Fruit Trees for North Texas & Chilling Hours
February 3, 2013
There is still time to plant fruit trees in North Texas! Make sure you choose varieties that will grow to the proper size for your space, are within a reasonable range for our chilling hours, and make sure you get a cross-pollinator if you need one. Dallas/Ft. Worth zone 8 usually receives between 750-850 chilling hours, but it can vary...some years 600 hours, some years 900 hours. Further north and you'll get more, further south and you'll get less.
Now, as you might know, I'm not a strict rule follower! I think gardening is about experimentation and pushing the boundaries. Each year is a little different and experimentation is how you learn. Each of has a landscape with unique characteristics and micro-climates. Something might just work for you that doesn't for your neighbor.
For example, don't expect to get good production on a sweet cherry here, but you just might get good tart cherries off of a Dwarf 'North Star' cherry. The trick will be keeping it happy in the summer. Some Citrus are not hardy here and must be grown in containers...others, like 'Changsha' tangerine are perfectly hardy outdoors. Plenty of fruit trees can be grown in containers, especially with all the new dwarf selections available. Be reasonable, but don't be afraid to try new things and push the boundaries! Click the link to view North Haven Gardens fruit tree list, with detailed descriptions, chilling hour requirements and pollination info.
