Figs, pears, peaches and more for a small Southern orchard.
Photo: Matti Blume, CC BY-SA 4.0
Orchard & Garden
A fruit tree is a gift to your future self. In the South, the right choice comes down to chill hours, disease resistance and patience. Pick varieties suited to your zone, plant them well, and a small orchard will feed your table for decades.
Our picks
Gear we're weighing for this shelf, from good value to buy-once quality. Nothing here is linked yet: a pick earns a link only once we've used it or finished researching it with sources we can show you.
Stark Bro's
Louisiana-bred fig bearing July to frost; zones 7–10, per the seller.
Price and rating as listed at Stark Bro's, Oct 2026. Not yet used here or fully reviewed, so no link yet.
On our shortlist
Stark Bro's
Closed-eye fig that resists souring in humidity; Southern classic, zones 6–9.
Price and rating as listed at Stark Bro's, Oct 2026. Not yet used here or fully reviewed, so no link yet.
On our shortlist
Nature Hills
Bred in Louisiana for hot, humid climates; self-fruitful with low chill, per the seller.
Price and rating as listed at Nature Hills, Oct 2026. Not yet used here or fully reviewed, so no link yet.
On our shortlist
Trees.com
The cold-hardiest common citrus and a standard backyard citrus in Louisiana. Protect young trees from frost.
Price and rating as listed at Fast Growing Trees, Oct 2026. Not yet used here or fully reviewed, so no link yet.
On our shortlist
Grow Organic
Non-astringent, eat-crisp persimmon for zones 7–10; ships bare-root in the right planting season.
Price and rating as listed at Grow Organic, Oct 2026. Not yet used here or fully reviewed, so no link yet.
On our shortlist
Trees.com
Fire-blight-tolerant Asian-hybrid pear that thrives in Southern heat, the canning pear.
Price and rating as listed at Fast Growing Trees, Oct 2026. Not yet used here or fully reviewed, so no link yet.
On our shortlist
What we look for
From the Journal
A plain-language guide to acid and low-acid foods, why green beans need a pressure canner and jam doesn't, and the methods USDA and NCHFP say to skip.
Read the post: Water-bath vs. pressure canning: which foods need whichWhy chicken wire keeps hens in but not predators out, what mesh size to use where, and how to stop diggers, climbers and reachers, drawn from Extension guidance.
Read the post: Hardware cloth vs. chicken wire: predator-proofing a coop
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