Odessa

11

California-Southern Nevada Medium to High Desert:

Palmdale, Lancaster, Mojave, Barstow, Yucca Valley, Victorville, Las Vegas

12

Arizona Intermediate Desert:

Tucson, Casa Grande, Wickenburg

13

Low or Subtropical Desert Areas:

Imperial Valley, Palm Springs, El Centro, Blythe, Yuma & Phoenix

14

Northern California's Inland Areas with Some Ocean Influence:

Concord, Dublin, Napa, Sacramento, Stockton, Modesto, Ukiah, Gilroy, Hollister, Santa Ynez

15

Chilly Winter Along CA Coast Range:

Petaluma, Salinas-Watsonville- Santa Cruz, Santa Maria, Lompoc

16

Central & Northern Calif Coast Thermal Belts:

Carmel Valley, Cupertino, Saratoga, San Luis Obispo

17

Southern Oregon & No. Calif. Coastal Strip:

San Francisco Peninsula, Oakland, Monterey, Santa Cruz, Cambria, Brookings

18

Southern California Interior Valley Cold Zone:

Simi Valley, Van Nuys, Chino, Ontario, Redlands, San Bernardino, Temecula

19

Thermal Belts around So. Calif. Interior Valleys:

San Fernando, Chatsworth, Pomona, Valley Center, Alpine

20

Cold Spots of So. California Occasional Ocean Influence:

San Gabriel Valley, Ojai, Burbank, Glendale, Escondido, Ramona

21

Thermal Belts of So. California Occasional Ocean Influence:

Pasadena, Fillmore, Moorpark, Thousand Oaks, Covina, Azusa

22

Cold Zones Along Southern California Coast:

Irvine, Los Angeles, Lakewood, Santa Paula, El Cajon

23

Thermal Belts of Southern California Coastal:

Camarillo, Hollywood, Whittier, Mission Viejo,Fallbrook, Vista, La Mesa

24

Southern California Coastal Strip:

Coastal Areas of San Diego, Los Angeles, Orange County, Oxnard, Ventura

25

South Florida and the Keys:

Coming Later - We got lost in the swamps!

26

Central and Interior Florida:

Coming Later - Figuered we needed to visit and research at Epcot Center first!

27

The Lower Rio Grande Valley:

Brownsville, McAllen, TX

28

Gulf Coast, Atlantic Coast:

Corpus Christi, Houston, New Orleans, Mobile, Tallahassee, Charleston

29

Interior Plains of Southern Texas & Rio Grande Valley:

San Antonio (part), Laredo, Uvalde

30

Hill Country of Central Texas:

Austin, San Antonio (part), Marble Falls

31

Interior Plains of Gulf Coast & Coastal S.E. States:

Bryan, TX; Nacogdoches; Shreveport; Meridian; Montgomery; Wilmington.

32

Interior plains of Mid-Atlantic States:

Chesapeake Bay, SW Pennsylvania, Southern New Jersey, Atlanta, Raleigh, Richmond, Baltimore, Philadelphia

33

North Texas, So. Oklahoma, N. Alabama & Central Tennessee:

Dallas, TX; Abilene, TX; San Angelo, TX; Tyler, TX; Tulsa, OK; Nashville, TN

34

Lowlands and Coast from Gettysburg to North of Boston:

Reading, New York City, Long Island, New Haven, Providence, Boston

35

Arkansas, Southern & Central Kansas, Missouri, Northern Oklahoma, North-Central Kentucky, Southern Ohio:

St. Louis, Indianapolis, Louisville, Wichita, Springfield

36

Appalachian Mountains:

Asheville, Charleston, Cumberland, Roanoke, Waynesboro

37

Hudson Valley and Applachian Plateau:

Albany, Poughkeepsie, Wilkes-Barre

38

Western MA, VT, NH, Southern Maine into New Brunswick:

Bangor, Portland, ME; Manchester, NH; Springfield, MA

39

Shoreline Regions of the Great Lakes (Lake Influence):

Detroit, Cleveland, Buffalo, Rochester, Toronto Ont, Hamilton Ont.

