Dave Wilson Nursery/ Zaiger all new lineup

[JCorte]

Dave Wilson Nursery has an all new lineup of patented varieties of fruit trees on their website

https://www.davewilson.com/growers/products/fruit-trees/

I’m assuming these are new Zaiger introductions.  Has anyone tasted any of these new varieties or have any additional information on them?  For those not familiar, Floyd Zaiger is the breeder of some of the best stone fruits available,  including the pluot, and Dave Wilson Nursery is the main supplier of Zaiger’s trees. 

Janet

[spaugh]

Only stuff that will flower reliably here(my house) require 300hrs or less chill hours.  I clicked a few of those in the link and they are all 600+ hrs

[slopat]

Good stuff indeed.

After seeing photos of Brad's cherry trees, I ordered a Royal Crimson to replace/approach graft onto my 10+ year old Stella that's produced about 3 cherries each of the past few years!  Tons of bloom and bees, sad.

Also looking forward to the Spice Zee Nectaplum!

Wondering if i lack chill hours? Family in the valley , sacto, fresno, and bakersfield have great pluots, cherries, and other zaiger fruits so does cold and heat make the difference? ( not suitable for humans[me] weather! )

Now that I say that, it's freaking cold, relatively,  going at or below 45'F the past couple of nights for a few hours... leaves are finally starting to fall.

Article in Modesto Bee last year about Mr Zaiger:
https://www.modbee.com/news/business/agriculture/article243589442.html

[spaugh]

You can lop your entire cherry tree off and put in couple of bark grafts.  The stone fruits are amazingly easy to graft.  You have to really try to make them fail.  Just be sure to support the graft for the first year because it can put 4 or 5 feet of growth on before the grafts are healed. 

I top worked a non performing cherry tree also with those ones that produce like minnie royal and royal lee. 

Spicy Z is kind of a dud IMO.  The fruit is decent but the skin gets russeting here.  Most people I know have the skin russeting.  Only person I know who claims to have clean nectarines sprays his trees.  I dont have time or desire to spray my trees. 

The central valley has way more chill hours than the coast.  Thats why they get good fruit set on the higher chill types.  You would have to check your chill hours there Pat but I can tell you with certainty that anything rated above 250hrs doesnt fruit that well here. 

[JCorte]

Most are high chill, but there are a few low chill.  Also they might not have enough data for some yet.  I grow some trees originally thought to need over 600.

These look promising:

Coral champagne cherry same chill hours as Royal Lee described as very sweet similar to Bing
Honey spring nectarine 250 hours described as exceptional flavor
Honey May nectarine 200 hours
Honey Lite nectarine 350-400 hours

Haven’t looked through everything.

Janet

[JCorte]

Maybe your trees need more maturity if not fruiting and it’s a low chill variety.  Also the rootstock is an important factor in the health and vigor of the trees.  For example Citation rootstock is terrible in my yard and trees will be stunted.

Arctic Star, Double Delight, Maria’s Gold nectarines all grow clean for me.  I don’t spray with anything.  Spice Zee is clean if it’s dry when in bloom, mine will get russeting from thrips if the blooms don’t dry and fall off.  If I hand remove them the fruit are not blemished.

Goldkist apricot, Flavor King pluot, Flavor Grenade, Burgundy, and Santa Rosa plums are effortless to grow for me, no bugs or disease issues.   Flavor Grenade is a favorite, highly recommended.

Janet

[JCorte]

Slopat, just saw that your Stella is 10 years old so not a maturity issue, did you grow it with another variety for cross pollination?  Maybe having multiple varieties so bloom times overlap might help.

Janet

[spaugh]

Its only nectarines that get russeting.  Its unfortunate because i really like them but they just always get some skin damage.  It has to do with the humidity or rain during blooms i guess.  Or thrips like you said.  I never did see the bugs but thats what all the internet sources say it is. 

The nursery in poway sells the dave wilson stuff.  Im friends with the manager there and can get scions off their new stuff if they have any.  Ill definitely give any low chill ones a shot.  Its so easy to change variety on the stone fruits if they are duds.  They probably already have their list of what they will stock on their website.  Its the walter andersens nursery.  They get the bare roots around new year.

The best pluot i have tried was flavor king but its another one that doesnt get enough chill here.  We really like apricots too but they also are boarderline on chill hours.  They make fruit but the bloom is pretty weak and they dont make as many fruitlets as a peach or some other lower chill stuff. 

