The Tropical Fruit Forum
Tropical Fruit => Tropical Fruit Discussion => Topic started by: spaugh on July 03, 2017, 05:34:25 PM
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Took a bunch of photos of the garden today. I have some jackrabbits eating trees and some persea mites but otherwise things are looking nice. Plants are loving the heat.
Just put in some dragon fruits. I got 8 or 9 different types in 5 2x2ft boxes. Trying redwood 4x4s and also 8ft tall T post.
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watermelons
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4122/35701071855_8f4389d571_b.jpg)
fuji apples(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4239/35570235671_44fc55efe4_b.jpg)
I had 4 banana trees but the rabbits took out the smallest one down to the ground. Pesky rabbits. I'm in the process of wrapping chicken wire around the bottom of the 750ft of plastic deer fence that the rabbits can chew through.
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Mandarin orange tree doing a big flush and 2nd bloom.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4241/35313691440_c9f6645a43_b.jpg)
mexican guavas
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4263/35313693430_2d9f24b3bb_b.jpg)
mandavillas and plumeria
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desert rose
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4217/35661569456_05919cd721_b.jpg)
florida grafted mangos planted over winter
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Avocados fruit set, lamb hass, sir prize, hass, reed
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Avocado trees, I've been pruning these heavily to keep them 6 to 8 ft tall. Now I am going to let them grow until spring and get a bit larger. They have a nice balanced shape I like now. The trees are all around 2 years or less.
fuerte(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4232/34859771934_bd9999a482_b.jpg)
reed
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4263/35570138911_e6d99e953a_b.jpg)
hass and stewart trees
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4266/34859801974_24c427fe9d_b.jpg)
holiday
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4021/35531968722_ff450ec2e2_b.jpg)
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Nice spaugh
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Nice trees!! where are the cherimoyas ?? :)
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All your trees look healthy, Brad!
Do you use City water, or well water?
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Your garden is looking awesome! The Tropical s are finally pushing with all this heat. Can't wait to see your yard in person. Keep up the great gardening!
Simin
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Wow! Great job on the garden. Everything looks very happy, must be fun just watering all that.
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The cherimoyas are there but still pretty small and unimpressive. Everything is about 2 years old or younger so they are all young. But the plants that have not been through a summer yet are really little.
I have well water that is fairly hard at around 600ppm and its mostly calcium and manganese in the water. The PH is around 7.5
The water is harder than tap water which is around 500ppm in san diego city but the well water has no chlorine and other toxins. And I can water heavier to wash any salts out. I had a little salt burn at the end of last summer. But have been using softer fertilizers now so hopefully not salt build up. Also the heavy rains this winter really cleared the soil of excess salts. All of my trees are on sprinklers but I do spend a few hours a week hand watering some plants.
Things are good here I am pretty much just on cruise cotrol until next spring. I have a bunch of stone fruits and cherimoyas I didnt post photos of because they are so little. Will have to take photos of those after this summer.
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Do you do anything to keep birds away from the watermelons? I had one just 2 days into development when it was pecked at. It was marble sized so I figured the whole fruit was not going to survive so I picked it off.
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I don't do anything for the birds. They don't touch my fruits and berries. My neighbors feed the birds daily and can even call the birds in to feed each afternoon so they must be getting enough handouts to leave me alone. My problem animals are rabbits, deer, and coyotes.
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Beautiful plants Spaugh, you tree's are loving your heat!! 8)
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Nice spread!
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Nice
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Very nice :) some fantastic size on those trees for 2 years! What size were the avos when planted? My Fuerte here has been my most vigorous but would be half the size of yours, also at at 2 yrs. It was a 3 gallon pot to use your lots measurements.
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The trees were all 5 gallon pots maybe 1 meter or less skinny little trees when planted. The hass and fuerte trees are the largest and fastest growing. Ive actually been doing heavy pruning on them. They are very vigorous and the conditions are pretty ideal here for avocados. We live on top of a south facing hill that is all decomposed granite soil.
Here is a photo from May of last year. They have grown a ton. And they still have until November or so here to grow a lot more this summer. If you want your trees to grow fast use amonium sulfate or urea the first year or so to really make them grow. Just beware you will burn them if you don't mulch and water heavy with that. I would fertilize then water 3 weeks and then week 4 do a 2 hour salt flush on them. Did that every month for 4 mo ths last summer.
May 2016 The fuerte tree is there to the left of the boards.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4070/34896885884_81a111fa57_b.jpg)
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freaking awesome!
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July 5 2017
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Awsome spot you live in spaugh.
Can you explain how you flush an inground tree please? you leave the hose open for 2 hours? weak water flow or regular water flow?