40

Inland Plains of Lake Erie & Lake Ontario:

Great Lakes, Youngstown, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, London Ont., Brantford Ont.

41

SE Nebraska, NE Kansas to Northern Illinois and Indiana, SE Wisconsin, Michigan, Northern Ohio

42

Mountains of Interior Pennsylvania, New York and St. Lawrence Valley:

Altoona, Ithaca

43

Upper Mississippi Valley, Upper Michigan Southern Ontario and Quebec:

Not Done Yet - Will be a very short list

44

Mountains of New England and Southeastern Quebec:

Not done yet - Looking for Moose Proof Trees - If any found, will be really short list

45

Northen Minnesota, Northwestern Wisconsin, Eastern Manitoba, Northern & Central Ontario & Quebec

Not Even Trying to Make a List - You guys are too tough for us

H1

Hawaii's Cooler Volcanic Slopes:

2,000 to 5,000 feet; Kula, Kamuela

H2

Hawaii's Coconut Palm Belt:

Sea level to 2,000 feet: Honolulu, Lihue, Lahaina, Hilo, Kailua-Kona

   
   

 

 

 
Wednesday, 10 April 2013 14:52

Purple Robe & Frisia Gold Locusts

 

Purple Robe Locust - Robinia pseudoacacia 'Purple Robe'

Purple Robe Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia 'Purple Robe')

Saturday evening as I was taking my beautiful Bride to dinner, we drove by this stunning tree just a block away from our home.  Now I've photographed this tree in prior years - actually several times as it keeps growing up.  What was special about Saturday was the spectacular lighting (remember I am a photographer and lighting is king!).  The early evening sun was spotlighting it perfectly and it was stunning against a prefectly blue sky!  Now I usually have my camera with me as I go to work or travel around on sales trips and vacations but I normally don't drag it with me as I treat my hard working wife to dinner.  So I commented to Barbara that I need to come back tomorrow to capture that shot.

Well I forgot on Sunday as I had a major project I was working on for church.  Shame too since I could have timed the afternoon light perfectly.  Monday morning as I drove by the tree (lit from the wrong side by the morning sun), I reminded myself to get off early from work and take the shot. Well Monday turned cloudy, rainy (well "spit" at us is more accurate) and very windy.  So the shot you see above was the best I could accomplish in between wind gusts before retreating inside to protect the camera from water.

Robinia pseudoacacia 'Pruple Robe'

Purple Robe Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia 'Purple Robe')

Yesterday (Tuesday) I tried again but couldn't get away early enough before lengthening shadows from neighboring trees covered the bottom part of the Purple Robe Locust.  Between heavy winds, rain and progress of time, the blooms are no longer as stunning as last Saturday.  So guess I wait again for next year to nab that stunning shot I saw Saturday (and start carrying my camera to dinners?).

 

Purple Robe Locust is the most popular of the Robinia that we sell - simply because of this delightful spring showcase of blooms.  In the right places, with room to grow, it can be a desireable tree.  You can see more photos here: Purple Robe Locust

 

Next most popular in terms of our sales volume is the Frisia Gold Locust noted primarily for its yellow leaves (new growth nearly orange).  It has white flowers in the spring/early summer but not to the abundance like you see on the Purple Robe.  The flowers are nice but not its key selling feature. Since they were blooming too, I went out to the orchard to capture a few images.  These photos are from the heavily pruned (butchered) budwood orchard trees so all you get are closeups of foliage and blooms (and limb stubs):

Frisia Gold Locust Bloom

Frisia Gold Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia 'Frisia') blooms

I do not have any local landscape shots of this tree since most yellow foliage trees in Central California are not popular (they don't stand out from the golden/brown environment of our "Golden State's" dry summers). They shine in the greener parts of the country where the yellow foliage contrasts so nicely.  So I took some photos (with permission) at the wonderful J.F. Schmidt Arboretum next to their nursery in Oregon.

