By Marlee Jackson

As sweltering summer days give way to the faintest hint of cool weather, Jason Powell is all smiles.

“This is what fall tastes like,” said Powell after biting into a deep purple, sun-sweetened muscadine.

The tasty treat heralds more than pickin’ and grinnin’. Powell said it’s a sure sign planting is just around the corner for fall-fruiting trees and vines. He recommends planting from October to December when plants will benefit from seasonal cool air, still-warm soil and rain.

“While the upper portion goes dormant in the winter, roots are growing,” Powell said. “That’s awesome because the tree or vine gets to do one thing at a time. When it warms in the spring, it has a bigger root system to support growth.”

His family promotes that message at their Petals from the Past nursery in Chilton County. The hidden gem off Interstate 65 in Jemison is a botanical bonanza for fall pilgrims seeking high-quality greenery for their often-suburban homes. Powell and his father, veteran Alabama Extension horticulturalist Dr. Arlie Powell, patiently nurture aspiring green thumbs through the selection process. 

They wisely shepherd customers toward low-maintenance, fall-fruiting landscape darlings like muscadines, Asian pears, Japanese persimmons and apples.

Muscadine Mania

For muscadines, trellising is essential to plant growth. These Southeastern native grapes need ample room to spread lush foliage, so Powell recommends planting vines 20 feet apart on a single-wire trellis.

The vine’s trunk grows vertically supported by a post, while arms trail to the left and right along wire. Additional offshoots should be pruned, Powell said. This allows spurs to grow, eventually bearing fruit in the vine’s third fall.

Well-pruned, fertilized and watered muscadine vines can last for decades, Powell said, with tender arms becoming thick, strong fruit-producers. That fruit ranges from dark purple varieties (Black Beauty is a classic) to burnished bronze favorites Darlene and Pam. 

“The deeper the color, the riper they’ll be,” Powell said. “You’ll feel a little more give and know it’s time to pick them.”

Quite the Pear

Powell said a little-known fall-fruiting standout is the Asian pear, whose round, apple-like shape is a far cry from its curvy European cousin.

Asian pears’ green peel turns gold when ripening, with sun-dappled areas taking on an orange hue.

“You know you’re ready to harvest when you have a color change and size change,” Powell said. “You lift straight up on the pear, and it should snap loose. If it’s not ready, you’re going to wrestle with it.”

Asian pears have a long shelf life, lasting weeks in the refrigerator. The juicy, sweet pears are versatile, too, and can be enjoyed fresh or cooked. Powell said a popular selling point is that Asian pears don’t oxidize, so the flesh stays crisp and white after it’s cut. 

To facilitate fruit growth, pruning is vital, Powell said. Pear trees, along with persimmons and apples, should follow the modified central leader pruning method hailed by his father. This results in a more rounded tree, creates airflow and lets sunlight trickle down to low-hanging fruit.

Pleasing Persimmons

Similarly pruned, Japanese persimmon trees are landscape showstoppers. Their symmetrical shape displays red, copper and yellow leaves through the fall, while ripe fruit turns a vibrant bright-burnt orange.

“The persimmon is the easiest tree you could possibly plant,” Powell said. “From our perspective, it has everything going for it.”

That’s because Japanese persimmons are self-pollinating, have no common pests or diseases and are tasty throughout the season. Powell said the seedless persimmon’s flavor is reminiscent of cantaloupe, while its firm texture at peak ripeness is like an apple.

How ‘Bout These Apples

The poster child for fall fruit, apples are best planted during autumn, too.

At Petals from the Past, some apples are trellised to create decorative property line boundaries. As the tree develops, arms are pruned to rest on wire spaced 2 feet apart, which helps support the fruit’s weight. 

Using trellises, the Powells grow petite Southern heirloom Yates apples next to red delicious Cumberland Spurs. The ripening fruit helps sell on-site-propagated seedlings to customers, Powell said.

“The beauty of this time of year is we’re so close to planting that they can taste the fruit and know what they’re getting,” Powell said. “Where customers live determines what varieties they can grow. It’s fun to help them solve that mystery.”