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All of my avovado trees have a 90 degree (quarter circle) sprayer on them. They are adjustable flow so as the trees get larger I adjust them to a higher flow rate. At full open they spray around 4 liters per minute. So my normal runtime of the system per week is 45 minutes to 1.5 hours depending on how hot, dry, and windy it is. I dont use a scheduled timer. I have a sprinkler control box and I go manually punch in how long I want it to run for once ir twice a week in summer. So if I want to rinse the soil I just run it 2X as long as I normally would. I dont use a hose as the water will pool up and run off or drown the tree. And I dont like drippers for avocados because they dont make a nice even pattern and coverage. The little micro sprinklers are nice but you have to run them for a lot longer and they clog easier with dirty water. I have sediment filters on the lines but still some iron bacteria that grows in my water tank can get into dripers and cause problems. I have tried a lot of different sprinkler types and these plain shrub/lawn sprinklers work best for me. They throw enough water that my boost pump doesnt cycle on and off and they dont throw so much that there is runoff. Everyone will have different issues depending on your plumbing situation and water quality. So as the trees grow I can adjust the flow rate up and pull the sprinkler further from the tree to make the wet area larger.
Heres a photo of my sprinklers and the wet spots to give you an idea.
This is a fairly new tree that hasnt been through a summer yet.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4125/34899354674_8757d72582_b.jpg)
You can kind of see the wet areas here.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4288/35571433552_23a4e0b264_b.jpg)
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By the way, thank you everyone for the compliments. I have been into gardening since I was a kid but didnt really have a good place to do it until we moved here in 2014. I lived in a 1/8th acre parecel in the city of San Diego for 10 years and tried growing citrus and avocados and the trees always died. We had poor soil full of rocks and clay, the city water was bad and the lot didn't get good sun penetration. In 2014 we decided to sell and move about 30 minutes north of San Diego in the coutryside. Our property backs up to a 3500 acre wilderness preserve and a marine base. Thats the open space you can see. We moved here and started a family and a big garden. Both are ongoing efforts that take all of my time. My son is turning 3 and I have a daughter due in October. And my trees are like my other babies. I love them all but of the plants the avocados are my favorites.
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Amazing garden and awesome place for a family. Really nice to see this kind of things. I bet you all gonna enjoy every bit of that plot and surroundings. Congrats ;)
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I have to add that I visited Brad's yard a few weeks ago and these avocados are even prettier in person. In five years, he's going to have the lushest, most productive grove you can dream of.
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Your plants look very healthy....congratulation :)
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Snapped a few photos of my mango trees, the heat wave we had kicked them into a good flush. Will have to take some more photos of all the other plants, they have all grown a ton in since I created this thread a few months ago.
I'm going to start building some frost protection on the mango trees. Maybe just use my big 24" tomato cages for that.
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(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4408/36407817904_38c7a3296a_b.jpg)
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Your trees look awesome!
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Wow you have a lot of land!!!! What kind of cherimoya do u have?
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Zero fungal issues there! Real purty.
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can you link me to the irrigation sprayer you use thanks!
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Cherimoyas I have are:
Bumpo,
Knight,
Dr white and vietnamese,
Fino de jete,
Chaffey,
Honeyhart.
For sprinklers I use orbit part 54040d (1/4 circle shrub head) on the cherimoyas, avocados, and mangos. I get them from lowes for around 1$ per head. I use a 5/8 tubing to 1/2" slip pvc fitting to connect drip tubing to my pvc riser with 1/2" male threaded tip that the sprinkler goes on. And I strap each head to a stake so I can move it as the tree grows. There is a photo of one on a stake in a previous post in this thread. Here is the sprinkler tip link:
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Orbit-1-2-in-Brass-Plastic-Shrub-Head-Sprinkler/3425358 (https://www.lowes.com/pd/Orbit-1-2-in-Brass-Plastic-Shrub-Head-Sprinkler/3425358)
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Spaugh,
Very nice. Congratulations!
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Looking good! Making me antsy to get my plants in the ground. I will have to pick your brain when it comes time to set up mynirrigation system.
-K
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Amazing collection and the trees look great!
As an aside, I put in 2 miles of irrigation pipe and tweeked and re-tweeked the system a dozen or so times with the final tweek taking out all solenoid valves and electronics and going strictly to manual valves. My choice for very low maintenance filters is Amiad brand with S/S screen. You don't have to change out some pricey cellulose filter either. I also installed an Amiad that collects sand which is right off the well head. Not only can it be taken apart and cleaned but by opening the valve you can blow collected sand out while the system is running. The other filter is installed after a Mazzei injector and before the emitters in line. The Mazzei is used to inject plant food and when needed 78% sulfuric acid to clean the emitters of bicarbs.
Mark
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How awesome!! I'm so in love with your garden. New member here and am excited to learn from everyone!
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Amazing collection and the trees look great!
As an aside, I put in 2 miles of irrigation pipe and tweeked and re-tweeked the system a dozen or so times with the final tweek taking out all solenoid valves and electronics and going strictly to manual valves. My choice for very low maintenance filters is Amiad brand with S/S screen. You don't have to change out some pricey cellulose filter either. I also installed an Amiad that collects sand which is right off the well head. Not only can it be taken apart and cleaned but by opening the valve you can blow collected sand out while the system is running. The other filter is installed after a Mazzei injector and before the emitters in line. The Mazzei is used to inject plant food and when needed 78% sulfuric acid to clean the emitters of bicarbs.