Frisia Gold Locust in the landscape

Frisia Gold Locust in the landscape

You can see more Frisia Gold Locust photos here: Robinia pseudoacacia 'Frisia'

We also carry the Idaho Locust (Robinia x ambigua 'Idahoensis') which sells mostly into Idaho and Utah (I think I need to call one "California Locust" to see if the name helps it sell in a more populus state but that name sounds like a new invasive pestSmile).

Lastly we sell some Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) which is the rootstock for our other trees.  It is a "trash tree" in my opinion and its detractions prevent me from ever recommending it for a yard or landscape.  But there seems to be some call for this seedling for environmental remediation work in tough climate areas.

Weather warmed up quicly this year so spring is rapidly advancing.  Hope you are enjoying your spring as much as we are.

Ron Ludekens 4-10-2013

Tuesday, 02 April 2013 15:56

Taste is Tops - Recommended Variety Lists

This post might get me in trouble.  I might offend those tasteless people with poor tasters underdeveloped uninitiated taste buds.

A story from my past:  For 16 years, before I returned to the family business, I worked at Westinghouse Electric Corporation in various engineering and management positions.  On several occasions, I had the duty privilege of visiting corporate headquarters in Pittsburgh, PA (beautiful city except most of my trips were in freezing or sweltering times of the year).  One lovely August week, when there should have been a law forbidding suits and ties, I was invited along with some other stuffed shirts to an elegant dinner at one of the finer restaurants in town.  The corporate hosts repeatedly bragged about this dining establishment hosting the finest fresh fruit bar in all of the region.  As a country boy, I looked forward to it.

Yuck!  No flavor, no sugar, tasted little better than soggy cardboard in my opinion. Yet the locals raved over the quality of the fruit.  I figured that the fruit came from California or Georgia by rail car (yes it was that long ago), picked weeks before it was ripe to survive the rigors of transit.  Surely I did not want to find out what the "normal" fruit tasted like in their other restaurants. I had my eyes opend that day and marveled at how much enjoyment people were missing without truly delicious, tree ripened fruit.  And they did not know better.

Fast forward to re-joining the family business at the nursery and our 72 acres of budwood orchards.  Next to the office on this shared 20 acre parcel, we have the research orchard with one of nearly every fruit tree in production or in evaluation.  All summer we get to taste and evaluate the varieties so we (office, sales staff and visiting customers) can select and recommend the best tasting fruit.  Tough job, but someone has to do itSmile!

Now, I also know there are differences in what people like even with tree ripened fruit.  I lean toward the sweeter side of fruit - but a watery-sugery peach without flavor doesn't pass muster with me.  My father leans toward the tarter side.  He wants strong flavor with a little kick to it. (He'll test taste persimmons to see how astringent it might be and I won't even risk finding out).  So I know my first choice may not be his.  But we all usually agree on what varieties should not be put on a recommended variety list.

Recommended Variety Lists

Years ago, some of us created recommended variety lists to help us as salesmen and our customers select the appropriate trees for their marketing regions.  Otherwise all the selections in the catalog can get overwhelming.  After all, the best tasting of a variety does you no good if it won't fruit in your neighborhood.  Over time, we had too many fine tuned regional or citywide lists and still did not cover most of the country.  So we decided it was time to try to make easier sense of it which took a lot if time.

Fruit trees cannot go by the USDA Cold Hardiness Zones.  That only tells you where extremes of the cold will kill a tree.  It does not address rainfall, summer heat and humidity, late frosts, length of season, chill  hours, drought, etc.  The closest thing we found that tries to address the all year round climate is the Sunset Climate Zones.  We agree that it is far from perfect, but it is the best that is availabile at this time.  So we set about over the last few years to create recommended variety lists for most of these climate zones.  Now, every year management and sales staff review the recommended variety lists and update with newer selections as appropriate and remove those that slipped further down the preferred list.  I hope you will take a look at them and use them in your marketing plan.

