Edward3's Edible Backyard

Joined: 26/11/08 Updated: 22/07/24 Frost:
Location: CARLINGFORD

About My Edible Backyard

We have an average-size garden in Sydney, but we have tried to optimise the space so as to grow a large number of fruit trees in front, back and side of the house. We expect to rely on regular pruning to manage the large number of trees. The climatic conditions can include 1 or 2 days of mild frost per year, and the maximum temperature can go up to 40 but, with some care, most fruit trees can survive.

The biggest challenge is to stop the possums, fruit bats, bush rats and currawongs from eating up the fruit. In fact the possums have caused considerable damage to several fruit trees by repeated feasting on young leaves. Neem tree oil spray was recommended by a local nursery but had no effect. Bird netting seems to work quite well in stopping the possums, but not the bush rats or fruit bats which bite through the netting.

We also planted temperate climate trees in the Blue Mountains such as apples, European plums and cherries to complement the more subtropical trees in Sydney. One important advantage is that there are no fruit flies to worry about. But there is always a challenge - yellow jacket wasps like to eat the fruit.

Comments

For more information about any plants, my email address is zisaj09@gmail.com

Fruit Tree Forum Contributions

Fruit Tree Forum Likes

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Plum - Red seedling (Seedling) ^9/10

Comments: - Grew this plant from seed of fruit labelled as Red Plum, which might actually be Amber Jewel. The tree has now fruited and the result is a firm, very dark red large plum with a good flavour. Crop has been limited, possibly due to need for cross-pollination, so have now planted another plum tree nearby for that purpose. Grows vigorously in Sydney.  Also grafted on in Katoomba where it produced a large crop of large plums.

Planted: 2015

Height 3 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Fruit Harvest: 10 Fruit Per Year

First Fruited: 4 Years from Seed

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Autumn

Pollination: Self Pollination

Pest Control: Using fruit bags on individual plums.

Pummelo - Carters Red (Grafted) ^3/10

Comments: -

The Flick's Yellow pummelo which we have has very nice fruit so we decided to try the red pummelo variety as well. Has flowered well, but low fruit set and fruit drops off while still small. Suspect inadequate water. We finally got a few fruit in 2019 but found it took a very long time to ripen. The ffruit was quite bitter and not tasty, probably because not suited to Sydney climate. Not recommended. 

In 2023 hHave reworked the plant to multigraft - Cara Cara orange, washington navel and lemon, but still left one branch with original fruit to give it a second chance..

Planted: 2011

Height 2 metres

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Autumn

Pollination: No

Mango - Thai seedling ^9/10

Comments: - Grew this tree from seed from a Thai mango bought in Cabramatta. The stem has a copper colour - quite different from our other mango trees. It produced one mango in 2022 which was very tasty. So far this variety seems disease resistant. In 2024 got a large crop of mangoes, all disease free.

Planted: 2017

Height 1.5 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

First Fruited: 4 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: No

Kiwifruit Gold Seedling (Seedling)

Comments: -

Fruit is sweeter than the green kiwifruit so decided to grow a seedling (grafted and cuttings not available). First flowers in 2018 turned out to be female.

Also growing additional seedlings raised at home which flowered in 2019 - one with female and one with male flowers. Got some fruit in 2020 but lost to bush rats in spite of netting.

As a matter of interest, flowering in golden kiwifruit is a few weeks earlier than for the greeen kiwifruit, so can't get cross pollination between these two varieties. Also, the seedling from Daleys flowered earlier than my seedlings and so failed to get pollinated.

Planted: 2013

Height 2 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 5

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Autumn

Pruned By: 40% in Summer

Pollination: No

Pest Control: Must protect from possums , bush rats and birds with netting. This is not working very well - the netting gets torn open, and I suspect the culprit is the bush rat.

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Planted: 2014

Cherry - Ulster (grafted)

Comments: - Growing in Katomba.

Height 1 metres

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Cherry - Merchant (grafted)

Comments: - Growing in Katoomba. 

Planted: 2023

Height 1 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Pest Control: Fungicide spray against brown rot

Poshte

Comments: -

Decided to try growing it based on description in Daleys fruit website. 

Unfortunately, branches died off one by one over 2 years and the plant died completely. Suspect root rot due to inadequate drainage. Bought another plant in 2022 and planted in well prepared soil using gypsum clay breaker to improve drainage. However, a couple of the branches have again died. Am now applying Yates Anti Rot which is supposed to help against root rot.

Planted: 2020

Height 0.5 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: No

Custard Apple - African Pride (Grafted)

Comments: - Said to be delicious and not requiring hand pollination, so want to try growing this. In 2022 most branches dried up so were trimmed off. Remaining small branch above graft survived and is growing well, so fingers crossed. Suspect the roots are very susceptible to phytophthora, so am applying Yates Anti Rot spray on leaves once in Winter and again in early Spring. Interesting to see if this helps.

Planted: 2019

Height 1 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: Self Pollination

Custard Apple - Paxton Prolific (Grafted)

Comments: - Said to be delicious, with fewer seeds, and not requiring hand pollination, so want to try growing this.Set 2 fruits in 2023, but syddenly all leaves dried up, so I removed the fruits and will wait to see if the tree will recover. Unfortunately, I found collar rot next to the soil and the tree died. 

Planted: 2019

Height 1 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: Self Pollination

Mulberry - White Shahtoot ^9/10

Comments: - Fruit is very sweet - more so than the common black mulberry. Very tasty.

Planted: 2013

Height 1.5 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Fruit Harvest: 0.5 kilograms per Year

First Fruited: 1 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: No

Pest Control: Using tree guard while tree is small to prevent damage by sulfur crested cockatoos.

Organic Status:Organic

Giant Lau Lau

Comments: -

Received as a present. Somewhat of a challenge in the hot summer conditions in Sydney. Initially grown in garden bed but needed frequent watering to avoid wilting, and was not doing well. Moved to a shaded position under trees and it is growing much bettet. .

Planted: 2019

Height 0.5 metres

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Low Sun

Pollination: No

Kiwiberry - Issai (Cutting)

Comments: -

Kiwiberries taste more sweet than kiwi fruit. The issai is self-pollinating so a good variety to try.

