“Green Guide” introduction
The Basic Notes booklet is available at no cost to members here (scroll to bottom of page and click on “Older crop guides can be viewed here”)
When we bought our piece of land we had ideas of growing something. But what?
We read and researched and couldn’t believe the numbers of books and other resources often needed just to find some basic information.
So here is a collection of basic facts on more than 65 crops that will grow in New Zealand.
This book does not replace the Fact Sheets already published by NZTCA but is more a guide (or dream) of what you could grow.
All these plants are available in NZ – some may not be at all suitable for what you want, or where you live. Some are not actually trees but have money-making – or eating – or other useful potential.
Tree Crops is not just about growing trees but covers a multi-tier concept.
Why not grow something in the space where your main crop is developing?
E.g. juvenile avocado trees can provide frost protection for a temporary tamarillo crop.
Many of the trees, which are planted for amenity reasons too, can be pruned up to make a suitable timber tree. Furniture makers do not require very long, or often very thick work-pieces.
The categories used are:
| Common Name | Name commonly used locally. |
|---|---|
| Botanical Name | The binomial system with the genus followed by the species name, in Latin, recognisable world wide. |
| Family | Classification of plants based on characteristics of flowers, fruits and foliage. |
| Zones | Area where the crop will probably do well. You may have a microclimate that will be suitable for trees considered outside the range. It is not an ideal system, and cause for much debate but it is included as an approximate guide. |
| Description | A brief description of the tree with its likely height – if not pruned. |
| Climate | The climate the plant is likely to do well in. |
| Soil | The type of soil and pH preferred. |
| Flowers & Pollination | Where the flowers are, what they look like, when they bloom and what makes them turn into fruit. |
| Crop | What the end result is. And how long it could take to get there. |
| Harvest | The time of year to reap your reward. |
| Uses | What to do with it when you harvest it. |
| Market | Can you sell it or will you have to find your own niche? |
| Notes | Bits and pieces that didn’t fit in the above. |
It would be impossible to make note of all the people who so kindly gave their time and knowledge to help in this booklet so a grateful thanks to them (often their names are on the specific Fact Sheets as contacts or contributors). A list of publications I used as references or enjoyed reading is also included.
Happy Cropping!
© Gail Newcomb, Technical Editor, NZTCA (June 2000).
Booklet format – A4 sized, 77 pages, spiral-bound for ease-of-use
Contents of Basic Notes booklet:
WHY THIS BOOKLET WAS WRITTEN
INTRODUCTION
SOME QUESTIONS ANSWERED
A LOOK at CLIMATE
A BASIC GUIDE for EASY CARE FRUIT TREES
PRUNING BASICS
A GUIDE FOR RECORD KEEPING
ALMOND
AMERICAN PAWPAW
AVOCADO
BABACO
BANANA
BEE TREES
BLACK LOCUST
BLACK SAPOTE
BLUEBERRY
CAPE GOOSEBERRY
CAROB
CASANA
CASHEW
CASIMIROA (White Sapote)
CHERIMOYA
CHESTNUTS
CHRISTMAS TREES
CITRUS
COPPICE
CORK OAK
EASY CARE FRUIT & NUTS
ELDERBERRY
EUCALYPTS
FEIJOA
FIG
GEVUINA
GINKGO
GUAVA – Cattley
GUAVA – Tropical
HAZEL
HONEY LOCUST
INGA BEAN
JABOTICABA
JACKFRUIT
JUJUBE
LONGAN
LOQUAT
LYCHEE
MACADAMIA
MANGO
MOUNTAIN PAPAYA
MULBERRY
NASHI
OLIVE
PAPAYA
PAULOWNIA
PECAN
PERSIMMON
PINE NUTS
PISTACHIO
PITANGA
PLUMS
POMEGRANATE
POPLARS
QUINCE
RAISIN TREE
SHELTERBELTS
SUGAR MAPLE
TAGASASTE
TAMARILLO
TRUFFLES
WALNUT – Andean
WALNUT – Black
WALNUT – English
WILLOWS
REFERENCES and MORE INFORMATION
LISTING BY BOTANICAL NAME
