caring for young Alano Sapodilla

[jtnguyen333]

Last week I stopped by Champa in LA and pick up an Alano in a 7 gallons pot.  The container is quite light for a 7 gallon.  When I removed the container and plant it in the ground this weekend,  I realized the tree was covered in fir bark compost.  There was no soil or dirt.  So I managed to remove about half of the fir bark compost from the root ball and planted in the ground.  I'm in the San Diego area and it is starting to get warmer now.  What is the watering & fertilizer regiment for this plant?  It is about 2.5 feet tall right now?  I used a teaspoon of osmocote+ when I plant it in the ground.  Any advice would be appreciated.

[simon_grow]

If you bare rooted it, you may want to give it special attention being careful not to let it dry out. They are drought tolerant once established but a young tree can get stressed on hot days, especially if recently transplanted.

I don’t give stressed trees fertilizer except maybe diluted Kelp emulsion. Fertilizer salts can further dry up unestablished newly transplanted trees.

Having said that, Sapodillas are pretty tough. If you see it stressing out, you may want to give it some shade cover until it’s roots settle in.

Simon

[Johnny Eat Fruit]

I actually had a similar experience with Champa and purchased (3) Sapodilla trees in mid-2017 with poor root development. The trees were also small and came from Florida.

I removed the compost and put them in sandy loam soil with about 10% pumice. Everything I grow in this soil does excellent including numerous mangos. Now 1.5 years later there trees have done very well. See the (5) photos of my Alano and Tikal before and after. Good growth for (16) months between photos.

Johnny

[jtnguyen333]

I wished I bare rooted it  .  I only remove a half / (may be a third) of the compost.  But I'm not very experienced in this and don't want to kill the plant, that's why I plant it with half the root ball still covered in compost.  I will post a pic of the tree to see if it is stressed.

[astronics1]

I used this any time when I transplant

[jtnguyen333]

Here is my alano.  It's been 4 days since i planted it into the ground.  Still haven't seen any sign of stress.

[simon_grow]

The tree looks great. Just keep doing what you’re doing and it should grow fine. Good. Voice on your variety, Alano grows and fruits really well here.

Simon

[jtnguyen333]

looking good Johnny.  When do you expect fruit for them?

I actually had a similar experience with Champa and purchased (3) Sapodilla trees in mid-2017 with poor root development. The trees were also small and came from Florida.

I removed the compost and put them in sandy loam soil with about 10% pumice. Everything I grow in this soil does excellent including numerous mangos. Now 1.5 years later there trees have done very well. See the (5) photos of my Alano and Tikal before and after. Good growth for (16) months between photos.

Johnny

[jtnguyen333]

Thanks Simon...I also bough a small glenn mango from Champa which I already bare rooted, re-potted in sandy soil and put in shade for now.  Will need your advice on this soon . 

The tree looks great. Just keep doing what you’re doing and it should grow fine. Good. Voice on your variety, Alano grows and fruits really well here.

Simon

[Johnny Eat Fruit]

Of the five Sapodilla trees I purchased in mid 2017 two are holding fruit now, Alano and Morena. I have two Sapodillas in the ground and three in (7) gallon containers which I am soon transplanting to larger (15) gallon containers.

By the way the Glenn mango tree you purchased at Champa Nursery was on Turpentine root stock. That is the only mango trees they carry. I would have gone to Mimosa Nursery, 20 minutes away, and look for a Glenn on manila root stock which they often have in stock (they do there own grafting to manila).

Good luck on your trees.

Johnny

[JF]

Alano are my fav sapodillas to grow in SoCal. Sapodillas are easy to grow pretty much care free after 3-4 years. It does take about a year to get it established and then it will take off. Here is a few of my spas loaded w fruits every year....these are all 7 years old trees.

Makok

silas wood

Alano



FYI here is a 24 gallon fruiting Alano im selling look for it in the sale section this spring. 

[zephian]

I have some seedlings I started last year that are a few inches tall of most of these varieties. I'm several hours north of you guys, are any of them particularly more cold hardy?

[jtnguyen333]

Yes...I didn't know that until I got back home and call him to see what rootstock.  He told me it was turpentine.  Well..it's too late now.

Of the five Sapodilla trees I purchased in mid 2017 two are holding fruit now, Alano and Morena. I have two Sapodillas in the ground and three in (7) gallon containers which I am soon transplanting to larger (15) gallon containers.

By the way the Glenn mango tree you purchased at Champa Nursery was on Turpentine root stock. That is the only mango trees they carry. I would have gone to Mimosa Nursery, 20 minutes away, and look for a Glenn on manila root stock which they often have in stock (they do there own grafting to manila).

Good luck on your trees.

Johnny

[Johnny Eat Fruit]

Don't feel bad about buying mango trees on Turpentine root stock. I did the same thing in the beginning, when I was inexperienced, and later Sold them on Craigslist. For now just buy some manila mango trees at your local nursery. You can graft them later and if you don't know how to graft start practicing with apples as they are the easiest.

Johnny

[jtnguyen333]

As I am babying this tree after transplanting it, I notice some signs of stress on the leaves today.  Are these just normal transplanting shock?  Should I cover the tree in shade for a couple of week?  In San Diego, it is getting warmer but it's not scorching heat.  thanks

[simon_grow]

That brown color on the edge of the leaves that looks like salt burn is probably minor root tip damage.

Simon

[jtnguyen333]

Hi Simon...what can be done about it?  or just leave it alone for it to heal itself?

That brown color on the edge of the leaves that looks like salt burn is probably minor root tip damage.

Simon

[simon_grow]

Just take care of it and new leaves will eventually grow. If you give it good quality water like rain, RO or garden hose filtered water, it will help your plant grow better. This is more important for sensitive fruit trees like Lychee but it even benefits salt tolerant trees as well.

Simon

[pineislander]

Those sapodillas look like air layers to me based on how the branch size is large down into the pot. According to the experienced guy I know does it here in Florida success in air layers on this comes from choice of branches. Just any old branch might not work for harder species. The best choices come from upward rapidly growing dominant type wood and even then Sapodilla is slow and best in the active summer growing season.

[jtnguyen333]

should I apply foliar spray of fish emulsion/seaweed to encourage new growth?

[JF]

Your sap is going to drop leave it will have multiple flushes throughout the year. feed it bioflora and watch it grow.....there is nothing wrong w yr leaves, this is one of the easiest fruit tree to grow in SoCal.

[jtnguyen333]

which bioflora?  are you talking about the seaweed creme or the dry crumble?

Your sap is going to drop leave it will have multiple flushes throughout the year. feed it bioflora and watch it grow.....there is nothing wrong w yr leaves, this is one of the easiest fruit tree to grow in SoCal.

[OCchris1]

Frank uses Bioflora dry crumble. Great stuff if you can get it.

[599gh888]

Don't feel bad about buying mango trees on Turpentine root stock. I did the same thing in the beginning, when I was inexperienced, and later Sold them on Craigslist. For now just buy some manila mango trees at your local nursery. You can graft them later and if you don't know how to graft start practicing with apples as they are the easiest.

Johnny

Hello Johnny,
I am new to growing mangoes.  Please excuse my lack of experience in growing them but what is the difference between the Manila rootstock and turpentine?  Beside just the vigor, is there any other important difference.  greatly appreciate the feedback.

[JF]

Frank uses Bioflora dry crumble. Great stuff if you can get it.

6.5.5 + 8%
You can purchase in crop production in Anaheim