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nafex - Re: [NAFEX] Shinko, etc comments again

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  • From: Ginda Fisher <list@ginda.us>
  • To: North American Fruit Explorers <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [NAFEX] Shinko, etc comments again
  • Date: Sat, 30 Oct 2010 10:31:01 -0400


On Oct 30, 2010, at 9:43 AM, Kieran &/or Donna wrote:

> I complained bitterly in 2009 about my Shinko fruit tasting like potatoes,
> and I found them little better in 2010. . . . When we got back home Oct
> 18 there were still 2 Shinkos hanging, and they actually had a little bit
> of sugar in them. Not much sugar, but at least it was detectable. Still
> no FLAVOR, but some sugar. By contrast the Korean Giant, with it's 3 large
> fruit that survived the major fireblight pruning, offered something pretty
> edible. Not my favorite, but at least I felt I could offer them to people
> without them looking at me like I was crazy to consider them food.
> Can you all think of any reason why I should give Shinko any more time?

Nope. Maybe it doesn't like your soil, or your climate or something. But it
doesn't sound worth the space to me. Of course, I have extremely limited
space, so my standards are fairly high. (on the other hand, if the squirrels
continue to take 100% of any crop, I suppose I should be looking for
attractive landscape trees, and be indifferent to the fruit. But that's not
your problem.)

> It's kind of like the Badgersett hazels, they advertise but no one is
> talking about the plants they bought. I got some just in time for the long
> drought beginning in 2005, so I can't complain too much, but they didn't
> really start to grow till the wet summer of '09. Meanwhile native
> seedlings have sprung up and are as big as the biggest of the Badgersetts
> without me lifting a finger to help them. Actually, I have some seedlings
> in pots (2009 Euro x beaked) that struggled through this summer's drought
> but are nearly as big as the smallest of my Badersett seedlings in the
> ground from their 2004 seed crop. It's not like there's no helpful fungus
> on hand, as there are thriving native hazels pretty close. Donna

Speaking of nut trees, (and stuff I don't have space for, that squirrels
would love) has anyone tried the new almost-America chestnuts that have
become available in recent years?

Ginda
eastern MA, zone 6





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