 

1) Find your Sunset Climate Zone (by Zip Code): Sunset Climate Zones 

 

2) Look up the Recommended Variety List for your area from this page:  Recommended Variety Lists by Sunset Zones

 

Disclaimer:  We do not live in every climate zone and in many places have made our recommendations based upon our understanding of the climate, anectdotal evidence of similar varieties and feed back from customers and passionate fruit hobbyists (thank you!).  So if you have concrete evidence of why something should or should not be on your list, we welcome feedback (email comments to sales (at) lecooke.com).  This is always a work in progress with constant fine tuning.  On the other hand, if something grows well in your area but in our opinion tastes less than stellar, we may not add it to the list.  After all, we can be opinionated (ask my wife) and your taste buds must be broken....Wink See - I knew I'd get in trouble.

 

Happy fruit tasting!

Ron Ludekens 05/30/2013

 

Tuesday, 26 March 2013 17:46

Shogetsu Flowering Cherry

Shogetsu Flowering Cherry - Prunus serrulata Shogetsu

Shogetsu Flowering Cherry

Maybe I should title this the "Tale of Two Flowering Cherries".  One is very popular and the other is hardly known.  And the one that is hardly known is, in my opinion, the tree I would plant first.  So I intend, through this blog post, to shed more light on it.

 

Prunus serrulata 'Shogetsu' is rarely purchased from us to the point that I really should stop growing it (which I don't want to do).  And the Mt. Fuji (Prunus serrulata 'Shirotae') is quite popular with large numbers being grown.  Both have strong similarities to each other and both are beautiful trees.

 

Comparison
Shogetsu Mt. Fuji - Shirotae
Large, semi-double to very double, pale pink flowers, often with white centers.
Double white, fragrant flowers, ageing to purplish pink.
Flowers hanging in clusters Flowers hanging in clusters
Structure is spreading with arching branches Horizontal habit
Height 15 ft., Spread 18 ft. Height 15-20 ft., Spread 20-25 ft.

 

Now this is personal preference, totally subjective and unscientific, but I like the pink blooms of the Shogetsu that turn to white as it ages as opposed to something that is nearly all white.  Granted, if you want a white flowering cherry, the Mt. Fuji - Shirotae is considered one of the best and there is nothing wrong with it.  It too is stunning in the spring season.  Another consideration is the Shogetsu is a slightly smaller growing tree for the dwindling sized yards.

So here are some comparison photos:

Shogetsu bud stage

Shogetsu - bud stage

 

Mt Fuji - Shirotae bud stage

Mt. Fuji - Shirotae buds and open blooms

 

Shogetsu open blooms

Shogetsu Open Blooms

 

Mt. Fuji - Shirotae Full Open

Mt. Fuji - Shirotae - Full Open Blooms

 

Shogetsu Open Blooms

Shogetsu - Full Open Blooms - Past Peak Bloom & starting to age

More photos can be seen here:  Shogetsu and Mt. Fuji Shirotae

I have shared my opinion - what are your thoughts?

Ron Ludekens 3-27-2013

 

 

 

 

 

Monday, 25 March 2013 03:00

2014CatCover-Answers

2013-2014 Catalog Cover Quiz Answer Sheet

Hope you enjoyed the challenge. Besides just the answer, more information is available. Click on each answer to jump to an individual page for that variety. Click in the second column to jump to information pages for the category. The third column has blog posts related to the flowering category and what we like about each one. This might give you some ideas for recommending and selling some of these trees.

Individual Variety

Information Pages

Individual Blog Posts

1

Matsubara Flowering Apricot

Flowering Apricots

2

Okame Flowering Cherry

Flowering Cherries

3

Floribunda Flowering Crabapple

Flowering Crabapples

4

Brandywine® Flowering Crabapple

Flowering Crabapples

Link to More Photos

5

Peggy Clarke Flowering Apricot

Flowering Apricots

Flowering Apricots for Burbank

6

Snow Fountains® Flowering Cherry

Flowering Cherries

Snow Fountains Revisited

7

Variegated (Peppermint) Flowering Peach

Flowering Peaches

8

Red Baron Peach (Fruiting and Flowering)