Mark
Mark, I will have to google those things. Our setup here is a bit different, the well fills a 10,000 holding tank to use in case of fire. There is a 4" pipe to a hydrant for the fire dept. Everything else is fed off a 2" pipe from the tank. A 2HP booster pump and three 80 gallon bladder pressure tanks are there to keep the pressure up. I put one of those stainless filters on the well head. That takes care of the big dirt. We have an issue of iron bacteria growing inside the tank. So there has to be a 2nd and even 3rd set of filters to remove the stuff. Its extremely small and can build up inside the pipes. That is a whole challenge on its own delivering clean water to the sprinklers. Ive got cheapo 5 micron 20" sediment cartridges setup to remove the small junk. They are setup to where I can back flow and puke them out so Im not constantly replacing them. Yeah good times digging, trenching, laying pipe, gluing, fixing, adjusting, monitoring, filtering...
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Sounds like our old farm. We had 10 80gal bladders, 2 5 HP booster pumps and 30,000gal holding tanks with 3 wells. All kind of filters up to your ying yang. You are not living off your land and yet you're running as much power or complicated system as some of the farmers in the deep south. Might be those California's craziness.
Here's my old crib. Cattle ranch. Nearly 100 acres of peace and freedom. Obviously, I can't plant any tropical gardens there.
Below is our current crib, replacing all the Caballo with tropical fruit tree.
(https://s26.postimg.cc/luabkzaz9/9597e47e39c11c8912c7c46fbca80ef04a697103-1_S_1280.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/luabkzaz9/)
(https://s26.postimg.cc/dq27g8ok5/774b2bef0198335cee13a9b0d9f2941cedd07574-1_S_1280.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/dq27g8ok5/)
(https://s26.postimg.cc/e4i5csj51/FB_IMG_1505613029251.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/e4i5csj51/)
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Nice pics spaugh, be careful not to girdle the trunks of the mangoes with those yellow rubbons.
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The ribbon is flagging tape its very thin and stretchable. Its got tanglefoot to keep the ants off the trees. Those ants were really interested in the new mango flush.
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Sounds like our old farm. We had 10 80gal bladders, 2 5 HP booster pumps and 30,000gal holding tanks with 3 wells. All kind of filters up to your ying yang. You are not living off your land and yet you're running as much power or complicated system as some of the farmers in the deep south. Might be those California's craziness.
Here's my old crib. Cattle ranch. Nearly 100 acres of peace and freedom. Obviously, I can't plant any tropical gardens there.
Below is our current crib, replacing all the Caballo with tropical fruit tree.
(https://s26.postimg.cc/luabkzaz9/9597e47e39c11c8912c7c46fbca80ef04a697103-1_S_1280.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/luabkzaz9/)
(https://s26.postimg.cc/dq27g8ok5/774b2bef0198335cee13a9b0d9f2941cedd07574-1_S_1280.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/dq27g8ok5/)
(https://s26.postimg.cc/e4i5csj51/FB_IMG_1505613029251.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/e4i5csj51/)
Looks nice. Theres 400 acres for sale down the way from here. If I ever win the lottery Im going to buy it and open a monster nursery and a motocross park on it. They are asking $4,000,000 last time I checked.
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3 months of growth
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Wow, everyone has their challenges and everyone's irrigation system is different. I spent 2 hours screwing around with my irrigation system yesterday and it's screwed up again. Not getting water to the vineyard now thanks to something blocking a line, most likely rubber. I use rubber grommets and a barb attachment in the main lines and sometimes the grommets fail due to age and end up in the distribution line. Won't bore you with the details....you guys have been there.
Amazing setup on the dragon fruit Spaugh. Looks like those posts have been wrapped in coir? Nice choice. Another good choice is osmunda fiber. Everything looks great and man, that view!
Nice looking heeler too. My Patty has her happy hour (playing ball) every late afternoon. Has her own pool too!
(https://s26.postimg.cc/lfjrnsi6t/Patty_s_Happy_Hour_2.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/lfjrnsi6t/)
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Spaugh, unlike "everybody does it" I shit canned the bladder tank and all the crap that goes with those systems and went with a Grundfos SQE CU 301, 1 HP in both wells. It can be positioned vertically or sidewise. This is really worth a look. The power, volume, from this 3" pump is amazing. It feeds 2 miles of 1/2" irrigation pipe with emitters without flinching. I can uncrimp a 1/2" poly line and shoot a stream of water 30'.
