Peach Tree

By Andrea Peck  UCCE Master Gardener

Prunus persica

Planting Area: USDA Zones 5,6,7,8

Size: A standard peach tree will grow to 25 feet tall and wide. Dwarf varieties grow 6 feet tall and 6 feet wide.

Bloom Season: Summer

Exposure: Full Sun

Pruning needs: Yearly

Water needs: Weekly

It's pretty hard to resist a peach tree. Homey and unassuming, this is the kind of tree you walk right by and dismiss, but once it fruits during the summer, she'll have your full attention. There are many kinds of peach trees. Select one that appeals to your palate, but more importantly make sure that you get the proper varietal for your climate. Peach trees require a certain number of  chill hours (between 32 and 45 degrees Fahrenheit) in order to fruit.  Chill requirements vary between 200 and 1000 hours. Once you've selected a suitable tree, plant it in a sunny, sheltered location.

Peach trees fruit abundantly so give your tree a home that makes it easy for you to harvest. When planting, dig a hole 2.5 times the size of the root ball and use loose, well-draining soil rich in organic matter. Gently uncurl roots before planting to encourage them to grow away from the trunk. Peach trees thrive with high nitrogen sources of fertilizer which increase growth but using an all-purpose fertilizer will take the guesswork out of it. If you are not sure about your soil quality, a soil test may be needed to optimize the health of your tree.  Fruit occurs on new growth (the reddish branches without bark) because of this, compost, nitrogen-rich amendment, and pruning, which both encourage new growth are key.

Pruning, considered an art-form by some, is absolutely essential to the health of your tree and fruit production.  Generally, fruit trees are trimmed in a 'goblet' shape that allows the sun access to the tree, but for detailed instructions visit the UC Master Gardener website http://homeorchard.ucanr.edu/The_Big_Picture/Pruning_&_Training/

Pepino Dulce

By Linda Lewis Griffith  UCCE Master Gardener

Common Name: Pepino Dulce or Pepino Melon

Solanum muricatum

Planting Zone: Sunset 15 and 16, 23 and 24

Size:  2-3 feet tall, spreading to about 4 feet wide.

Bloom Season:  Flowers in early spring; produces fruit in summer

Exposure: Full sun to semi-shade

Pruning Needs:  None

Water Needs: Regular watering, similar to a tomato plant 

Narrative: Native to the temperate Andean regions of Columbia, Peru and Chile, these members of the nightshade family are related to both potatoes and tomatoes.  They are hardy plants that grow best in warm, frost-free environments that are sheltered from the wind. Foliage is bright green and varies in shape depending on the variety of plant. Flowers are small, five-petaled and clear blue, with distinctive pointed yellow structures in the blossom's center.  Pepino melons are frequently grown as ornamentals and make a good choice for hanging baskets.  They grow quickly and can bear fruit within 4 to 6 months after planting.  Pepino dulce is parthenocarpic, meaning it does not need pollination to set fruit.  However, it produces a heavier crop if other pepinos are nearby to cross-pollinate.  It will not set fruit until evening temperatures reach 65 degrees.  The fruit is egg-shaped, weighing ¼-1 pound and is cream-colored with striking purplish streaks.  Flesh is greenish to light orange and tastes like a cross between a melon and a cucumber. 

Care for pepino dulce is similar to that for tomatoes.  They do best in fertile soil that has been mixed with well-rotted manure.  Supplement with a 5-10-10 fertilizer when needed.  Pepino dulce is technically a perennial, but does best when it is replanted every year.  It is easy to propagate from cuttings.  Select stems that are 3-5 inches long with 4-5 leaves on the upper end. Dip the cut end in rooting hormone and place in fast-draining potting soil.  Rooted cuttings set out in spring should produce fruit later in summer.    

Photo By Linda Lewis Griffith

Fuchsia

By Linda Lewis Griffith   UCCE Master Gardener

 Common Name: Fuchsia

 Fuchsia spp.

