Desert Fruit Trees Evaluated

Fruit Tree Evaluations for the Desert

Fruit can be easy to grow in the desert. We dont have that may disease problems due to our low humidity and if you are isolated from commercial or backyard producers, insect problems can be minimal. I just finished our fruit evaluations at the Orchard in North Las Vegas and would like to share them with you.

Fruit trees were originally planted at the Orchard site beginning in 1997. Fruit trees are grown in 10 X 10 spacings in orchard rows. All trees were planted as bareroot plants and amended with compost at the time of planting. Wood mulch from green waste, provided by Tony Valente of First Choice Tree Service, covers the surface of the orchard to a depth of 4 to 6 inches. Fruit trees are pruned annually to heights of 6 ½ to 7 feet to keep the Orchard “ladderless”. Although not a certified organic orchard, pesticides used are “organic” in nature following a “least toxic” philosophy. Orchard volunteers, consisting of both Master Gardeners and community volunteers, provide most of the work at the Orchard. Fruit from the Orchard is sold to local restaurants, farmers markets and the local community to recover the costs of production. After recordkeeping of a variety is completed, trees are removed and replaced with other varieties to gather information on the varieties of fruit that grows best and produces the best fruit in the Mojave Desert.

Evaluations categories are: Top Choice for those fruit trees providing exceptional fruit and tree health; Honorable Mention for those which provided very good fruit and very good health in our climate and Under Review for those which have not been growing long enough for multiple year evaluations or have been inconsistent.

Evaluation trials were conducted from 2005 – 2009. Fruit tree evaluations were made through taste evaluations of the fruit and midsummer evaluations of the trees themselves and their performance at the UNCE Orchard in North Las Vegas, Nevada.

Most of the fruit trees were provided by Dave Wilson Nursery in cooperation with research and demonstrations provided by the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension. More general information about these fruit can be obtained by visiting Dave Wilson Nursery’s website at:
http://www.davewilson.com/homegrown/homeindex1.html. Wine grapes were provided by Duarte Nursery and nopal cactus provided by faculty at the Universidad de Sonora in Hermosillo, Mexico.

Almonds

Most almonds do extremely well in southern Nevada and make excellent landscape trees. They have few pest problems but the desert ground squirrels can clean out a tree in a day.
Recommended rootstock: Nemaguard but others have performed adequately over the long term.

Top Choice
· All in One – Genetic Dwarf, Self pollinating
· Garden Prince – Genetic Dwarf, Self pollinating, flowers white with purple

Notable Mention
· Price
· Nonpariel

Under Review
· Carmel
· Neplus Ultra

In Mediterranean regions they eat young almonds or spring almonds fresh from the tree, the entire nut, when it is about half an inch long or so, husk and all. At this stage the center of the nut is still gellatinous. It is at this stage they can be eaten like a snack. What do they taste like? A little sour but refreshing with a touch of sweetness and very little to remind you of an almond.

You can also harvest green almonds when the husk is in the green stage at a more “juvenile” stage. This is around late March or April here when the interior seed is white on the outside but the gelatinous mass on the inside has disappeared. At this stage they taste alot like pine nuts and can be used like pinoles.

In the desert the remaining nuts can be left to dry on the tree and do not mold due to our very low humidity but you better get them harvested before the ground squirrels get them.