It's basically a 240V fed system with a variable speed DC pump like your drill. The computer (console and pressure transducer) "talks" to the pump via the 240V power line. It's a smart computer controlling the RPM of the motor. Has on board diagnostics in the console and with the push of a button you can adjust the PSI from 40 to 110 instantly!
http://us.grundfos.com/products/find-product/sqe.html (http://us.grundfos.com/products/find-product/sqe.html)
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My dog is 13 years old and still plays fetch everyday as long as you are willing to throw it. And still can run down a coyote amazingly. Good dogs.
Copy that on thewater setup. I inherited the bladders and all when we moved in. No need for a variable speed setup in ground since we have the tank but many of the neighbors use a variable speed boost pump setup. I do like them and when the time comes to replace the pressure pump may go that route. My neighbor has a goulds 1.5 horse booster with the little 2 gallon blue job on top.
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Coco coir on the DF posts. I used redwood 4x4s on some and T post on a couple that get the cage setup. Im trying a few different things to see which lasts longer. The phone booth cage deal is more complicated but will probably last a lot longer. The T post is steel and I put some wood around it and coco around that but none of the wood is going to rot hopefully.
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Yesterday I found a banana fruit set. My trees are just about a year old. They are maybe 10 or 12ft tall now and got the first bananas ever. Super excited about this one. I mixed up the tags on the bananas but I think this one is a namwah. It has much more beefy looking stalks than the others. Is this typical time of year for fruit set?
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July 2016
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4233/35570228431_42754509d2_b.jpg)
January 2017
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I also put in 16 more stone fruit trees on this hillside. They are barely visible now. They are bare root twigs. I will post picks in 6 months and see how those progress.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4723/39392128334_ac1417dd4b_b.jpg)
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This is one of my dreams.
Where is this plot of land if you don't mind my asking?
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Just outside poway city limits.
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Amazing...
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The water is harder than tap water which is around 500ppm in san diego city but the well water has no chlorine and other toxins. And I can water heavier to wash any salts out. I had a little salt burn at the end of last summer. But have been using softer fertilizers now so hopefully not salt build up.
A local nursery owner and now friend told me the soil here has a salt problem and suggested that agricultural gypsum can mitigate it. It may not be the same as your problem so testing is always a first step. He recommended a minimum of 10 kilos per 1000 square feet. This link seems to support the idea https://www.google.com.mx/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://aglifesciences.tamu.edu/baen/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2017/01/E-60-Managing-Soil-Salinity.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjwvOrw0ZLZAhVCzWMKHR4GBgIQFjAAegQIExAB&usg=AOvVaw2dEqFUK6pqcstCwt6eAHll. (https://www.google.com.mx/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://aglifesciences.tamu.edu/baen/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2017/01/E-60-Managing-Soil-Salinity.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjwvOrw0ZLZAhVCzWMKHR4GBgIQFjAAegQIExAB&usg=AOvVaw2dEqFUK6pqcstCwt6eAHll.) This link says gypsum can help leaching of salt http://www.eco-gem.com/gypsum-remediate-saline-sodic-soils/. (http://www.eco-gem.com/gypsum-remediate-saline-sodic-soils/.)
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Yes, it is amazing. Bananas look great. Good luck!
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Thanks Mark, Im really excited about the bananas. When the sun comes up here shortly (its 530 here) I will snap another photo. Those things are growing so fast now all the hands are showing. I have been piling on compost, food scraps, and mulch and watering every day or every other day a little water to keep it all cooking. Going to give a shot of potassium sulfate today or maybe sul po mag.
Have lots of work in the yard to get done today. Have a few stone fruits already setting fruit, others are still dormant. I'm not sure we have gotten below 45F at all this winter so it will be interesting to see what the stone fruits do.
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These have been on the tree just under 2 weeks, they exploded
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Amazing!
Coastal folks rave about the low chill Tropic Snow peach. Supposed to be very sweet.
Getting a bit tired of winter. Temp has dropped to 26F now at 8:30, is going lower tomorrow morn.
(https://s10.postimg.cc/syq4g3x11/Temp_Feb11.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/syq4g3x11/)
In the states doesn't matter where you live, our weather events and local climes are never kind to us 360 days out of the year. Always something to bitch about. :D
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Amazing!
Coastal folks rave about the low chill Tropic Snow peach. Supposed to be very sweet.
Getting a bit tired of winter. Temp has dropped to 26F now at 8:30, is going lower tomorrow morn.
(https://s10.postimg.cc/syq4g3x11/Temp_Feb11.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/syq4g3x11/)
In the states doesn't matter where you live, our weather events and local climes are never kind to us 360 days out of the year. Always something to bitch about. :D
No breaks from nature thats for sure. I have the tropic snow peach, picked that one up this year. Heres the list of stone fruits we have. Pretty much all the top tier low chill stuff. We have the Zaiger genetic stuff here. Its like the Zills of the stone fruit world.
