The Tropical Fruit Forum

Quote from: HMHausman on November 29, 2012, 07:57:44 AM

Steven:

Thanks for the mango song video.  The choreography is a bit dodgy but the complex wording makes the whole song a real work of art.

My favorite mango song: http://mp3lemon.org/song/668066/005%20-%2009%20Drop%20Baby%20Drop

Last Mango in Paris, ... Jimmy Buffet
 
Not a song about mangos, just a great song...

Papaya fruiting that close to the ground always look tres cool, but if you have rats, possums, squirrels, mice, raccoons, opossum, playful dogs, chickens, ducks, guinea fowl, bush turkey, two left feet etc, you are not going to get a chance to harvest them.

I was hoping to try growing one of the tainung varieties, a red lady and another from Taidong, but I recently put in about 6 from good fruit Mike sent seeds of and I'm running out of space! After years of avoiding papaya because they are a putrid tasting weed around here, I have fallen back in love with the good types. 

BMc, you left box turtles off of your list of papaya thieves....

Wandering through the yard, I now have a greater affinity for the transition from hot and humid Florida to the dry and crisp cold/cool fronts that come with a Florida winter.   As a rookie fruit tree grower, this year I have planted about two dozen trees since this past summer.  As a result, I am just beginning to see the "flowers" of my labor. 
 
My Brahm Kai Meu mango, Dot mango, and Wurtz avocado are pushing out bloom.  Pretty cool. 

Perhaps it's a blessing, perhaps it's curse, but I'll let the BKM and the Wurtz take their chances.   Ms. Dorothy, on the other hand,  will likely have to wait until next year.  I think she needs another year of growth before throwing down some fruit. 

I like this hobby, but the waiting is a bitch! 

I was only wanting to double up 2 compact trees in a limited space location. All the rest are solo, about 15 trees so far.

My Neelam is the only tree I haven't planted.  I want to put it in a specific discrete spot that is really only suitable for a compact tree. But I think I can squeeze it and an Angie into that spot now that I know I can plant them in close proximity to on another.   I'm looking at about 10' from trunk to trunk. 

Thanks again for the insight. Put me on the short list for a BAT and an Angie.

Just dropped an Oro Negro in the backyard today.  Good shot of how little organic matter there is in my sand dune. Most of the black matter is from the porting soil.

The worst part about this hobby is the waiting........

When planting mango seeds directly in their permanent location, I plant two or three seeds at each site.  Later, I pull out all but the most vigorous one.

With papaya, I sometimes leave two plants at each site until I can tell if one is male.  If neither shows the male flowers (they mature before the females), I cull out the weaker one.


As far as leaving two trees permanently in one hole, I am doing that with a jackfruit and a malay apple.  The jackfruit below are only 3 cm (1") apart so I assume they will approach-graft each other naturally within a few years.



John

Thanks for the pics John.  I'm hoping that the youngsters will approach-graft each other and work together rather than in competition.  I'm hoping to get more variety with less space.   I currently have 15 fruit trees, 20+ palms, and no idea how many ornamentals worked into about 1/3 acre (100' x 140').

That being said, do I need to manipulate the rootballs to get the trunks closer together on a 2 in 1 planting or can I just tie the trunks together?

Doubling up can be a good idea when you're short on space. Instead of buying two trees, you could always multi graft onto the same tree. Sleepdoc has a few trees that are multi grafted and they produce a few different types of mangos on the same tree. That may be a better alternative to two trees one hole.

I don't think Edward or LZ will be as vigorous as the VP but you could always prune the VP to keep it as small as the LZ.

Harry's neighbor has a ton of two in one trees, many being two different species in the same hole and they are all doing okay it seems.

How about Spirit of 76 or Southern Blush?

Definitely short on space,  but I guess I could make sure the less vigorous tree could have southern exposure too.   

Sleepdoc, what kind of milit-grafted mangos do you have available? 

I've also heard the Coc is vigorous and tastes good too. 

I'm also noticing a patchy red tint starting to develop on my MF.  I haven't done anything other than water it. No clue. 

I have sprayed some soap when I found some what looked like spiraling whiteflys. Otherwise, my copper has a sticker that is soapy.

No weed n feed from me, but maybe the landscaping crew.  I'll check into them.  I saw my neighbor spraying his weeds about 2 weeks ago. 

My Valencia Pride, Rosigold, Mahachanok, and Lancetilla are all suffering from some sort of leaf tip "burn" (for lack of an accurate term).  All of the burn is on the second flush or older. 

All were purchased this past summer as 3 gal trees. They were planted in late August / early September.  I have low organic matter, sandy soil that drains well. Soil ph ranges from 6.5 to about 8. Since the summer rains have subsided, I water only when the soil is fairly dry. Well water has a ph of about 6.  I've fertilized once so far with excalibur's 8-3-9 w micros. I have also foliar sprayed once with Southern Ag citrus nutritional spray (no NPK). 

Is the last pic whitefly evidence?

I have a Dot, 2 Pickerings, Beverly, Ice Cream, and a BKM that don't show any symptoms yet. My avocados and carambola are happy and flushing nonstop.

Any suggestions?  Thanks.


Mahachanok

Rosigold

Rosigold

Lancetilla

Lancetilla

I have about a dozen avos and mangos that I planted this past summer/fall. I want them to concentrate on vegetative growth for at least another year.  What are the pros and cons of feeding the youngsters over the cooler Florida winter months? 

I have been using Excalibur's 8-3-9 w micros thus far.  I have super fast drainig sand w minimal organic top soil.  Based on a recent thread, I'm not tipping again until spring.

My temps stay fairly warm due to my close proximity to the coast. 

If feeding is appropriate, how often?  I've heard the Excalibur folks feed monthly. 

What is the opinion on foliar feeding?

Thanks in advance.

I found this leaf in the yard. I'm pretty sure it is a mango leaf that was torn off by the wind (hurricane Sandy). Any ideas as to the cause of the coloration? 

My neighbor and I have about 30 mango trees between the two of us.  None of my trees have leaves with this funky color.