Got first fruit in 2022 but it dropped off as the plant is still weak. The same happened in 2023.

Planted: 2019

Height 0.1 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

First Fruited: 3 Years from purchase in pot

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: Self Pollination

Nashi Pear - Hosui ^8/10

Comments: - Vigorously growing tree. Needs yearly pruning to manage height. Good crop in 2023.

Planted: 2017

Height 1.5 metres

Qty: 1

Fruit Harvest: 20 Fruit Per Year

First Fruited: 4 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: Self Pollination

Nashi Pear - Nijisseiki (Grafted) ^8/10

Comments: -

Fruited profusely but fruit rather small. So it looks necessary to thin fruit in order to get larger size.

Tree healthy but not vigorous. Did not fruit in 2022, but plentiful crop in 2023.

Planted: 2017

Height 1.5 metres

Fruit Harvest: 20 Fruit Per Year

First Fruited: 1 Years from purchase in pot

Pollination: Self Pollination

Banana - monkey (Vietnamese cao) (Cutting) ^8/10

Comments: -

Very small sweet bananas usually available only from Vietnamese shops.

Tree is very slender so should be protected from strong winds.

Planted: 2016

Height 2 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: No

Lingonberries (Seedling)

Comments: - Lingonberry jam is delicious so want to try growing it. Germinated from seed. Soil needs to be weed free, so growing in a pot in Sydney.

Planted: 2016

Height 10 Centimetres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 10

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: No

Apple - Kidd\'s Orange Red ^8/10

Comments: - Grown in Katoomba. Very tasty..

Planted: 2014

Height 1.5 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

First Fruited: 3 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: No

Organic Status:Organic

Pomegranate - Rosavaya (Cutting) ^9/10

Comments: - In early years only get beautiful red flowers, but in 2020 got a very large crop. Then in the last 2 years no crop again, only plenty of male fllowers.

Planted: 2012

Height 3 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

First Fruited: 6 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Autumn

Pruned By: 30% in Summer

Pollination: Self Pollination

Pest Control: Putting fruit in plastic milk bottles to protect from possums.

Organic Status:Organic

Mango - Kwan (Grafted) ^9/10

Comments: - Very good flavour and, importantly, fairly resistant to anthracnose.

Fruiting Months April

Planted: 2013

Height 1 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Fruit Harvest: 2 Fruit Per Year

First Fruited: 2 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: Self Pollination

Pecan - Pawnee (A) SP (Grafted)

Comments: - Badly affected by ringbarking grub.

Planted: 2013

Height 1 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Pecan - Shoshonii (B) SP (Grafted)

Comments: - Badly affected by ringbarking grub.

Height 1 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Organic Status:Organic

Pecan - Sioux (B) (Grafted)

Comments: - Badly affected by ringbarking grub.

Planted: 2013

Height 1 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Plum - President (Grafted) ^9/10

Comments: - Tree growing in Katoomba. Excellent slightly tart flavour. Must be patient not to pick till fully ripe to get best flavour, but not allow to overripen as it will lose flavour completely.

Fruiting Months February

Height 3 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Fruit Harvest: 5 kilograms per Year

First Fruited: 3 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Organic Status:Organic

Plum Mirabelle (Seedling) ^6/10

Comments: - Tree growing in Katoomba. Small soft sweet fruit, light yellow-green colour. Didn't fruit in 2016 but fruited in 2017. Not tasty enough so removed to make room for another fruit tree.

Fruiting Months January

Planted: 2011

Height 3 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Fruit Harvest: 1 kilograms per Year

First Fruited: 4 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Autumn

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Organic Status:Organic

Plum - Coe’s golden drop (Grafted) ^8/10

Comments: -

Tree growing in Katoomba. Juicy sweet plum. However, very susceptible to splitting due to rain and then getting infected with brown rot. 

Fruiting Months February

Planted: 2011

Height 1.5 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Fruit Harvest: 1 kilograms per Year

First Fruited: 2 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Organic Status:Organic

Apple - Lord Lambourne (Grafted) ^8/10

Comments: - Growing in Katoomba and was considerably damaged by snowfall, but has managed to grow new branches above graft. Very good taste. But summer 2017 was very wet and taste not as good. Excellent in 2018. Important to pick before very ripe, otherwise turns rather soft.

Fruiting Months March

Height 2 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Fruit Harvest: 5 kilograms per Year

First Fruited: 3 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Organic Status:Organic

Apple - Opalescent (Grafted) ^9/10

Comments: - Very large red apples with an excellent taste.

Fruiting Months March

Planted: 2013

Height 1.5 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Fruit Harvest: 15 Fruit Per Year

First Fruited: 4 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Organic Status:Organic

Comments

I have tasted this at Perrys Heritage Orchard in Melbourne - very tasty - as good or better than Home Grown Pinkabelle

Dragon Fruit - Pearl (Cutting) ^9/10

Comments: - This Vietnamese variety produces quite tasty, sweet fruit - red skin, white flesh. Better tasting than the red flesh variety. Should be eaten soon after picking to get best flavour. Importantly the fruit doesn't get affected by fruit fly or other pests, so is  recommended.

Fruiting Months February and March

Planted: 2012

Height 2 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 4

Fruit Harvest: 10 Fruit Per Year

First Fruited: 2 Years after I planted Cutting

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: Self Pollination

Comments

Black Sapote - Superb (Grafted) ^7/10

Comments: -

Needed a second black sapote to aid in pollination. The specimen from Daley's looked rather weak and spindly and is extremely slow growing in part shade. However, first fruit (just one) in 2013 was delicious, so this variety definitely passes the taste test.Have now bought a second plant from Daley's as I am convinced it's needed for cross pollination for the large seedling tree. But the grafted trees are growing extremely slowly. One of the grafted trees suddenly dropped its leaves and died. Somewhat puzzling, but, growing close to the large seedling black sapote, it might not have been able to compete for water.

Bought one more grafted tree in 2018 and planted in a different location where it won't have to compete with other trees. This time it is growing well. However, 5 years later still not getting any fruit. Flowers drop off.