APRICOT:
Tropic Gold
Gold kist
APRIUM:
Cot n candy
Flavor delight
CHERRY:
Lapins
Minnie royal
Royal lee
Riyal crimson
NECTARINE:
Arctic Star white subacid
Double delight
Snow queen
Spice zee nectaplum
PEACH:
August pride
Evas pride
Florida prince
May pride
Mid pride
Tropic snow
PEAR:
Hood
Keiffer
Pineapple
PERSIMMON:
Fuyu
PLUOT:
Emerald drop
Flavor grenade
Flavorosa
Splash
POMEGRANITE:
Desertini
Wonderful
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Heres what we are harvesting now. Feels good to eat as much of these as you want. I can't believe the guava tree is still producing. Hass avocado, dancy mandarin, white guava. All over achievers.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4625/39494573434_cb9aea8452_b.jpg)
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Good gawd, you have a garden of Eden! For some reason the Pluots, apricots and Apriums don't do well in my area. Cherries neither.
Enjoy the fruits of your labor!
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Hey Brad.
What can I say. What a beautiful garden.
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Thanks. Mark, its potential garden of eden at this point. Trees are young and we are working with a very hot dry piece of land. We will see, I am optimistic but a bit skeptical how well the stone fruits will do. The neighbors and GregA who lives close by seem to do well.
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Hi Brad, awesome pictures. Love the avocado trees.
Is the Royal Crimson cherry doing well in your garden?
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some photos from today. Told Mark I would send some photos... Still waiting on those bananas.
New stone fruits on the bare hill with the pipes. 20x20ft spacing
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/977/41078159055_7496870fcd_b.jpg)
florida tree that just wants to flower. 20222 winters mango. Seems to be healthy through winter at least. Has a couple little mangos after a year in the ground.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/981/41078155945_d6f73a8f74_b.jpg)
avocados
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/968/40170782750_43eb9fd322_b.jpg)
lamb hass
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pinkertons
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reeds
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mexicola that I thought was a goner. Made a full comeback last summer.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/976/41078134915_609a9c58eb_b.jpg)
peaches
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/967/41978008741_0a3600d73c_b.jpg)
New mango plantings. I have about 15 plants on this hill on 15ft spacing. Some are seedlings and some are from FL. Everything did good through winter.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/951/41078116995_e1e4373f19_b.jpg)
Simons multi rootstock tree
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/967/41078114755_a8947dd118_b.jpg)
Simons aloha on manilla
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/957/41078112815_9cd902aa87_b.jpg)
Newly planted FL mangos and Eugenias
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(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/975/41078104935_1103cef4df_b.jpg)
New grafted avocado plants in ground
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/980/28106386198_4be4c2debf_b.jpg)
mandarin orange
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/968/28106382418_a1cc73e11b_b.jpg)
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bananas
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/828/28106379708_d918a1e7c6_b.jpg)
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/826/41977961231_3a47093599_b.jpg)
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/908/40170702770_19e7ae051f_b.jpg)
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/965/41259105944_33bc8ee784_b.jpg)
DF
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/954/28106350358_0e360c299e_b.jpg)
tomatos
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/825/41977931621_b4ac62f7c9_b.jpg)
euphorbias
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/971/41977927401_3f34c8e54c_b.jpg)
guavas
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/943/41977922111_f6922c7dd4_b.jpg)
passion fruit vine
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/957/41977917111_06e077173a_b.jpg)
zeroscapes, save the water for fruits
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/970/28106342568_2890c582f9_b.jpg)
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/827/41259067334_3e06138cd0_b.jpg)
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Beautiful location and pictures! Where are the cherimoyas ?
Your guava tree is similar to mine in size, mine gave me 1 guava last year (2 years in ground, first time fruiting), this years seems to be producing more flower buds. how much does your tree produced approximatively?
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your yard looks great!
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Beautiful location and pictures! Where are the cherimoyas ?
Your guava tree is similar to mine in size, mine gave me 1 guava last year (2 years in ground, first time fruiting), this years seems to be producing more flower buds. how much does your tree produced approximatively?
You probably won't believe it but both guava gave around 100 guava after 1 year. They were absolutely loaded. And I had thinned about half the fruit.
We had a 3rd guava but the fruit were green and hard with no flavor. They never ripened or tasted ood so I removed it and put in a loquat.
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your yard looks great!
Thank you! I put a ton of work into this place. Now we can never move.
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Nice Spaugh!
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your yard looks great!
Thank you! I put a ton of work into this place. Now we can never move.
Very impressive on a harsh landscape where you have to bring water to every tree and plant. I suppose you are putting soluble fertilizers in the irrigation water from time to time.
One upside is few insect pests and fungus at such a dry location. I like the front yard of your house landscaping.......zeroscapes
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your yard looks great!
Thank you! I put a ton of work into this place. Now we can never move.
Very impressive on a harsh landscape where you have to bring water to every tree and plant. I suppose you are putting soluble fertilizers in the irrigation water from time to time.
