Persimmon Perspective

Persimmons don't ship well commercially, so the selection at your local supermarket is likely to be limited. So what's a persimmon pursuer to do? Plant your own tree! Odds are there's a variety that will grow well in your neck of the woods. For example, the American persimmon always has to be used soft and is usually grown in the Midwest or the colder regions of the east coast. The Japanese varieties are all adapted to the milder coastal climates of the United States.

However, there are a few reasons these beautiful trees aren't growing in everyone's yard. According to Laivo, persimmon trees are a little more expensive than your average fruit tree because the propagation is expensive. Not only is the tree hard to bud, but the buds don't always take, and sometimes less than 60 percent of the trees survive the digging. So growers like Laivo take on the challenge of propagating persimmon trees, and the rest of us can buy young, healthy, grafted trees at the nursery. Sure you'll pay a little more, but the investment offers returns in other ways.

"Persimmon trees are really easy to take care of," says Laivo. "They're actually very adaptable to a wide range of soils, they're disease- and pest-free, and basically drought tolerant after established." Depending on your climate, persimmon trees can be planted in early spring or winter.

Laivo doesn't amend the soil because the roots need to adapt to the nutrients that will be available for the next 100-plus years. Instead, he uses other protective measures like mulch. Mulch helps to cut down on evaporation and also keeps the roots cooler in the summertime. Laivo recommends high-density planting or several trees planted in one hole in smaller yards to provide lots of fruit, great pollination and easy harvesting all in one compact area (figure E).

Persimmons are also very easy to maintain, as far as pruning is concerned. Simply prune limbs that are crossing and dangling. Laivo suggests structural cuts or cutting branches back to about the third bud inside the tree. Structural cuts create strong branches to support lots of fruit. Laivo also prunes for size control and doesn't let his trees grow any taller than the height his hands can reach over his head. Anything above that is too hard to harvest without a ladder. Just remember the "kiss" method: keep it short and simple. Moderate pruning can also help reduce the tree's tendency to be alternate bearing or fruiting every other year.

Persimmons are a great source of vitamins A and C as well as of potassium and fiber.

Tip: To ripen American astringent persimmons in a jiffy, place the fruit in the freezer overnight. Remove the fruit from the freezer and allow the cold-ripened fruit to thaw.