Heres the list of trees that walter andersens will have
https://www.walterandersen.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/FruitTreeList2022.pdf

Doesnt look like they have anything new really.  I got all the pluerries grafted up a year or 2 ago but it seems like they also need more chill than we get. 

[JCorte]

Nectarines are one of my favorite fruits, so I’ve trialed everything low chill over the years.  I hand remove the blossoms and the fruits are clean, but I imagine that would be way too time consuming for you.  If you want to try Maria’s Gold let me know, it doesn’t look like any other nectarine and blooms later and I don’t think it has a russeting issue, it’s really good.  Interesting that Flavor King doesn’t bloom well for you, I would think you had more winter chill than me.  I wonder if it’s because you get hot days in the spring?  I have a low chill, self fertile cherry from Spain, Cristobalina, if you want to try it.  Tree is still small but I can share a scion with you.  I definitely want to try some of the new low chill trees from Dave Wilson when they’re available.  I don’t remember which one, but I think they described one of the new low chill nectarines as no russeting. 

Have you heard of the Adara plum?  There is research on it being used as a rootstock and interstem for cherry trees and other stone fruits because it handles alkaline soil conditions.  Plum is the easiest tree in my yard, so I’m going to experiment with using it as an interstem for apricot and peach/ nectarine as well.  Some of the most widely used rootstock for stone fruits, especially cherry, don’t do well in my heavy clay and alkaline soil. 
https://journals.ashs.org/downloadpdf/journals/hortsci/30/6/article-p1316.pdf

Janet

[slopat]

The Stella is by itself although a neighbor about 400 yards away downwind has an older tree and they just planted another 2 trees after also having few cherries. Since I have a Royal Crimson ordered, it should take care of that pollenator aspect. So much for "self pollinating."

Now I'm deciding on whether to top work the Stella as Brad suggested, and keep the tree leaving the nursing Stella branch or whack it off when the grafts take off and what the graft would be, lapins or if there are any suggestions.

If the spice zee turns out not so great,  then it'll also meet the hatchetman! Top working makes me feels less unhappy about wasting time waiting to find out.

Slopat, just saw that your Stella is 10 years old so not a maturity issue, did you grow it with another variety for cross pollination?  Maybe having multiple varieties so bloom times overlap might help.

Janet

[spaugh]

Lapins never bloomed here, I top worked with the other 3 below.

Minnie royal, royal lee, royal crimson are fruiting nicely though.  And I order 6 more cherry rootstocks to graft more trees up.  Cant have enough cherries. 

This will allow me to chainsaw some of the trees all the way down every few years and still get cherries on the others.  Cherry trees grow like crazy here.  Too much vigor and vertical stretching.

When you top work the cherry, it doesnt need nurse limbs.  You can chop the whole thing down to a stump and do some bark grafts.  It grafts very easy. 

Heres the link for rootstocks
https://www.burntridgenursery.com/MAZZARD-CHERRY-ROOTSTOCK-Prunus-avium/productinfo/NSRTMAZZ/

[Galatians522]

Nectarines are one of my favorite fruits, so I’ve trialed everything low chill over the years.  I hand remove the blossoms and the fruits are clean, but I imagine that would be way too time consuming for you.  If you want to try Maria’s Gold let me know, it doesn’t look like any other nectarine and blooms later and I don’t think it has a russeting issue, it’s really good.  Interesting that Flavor King doesn’t bloom well for you, I would think you had more winter chill than me.  I wonder if it’s because you get hot days in the spring?  I have a low chill, self fertile cherry from Spain, Cristobalina, if you want to try it.  Tree is still small but I can share a scion with you.  I definitely want to try some of the new low chill trees from Dave Wilson when they’re available.  I don’t remember which one, but I think they described one of the new low chill nectarines as no russeting. 

Have you heard of the Adara plum?  There is research on it being used as a rootstock and interstem for cherry trees and other stone fruits because it handles alkaline soil conditions.  Plum is the easiest tree in my yard, so I’m going to experiment with using it as an interstem for apricot and peach/ nectarine as well.  Some of the most widely used rootstock for stone fruits, especially cherry, don’t do well in my heavy clay and alkaline soil. 
https://journals.ashs.org/downloadpdf/journals/hortsci/30/6/article-p1316.pdf

Janet

I read somewhere once that Cristobalina is what Zager's used to breed their low chill cherries. It is the lowest chill sweet cherry I know of. Unfortunately, I don't know of any low chill rootscocks suitable for cherries in Florida.