One upside is few insect pests and fungus at such a dry location. I like the front yard of your house landscaping.......zeroscapes
I just mulch everything and toss fertilizer occasionally onto the mulch and water it in. I go through a few dump truck loads of mulch per year. Its a real pain to move around since there are large hills and it has to be carried by hand. Don't use anything in the plumbing system but well water. And never spray fertilizers, fungicides or pesticides other than BT on my tomatoes.
The only bug issues are ants and aphids for the most part.
We do get powdery mildew on some squash and melons, and grapes. Must just be from the perspiration.
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Your trees and cacti are amazing! Something really special going on there.
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Amazing trees and so pleasing to see. Good job and congrats Brad! Can’t wait to see when the trees are even bigger.
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Wow, amazing place you've got going Brad, I can tell you've put a lot of work into your place an every thing looks super happy! Enjoy the fruit's of your labors ;) 8)
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Your garden looks wonderful.
How have you been dealing with coyotes, and do they eat your fruit? I see you have deer fencing up -- do the coyotes go under / over / through it? I've been hearing from folks that coyotes are making a comeback in SoCal and that you can't have outdoor cats or small/medium dogs anymore in some areas because of them, and that means that rodents can have an easy time in the garden.
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Yeah we have coyotes and rabbits and deer. The deer fence keeps them all out. There is 4ft x 1" mesh chicken wire on the bottom of the fence. 2ft above ground and 2ft on the ground. Rocks stacked and rebar spikes on the ground part to hold it down. The coyotes won't jump it for whatever reason. I had them coming and eating fruit before putting up the fence and before adding the chicken wire they would dig under. The deer eat trees, coyotes eat fruit and rabbits eat tree trunks and vegetables. Now they are all locked out. It's a huge pain because I have to fence any new grow areas. I have just 1 acre fenced off but have 5 more acres of hillside that I can't use unless it's fenced off. I'm in the process of adding another acre of fenced area.
I snared a coyote that was eating peaches last year. I didn't want to do it but she kept coming and eating my food so I trapped and killed her.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4267/34147400453_92db0d346b_b.jpg)
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Here's a video of the coyote in the tree
https://youtu.be/NLAxvnHOPME (https://youtu.be/NLAxvnHOPME)
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Thank you! I put a ton of work into this place. Now we can never move.
Holy batshit Robin! Fruit paradise, just amazing! What surprises me is how well your trees do in spite of the heat and ultra low RH.
Keep up the good work!
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Here's a video of the coyote in the tree
https://youtu.be/NLAxvnHOPME (https://youtu.be/NLAxvnHOPME)
I have deer fence around 14 of our total 20 acres. Even though the vineyard is inside the fence and netted raccoons will reach in a strip some few clusters. That's one of the dirty things I hate - trapping and shooting them and then the hassle of getting rid of the carcass so the dog doesn't drag it back into they yard. Squirrels, possums and other pests stripping your trees can really take the fun out of gardening.
Great pix, thanks for sharing.
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Wow, what a garden!!!
Keep up the good work
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Brad, Thanks for the photos. I've been watching your photos & videos on youtube and they've helped me out a lot with my trees I've planted this year in Encinitas.
Greg
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Great garden.
I'm sure your family is proud of you. Keep up the great work.
BTW, have you tried to grow something unusual, something more tropical ?.
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Great garden.
I'm sure your family is proud of you. Keep up the great work.
BTW, have you tried to grow something unusual, something more tropical ?.
I have lychee, jaboticaba, and starfruit startrd. I am also growing a lot of coffee. Nothing extraordinary. Mangos are already kind of pushing the boundary a bit.
If people have suggestions to anything to grow or to change let me know, I am open to suggestions.
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Great garden.
I'm sure your family is proud of you. Keep up the great work.
BTW, have you tried to grow something unusual, something more tropical ?.
I have lychee, jaboticaba, and starfruit startrd. I am also growing a lot of coffee. Nothing extraordinary. Mangos are already kind of pushing the boundary a bit.
If people have suggestions to anything to grow or to change let me know, I am open to suggestions.
Mountain soursop, maybe ?!!. Could also be used as a rootstock for soursop and Rollinia.
Another idea that i would love to see someone try it in SoCal, is to use Seashore Mangosteen as a rootstock for purple mangosteen.
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Hello Spaugh,
Is your place close to Rawhide Ranch in Bonsall, Ca?
You have an awesome place! Congrats
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Hello Spaugh,
Is your place close to Rawhide Ranch in Bonsall, Ca?
You have an awesome place! Congrats
Thanks for the kind words. We are planting a lot right now and trying to get it done before the heat kicks in. I will post more photos once more stuff goes in. Its fun to look at before and after photos.
Bonsall is about 30 miles north of here.
Heres some more photos
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/961/41402307985_89a5d0e170_b.jpg)
Mangos are store mangos for rootstock.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/951/41402313175_9b11a56314_b.jpg)
Had some reeds drop early off an immature tree but they were actually pretty good quality still.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/977/28430545458_ee0a60872c_b.jpg)
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Hello Spaugh,
Is your place close to Rawhide Ranch in Bonsall, Ca?
