MATURITY

Ripens -40, about June 15th in Kingsburg, just before Santa Rosa.

SKIN COLOR

Black with small freckles more prevalent toward the apex.

FLESH COLOR

Red toward the skin, pink toward the stone.

SHAPE

Globose to oblate with a slightly flattened apex.

SIZE

Average, typically 2 5/8" (67 mm) in the breeding grounds.

TEXTURE

Very firm, crisp, solid, quite juicy.

FLAVOR

An OUTSTANDING blend of acid and sugar, typically 19-21 brix, MILD SKIN.

AROMA

Moderate.

SKIN CRACKING

No problems observed as of yet.

CROPPING

GOOD CROPPING, full crops observed most years.

BLOOMING PERIOD

Bloom Code 2: Early, 2 days after Yummy®gem, with Black Nectar (37P568).

CONFIRMED POLLINATORS

 work both ways

WILL POLLINATE THESE OTHER VARIETIES

work both ways

BLOSSOM DENSITY

Heavy bloom.

FLOWER TYPE

Medium white flower, strong orange yellow anthers.

POLLEN PRODUCTION

Strong, bee enticing.

PLANTING SUGGESTIONS

Solid Orchard:  Spike one limb or interplant a percentage of the trees with a mix of the above pollinators, suggested 25% to 50%.

Combination Planting:  27C714 could be planted in combination with Blackred III (22C321), 26C207, or Black Onyx (6A631), perhaps on a 4 rows of each configuration.  A few extra pollinators interspersed between the middle two rows of each would be cheap insurance.

Other Combination Plantings:  27C714 could be planted in conjunction with several of the commercial varieties listed above in the two pollinator lists.  Typical plantings on an alternating 4 row spacing will require the addition of extra pollinators for the unconfirmed directions.  It would be cheap insurance to spike the center two rows with additional pollinators, perhaps 25% to 50%.

TREE DESCRIPTION

Upright and spreading, good vigor, some thorns down low on juvenile limbs.

COLD STORAGE DATA

OVERALL

Outstanding quality fruit, good production, a prequel to Blackred V (22C534) with similar qualities.

NOTES:

Spiking a pollinator means to graft a central limb or a side scaffold of the commercial variety with one of the confirmed pollinators.  For difficult setting varieties, the recommended method would be to spike each tree once with a confirmed pollinator throughout the commercial orchard.  The pollinators should be alternated.  For easy to set varieties, spiking about one tree in five has shown to be effective.  Some growers prefer to interplant the pollinator in the same row between two trees of the preferred variety and grow them in a flagpole or very upright V-style, often pulling and tying a limb toward the center of each adjoining tree.

Combination plantings are made of 2 or 3 varieties that benefit the pollination at least one way, and preferably each way.  Alternating 4 rows of each is most common, alternating 2 rows of each gives better pollination, but does not harvest as efficiently.  Also, it is usually beneficial to insert pollinators along the center 2 rows of a 4 row planting.