[spaugh]

I dont think the rootstock has any chill requirements. 

[JCorte]

Slopat,  my SpiceZee produces super sweet fruit even in my cooler summers.  In fact, it’s too sweet for me when it’s fully ripe.  The best way to harvest them for me is when the color gets a little dull looking and fruit is still firm and crunchy, chilled in refrigerator.  They are great that way, really sweet but with acid to balance and great texture, and they keep for at least a couple weeks in the fridge.  Took a while to figure out the ripening, picked too soon does not taste good, past the peak, fruit gets really sweet without acid and softer fruit, but I’m sure some people will prefer it that way.  Also thinning the fruit is important, fruit will get huge if thinned properly.  I also remove the dried blossoms that stick to the developing fruit while I thin to prevent rusetting. 

Galatians522,  maybe the problem is that regular cherry rootstocks do not like alkaline soil.  Trees grown in Brad’s granite soil may be more forgiving.  Many cherry trees have died on me in spite of getting enough chill hours.  Adara is compatible with Peaches and Plums.  Maybe you can use it as an interstem on one of the low chill Florida peaches or low chill plums like Burgundy and graft a cherry onto the Adara.  Or use the Adara as a rootstock.
https://fruitsandgardening.blogspot.com/2016/07/grafting-cherry-onto-plum.html

Janet


Janet

[shaneatwell]

Hey Brad is that list just for the Poway andersens?

[ScottR]

Colt rootstock for Cherry's has worked well for me and I'm in Arroyo Grande on ancient sand dune soil if you want to call it that! I like Colt because it works on all cherries I've put on it plus it's easy to start from hard wood cutting and it suckers a little on my sandy soil. Christobalina is a old Spanish low chill variety from what I've heard. It and Royal Lee & Minie Royal do very good for me once I finally netted the trees got ton's last year until June (was a cool year). I got my Colt rootstock from One Green World or Burnt Ridge Nursery mail order.

[spaugh]

The right hand column has P or S for poway or san diego store.

What are you buying?  Just curious.

I didnt see anything new in this years list.  I think im good on the dave wilson stuff.  Been buying their trees every year for 4 or 5 years now.  Last year I bought 7 nemaguard rootstocks (one green world)and planted them.  This january i will top work with peaches.

Most of the dave wilson peach come on citation.  Its not as strong growing as nemaguard. 

[Tlaloc]

Good stuff indeed.


Also looking forward to the Spice Zee Nectaplum!

There are better varieties. Spice zee is a beautiful tree with beautiful looking fruit. But the taste is not show-off with

[Goyo626]

Good stuff indeed.


Also looking forward to the Spice Zee Nectaplum!

There are better varieties. Spice zee is a beautiful tree with beautiful looking fruit. But the taste is not show-off with

Any low chill varieties have a better taste than spice zee? If so, which ones?

[spaugh]

Good stuff indeed.


Also looking forward to the Spice Zee Nectaplum!

There are better varieties. Spice zee is a beautiful tree with beautiful looking fruit. But the taste is not show-off with

Any low chill varieties have a better taste than spice zee? If so, which ones?

Which variety of fruit are you wanting?  Peach or nectarine or ? 

August pride peach is pretty great.  Goldkist and tropic gokd apricots also great.  Mid pride, arctic star, snow queen, all good ones.  You can graft spicy Z to your other frees to try it.  Just hack off a big branch and pop in a bark graft.  This stuff is rediculously easy to multigraft. 

[Goyo626]

Good stuff indeed.


Also looking forward to the Spice Zee Nectaplum!

There are better varieties. Spice zee is a beautiful tree with beautiful looking fruit. But the taste is not show-off with

Any low chill varieties have a better taste than spice zee? If so, which ones?

Which variety of fruit are you wanting?  Peach or nectarine or ? 

August pride peach is pretty great.  Goldkist and tropic gokd apricots also great.  Mid pride, arctic star, snow queen, all good ones.  You can graft spicy Z to your other frees to try it.  Just hack off a big branch and pop in a bark graft.  This stuff is rediculously easy to multigraft.

I have august pride, hasnt produced much for me. I grafted tropic gold waiting for it to produce. Mid pride, arctic star, and snow queen i have. Arctic star wins in production. Snow queen in flavor. Spice zee i thought was stellar best white “ nectarine” ive tried.

