Author Topic: A Lesson Re-learned  (Read 1484 times)

Millet

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A Lesson Re-learned
« on: September 27, 2020, 05:34:28 PM »
I have a Tango mandarin growing in a 5-2-1 medium.  Some time back the tree set its first fruit, and I have been watching it develop.   Last week I noticed that  the medium was quite dry, so I watered it well.  5-2-1 is a rapid draining medium.  Two days after the watering, I notice the fruit has split its peel open.  Most probably from drinking in water faster then the peel could expand.

strom

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Re: A Lesson Re-learned
« Reply #1 on: September 29, 2020, 05:52:13 PM »
Hi there, I enjoy your posts very much.  Having difficulty understanding the lesson?  If the medium dries out, you should water gradually?  Or don't let the medium dry out?

Thank you, sorry to be a bother.

Millet

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Re: A Lesson Re-learned
« Reply #2 on: September 29, 2020, 08:46:59 PM »
When  the medium dries out the tree and fruit also dry down (become thirsty)  Adding a lot of water to the medium the tree starts drinking quickly.  This causes the fruit to take in water and drink rapidly.  The fruit's peel cannot expand as fast as the water comes in, and the fruit burst (cracks)  What is best is to keep the medium evenly moist.

By the way, I say a post where you are having trouble getting pineapples to root.  I grow a LOT (50 at a time) of pineapples in my greenhouse here in Colorado, both in ground and in containers.  The procedure is to break off a slip  from the mother plant, then peel of the bottom leaves until you have a 2 to 2.5 inch clean leaf free stump.  Then set the slip on a open air bench in full sunlight for about a week to cure (IMPORTANT). Actually pineapples are an amazing plant.  You could actually leave a slip say out in the open air on a bench for a month, and it will still grow.  This cures the slip and also stops the slip from rotting when planted.  Then go ahead a stick the pineapple slip in either the ground or a container.  You should have about a 90 to 95 percent rooting. 


Mike T

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Re: A Lesson Re-learned
« Reply #3 on: September 30, 2020, 04:38:54 AM »
Forgive my ignorance are we talking sand/silt/clay proportions like we do with soil in determining if it is a loam etc. Sudden water influxes after dry periods cause splitting in many fruits I have. If the pineapple slip is showing grab it because slips and suckers fruit faster than tops.

Francis_Eric

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Re: A Lesson Re-learned
« Reply #4 on: September 30, 2020, 07:13:25 AM »
Quote
When  the medium dries out the tree and fruit also dry down (become thirsty)  Adding a lot of water to the medium the tree starts drinking quickly.  This causes the fruit to take in water and drink rapidly.  The fruit's peel cannot expand as fast as the water comes in, and the fruit burst (cracks)  What is best is to keep the medium evenly moist.

Modify So for deep watering if one lets the tree dry out
water moderately at first let it be less dry ,
Then a out side tree could water for a hour to promote deep roots , and let the soil dry out.
repeat as to not shock the tree if your doing a long watering technique to promote deeper roots out side.




I have a question
If one waters only once in a while to promote deep roots in out side trees waters for a long while
If this is done is there a time one should stop doing this during fruiting or so older trees adapt out side
is this just for certain trees with harder shells like watermelon citrus annona family fruits
 (people do it with grapes, apples,  and other stuff out side, I know grapes split with late rains sometimes
but I forgot when the best time to stop watering deeply , and long periods)

Is that Okay with apples to water for long times but rarely ,and water  late I wonder
If done for citrus would one stop deep watering outside when fruit develops or gets color or not deep water to promote deep roots)

Not sure if it's called deep watering, but just long, and not often watering like a hour watering at a time.

« Last Edit: September 30, 2020, 07:29:06 AM by Francis_Eric »

Francis_Eric

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Re: A Lesson Re-learned
« Reply #5 on: September 30, 2020, 07:22:21 AM »
I cured my pineapple 3 days like I have my prickly pear to coagulate thanks I will  a week now .
I soaked in water, but have been thinking sand (no salty sand) instead
mines growing, but think I could do better. Thanks for the tip.

Weeping willow water is a natural hormone soak the sticks a few days in a bucket.
(bunch of trees are actually I think it may be the aspirine in them )

strom

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Re: A Lesson Re-learned
« Reply #6 on: September 30, 2020, 10:56:07 AM »
When  the medium dries out the tree and fruit also dry down (become thirsty)  Adding a lot of water to the medium the tree starts drinking quickly.  This causes the fruit to take in water and drink rapidly.  The fruit's peel cannot expand as fast as the water comes in, and the fruit burst (cracks)  What is best is to keep the medium evenly moist.

By the way, I say a post where you are having trouble getting pineapples to root.  I grow a LOT (50 at a time) of pineapples in my greenhouse here in Colorado, both in ground and in containers.  The procedure is to break off a slip  from the mother plant, then peel of the bottom leaves until you have a 2 to 2.5 inch clean leaf free stump.  Then set the slip on a open air bench in full sunlight for about a week to cure (IMPORTANT). Actually pineapples are an amazing plant.  You could actually leave a slip say out in the open air on a bench for a month, and it will still grow.  This cures the slip and also stops the slip from rotting when planted.  Then go ahead a stick the pineapple slip in either the ground or a container.  You should have about a 90 to 95 percent rooting.

Thank you for clarifying the watering lesson and sharing!

For pineapples, I don't have luxury yet growing from slips, all my issues have been with getting grocery-store tops to grow.  I somehow missed spaugh's offer, which I think would have helped resolve my starting issues and let me focus on growing plants now and making more from slips later.  Fortunately, I have one plant so far that appears to be well established and growing!
« Last Edit: September 30, 2020, 11:03:42 AM by strom »

strom

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Re: A Lesson Re-learned
« Reply #7 on: September 30, 2020, 11:06:31 AM »
Forgive my ignorance are we talking sand/silt/clay proportions like we do with soil in determining if it is a loam etc.

If this is in regard's to Millet's lesson re-learned for citrus, I believe the planting medium may be independent of his lesson.  He's growing his citrus in a 5-2-1 medium (bark, peat, perlit or variations).

Millet

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Re: A Lesson Re-learned
« Reply #8 on: September 30, 2020, 02:53:34 PM »
I only grow citrus in a 5-2-1 medium.  Pineapples I grow in Miracle Grow Garden Soil.