North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Ginda Fisher <list@ginda.us>]

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