Fruiting Months December

Planted: 2010

Height 1.5 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 2

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: Self Pollination

When I Fertilise: Spring

Pest Control: Need to protect leaves from being eaten by possums when tree is young.

Grumichama - Black ^7/10

Comments: -

Nice tasting fruit provided the tree is well watered, otherwise it does not fill out and retains a turpentine taste. Fruits well after 10 years.  Can get fruit fly in some years.

Fruiting Months April and December

Planted: 2006

Height 1.5 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 3

Fruit Harvest: 1 kilograms per Year

First Fruited: 4 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Autumn

Pollination: Self Pollination

When I Fertilise: Yearly

Pest Control: Susceptible to fruit fly.

Mango - Alfonso (Grafted) ^7/10

Comments: -

Good looking wide-spreading tree. Supposed to be one of the favourite mango varieties in India. Have had a few fruit in 2017. Not as tasty as my other mango varieties, but will check taste in next few seasons before giving a verdict. Susceptible to disease so got very few fruits.

Planted: 2010

Height 2 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Fruit Harvest: 3 Fruit Per Year

First Fruited: 7 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Autumn

Pollination: Self Pollination

When I Fertilise: Never

Comments

Any luck with fruit set?

Yes, had some fruit set last year but only 3 mangoes. The Sydney weather this Spring has been good so expect to get more fruit staying on the tree.

Mango - Bowen Seedling (Seedling) ^8/10

Comments: -

Very tasty fruit, but fruit set depends very much on the weather being right at flowering time, so some years get very little fruit. In 2017 got a huge crop due to the combination of dry weather at flowering time and good rain after fruit set. But in subsequent years rain caused disease and got very few mangoes.

Planted: 2004

Height 3 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 4

Fruit Harvest: 10 Fruit Per Year

Sun/Shade: Full Shade

Pollination: Self Pollination

When I Fertilise: Never

Pest Control:

Protect from possums using plastic milk bottles with holes for ventilation placed over fruit.

Guava Hawaiian - Pink Supreme (Cutting) ^8/10

Comments: -

Produces plenty of very tasty fragrant fruit with a mix of sweet with a hint of sour.  

Extra bonus - chewing of young leaves are an excellent remedy for diarrhea and stomach bugs. Well known remedy in Asia.

Too much trouble with fruit fly, and fruit bats and rats so have removed this tree to make room for others.

Fruiting Months May

Planted: 2008

Height 2 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Fruit Harvest: 50 Fruit Per Year

First Fruited: 6 Months after I planted Cutting

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Pruned By: 20% in

Pollination: Self Pollination

When I Fertilise: Spring

Pest Control:

Initially sprayed against fruit fly, but now prefer to use plastic bags over fruit which is close to ripening and it seems to work well.

Prune - Splendour ^10/10

Comments: - Tree growing in Katoomba. Good crop of sweet juicy purple fruit, larger than prune de sergeant. Faiirly resistant to brown rot.

Fruiting Months January

Planted: 2011

Height 2 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Fruit Harvest: 10 kilograms per Year

First Fruited: 4 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Autumn

Pruned By: 20% in Summer

Pollination: Cross Pollination

When I Fertilise: Yearly

Pest Control: Copper spray fungicide against brown rot

Kiwiberry Seedling (Seedling)

Comments: - Planted seeds from fruit bought at the supermarket. Many sprouted and were initially kept in pots but were very delicate and only 3 survived and were planted in the ground. Now growing vigorously. Their sex is unknown, so have to wait till they flower to find out.

Qty: 3

Sun/Shade: Full Shade

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: Self Pollination

Mamey sapote (Seedling)

Comments: - Growing from seed. Wasn't sure if suitable for Sydney climate but it survived winter quite well. Good looking plant and continues to grow well.

Planted: 2015

Height 0.5 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: No

Quince - Champion (Grafted) ^8/10

Comments: - Had one fruit in 2017. Good size. Cooked it and added to plum jam. Hope to get more fruit next year.

Fruiting Months March

Planted: 2014

Height 2 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

First Fruited: 3 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: Self Pollination

Quince - Smyrna (Grafted) ^10/10

Comments: - Very large yellow fruit.

Planted: 2014

Height 2 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

First Fruited: 4 Years after I planted Cutting

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Autumn and Winter

Pollination: Self Pollination

Cranberry (Cutting) ^8/10

Comments: -

Love cranberry jam, so would like to grow this plant. Plant growth is very slow and so only a few berries produced so far. Needs frequent weeding to reduce competition.

Heat wave condition in Katoomba in 2020 have killed the plant.

Planted: 2012

Height 0.1 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 3

Fruit Harvest: 10 Fruit Per Year

First Fruited: 2 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: No

Organic Status:Organic

Cherry - Royal Rainier (Grafted) ^8/10

Comments: - Very sweet, early variety. However, very susceptible to brown rot

Fruiting Months November and December

Planted: 2011

Height 1.5 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Fruit Harvest: 4 kilograms per Year

First Fruited: 3 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: No

Pest Control: Brown rot can damage a large portion of the crop. A single winter spray with copper fungicide seems to have worked well in 2019.

Prune - Robe de Sergeant (Grafted) ^10/10

Comments: - Tree growing in Katoomba. First fruit was very disappointing - not as sweet as expected, probably due to long period of rain during fruiting. We were considering removing this tree. But in 2015 got a large crop of very sweet fruit which demostrated that you should be patient as the weather can have a considerable effect on the taste.

Fruiting Months February

Planted: 2011

Height 2 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Fruit Harvest: 5 kilograms per Year

First Fruited: 2 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Autumn

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Comments

Plum - Sugar plum (Grafted) ^7/10

Comments: - Tasty sweet plum. However, expremely susceptible to brown rot, so I shall be reworking this tree to another less susceptible variety.

Fruiting Months February

Planted: 2011

Height 2 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Fruit Harvest: 6 kilograms per Year

First Fruited: 3 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Pest Control: Fruit susceptible to brown rot in humid weather. Lost half the crop. Have started spray program with fungicide to control the brown rot which can spread to other plums and cherries.

