Fruit trees - which ones to choose?

Pears are relatively easy

Apples can be done but just does not get cold enough down here (need so many chilled hours)

Plums, are tough , takes a lot of spraying

citrus, figs, blueberry, muscadine, pecan, mayhaw, could be considered based on soil conditions

I have a great fig tree... produces more than I can eat or preserve. I may give Pears a go if both commenters have had trouble with plums. Thanks for the input!

As stated, those that you don’t have to constantly spray for insects. Those include figs, loquats, Japanese permissions, hard “cooking” pears, perhaps the more cold tolerant citrus (satsumas, kumquats). I’ve had success with all these in BR - I haven’t even attempted to try some of those you mentioned because of the spraying requirements for insects + the lack of required chilling hours in some cases.

Blueberries might be possible, but you need fairly acidic soil for those to thrive, pH 4.5-5.5. I personally do blueberries in large containers where I can more easily acidify the planting media as my lawn soil alkaline, and it requires constant & long-term effort to effort to amend an alkaline soil to the proper acidity and to keep it there, but it can be done.

They take a little more care but as far as eating goes my favorites are the peach trees that I have. The varieties are Rio Grande and Flordaking. I'm still eating what I froze last summer. I spray them probably 3 times per year and prune once or twice. I like that I don't have to cover them up when it freezes.

I'm planting two pineapple guava's this weekend.

Anyone tried American persimmons or do the Japanese ones do better around here?? Thinking about planting one this spring.

I've pretty much never seen a fig tree struggle ever and they taste phenomenal when they're fresh off the tree. Climbing the trees and picking my grandpa's Brown Turkey figs are a great childhood memory.

If you're considering citrus, Owari Satsuma, Hamlin orange, Duncan or Ruby Red grapefruit, and Meyer lemons are pretty reliable in zone 8b, especially in a sheltered spot. I'm trying a red lime this year. Citrus trees grow fast AF and don't need a lot of water in our climate

Did someone say figs? LSU varieties, surprise, surprise, require zero attention. I got loads of Methley plums until it got diseased. The lifespan is typically 5-7 years. I only spray once, for Plum Curcullio, when plums are dime sized. I use deltamethrin just because I have it on hand. You may have a plum tree that is not self pollinated and drops its plums. Peaches are way too prone to insect attack for me. As mentioned, pears, especially Asian pears are easy and I don’t spray them at all.

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I spray them probably 3 times per year

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I bought two Florida King's and are about to plant. I know it's the wrong time of the year, but I have to try.

What do you spray and what triggers you to spray?