With their charming white blossoms and fabulously fragrant fruits, quince trees are a wonderful but sometimes underappreciated addition to the garden. Learn how to grow and care for these overlooked orchard fruits with biologist and gardener Lindsay Miller. Quince has a long, several-thousand year old history of cultivation in the Middle East and western edge of the Mediterranean. The “golden apples” alluded to in Greek mythology likely refers to quince fruits. The fruits have a citrusy, yet slightly astringent flavor. It is particularly pronounced when they don’t ripen fully on the tree. Accordingly, this fruit is rarely eaten raw in regions with short growing seasons. However, the globes have a mellow, sweeter taste when cooked, making them popular in roasted, poached, and baked dishes. Flavor aside, quince fruits are an excellent source of vitamin C, potassium, fiber, and a host of other minerals. They are high in antioxidants and possess anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. Quince is chock full of pectin, which once made it sought-after for jams and jellies in the United States. However, once pectin powder became available, this fruit tree was shuffled aside and largely forgotten here. Despite being rare in gardens here, quince trees are still widely cultivated in parts of Asia and Europe. Of the 106,000 acres in commercial cultivation worldwide, only about 250 acres are commercially grown in the United States. So, is this classic species due for a comeback? Read on, learn more, and decide if your garden is calling for a quince or two! What Is It? Not to be confused with flowering quince (Chaenomeles speciosa), quince trees (Cydonia oblonga) are small deciduous trees known for their golden yellow, highly aromatic fruits. Along with apples and pears, quince trees are pomes belonging to the Rosaceae family. Pome fruits have a central core of small seeds surrounded by woody tissue and an outer layer of edible flesh. Characteristics Standing on average, 12-15 feet tall, these are small, multi-stemmed trees. They have wide, oval-shaped pale green leaves that have fuzzy undersides. Quince trees typically bloom slightly later than other similar pome fruits. Solitary ivory or blush pink flowers emerge in late spring, blooming on new wood. While their flowers are lovely, they are really known for their aromatic fruits. With a sweet, clean, and honey-like fragrance, quince fruits are beloved by culinary enthusiasts and food lovers. The fruits measure 3-5 inches in diameter, and resemble lumpy pears in their general shape and appearance. Pale, yellow-green skin deepens to golden yellow when fruits are ripe. Native Area Quince are native to the lush woodland margins and rocky slopes of the Trans-Caucasus region, between the Black Sea and Caspian Sea. This region spans Armenia, Iran, Georgia, Turkey, and a small part of Russia. Planting This species can be planted in-ground just about anywhere. With a modest height and spread that is generally no more than 15 feet, it works well in small backyards, as part of a foundation planting, under utility lines, or as part of a larger fruit orchard. The elegant white and pink flowers that emerge in late spring attract plenty of pollinators. Space them 10-15 feet apart. Small varieties, like ‘Rich’s Dwarf’, which tops out at just 8 feet tall, also make good candidates for a container-grown tree. To accommodate roots, containers should be at least 24 inches wide and deep. Choose a container with adequate drainage holes in the bottom, use a high quality potting mix, and place the container in a location with full sun.

Would you like to grow your own fig tree but don’t know where to start? ‘Brown Turkey’ figs are easy to grow and incredibly prolific. Within a few years after planting a young edible fig tree, you’ll be harvesting a tantalizingly tasty crop of sweet, delicious fruits. In this article, gardening expert Liessa Bowen introduces the ‘Brown Turkey’ fig and how to grow your own. The ‘Brown Turkey’ fig (Ficus carica ‘Brown Turkey’) is a member of the mulberry family (Moraceae). There are hundreds of different edible fig cultivars and ‘Brown Turkey’ is one of the most readily available for gardeners. As long as you can provide the right growing conditions, these are remarkably easy fruit trees to grow! Figs are fast-growing deciduous trees originating in the Mediterranean region. Edible fig trees prefer warmer climates and are well-adapted to survive mild winter weather. If you live in USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 6-9, you should have no problem growing fig trees! They will, however, require some extra winter protection in cooler zones. Perhaps the best reason to grow a fig tree is because you like to eat figs, although there are many other benefits to growing edible figs. Fig trees are beautiful and make a very appealing addition to your landscape. They have a compact, rounded form, and the thick, smooth, bare branches remain attractive in the winter months. These trees also provide food and shelter for wildlife, making them a good choice for a bird-friendly garden. Let’s dig right in so you’ll know what a ‘Brown Turkey’ fig tree needs to thrive and how you can start growing your own harvest of tasty fruits. Plant Natural History Edible figs (Ficus carica), also known as common figs, are members of the mulberry family (Moraceae). This family has over one thousand different, naturally occurring species from around the world. The genus Ficus encompasses a very diverse group of fig trees, including a wide assortment of vines, trees, and shrubs, most of which grow in tropical and temperate climates. Edible figs are known for their sweet, tender, juicy fruits. Edible figs are native to the Mediterranean region of Europe and parts of Asia. In their natural habitat, edible figs live in mild and warm climates. They enjoy fully exposed, sunny locations with well-drained soil. They grow in open grasslands and rugged, rocky exposures. These plants have a fascinating history. Ancient civilizations cultivated and enjoyed them as a staple food source. The fruits are tasty, easy to grow, and prolific, making them quite