Persimmons are still a somewhat unfamiliar fruit, yet there is much to say about them. From their origin, cultivation, their different varieties, to their cycle and harvest. In this article, we will gradually answer each of these questions.
We will delve into the cultivation of this delicious fruit that came from Asia and adapted perfectly to the Mediterranean climate. To thoroughly understand everything about the cultivation of this delightful fruit, we will visit Eduardo's farm, a farmer and founder of Campos del Abuelo. On his plots, he grows oranges, but also persimmons. And he has planted them from scratch, so he knows the complete process firsthand. Shall we discover it with him?
Origin and Production of Persimmons
Like oranges, persimmons are native to Asia. Although it is not known for certain how they arrived in Spain, the strongest theory suggests they came from China in the 17th century. However, some claim they came from Japan. In any case, it is true that to this day, both countries are the world's leading producers of persimmons.
In Spain, it adapted perfectly to the Mediterranean climate, which is why the Valencia area, specifically the Ribera Alta del Río Júcar, is one of the places with the highest production of this fruit. In turn, persimmons are produced in Spain for export to other European countries.
The truth is that this fruit is, to some extent, associated with the past, with the fruit our grandparents ate. The amount of sugar it contains once ripe is high, making it an ideal delicacy for those with a sweet tooth, but at the same time, a very healthy delicacy.
Persimmon Cultivation
The cultivation of this fruit, like all others, begins with a small seed. This seed belongs to a tree we call a "rootstock" or "standard," meaning a tree that will bear fruit but does not have a specific variety. Therefore, once the rootstock or standard tree has grown, the next step is to graft the tree with a specific variety. Eduardo explains this to us directly from the field:
Persimmon trees are planted bare-root. That is, the seed is planted, it grows, and then the variety is grafted. The seed we use for the persimmon rootstock or standard tree is of the Lotus variety. There are several rootstocks, but the best for our variety is Lotus.
Like avocado, orange, or mandarin plants, persimmon trees must be grafted with a specific variety to produce fruit with certain characteristics. And in the case of persimmons from Eduardo's family plots, the variety they are grafted with is the Rojo Brillante persimmon variety, a unique variety born from a spontaneous mutation in Valencia.
It is important to note that trees take quite a long time to grow, and it is a whole process they must undergo to bear fruit. Eduardo explains it this way:
Once it has grown two spans, it is grafted with the variety we are going to have, which in this case is Rojo Brillante, which is the most widespread and most appealing to customers. And it is left to grow for approximately one season. A season in which the tree grows about half a meter, a little less, and has a good trunk, then it is pulled up and transplanted.
With this particular job, care must be taken not to damage the young trees. Eduardo explains how it is best done:
It can be pulled up by hand or with a machine, because it has a lot of roots and it is not easy to pull up with tools; you need special tools. It is quite heavy to pull up by hand, but it can also be done with a machine. Both ways work well. It's better by hand because you go deeper, causing less damage to the root. But well, both ways can be done.
A curious fact that Eduardo tells us is that fruit trees are not measured by years, but by "greens". He explains it as follows: you plant it, and the following year is the first "green." Even if you planted the tree in April or May, the "green" is counted, which is the following year. Anyway, in terms of years, mine will be eight years old in April.
The Importance of Innovation
For those of us who work the land, we know it's hard work and constantly changing. New challenges arise, such as pests or climatic vicissitudes that alter everything. That's why it's good to adapt to the new, but also to try to innovate what is known. Eduardo knows this and did it with his persimmon trees.
In my particular case, I revolutionized the world of persimmon planting a bit, because advised by the person who sold them to me (with whom I also became very good friends) I planted them very small, a little larger than a cigarette.
He had already done it and realized that they worked just as well. The difference was that if you bought an already grown tree, it cost €3, and he gave me a significant number of them for free. This was because they were young trees that people didn't want but were good.
I was heavily criticized here in the area; they told me I was crazy, that I didn't understand, that agriculture wasn't for me. But by the end of the summer, the trees were exactly the same size as those that had been planted with a tree that had cost €3.
