I have 6 of the 90 chromosome Hoosier persimmon seedlings coming from Blue Hill this spring. I can topwork them in a few years or keep them original. I’m planting these in my frost pocket where apples and pears struggle. However, persimmons do well in that area.
I would let them grow a year or two before pruning much. They need the sunlight on as many leaves as possible when first planted. You will have Plenty of time to shape them later.
The chestnut crab we put in the ground about a month ago is putting on blooms. Would you recommend pulling those off?
I generally do pull them off. Also, there is a good chance that not many of the flowers will actually pollinate and try to make fruit this first year. You could wait and if they do pollinate and then pull off the tiny fruits. If you wanted to leave two or three, I don't think it would hurt anything.
At what age do you typically let them set fruit fully?
Generally year 3 or 4 if they take off really well. I had one tree that didn't set a single apple until about year 7, and it did more than 100 big apples in the first year it fruited.