Organic Status:Organic

Plum - Reine Claude de Bavay (Grafted) ^9/10

Comments: - This variety is reported to be very tasty and is popular in Europe. Does not appear to be available in Australia, but I was fortunate to obtain one from a private grower in Victoria. Tree being grown in Katoomba. First fruit in 2017 - very similar to green gage so I suspect it is not Reine Claude. Bought a scion of Reine Claude in 2021 from grower guaranteeing it is genuine, and grafted it on. 

Planted: 2012

Height 2 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

First Fruited: 5 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Organic Status:Organic

Apple - Pink lady ^9/10

Comments: - Delicious flavour. Much better than from shops. Growing in Katoomba. However, very susceptible to black spot, so much so that I shall be reworking this tree to another less susceptible variety as I am not keen on frequent spraying with fungicide.

Fruiting Months May

Planted: 2011

Height 2 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Fruit Harvest: 5 kilograms per Year

First Fruited: 3 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Pest Control: Developed apple scab, and I have just read that this variety is very susceptible to this disease. Difficult to control. Requires monthly fungicide spray. But worth the effort because of the great taste.

Organic Status:Organic

Achacha (Seedling)

Comments: - Extremely slow growing although considerable variation between seedlings. A couple of plants reached 2 metres after 10 years. Requires some protection from the sun when young but otherwise they are quite tough plants with regard to watering. 

Planted: 2010

Height 2 metres

Pollination: Self Pollination

Banana - Dacca dwarf red (Cutting) ^9/10

Comments: - This is a dwarf variety suited to a small garden. Produced small size bananas, quite sweet, nice orange colour. Very tasty. 

Fruiting Months July

Planted: 2013

Height 3 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

First Fruited: 4 Years from purchase in pot

Pollination: Self Pollination

Feijoa - Ellen (Cutting)

Comments: - Recommended by a Canberra Feijoa enthusiast. Described as a large-fruited early variety.

Planted: 2019

Height 0.5 metres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Orange - Cara Cara Blood Navel (Grafted) ^9/10

Comments: -

Navel orange with somewhat red flesh, sweeter than standard navel orange. Very tasty.

Fruiting Months June

Planted: 2019

Height 1.5 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

First Fruited: 2 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: Self Pollination

Apple - Cox\'s Orange Pippin (Grafted) ^10/10

Comments: - Tree is growing in Katoomba. Excellent taste. Good crop in 2015. None in 2016. Big crop again in 2017.

Fruiting Months April

Planted: 2011

Height 2 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Fruit Harvest: 5 kilograms per Year

First Fruited: 4 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Autumn

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Organic Status:Organic

Fig - Brown Turkey (Cutting) ^9/10

Comments: - Tasty large figs. First planted in 2006 but difficult to protect from birds and fruit bats. Planted again 2018 inside bird wire enclosure.

Planted: 2018

Height 1 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

First Fruited: 1 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Autumn

Pollination: No

Pest Control: Using bird wire netting to protect from birds, fruit bats and rats.

Kiwiberry - Mt Tomah Red (Cutting)

Comments: -

This is a female variety of a red kiwiberry. Will need a pollinator. Not sure whether the Issai variety can provide pollination or whether will need a male kiwi fruit plant for this purpose. If my seedling grown plants are male, they might be suitable. Yet to see.

Unfortunately the plant suddenly died in 2020. Possibly due to root rot.

Planted: 2019

Height 0.5 metres

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: No

Gooseberry - Captivator (Cutting) ^7/10

Comments: - Took a long time to fruit. Reasonably good taste. However, hot weather can make the fruit drop before it develops full sweetness.

Planted: 2012

Height 0.5 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

First Fruited: 5 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pruned By: 30% in

Pollination: No

Jaboticaba - Yellow (Seedling) ^4/10

Comments: -

Very slow growing, delicate tree. Withstands cold Sydney nights reasonably well. Has produced flowers every year but only in winter and so the immature fruit drops off in the early years. But finally got a crop in 2017. Sweet fruit but not much flesh, large seed.

Fruiting Months November

Planted: 2010

Height 1.5 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Fruit Harvest: 40 Fruit Per Year

First Fruited: 7 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Autumn

Pollination: No

When I Fertilise: Yearly

Pest Control: No pests.

Lemon Drop Mangosteen (Seedling)

Comments: - This small seedling was similar to the Bakupari. It grew well in a pot in a sheltered position, but after planting in the ground it did not survive the winter cold in Sydney.

Planted: 2018

Height 0.3 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: Self Pollination

Olive - Frantoio (Cutting) ^10/10

Comments: -

Planted this tree to cross-pollinate Kalamata olive on advice from olive plantation owner. Reasonably good crop in 2016. Small olives.

Got a large crop in 2019 and made up 6 large jars of olives. They were fantastic. Can't wait for the next crop.

Since this is an established tree, decided to graft a few other varieties onto it as an experiment - Spanich Queen, Kolossus Kalamata, and Manzanillo - using bark grafting which seems to work very well.

Fruiting Months March

Planted: 2009

Height 2 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Fruit Harvest: 6 kilograms per Year

First Fruited: 3 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Autumn

Pruned By: 20% in Summer

Pollination: No

Pest Control:

Occasional leaf damage by small lacebugs. Need to check regularly and wipe off by hand or spray. If unchecked can damage large number of leaves. Also need to check for caterpillars which occasionally can wipe out a lot of leaves.

Rose apple (Seedling) ^4/10

Comments: - Beautiful tree with white flowers and yellow fruit. Fairly quick growing. Fruit is rose scented, but not much flesh and somewhat dry. In addition, was susceptible to fruit fly, so decided to remove the tree.

Planted: 2015

Height 1.5 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

First Fruited: 3 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Autumn

Pollination: No

Jaboticaba Large Leaf (Seedling) ^9/10

Comments: -

The fruit is considerably larger than the small leaf jaboticaba. The skin is tougher. Fruit is very tasty provided it is fully ripe - soft when squeezed.

Planted: 2014

Height 2 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 2

First Fruited: 5 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: No

Pomegranate - unknown variety (Cutting)

Comments: - Unknown variety recommended by friend.

Planted: 2014

Height 1.5 metres

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Autumn

Pollination: No

Organic Status:Organic

Olive - Spanish queen (Cutting)

Planted: 2012

Height 1.5 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: No

Pest Control:

Two pests.

