Louisiana
Louisiana fruit planting season begins in November
LAKE CHARLES, La. (KPLC) – It’s November again here in Louisiana which means it’s time to start planting your fruit trees, shrubs, and vines.
Planting season runs from November through February and commonly includes local favorites like:
- Apples
- Pears
- Muscadine Grapes
- Oriental Persimmons
- Blackberries
- Pawpaws
- Figs
- Peaches
- Plums
The LSU Ag Center offers a comprehensive guide for growing fruit in Louisiana HERE.
Some general tips they provide for growing your own fruit include:
- Selecting a good location – Use deep, well-drained soil since water-logged soil will hamper growth. Also, make sure the spot has proper sunlight and isn’t downhill as cold air, like water, flows downward.
- Be patient – Many non-tropical fruits have a “rest period” where they will be inactive until they receive a specific number of hours of cold below 45 degrees. They will then become active in spring. Rest periods can last anywhere from 200 to 1000 hours depending on the fruit.
- Start with good nursery stock – Purchase your plants from a reputable nursery and beware of bargains. And try not to use the oversized “ready-to-bear” nursery trees. Younger trees bear fruit just as quickly, are easier to transplant, and develop into healthier trees.
- Skip on fertilizer at planting – As a general rule, no fertilizer is recommended when you’re planting. However, this will change when spring starts to come around in February.
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