You have an awesome place! Congrats
Thanks for the kind words. We are planting a lot right now and trying to get it done before the heat kicks in. I will post more photos once more stuff goes in. Its fun to look at before and after photos.
Bonsall is about 30 miles north of here.
Heres some more photos
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/961/41402307985_89a5d0e170_b.jpg)
Mangos are store mangos for rootstock.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/951/41402313175_9b11a56314_b.jpg)
Had some reeds drop early off an immature tree but they were actually pretty good quality still.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/977/28430545458_ee0a60872c_b.jpg)
Yes, it’s always great to see the before and after pictures. It makes one feel good that all the blood, sweat, and tears put into ones passion is worth it when the results are seen.
Looking forward to seeing more pictures later this summer.
As for your location, 30 miles south of Bonsall, that would be near MCAS Miramar. Home of Top Gun...
Great Location you have!
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Well done!
Reed is interesting fruit. Early fruit can really be good. Needs to hang at least 13 mos.
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Some recent photos of my yard
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/929/28785841077_20e47ca977_b.jpg)
Heres a new area Im going to put 25 or 30 mango trees on. Theres 12 or so there now.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/931/28785856207_9e03a1c399_b.jpg)
This plumeria I got a stick off a golf course in Kauai on my honeymoon. This year will be our 10th aniversery.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/941/43674631471_347cb3c4bb_b.jpg)
Some fruit trees and bushes
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/859/41866450640_64c2d11565_b.jpg)
Young ardith tree grows really nice. No problems in the heat.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/846/43628306772_6c64289998_b.jpg)
CA rolls and home grown avo, extra avo please. Wish sashimi grew on trees.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/859/29804960958_86f7055349_b.jpg)
Sweet tart seedling
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/927/41866646950_210651321f_b.jpg)
DF blooms
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/940/43674951391_658fd21c8a_b.jpg)
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/934/43674976731_599e79f8f5_b.jpg)
Big Passifloras
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/934/43628563432_64f8a2551f_b.jpg)
Raja puri bananas
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/855/29804951558_688371081c_b.jpg)
6 month old stone fruit trees look great.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/933/41866702400_e0ddbc5673_b.jpg)
Seed solos from a few months ago. These things love heat.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/927/42772046755_3a4d1070cf_b.jpg)
Now growing fast in ground
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/932/43674928311_08fce9865c_b.jpg)
Poms
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/850/42771926995_e59558daa4_b.jpg)
Watermelon patch June 1st
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/933/28786095207_ff89c83948_b.jpg)
8 weeks later
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/848/43674944861_e0437bd4ef_b.jpg)
Mandarin fruit set
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/926/43674830051_432ba998c1_b.jpg)
A few mango seeds
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/942/43674760041_7068846bce_b.jpg)
GH saves my plants in the heatwave
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/940/29804748548_da180fc878_b.jpg)
Some tomatoes. Single vine cherries
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/916/42958527604_3fcdfb9f5e_b.jpg)
DF plants
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/941/43628346742_7806fc9cee_b.jpg)
Keep the bees and birds happy
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/862/43628366582_8e30fa6586_b.jpg)
Any day now on these........
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/854/29804793878_2611b528e2_b.jpg)
Lychee and grapes
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/854/29804771108_02a01e6990_b.jpg)
Guava fruit set
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/923/29804754028_5c18445fed_b.jpg)
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Healthy trees, beautiful yard.
-FruitFool
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Some recent photos of my yard
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/929/28785841077_20e47ca977_b.jpg)
Heres a new area Im going to put 25 or 30 mango trees on. Theres 12 or so there now.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/931/28785856207_9e03a1c399_b.jpg)
This plumeria I got a stick off a golf course in Kauai on my honeymoon. This year will be our 10th aniversery.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/941/43674631471_347cb3c4bb_b.jpg)
Some fruit trees and bushes
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/859/41866450640_64c2d11565_b.jpg)
Young ardith tree grows really nice. No problems in the heat.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/846/43628306772_6c64289998_b.jpg)
CA rolls and home grown avo, extra avo please. Wish sashimi grew on trees.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/859/29804960958_86f7055349_b.jpg)
Sweet tart seedling
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/927/41866646950_210651321f_b.jpg)
DF blooms
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/940/43674951391_658fd21c8a_b.jpg)
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/934/43674976731_599e79f8f5_b.jpg)
Big Passifloras
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/934/43628563432_64f8a2551f_b.jpg)
Raja puri bananas
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/855/29804951558_688371081c_b.jpg)
6 month old stone fruit trees look great.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/933/41866702400_e0ddbc5673_b.jpg)
Seed solos from a few months ago. These things love heat.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/927/42772046755_3a4d1070cf_b.jpg)
Now growing fast in ground
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/932/43674928311_08fce9865c_b.jpg)
Poms
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/850/42771926995_e59558daa4_b.jpg)
Watermelon patch June 1st
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/933/28786095207_ff89c83948_b.jpg)
8 weeks later
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/848/43674944861_e0437bd4ef_b.jpg)
Mandarin fruit set
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/926/43674830051_432ba998c1_b.jpg)
A few mango seeds
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/942/43674760041_7068846bce_b.jpg)
GH saves my plants in the heatwave
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/940/29804748548_da180fc878_b.jpg)
Some tomatoes. Single vine cherries
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/916/42958527604_3fcdfb9f5e_b.jpg)
DF plants
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/941/43628346742_7806fc9cee_b.jpg)
Keep the bees and birds happy
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/862/43628366582_8e30fa6586_b.jpg)
Any day now on these........