Flowering Peaches

Springtime in the Dark

9

Shogetsu Flowering Cherry

Flowering Cherries

Shogetsu Flowering Cherry

10

Taiwan Flowering Cherry

Flowering Cherries

11

Blireiana Flowering Plum

Flowering Plums

12

White Icicle Flowering Peach

Flowering Peaches

Wednesday, 20 March 2013 03:00

Snow Fountains Revisited

About this time last year I posted a blog about the Snow Fountains® Flowering Cherries that I have growing in my yard.  Well guess what - they are blooming again - and again I love them.  This year they were looking really stunning and last night a storm was blowing in.  So in the near dark, twilight I shot these photos before the rain and wind messed with my flowers:

 

Snow Flowers Flowering Cherries Before the Storm

Snow Fountains® Flowering Cherries - Before the Storm

One on left is budded at the ground and weeping all the way up the trunk.  One in center is top grafted.  Magenta blooms in the background are from Oklahoma Redbud.

 

Snow Fountains Budded at Top

6' Snow Fountains Budded at the Top

 

Snow Fountains Flowering Cherry Budded at the Gound

Snow Fountains® Flowering Cherry Budded at the Ground - Weeping All The Way Up.

I really like this form and think it is under-used in our industry.

 

30 Inch Snow Fountains Flowering Cherry

I really like the 30" sized Snow Fountains® Flowering Cherry as an accent tree.

 

There are more photos here: www.CreatorsPalette.com

Point of Sale information pages here: Flowering Cherries

Other Blogs here:  Fall ColorHarvest Photos of 3 Year Dormant Trees Showing Shape, Earliest Blog,  Last Spring's Blog

Enjoy your Spring - I know I am!    Ron Ludekens 3-20-13

Friday, 18 January 2013 17:40

Apple Stamps


Apple-Stamps

We are pleased to see the US Postal Service give some recognition to four outstanding old-time favorite apples.  We still grow the Northern Spy, Granny Smith and Golden Delicious because they are still winners in our book.

Here is the introduction text from the USPS website (www.USPS.com/stamps):

With these Apples stamps, the U.S. Postal Service proves that apples are not only good—and good for you—but they're also delightful, cheery stamp subjects, just right for postcards!
Some of America's favorite varieties of this popular fruit are shown in these four stamps, each depicting a different kind: the bright-red Baldwin, the green Granny Smith, the yellow Golden Delicious, and the multi-colored Northern Spy.

The juicy and aromatic Baldwin apple is thought to be native to Massachusetts. These winter apples are delicious when eaten in season—fresh, cooked, or in baked goods—and are prized by makers of cider.

“Spies are for pies!” The homey little rhyme offers a reminder that generations of cooks have found the Northern Spy apple delicious when baked in desserts. This variety is also good for cider and juice. Scientists believe this apple, loaded with vitamin C and anti-oxidants, may be one of the best at keeping the doctor away.

The Golden Delicious apple, named for its yellow-gold skin and sweet flavor, was declared the official state fruit of West Virginia in 1995. This excellent all-round apple is especially delicious when it comes ripe from the tree. When cooked, it makes a purée good for use in baby foods. This apple is said to make the best apple butter!

This tart, green Granny Smith apple is one of the world's most well known varieties. Its pleasingly sour flavor and crisp texture makes this juicy apple good for cooking or eating fresh. After it is cut, it keeps its color longer than other varieties, making it an especially good choice for salads.
Designed by art director Derry Noyes, Apples features the work of John Burgoyne. The stamp art was illustrated with pen and ink and watercolor, with some additional detail added on the computer.

These stamps are issued at the postcard rate.
Made in the USA.
Issue Date: January 17, 2013
Tuesday, 15 January 2013 02:00

Kaki vs Lotus Rootstock for Fuyu Persimmon

 

What is the right rootstock for Fuyu Persimmon? If you do an internet search, often the #1 report found is one from a research project done in the 1930's and found in the California Avocado association 1940 Yearbook 25: 43-44. You can read it yourself or let me summarize it: According to the report, Fuyu should not be grown on Diospyros lotus and should be grown on Diospyros kaki.

This summary is repeated all across the Internet by academics and advisers alike - usually referring to that report.  We often bump against that conclusion since we grow 90+% on D. lotus and prospective buyers question that.