One is lacebug - tiny insects which seriously damage leaves. Can be wiped off by hand when tree is small, but will need spraying when tree is larger.

The second problem is a small borer grub which ringbarks the young tree typical

Acerola - Florida Sweet (Seedling) ^8/10

Comments: -

Produces a profusion of small pink flowers followed by tasty soft red fruit. Some leaf loss in late winter, early spring due to cold Sydney winter. Very shallow rooted, so will benefit from staking to avoid toppling over. Requires good watering in dry spells.

Produced a large crop in 2010, but suddenly died, probably due to insuficient watering.

Planted: 2007

Height 2 metres

Qty: 1

First Fruited: 1 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Autumn and Spring

Pruned By: 20% in Summer and Spring

Pollination: No

Pest Control:

none

Passionfruit - Sweet Lilikoi (Grafted) ^1/10

Comments: -

Grows vigorously and has many flowers each year, but has not set a single fruit for over 5 years in spite of attempts at manual pollination and cross pollination with granadilla x lilikoi variety. Therefore have removed the plant.

Planted: 2003

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: Hand Pollination

Passionfuit Panama Red (Grafted) ^10/10

Comments: -

Excellent juicy sweet fruit. Trained vine to grow over pergola. This is a grafted variety and it's necessary to pull out any plants which come from the roots in the vicinity.

It died in 2012 presumably due to "old age". Have now replaced it with Panama Yellow.

Fruiting Months May and June

Planted: 2009

Height 2 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Fruit Harvest: 50 Fruit Per Year

First Fruited: 1 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Autumn and Winter

Pollination: Self Pollination

Pest Control:

No pests so far except for occasional caterpillar.

Organic Status:Organic

Bakupari (Seedling)

Comments: - Good looking plant with tough leathery leaves. Grew well in summer but at the end of winter it dropped all its leaves and did not recover. Seems Sydney is too cold for this plant.

Planted: 2016

Height 0.3 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: Self Pollination

Cherry of Rio Grande (Seedling) ^7/10

Comments: -

Wanted to try this tree based on positive comments left by other growers. Tree is still small but doing well. The fruit is small and soft and of medium taste. Get occasional dieback of small branches.

Dropped most leaves at the end of winter 2017, but then grew new leaves. The tree has not growm much - perhaps Sydney winter is too cold for this fruit tree to do well. Moved it to a more sheltered spot, but it suffered from transplant shock, lost leaves and did not recover. 

Fruiting Months December

Planted: 2013

Height 0.8 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

First Fruited: 3 Years from purchase in pot

Pollination: Self Pollination

Dwarf Coconut Green (Seedling)

Comments: -

Planted the tree in a sheltered position. Grew very well in summer, but leaves went brown in winter due to lack of sun and low temperatures in Sydney. Did not recover.

Planted: 2012

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Winter

Pollination: Self Pollination

Jakfruit - Brinsmead Special (Grafted)

Comments: -

Wanted to try a crisp grafted variety from Daleys, seeing that our own seedlings were doing quite well in Sydney.

During several days of rain in 2019, the bottom of the trunk got attacked by a white powdery fungus, so the tree is not growing well at present. Painted this area with copper fungicide to try and save the tree. Unfortunately, the tree did not survive the drought and heat wave conditions in 2020.

Planted: 2015

Height 0.5 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Kiwifruit - Hayward (Cutting) ^7/10

Comments: - Growing in Katoomba - one female and one male. Not very sweet, but makes excellent jam.

Planted: 1999

Height 2 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 2

Fruit Harvest: 10 kilograms per Year

First Fruited: 2 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Autumn

Pruned By: 50% in Summer

Pollination: No

Pest Control: Netting required to protect from Possums and birds.

Chestnut - seedling (Seedling)

Comments: - We like roast chestnuts so decided to grow some seedlings to see what we would get.

Planted: 2013

Height 1.5 metres

Qty: 3

First Fruited: 6 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Autumn

Pollination: No

Blueberry - Kisses

Comments: - Very large berries. Excellent taste

Fruiting Months December

Planted: 2018

Height 0.5 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

First Fruited: 1 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Autumn

Pollination: No

Apple - Esopus Spitzenburg ^10/10

Comments: - Excellent taste. Flesh slightly yellow, crip and juicy. 

Planted: 2014

Height 2 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Fruit Harvest: 3 kilograms per Year

First Fruited: 4 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Autumn

Pruned By: 30% in Summer

Pollination: Cross Pollination

When I Fertilise: Yearly

Pest Control: Copper spray against apple scab

Fig - Yum Yum (Cutting) ^9/10

Comments: - This variety was bought from Bunnings. Great taste. The fig ripens to a light red/tan colour, and the flesh is white.

Planted: 2018

Height 1.5 metres

Qty: 1

First Fruited: 2 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: No

Fig - White Genoa (Cutting) ^9/10

Comments: - Very tasty. Originally grew in the ground but became too straggly, so grew again from cutting in a pot. Much more compact and still producing enough fruit for family.

Planted: 2016

Height 1 metres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Autumn

Pollination: No

Jujube - Sugar cane (Grafted)

Height 30 Centimetres

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: No

Plumcot - Marcia’s Flavor (Grafted) ^5/10

Comments: -

Tree growing in Katoomba. First large crop in 2015, Large number of fruit split by rain, but not spoilt. Fruit not particularly sweet, but OK to eat. Makes very good jam and compote.

Decided to remove the tree because not tasty enough.

Fruiting Months January

Planted: 2011

Height 2 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Fruit Harvest: 2 kilograms per Year

First Fruited: 3 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Organic Status:Organic

Olive - Kolossus kalamata (Cutting)

Planted: 2013

Height 1 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: No

Blueberry - Brigitta (Cutting) ^9/10

Comments: - Delicious fruit. Suitable for cooler climates.

Fruiting Months January and December

Planted: 2012

Height 1 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

First Fruited: 1 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: No

Organic Status:Organic

Fig Black Genoa (Cutting) ^8/10

Comments: - Not as sweet as other varieties but still a good flavour. Kept in large pot to limit height. 

