Gardening 101: Fruit trees to grow in Texas
(CBSDFW.COM) - Texas Arbor Day is the first Friday in November (National Arbor Day is in Spring). The reason Texas has its own Arbor Day is due to our brutally hot summers. Planting your tree in the Fall gives the tree all winter and spring to grow out its root structure (because our ground doesn't freeze over winter, roots grow all year). Deep roots that find water during dry spells is the best way for a young tree to survive a Texas summer.
Not only can you plant a tree to grow some shade for your yard, but you can also grow something for your kitchen. Because of our cold winters here, citrus is not a good option for a fruit tree in these parts. But there are some very good options.
In my backyard I have all three of the trees/vines mentioned. I have two varieties of pomegranates and have picked some this fall (the trees are in their second year). I have a Celeste Fig Tree. Squirrels and rats have discovered the tree, so I no longer get figs (they do). But during the great freeze of 2021 (it got down to -2°F in my yard) the tree died to the ground. It was about 12 feet high that summer before. I cut the wood back (it makes excellent "smoking" wood for the grill by the way) and it sprung back out of the ground the next spring. By end of summer, it was back to 12 feet.
I'll let you know about the Champanel red grape. I planted it in the fall. I'm hoping next spring it'll start to grow some. I have a well-built trellis for it to expand on.
Shade and food. I love fruit trees! Get one planted before winter starts.