How To Grow STONE FRUITS in Zimbabwe

What are Stone Fruits?
Peaches , Nectarines,Plums,Apricots and Almonds are stone fruits.
These fruits have a very huge market in Europe and neighbouring South Africa.
Currently one Zimbabwe company Rollex Ltd (biggest single project in the southern hemisphere) has four farms in Marondera and Wedza.This year they have exported 1250tonnes of stone fruits to Europe and Middle East. (Read it Here)

The stone fruit  comes early in the season.
The fruits are ready between September and November, whereas those from South Africa are only ready in December.

“Since we are the only supplier during that period, we enjoy good prices,” Moyo said.

The company sells vegetables to Tesco and Mark & Spencer, strawberries to South Africa’s Spar and Pick n Pay supermarkets. Blueberries are sold to Europe.

In addition, the company is also doing contract packing for others through Safari Fresh which supplies vegetables to Albert Heinj, the biggest supermarket chain in Holland.

STONE FRUITS
Peaches, Nectarines, Plums, Apricots and Almonds

Success in growing fruit trees and in producing quality fruit doesn't just happen. Careful attention must be given to basic management practices including site selection, variety selection, weed control, water and pest management.


Soil and Site Requirements
Good soil moisture drainage is essential for growing healthy, productive trees. Soils with standing water or ones that remain saturated for even a day or two following a heavy rain are unsuitable for fruit trees.

A soil fertility test before planting helps avoid undesirable sites, and minerals such as phosphorus and potassium can be added before planting where needed.

Plentiful sunlight is a key to maximizing fruit production. Choose an area that is sunny most or all of the day.

Soil Preparation and Planting
Thoroughly prepare the soil by deeply cultivating, either by hand or with a rototiller before planting. At this time also make any recommended adjustments to the soil.

Pruning and Training
Pruning a young tree controls its shape by developing a strong, well-balanced framework of scaffold branches. The open center pruning system is best suited for stone fruit trees. Since most fruit trees bear fruit on wood that grew the previous year, this wood is regrown from year to year.

Weed Control
Eliminating weed competition around young trees is critical for survival and rapid growth. Heavy weed or grass competition results in severe nitrogen deficiency (yellow foliage with red spots); trees will produce little or no growth and often may die. Ideally, keep the soil surface weed-free in an area at least as wide as the limb spread of the tree.

Fertilization
Fruit trees can be fertilized the first year after they leaf out in the spring. Place the fertilizer at and slightly beyond the canopy edge of the tree but never against the trunk. If your soil pH is above 7.5, do not apply phosphorus fertilizer.


Varieties

Nectarines
The nectarine is a mutation of a peach and not a cross between a peach and a plum. Nectarines are not generally well adapted because the smooth-skinned fruit is especially vulnerable to diseases and wind-scarring.

Nectarines Varieties

• Sun Red
• Armking
• Crimson
• Redglobe

Plums
Plant at least two varieties to ensure pollination of certain varieties. The recommended varieties are Japanese or Japanese-hybrid plum varieties. The large-fruited European-type plums that commonly reach the supermarkets are not as well in South Africa because of greater disease susceptibility and lower production.

Plum Varieties

• Gulfruby
• Gulfgold
• Bruce large
• Allred
• Methley
• Morris large
• Ozark Premier

Apricots
Contrary to common belief, apricots are self-fruitful and do not require a pollinator. Unfortunately, fruiting is inconsistent on all varieties. The greatest consistency in fruiting is on trees planted near buildings, although it is not uncommon to have yearly fruiting on certain trees growing in the open. Frost damage sometimes causes crop loss, but fruit often fails to set when there is no frost damage.


Apricot Varieties

• Bryan
• Hungarian
• Moonpark
• Royal
• Blenheim

Peaches
Peaches are well adapted to most parts of Zimbabwe. Because all peaches are self-fruitful, it is not necessary to plant more than one variety. One tree normally supplies more peaches than one family can consume. The later ripening varieties are of better quality.

Peach Varieties

• EarliGrande
• TropicSweet
• TropicBeauty
• Springgold
• Juneprince
• Bicentennial
• Surecrop
• Royal
• Sentinel large
• La Feliciana
• Redglobe
• Summergold
• Fireprince
• Bounty large
• Milam
• Loring
• Denman
• Redskin