Planted: 2017

Height 1 metres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

First Fruited: 2 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Autumn

Pollination: No

Apple - Staymans Winesap (Grafted) ^10/10

Comments: - First apple tasting was very satisfying. 

Planted: 2016

Height 2 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Fruit Harvest: 5 Fruit Per Year

First Fruited: 1 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pruned By: 30% in

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Jujube - Honey Jar (Grafted) ^10/10

Comments: - Very tasty sweet fruit.

Fruiting Months February

Planted: 2015

Height 2 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

First Fruited: 4 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Autumn

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Jostaberry (Cutting) ^7/10

Comments: - This plant is a cross of three original species in the Ribes genus. Growing well. First fruit in 2016. Best use is for jam which is extremely tasty.

Fruiting Months December

Planted: 2013

Height 2 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Fruit Harvest: 5 kilograms per Year

First Fruited: 3 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pruned By: 20% in

Pollination: No

Pest Control: No pest issues.

Organic Status:Organic

Mango - Honeygold (Seedling) ^10/10

Comments: -

Growing it from seed which is polyembryonic so expect it to come true. Got 2 mangoes in 2017 - thin skin, beautiful colour, excellent taste.

Has suffered leaf burn in heat wave conditions in Sydney over 40 degrees.

Fruiting Months February

Planted: 2011

Height 2 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Fruit Harvest: 1 kilograms per Year

First Fruited: 6 Years from Seed

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: Self Pollination

Pest Control: Plastic milk bottles over fruit to protect from fruit bats and possums.

Plum - Angelina ^10/10

Comments: - Tree growing in Katoomba. Excellent taste if fully ripened on tree.

Fruiting Months January

Planted: 2011

Height 2 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Fruit Harvest: 4 kilograms per Year

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Autumn

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Pest Control: Susceptible to brown rot. Requires copper spray in winter.

Organic Status:Organic

Olive - Kalamata (Grafted) ^5/10

Comments: -

Looking forward to this variety. Must water at fruiting time to ensure fruit does not drop.

Planted: 2009

Height 2 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

First Fruited: 3 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Cross Pollinator Variety: Frantoio

When I Fertilise: Yearly

Pest Control:

Occasional leaf damage by lacebugs. Need to check regularly and wipe off by hand or spray. If unchecked can damage large number of leaves. Also need to check for caterpillars which occasionally can wipe out a lot of leaves.

Lemon - Lisbon (Grafted) ^10/10

Comments: -

Large tree producing a copious crop of excellent lemons which ripen in winter. We prune it hard to limit height of tree to 3 m, and it responds very well. This variety is very hardy. Recommended.

Fruiting Months May, June, July, August

Planted: 2004

Height 4 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Fruit Harvest: 50 Fruit Per Year

First Fruited: 2 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pruned By: 40% in

Pollination: Self Pollination

When I Fertilise: Never

Pest Control:

Remove branch swellings affected by gall wasp.

Macadamia - Bush Nut (Seedling) ^10/10

Comments: -

Produces good crop of nuts each year. Handsome tree with beautiful pink flower racemes.

Top pruned the tree to half size so as to be able to reach nuts. This resulted in a much denser lower tree.

Fruiting Months April

Planted: 2004

Height 5 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Fruit Harvest: 100 Fruit Per Year

First Fruited: 4 Years from Seed

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: Self Pollination

When I Fertilise: Never

Pest Control:

Main problem are Rozellas and cockatoos - when young nuts are forming, they destroy every single one of the large crop of nuts. Must put netting over nuts within reach so as to save some of the crop.

Some nuts affected by macadamia nut borer.

Dwarf Persimmon - Ichikikijiro (NA) ^9/10

Comments: -

Produces a good crop of large tasty fruit. Recommended.

Planted: 2007

Height 2 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Fruit Harvest: 30 Fruit Per Year

First Fruited: 1 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pruned By: 40% in

Pollination: No

When I Fertilise: Yearly

Pest Control:

Bags over each fruit to prevent fruit fly and possums

Comments

I am just happy to see that someone also use strawberries as ground cover under their trees. I plant strawberries under every fruiting trees in my backyard, they make perfect ground covers and are also very delicious.

Feijoa - White Goose PBR ^10/10

Comments: - Delicious large fruit.

Planted: 2017

Height 1.5 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

First Fruited: 1 Years from Seed

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Autumn

Pollination: Self Pollination

Gooseberry - Thorny (Cutting) ^8/10

Comments: - This variety seems not to be available from nurseries, but the fruit is very tasty. Some say it's better than the Captivator variety, so will be keen to compare. Growing from a cutting obtained from a friend. Fruit very sweet when ripe (turns to red colour).

Fruiting Months December

Planted: 2014

Height 0.5 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Fruit Harvest: 6 Fruit Per Year

First Fruited: 2 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: No

Organic Status:Organic

Lychee - Bosworth 3 (Cutting) ^10/10

Comments: - This variety produces large fruit with very good taste and many have small seed. We prune the top after fruiting to keep the size manageable. 

Fruiting Months January

Planted: 1999

Height 3 metres

Qty: 1

Fruit Harvest: 15 kilograms per Year

First Fruited: 8 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pruned By: 10% in

Pollination: Self Pollination

Pest Control:

Macadamia nut borer is a problem which spoils some of the crop. A thorough spraying with insecticide all over the tree when the fruit is still quite small, including inside the tree to eliminate the moths which harbour there, is very effective. We have

Jakfruit - Seedling ^9/10

Comments: -

Jakfruit tastes great but is rather expensive to buy in Sydney, so decided to try growing it. The tree likes plenty of water, but we don't have a suitable location so it took a while of TLC to get the tree to grow large enough to start producing fruit. We found that the tree initially produced many male fruits (smooth skin) which go mouldy and drop off, and it took a long time before we got the first female fruit (rougher skin) - took about 13 years. The fruit grew well and to a large size. Unfortunately, it ripened and dropped to the ground during our 2-week absence on holidays so we didn't get to taste it.

But with the warming climate, we are now getting more fruits forming and in 2019 we had a crop of 3 jackfruits to full maturity. 

By the way, none of the fruit books talk about the male and female fruits, so this is from our experience. 