Soil, climate, water, and persimmon cultivation cycle
We continue with Eduardo through his persimmon trees. Now he tells us about the climate, soil, and irrigation of these plants.
To fully understand, we start with the soil and climate that this type of crop prefers, our farmer explains it as follows:
The persimmon is a tree that adapts very well to almost all soils and almost all climates, both cold and warm. As for adapting to cold, it happens because the tree sheds its leaves and does not sprout until March, so they generally do not freeze. Occasionally there may be a frost in March and some leaves freeze, but it usually does not happen.
It seems incredible that the persimmon tree does not usually suffer from frosts. Nature is surprising. But it not only has this characteristic, but it is also particular about the soil it likes:
Regarding the terrain, it admits practically all terrains, except those with high humidity. For example, plots with shallow groundwater and high humidity are not liked and do not work very well. Other than that, there is no problem; it can be planted in all types of soil.
Something very important in all cultivation is irrigation. Without water, nothing we do could exist, and that is why it is a topic that interests us. For example, stepping away from persimmons for a moment, in an article on this blog, we talked about the water footprint of avocados.
But let's go back to the irrigation of persimmon trees, which according to Eduardo, is quite similar to oranges:
The irrigation is normal, like that of an orange tree; it does not need more or less water, because there are times, at the beginning, when it needs a little more water when it is sprouting and when it starts to grow.
The persimmon tree is, in particular, a tree that produces a lot of flowers. But the tree itself has to shed them and leave only the necessary flowers, otherwise, the tree will not have the strength for all the flowers to set and turn into fruit. And it is important that, when it begins to "esporgar," which is the technical term, that is, to shed those flowers, they need less watering.
Now there is something very curious. And that is that the tree should not receive water during the flowering season. Eduardo explains it to us as follows:
If the tree is too well-nourished during the flowering season, it wants to grow and then sheds all its flowers. So, for 20 days, the water is turned off, the tree sheds what it needs to shed, leaves the flowers on the tree that will later become fruit, and from then on, it has normal irrigation, just like an orange tree.
The Persimmon Tree Cycle
Every tree or plant has its cycle. And that of persimmon trees, like oranges, mandarins, or avocados, is an annual cycle. In the case of persimmons, Eduardo tells it month by month:
The cycle, if we look at it in the first days of winter, first of all, it will shed its leaves. We must consider that the fruit has already been harvested. After that, it is dormant for about three months.
And at the end of February, beginning of March, depending on how cold it is, they slowly start to sprout. And at the same time they sprout, they also flower. When the first flowers start to shed, as we mentioned, the water is cut off.
When they flower, pollination also begins, which is done traditionally with bees and by pollinating each other. There is no problem with fruit set, because these varieties set a lot of fruit. Fruit set is that moment when the flower is already pollinated and slowly transforms into a future fruit.
The fruit begins to grow and continues to grow until the end of September, beginning of October, when harvesting begins. And harvesting can extend until December 15th or 20th.
They are harvested when they turn orange, losing their green color and changing to an intense orange. So, from that moment on, they can be harvested.
Regarding harvesting, there is something important to consider: persimmons are fruits with very thin skin, and therefore very delicate.
For example, it is not uncommon for them to get scratched during their growth by rubbing against a leaf or a small branch. Just a slight rub will leave a mark on the persimmon's skin. That is why they are harvested by hand and with great care.
Specifically, they are picked by hand, one by one, and carefully, and then placed in containers. And in the case of persimmons from Eduardo's plots that go to your home, great care must also be taken when putting them into boxes. They must not be bumped because, as we explained, a mark will remain.
And as you know, the harvest marks the end of a cycle and, in this case, the end of this article. We hope that this brief journey through the world of persimmons has brought you a little closer to this fruit that has so much history and work behind it.
Now that you know where Campos del Abuelo's persimmons come from, we hope you'll be encouraged to try them. In addition, by visiting our online store, you can see the products we have available this season.
Until next time and thank you for reading!