 Planting Zone: Zones vary by species

 Size:  Varies by species

 Bloom Season:  Most bloom from late spring until first frost

 Exposure: Prefer all-day filtered sun under trees; will tolerate early morning sun

 Pruning Needs:  As desired to maintain size and shape.

 Water Needs: Regular watering

Narrative: Fuchsias are shade-loving plants with showy flowers.  Most are native to the wet, mountainous regions of Central and South America; a few come from as far away as New Zealand and Tahiti.  The genus includes 110 separate species that range in size from 6 inch spreading shrubs to 10-foot trees.  Fuchsias begin growing in early spring and continue through October and November when they go dormant.  Fuchsias may be planted directly into the ground in cool areas.  However, most are planted in pots using a good commercial mix with adequate drainage and aeration.  Plants must be kept moist but not wet, preferring watering in early morning or late evening.

Fuchsias are considered heavy feeders and do best with a monthly application of balanced liquid fertilizer.  Flowers appear on new wood and should be pruned before spring growth appears.  Pinch or cut out the growing tips of new growth to encourage the development of lateral branches.  Remove seedpods during the growing season so the plants continue to produce new blooms.  Fuchsias are susceptible to fuchsia gall mites, a microscopic wormlike mite that was accidentally introduced from South America in the 1980s.  The pests cause leaves and shoots to become thickened and distorted, and the formation of unsightly galls.  This problem is prevalent in coastal San Luis Obispo where summers are cool.  Whiteflies and spider mites are other common pests.  Minimize infestations by planting resistant varieties of fuchsias and checking nursery stock carefully for the presence of pests.   Monitor plants carefully for any signs of disease. Pinch back or remove and destroy affected foliage.  Do not compost as it encourages the spread of pathogens.  Consider replacing severely impacted plants. Fuchsias are readily propagated by using cuttings or seeds.       

Photo By Diane Galvan

Pies

By Diane Galvan   UCCE Master Food Preserver

 “I'd like to make and freeze blueberry pies to enjoy later in the year.  Can I use my home canned blueberry jam for the filling?”  -Betty N., Paso Robles.

The delicious bounty of warm season berries and stone fruits is upon us.  Preserving pie fillings is a smart way to extend enjoyment of these luscious fruits for months ahead.  For successful results, use a tested recipe for canned pie filling, because these recipes call for a modified starch thickener or ClearJel® which gives good consistency and thickness after canning/ freezing, and then subsequent baking. Use regular ClearJel® when preparing canned fillings.  For frozen fillings use instant ClearJel ® which thickens without cooking (Note: instant ClearJel® breaks down with prolonged heating.)  Be aware that thickeners such as tapioca, flour or cornstarch may result in a thin and runny filling after freezing and subsequent baking.  Regular ClearJel® must be used in canned pie filling there is no substitution. 

Some guidelines for making pie filling:

* One quart of filling will make one 8 or 9-inch pie.

*  Make a quart of pie filling before you make a large batch to adjust the amount of sugar to the tartness of your fruit.

*Do not eliminate or change the quantity of bottled lemon juice in the recipe.  It is vital to the stability of the thickener, as well as to the acidity/safety of the preserved filling.

*Whole pies, pie filling and pie crusts can be frozen for later use.

*Jars of canned pie filling should be refrigerated after opening.

Beyond pie:  Explore other ways to enjoy pie fillings.  A few suggestions are:  fillings for cakes, puff pastry, cookies and crepes; as toppings for ice cream, and cheesecakes.  Make tarts and cobblers. Use it as a topping on pancakes, waffles, or biscuits instead of butter and syrup. Add a dollop of pie filling to unflavored yogurt to provide a bit of sweetness and fruity flavor instead of buying the pre-flavored varieties.

Want to learn more?  The UC Master Food Preservers will offer a class teaching about preparing and freezing flakey pie crusts and fillings, as well as ways to use them.  “GALETTES AND TARTS AND PIES, OH MY!” takes place on June 22 from 10am-12pm. Preregistration is required.  http://ucanr.edu/galettesandpies Class size is limited.