Fruiting Months April and November

Planted: 2000

Height 3 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 2

Fruit Harvest: 1 Fruit Per Year

First Fruited: 14 Years from Seed

Pollination: Self Pollination

Guava - Mexican Cream ^8/10

Comments: - Very good soft sweet taste, sweeter than Hawaiian pink. Good crop. However, too much trouble with fruit fly, bush rats and fruit bats, so have removed tree to make room for others.

Fruiting Months March and April

Planted: 2014

Height 1 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Fruit Harvest: 10 Fruit Per Year

First Fruited: 1 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Autumn

Pollination: Self Pollination

Pest Control: Tried using vegemite solution in soft drink bottle to trap fruit flies but not completely effective. One spray with lebaycid worked very well but this chemical no longer used. Fine netting works well but does not stop bush rats.

Comments

How well is your doing in Pot? My died last yr and i got new one today from a friend.

Initially I had it in a pot and the top half died. So I put it in the ground and it recovered, and that's when I got 1 fruit. It seems to be very happy now and is growing well.

Loquat - Nagasakiwase (Grafted) ^8/10

Comments: - The fruit is rather small but the seeds are also small. Good taste. Have moved the tree to Katoomba where it continued to grow well and produced very tasty fruit. Coddling moth was a serious problem in Sydney but have not had this issue in Katoomba so far. The tree is now doing very well, no transplant shock, and has produced good fruit.

Fruiting Months December

Planted: 2012

Height 1.5 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Fruit Harvest: 20 Fruit Per Year

First Fruited: 2 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: Self Pollination

Banana - Vietnamese xiem (Cutting) ^10/10

Comments: -

Good tasting bananas - very sweet, moist and thin skinned. Produced good crops of bananas each year. This banana tree variety is quite tall so might not be a good choice for a small garden. After fruiting, the trunk needs to be removed, allowing offshoots to grow in turn.

Planted: 2006

Height 4 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 2

First Fruited: 3 Years after I planted Cutting

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: Self Pollination

When I Fertilise: Never

Pest Control: No pests

Comments

Can you please advise where you purchased the cuttings? I live in Glenorie and want to grow these in addition to my other plantings as I love the flavour. Thanks

You could try to find this variety for sale in Cabramatta. If they don't have it, you could contact me on zisaj09@gmail.com

Thank you kindly for your assistance, I will try Cabramatta failing which I will contact you at your email. Once again thanks

Got one, thanks to you. I will be planting on a mound in well rotted Alpacca manure. Any other tips would be much appreciated. Once again thanks and have a happy Christmas and a prosperous and safe New Year.

Planted and watering every day on a/c hot weather. Has shot 2 new leaves already since purchased. Hopefully will survive and thrive.

Plant is now 2m tall, no fruit this year. Has 3 suckers don't know if I should cull them to one , would dearly appreciate your advice.

If it's your first tree, then you can keep all 3 suckers so that you will get 4 plants. But in future I suggest letting only one sucker to replace a tree which has fruited so as to maintain only 3-4 trees at any one time. That will give you plenty of bananas without becoming a thicket. Remember that once a tree has fruited, it is finished and you should cut that one down.

Thanks for your advice. I will do as you advised but will remove 2 of the suckers and replant nearby. I was sorry to not get any fruit this summer but maybe next season. BTW I have been mulching and have heaped some good quality compost with added Alpacca manure to the trees. They are doing very well with a lot of growth. Thanks again.

Hooray! First fruit in July and doing well, so far. Have used a forked prop for the tree just in case and also wrapped in fly netting to stop birds etc.

Great. Just make sure you don't pick them too early. Wait till a banana starts to turn yellow and then you can start to pick them, only as much as you can eat at a time.

No fruits last season, wondering, do I cut the tree that was supposed to fruit and let sucker grow or remove sucker(s)?

If this tree has not fruited before, then no, don't cut it down. It will definitely produce fruit. As for suckers, I usually leave only a couple and cut off the rest otherwise you will get a large clump of trees which are not very manageable. Right now I have 3 large trees of which one has bananas ripening, a second has just started to flower and the third has not flowered yet. And I have kept only 3 suckers of various heights for future. That's quite enough for our family.

Pitomba (Seedling) ^8/10

Comments: -

Slow growing with some initial dieback in winter. First reasonable crop after 8 years. Delicate aromatic flavour with hint of pineapple, soft fruit with single seed. Now producing fruit regularly.

Fruiting Months January

Planted: 2006

Height 1.5 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Fruit Harvest: 20 Fruit Per Year

First Fruited: 8 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Autumn

Pollination: Self Pollination

Pest Control: No fruit fly so far. No other pests.

Cherry - Morello (Grafted) ^9/10

Comments: -

Good looking tree with plenty of cherries in Sydney climate. This is a sour cherry and makes excellent jam.

Planted: 2007

Height 2 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Fruit Harvest: 80 Fruit Per Year

First Fruited: 2 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pruned By: 25% in

Pollination: Self Pollination

When I Fertilise: Never

Pest Control:

Tree covered by netting to stop birds and possums.

Jaboticaba (Seedling) ^9/10

Comments: -

Good looking tree. Fruited first time after 6 years and the fruit is very tasty. The fruit is ripe when it turns black and soft when squeezed between fingers. Produces a good crop every year triggered by good rainfall.

Planted: 2006

Height 3 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 2

Fruit Harvest: 0.5 kilograms per Year

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: No

Pest Control: Some crop lost to bush rats but putting up with this as the crop is very abundant.

Myrtus ugni (Cutting) ^3/10

Comments: - Did not grow well in Sydney, but is thriving in Katoomba. Fruit somewhat insipid.

Planted: 2015

Height 0.5 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 4

First Fruited: 2 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: No

Plum - Jefferson (Grafted)

Comments: - This plum variety developed in the US  is rated highly so want to try it. However, the tree was mislabeled and turned out to be sloe. Received replacement tree in 2019.

Planted: 2015

Height 3 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

First Fruited: 4 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: No

Feijoa - Unique cutting ^10/10

Comments: - Delicious large fruit.