Im looking for a nectarine or peach (preferably yellow). Low chill. Highly rated in flavor. Im okay with a middling producer. I was looking at peachy keen but i haven't seen a lot of info to make it a must buy.

[Galatians522]

I dont think the rootstock has any chill requirements.

As I understand it, the plant chemicals that cause buds to break dormancy in the spring are produed by the roots. A lower chill rootstock would start producing those chemicals sooner and would contribute to the scion breaking dormancy sooner (possibly even lowering the chill requirement of the tree on its own roots). The effect is slight, but I'll take any advantage I can get since we are pretty marginal here.

Here is an interesting discussion from another forum. In the picture, it certainly appears that the rootstock affected the chill requirement of the scion.

https://growingfruit.org/t/cherry-rootstock-influences-chill-requirements/8919

[Galatians522]

The right hand column has P or S for poway or san diego store.

What are you buying?  Just curious.

I didnt see anything new in this years list.  I think im good on the dave wilson stuff.  Been buying their trees every year for 4 or 5 years now.  Last year I bought 7 nemaguard rootstocks (one green world)and planted them.  This january i will top work with peaches.

Most of the dave wilson peach come on citation.  Its not as strong growing as nemaguard.

Here in Florida a better name for Citation would be Death Certificate. Lol! The trees we got on that didn't last long.

[Galatians522]

Slopat,  my SpiceZee produces super sweet fruit even in my cooler summers.  In fact, it’s too sweet for me when it’s fully ripe.  The best way to harvest them for me is when the color gets a little dull looking and fruit is still firm and crunchy, chilled in refrigerator.  They are great that way, really sweet but with acid to balance and great texture, and they keep for at least a couple weeks in the fridge.  Took a while to figure out the ripening, picked too soon does not taste good, past the peak, fruit gets really sweet without acid and softer fruit, but I’m sure some people will prefer it that way.  Also thinning the fruit is important, fruit will get huge if thinned properly.  I also remove the dried blossoms that stick to the developing fruit while I thin to prevent rusetting. 

Galatians522,  maybe the problem is that regular cherry rootstocks do not like alkaline soil.  Trees grown in Brad’s granite soil may be more forgiving.  Many cherry trees have died on me in spite of getting enough chill hours.  Adara is compatible with Peaches and Plums.  Maybe you can use it as an interstem on one of the low chill Florida peaches or low chill plums like Burgundy and graft a cherry onto the Adara.  Or use the Adara as a rootstock.
https://fruitsandgardening.blogspot.com/2016/07/grafting-cherry-onto-plum.html

Janet


Janet

Thanks Janet! I think our biggest problem is nematodes followed by disease. My area of the state tends to have excessively drained acid soil. We have a couple native plums that will grow like weeds with any normal fruit tree care, though. I had the same thought as you about using Adara as an interstem between the native plum and cherry. Somewhere, I have a publication saved about Adara. Its a selection of the European Cherry Plum (Prunus ceracifera) from Spain if I remember right.

[beicadad]

Nectarines are one of my favorite fruits, so I’ve trialed everything low chill over the years.  I hand remove the blossoms and the fruits are clean, but I imagine that would be way too time consuming for you.  If you want to try Maria’s Gold let me know, it doesn’t look like any other nectarine and blooms later and I don’t think it has a russeting issue, it’s really good.  Interesting that Flavor King doesn’t bloom well for you, I would think you had more winter chill than me.  I wonder if it’s because you get hot days in the spring?  I have a low chill, self fertile cherry from Spain, Cristobalina, if you want to try it.  Tree is still small but I can share a scion with you.  I definitely want to try some of the new low chill trees from Dave Wilson when they’re available.  I don’t remember which one, but I think they described one of the new low chill nectarines as no russeting. 

Have you heard of the Adara plum?  There is research on it being used as a rootstock and interstem for cherry trees and other stone fruits because it handles alkaline soil conditions.  Plum is the easiest tree in my yard, so I’m going to experiment with using it as an interstem for apricot and peach/ nectarine as well.  Some of the most widely used rootstock for stone fruits, especially cherry, don’t do well in my heavy clay and alkaline soil. 
https://journals.ashs.org/downloadpdf/journals/hortsci/30/6/article-p1316.pdf

Janet

Janet I have some Adara plum scions to share if you need them. I didn’t graft cherry on them but have grafted other stone fruits and they were easy to take.