desirable for cultivation. Breeders have introduced hundreds of different edible fig cultivars for commercial, private, and ornamental uses. The ‘Brown Turkey’ fig is one of the most popular cultivars. Wild figs evolved a special relationship with the fig wasp, a uniquely adapted pollinator. Fortunately for fig-growing enthusiasts, most commercially available fig varieties are self-fertile and will produce plenty of fruits without a need for cross-pollination or any specific pollinator. Characteristics The ‘Brown Turkey’ fig is a woody, deciduous shrub or small tree. It has smooth, light gray bark, a thick main trunk, and many smaller branches. These fast-growing trees can reach a total of 10-30 feet tall. ‘Brown Turkey’ figs have large, broad, palmate leaves that typically measure around six inches across. Each leaf has three to five large lobes with tiny, rough hairs. These leaf hairs can cause minor skin irritation for some people. The leaves and stems contain a milky white sap, which can cause contact dermatitis in some people. Wear long sleeves and garden gloves when working with these trees, especially when harvesting fruits and pruning. Wash your hands after harvesting your figs to rinse any remaining residues from your skin. Edible fig flowers are very unusual. They are inverted and form inside a hollow fruit-like form. So don’t be surprised if you never see your fig tree in bloom. The flowers simply look like tiny firm green fruits. The fruits start small, dark green, and very hard. As they mature, they grow larger but stay green and firm. Just before maturity, they suddenly grow a little larger and blush into their mature skin coloration. Ripe ‘Brown Turkey’ figs turn dark maroon-brown on the outside. The skin of a mature fig is extremely soft and doesn’t need peeling before eating. The inner flesh is amber-maroon in color with a soft, juicy texture. The sweet flavor is sugary or berry-like. ‘Brown Turkey’ fig trees produce two crops of fruits each year. The early crop is known as the breba crop and is typically less prolific than the later main crop. The early breba crop ripens in late spring or early summer, and the main crop ripens in late summer. Propagation Many trees are a bit tricky to propagate but you can easily propagate a fig tree with a stem cutting. There are other methods to propagate figs, such as grafting and root suckers, but cuttings are the quickest and easiest, especially if you already have a mature fig tree.

‘Gala’ apples are tasty, sweet, and juicy! Learn how to grow your own ‘Gala’ apple tree, and discover new ways to use apples in the kitchen. Follow this guide from gardener Jerad Bryant to enjoy a bountiful harvest each year. Why grow a ‘Gala’ apple tree? They are one of the best apples for the home gardener. They are tough trees in the landscape and reliable producers of annual crops. In general, apple trees of all types are excellent fruit trees in temperate zones. I often see them growing wild in the Pacific Northwest, and their resilience in natural areas is impressive. Each year, they provide flower nectar for pollinators, delicious fruit for humans, and seeds that birds love to eat. Want to grow ‘Gala’ apples? This guide has everything you need to grow a big and lush fruit tree. What is a ‘Gala’ Apple? The ‘Gala’ variety is an iconic apple cultivar from the 1920s. This semi-dwarf tree reaches over 15’ tall in maturity. When grafted onto dwarf rootstock, it grows to a mature height of 10’ tall. Both the dwarf and semi-dwarfs’ short heights make them perfect specimens for small and large gardens alike. Growers love this variety because it reliably produces an annual bountiful crop. Most apple varieties are alternate-bearing, meaning they produce a large crop of apples one year, and then they conserve their energy and produce fewer apples the next year. ‘Gala’ defies this trend by creating many juicy apples each growing season. Apple trees are the most widely adapted fruit trees, and they are important to many cultures worldwide. Where I’m from, we bake apples into pies, make apple jelly, and eat apples fresh off the tree. Native Area The original ancestor of apple trees is Malus domestica, the common apple. Native to parts of Central Asia and Afghanistan, it is a deciduous tree that often grows to 30’ tall in the wild. Over centuries, apple growers selected and grew the apples they loved to eat. With time, this selection process developed thousands of different apple cultivars that readily adapt to new environments. ‘Gala’ is a cross between ‘Golden Delicious’ and ‘Kidd’s Orange Red’ varieties. After performing well in New Zealand in the 1930s, nursery growers in the U.S. planted orchards full of this cultivar in the 1970s. Now, ‘Gala’ is one of the top apples grown in the U.K. and the U.S. Characteristics All apple trees share some commonalities. They are deciduous fruit trees with delicate white-pink blossoms and glossy green leaves. Their flowers and fruit are incredibly fragrant, and their fruit is round. ‘Gala’ apples are golden yellow with red coloration over the yellow. Apples grow bisexual flowers with both male and female reproductive organs in the same flower. Although they have perfect flowers with both pollen and ovules, apples are not incredibly self-pollinating. Most varieties, including ‘Gala,’ require another cultivar near them that blooms at the same time, like ‘Fuji’ or ‘Granny Smith.’ Do you lack space for two trees in the garden? Place a bouquet of blooming crabapple or apple blossoms at the base of your flowering ‘Gala’ tree. This helps the pollinators near your tree access different apple pollen and leads to successful pollination and fruiting without having two full-sized trees. Propagation Grow ‘Gala’ apple trees from cuttings. Apple seeds are highly variable and grow offspring that are different from the parent tree. Ensure you have the ‘Gala’ variety and take cuttings off a healthy, mature tree. Growing from cuttings is time-intensive, and it may take up to six months for roots to show. Skip the waiting process and find grafted trees for your climate at your local nursery, or order them online from a reputable source.