Height 1 metres

Qty: 1

First Fruited: 1 Years from Seed

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: Self Pollination

Fig White Adriatic ^10/10

Comments: - Great flavour. 

Height 1 metres

Qty: 1

First Fruited: 2 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Autumn

Pollination: No

Ugni montana (Cutting) ^4/10

Comments: - Small pink fruit. Taste is just OK.

Fruiting Months April

Planted: 2013

Height 0.5 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Fruit Harvest: 0.1 kilograms per Year

First Fruited: 4 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: No

Pest Control: None required

Organic Status:Organic

Plum - Luisa (Grafted) ^7/10

Comments: -

Replanted in Katoomba in 2011. Growing very well and produced prolific fruit. I can now report that the taste is quite good. The plums are ready to eat when coloured half yellow and half red. If you try to wait till they are fully red, they will be overripe and starting to go off. They are relatively soft, very juicy, fairly sweet. The tree is vigorous so requires a good pruning each year.

Planted: 2010

Height 2 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Fruit Harvest: 40 kilograms per Year

First Fruited: 3 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: Self Pollination

Pest Control:

Aphids can sometimes be a problem. Also earwigs which nibble at the fruit. We sprayed pyrethrum one time when the aphids were too numerous to remove by hand, and haven't yet found a good solution to the earwigs, but the cro

Comments

Hi Edward, Has your tree fruited yet? I'm interested in planting this variety and would like to hear your thoughts on taste or even try before I buy! I'm around the corner from you so my conditions would be very similar. Great collection of fruit trees you have.

I transplanted the tree in Katoomba in 2011 to get a higher chill factor, although I believe it should also fruit in Sydney. It has grown very well last summer and I expect to get fruit next year. Will let you know then how it tastes.

Ed Do you recommend this Plum for Quakers hill area ? Thanks

This is supposed to be a low chill variety, so I think it would be fine for your area.

Raspberry - Tulameen (Cutting) ^9/10

Comments: - This variety has a good writeup with the berries being large and the main commercial variety.

Planted: 2017

Height 1 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 2

First Fruited: 1 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: Self Pollination

Blueberry - Legacy (Cutting) ^10/10

Comments: - Delicious large fruit. Highly recommended.

Planted: 2013

Height 0.3 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

First Fruited: 1 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: No

Organic Status:Organic

Nectarine - Flavortop (Grafted) ^7/10

Comments: - Good tasting fruit, although not much due to tree being significantly affected by leaf curl when bought from Sydney nursery. Now using spray to control this problem at time of bud burst, and it seems to be working. Almost no leaves affected by leaf gall in 2013. However, sprayed too late in 2014 and so the tree was very badly affected by leaf gall and got no fruit. But in 2015 all the leaves were badly affected by leaf curl in spite of fungicide spray at budburst. So not very happy with this tree. Again no edible fruit in 2016. So have removed this tree.

Planted: 2011

Height 2 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

First Fruited: 2 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: Self Pollination

Pest Control: Requires spraying with fungicide to control leaf curl

Feijoa - Nazematze (Cutting) ^9/10

Comments: - Had flowers but did not fruit in earlier years, so tried hand cross pollination from feijoa Duffy. In 2017 got fruit. Tasty but not as good as Duffy.

Planted: 2012

Height 1 metres

Qty: 1

First Fruited: 5 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Cross Pollinator Variety: Duffy

Feijoa - Duffy ^10/10

Comments: - Delicious fruit. Growing this tree in Katoomba. Essential to water during fruiting to avoid fruit drop.

Fruiting Months April

Planted: 2012

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Fruit Harvest: 40 Fruit Per Year

First Fruited: 2 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Autumn

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Cross Pollinator Variety: Nazematse

Pest Control: None required

Lychee - Wai Chee (Cutting) ^10/10

Comments: - Very good taste. In Sydney, fruits later in February, so good companion to Bosworth 3. Very slow growing, but has a nice compact shape and more tasty fruit with small seed.

Fruiting Months February

Planted: 2000

Height 2 metres

Qty: 1

Fruit Harvest: 8 kilograms per Year

First Fruited: 2008 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: Self Pollination

Pest Control: See comments for my other lychee (Bosworth 3).

Cedar Bay Cherry (Seedling) ^3/10

Comments: -

The first plant died in winter, but possibly due to being overwatered one time, as I have since read from another contributor that this plant requires very good drainage.  Planted another plant and covered with shade cloth to see if it grows better. But this one also started to lose leaves, so have moved it to another more sheltered part of the garden in part shade.

This time it is growing well. The scarlet fruits look very attractive. Initial fruit had rather little flesh, but was better in subsequent years, possibly because of more frequent watering at fruiting time. Nevertheless, the fruit is not particularly tasty.

Fruiting Months January

Planted: 2009

Height 0.5 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

First Fruited: 7 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Low Sun

Water Given in: Autumn

Pollination: Self Pollination

Apple - White transparent (Grafted) ^5/10

Comments: - Early apple from Eastern Europe. Fruit must be picked promptly before it over-ripens and becomes soft and mushy. It is a crisp, sour apple with thin skin. More suited for pies and compotes than eating fresh. Was told to pick it when still hard and keep it for a few days before eating. However, the taste was still not good enough and so have removed this tree.

Fruiting Months January

Planted: 2013

Height 1.5 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Fruit Harvest: 10 Fruit Per Year

First Fruited: 2 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Autumn

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Plum - Greengage (Grafted) ^10/10

Comments: - Tree growing in Katoomba. Excellent sweet taste. 

Planted: 2011

Height 3 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Fruit Harvest: 2 kilograms per Year

First Fruited: 4 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Autumn

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Organic Status:Organic

Cherry - Lapin (Grafted) ^9/10

Comments: - Tree growing in Katoomba. 

Fruiting Months December

Planted: 2011

Height 1.5 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Fruit Harvest: 3 kilograms per Year

First Fruited: 3 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Autumn

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Pest Control: Squashing cherry slugs by hand (wearing gloves). This is Ok while tree is still small. This year (2016) sprayed thoroughly with insecticide and there have been no cherry slugs so far.

Organic Status:Organic

Pomegranate - Wonderful (Cutting)

Planted: 2014

Height 0.5 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: Self Pollination