The Tropical Fruit Forum

Looks really good Brad.

What spacing are you using on your mango/avo sized trees in your climate?

You have a pretty special microclimate at your place Rob (even compared to your surrounding areas). I am jealous

I had damage on grafted jacks, mamey, some types of bananas, black sapote (new growth only) and the coconut (that ones an experiment, survived surprisingly).

Unscathed were carambola, all garcinia, seedling jacks, canistel, sapodilla, mangos, lychees, longan, jaboticaba, citrus etc.

My biggest problem is that I’m at the bottom of a cleared hill and the bush at the low side of my property catches that cold air. Should improve over the next few years.

What temps did you guys see down there? Just curious. Thanks, Chris

At mine it got to 0 - 1 °C which is 32 - 34 °F. The usual minimum is above 3 °C or 37 °F.

Rannman is inland from me and his area is usually 3 °C or more lower at times like this, though I don't know his microclimate.

Lockyer Valley, near Plainlaind/Laidley. Definitely the coldest it’s been here for several years. Frost burnt all the growth tips on the damaged trees but like I said , one lone tree still growing strong with not a bit of damage! Wait and see I suppose.

Best of luck. I dare say they will come back. I think/hope we are done with that kind of cold for the year/next few years.

I have lady fingers here. They are large/tall compared to some other quality bananas, but they are very productive.

That is cool

I was really surprised to see a fruiting coconut in kingscliff, northern NSW recently which is even cooler according to climate averages (but never a freeze). I planted one here just to see what happens.

which variety was it?

Bruno

I have never had them heal over larger cuts very successfully. Doesn’t seem to matter though, they rot out and go on growing and producing.

I'm the Dan Rob mentioned. Happy to share scions come summer
I'm actually slightly more inland than you but a little north (Greenbank). My place is warmer than BOM would have you believe, but still cold for that hour before the sun comes up (the weather station must be in a less favourable micro climate). My Jacks do fine but you do have the frost trap issue Rob talked about. A good friend of mine lives near the army base there and grows jacks among a bunch of other stuff. He certainly gets colder than me though and actually has frost of consequence. He makes good use of some canopy protection for smaller trees. I'm not sure how his more tropical stuff is looking this time of the year.

I have a seedling OS here. Has a very citrusy smell. To me it smells the same as LZ (also seedlings, no grafted trees here). I hope I got the clone, but either way should be interesting. None of my other trees have the citrus factor.

I don’t like your chances but happy to see your experiment and wish you the best of luck

WHat variety, seems like a seedling?

I forget the reasoning but mangosteen are true to seed, almost clones, aren’t they?

I grow a few in large pots here. I remember when I looked for varieties I looked for “small eyed” varieties because of the humidity. The fruit enough for me. They get mildew late every summer but eventually lose their leaves and all good the next spring.

 It of an update.

Thanks for the lead Mike, I spoke to Bill. He didn’t know but gave me some leads

I have one growing here (wanted to grow a different sort of lychee) so interested to see how they do.