So why does L.E. Cooke Co, Orange County Nursery and Dave Wilson Nursery among many others mostly grow persimmons on Diospyros lotus and not D. kaki? Are we all wrong?

Answer: Because the #1 Fuyu persimmon grown commercially in the United States is Fuyu-Jiro and the #2 is Fuyu-Imoto.  These are both not the "true" Fuyu as used in the report.  I, personally, do not have any experience with the "true" Fuyu and want to get some to trial in the nursery.  And yes, if we got some, we would trial it on both rootstocks.  But we, and the others nurseries growing the Fuyu-Jiro, have vast experience with Fuyu-Jiro grown on Lotus rootstock.  Lotus is a far superior rootstock than D. kaki.

We (L.E. Cooke Co) have many trees growing in our budwood orchards right here in Visalia that were planted in 1966 and grown on D. Lotus.  As of this writing, that is 46 years!  We can walk from the office to the orchard and show them to anyone who wants proof (and photos below). They are thriving and still providing both great fruit and the cutting wood we need for thousands of trees to be reproduced for the farmers and homeowners across the U.S. and world.  We also have some that were grown on D. kaki, and although they are doing well, it is obvious that the rootstock is restrictive as seen by the reduced size of the root compared to the top. In one row, we have some varieties planted on both rootstocks - alternating from one to the next, side by side.  Here are some examples from that row:

20130112-_DSD1880-smaller

Fuyu-Jiro on D. lotus rootstock planted 2-1-1966

 

20130112-_DSD1922-smaller

Fuyu-Jiro Planted on D. kaki in February 1989 - notice more restriction in the rootstock.

 

20130112-_DSD1929-smaller

Fuyu-Jiro planted on D. lotus February 1989 - more vigorous root.

 

In the production nursery, we can grow persimmon trees on D. lotus in both a 2 year and 3 year field and get good sized trees for sales.  We cannot grow on D. kaki in a 2 year field as they will never get to a sellable size.  We must grow in a 3 year field only.

Remember, in this rebuttal, we are talking about Fuyu-Jiro and Fuyu-Imoto (and Chocolate, Giant Fuyu(Gosho), Hachiya and others) growing successfully on D. lotus.  We are not talking about "true" Fuyu which we have no experience with.  There are varieties we grow which will do better on D. kaki and so we grow those on D. kaki (Izu, Matsumoto Wase Fuyu and a couple of other not currently in our catalog).

We are also just beginning to use D. virginiana (American Persimmon) as a rootstock for American Persimmon selections and may experiment with some Asian persimmons on that to see how they do.

Ron Ludekens 1-15-2013

 

Thursday, 06 December 2012 02:00

Snow Fountains Fall Color

 

20121202-_DSC9517-smaller

Snow Fountains® Flowering Cherry Fall Color

Autumn is one of my favorite times of the year.  I am sure it is for you too.  As a photographer, I enjoy seeking out the bold colors of the season and often don't have to go far to find them.  This photo taken last week is what my wife and I get to see right outside our kitchen window.  I decided to snap this photo just as the rains began - knowing that the storm would finish knocking down the leaves and ending the show.

We have 3 Snow Fountains® Flowering Cherries in our yard.  So I guess you can say I like them.  The one out front is a 30" specimen that looks great among the landscape boulders.  The one in this photo is a top grafted selection which is more common in the trade.  I found our new dog loves lying under the shade it creates during the hot summer days.  The other one in our side yard is a low budded selection that was rasied up to 6 feet with weeping branches the whole height.  It is spectacular and one that more people need to plant in their yards.

If you want to see the stunning white spring blooms, take a look at my earlier blog: http://www.lecooke.com/cms/component/content/article/43-flowering-trees/366-snow-fountains-flowering-cherry.html

Additional gallery of photos can be seen here: http://www.creatorspalette.com/FloweringFruitTrees/Flowering-Cherries/Snow-Fountains-Weeping/

Since the leaves are falling, it means bareroot harvest is upon us.  Won't be long before we are shipping trees to our customers.

Ron Ludekens 12-6-2012

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