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/854/29804793878_2611b528e2_b.jpg)
Lychee and grapes
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/854/29804771108_02a01e6990_b.jpg)
Guava fruit set
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/923/29804754028_5c18445fed_b.jpg)
Hey Spaugh,
Hope all is well and that you are surviving this heat!
Great to see your progress. Keep up the great work, and keep posting the awesome pictures!
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great work there Brad. give it 3-5 years and it would be a jungle.
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Amazing Spaugh! Total credit and respect for your tough physical work out to get all plants trees in place and keep them wet and irrigated. Obviously no need to go to a gym etc to get your exercise _______ AND You have the formula for your plants beating the heat.
On hot days (like now) I work outside barefoot, trimming trees or what have you, and soak myself with the garden hose every 20 minutes. Wearing a T shirt because I don't want sunburn. My outside work uniform is a nylon quick dry bathing suit and a cotton T-Shirt. Kept wet. Don't wear nice cotton shorts outside when doing garden work. Invest in swimming trunks, they dry out quick.
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Wow! place looks great! respect on all that hard work!! It looks like you have an amazing property
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Amazing Spaugh! Total credit and respect for your tough physical work out to get all plants trees in place and keep them wet and irrigated. Obviously no need to go to a gym etc to get your exercise _______ AND You have the formula for your plants beating the heat.
On hot days (like now) I work outside barefoot, trimming trees or what have you, and soak myself with the garden hose every 20 minutes. Wearing a T shirt because I don't want sunburn. My outside work uniform is a nylon quick dry bathing suit and a cotton T-Shirt. Kept wet. Don't wear nice cotton shorts outside when doing garden work. Invest in swimming trunks, they dry out quick.
Thanks guys, yes lots of hard work. Heres a photo from the next mountain over to give you a new perspective Zands. You can see the cleared area at the top, that was a year or so ago. Im slowly clearing more and working down the hill. Pretty much everything in this photo is my property down to the road at the bottom which is the neighbors. Im pretty much only using the top 20% of my lot right now.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/740/31496419442_9b708e36ae_b.jpg)
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Looks really good Brad.
What spacing are you using on your mango/avo sized trees in your climate?
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Yep, just unbelievable Brad! You got a piece of paradise thanks to your sweat labor and of course a few bucks tuck away. I can relate, our 20 acre farm was nothing but a hay field thick with weeds and sunflowers. Most city folks don't realize what's involved when moving to the country - clear ROW per State HWY specs, install culvert then road, build house, drill well and install pump stuff, septic tank, 4,200' of high fence, trees, etc.
Keep up the good work.
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Speaking of Kauai, does this look familiar? Took this from a double pontoon speed boat.
(https://s22.postimg.cc/a2a1rxttp/Napoli_coast.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/a2a1rxttp/)
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Looks really good Brad.
What spacing are you using on your mango/avo sized trees in your climate?
I have stone fruit on 20x20ft, the mangos spaced 15ftx15ft ( ~5x5 meters) and avocados 12 to 20ft depending on cultivar. The avocado patch is on a really uneaven piece of dirt so they are not laid out on a grid. They just get planted where it makes sense. Im trying to keep the trees trimmed to a manageable size since its not possible to get a truck or any kind of lift out on the hill. Everything has to be managed by hand. Trees have to be cut with a pole and chain saw and fruit has to be put in buckets or wheelbarrel and carried up the hill.
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Admiring your tenacity Brad!
Combined with some knowledge, the result shows.
It’s enjoyable to watch your progress...
Thanks for sharing!
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Beautiful property Brad! That plot is so huge in the last pic of the slope and road you posted....I wouldn't even know what to do with all that land...lol
Just curious what it costs to water a place like that...are those your storage tanks off to the right?
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You do the obvious thing, plant tons of trees! Theres 2 or 3 acres on the top right I have a offroad motorcycle track on too. I may put trees throughout the trail some day.
The far right tank is mine. The well is up on the top right near the tank. The left tank is my neighbors. He has the land on the other side of the hill. Theres a lot of equipment to own and maintain and electricity to pump it but the water itself is free. Its a lot cheaper than municipal water. I have a solar system that covers house and well power.
Im going to go hike up the next mountain and get a new photo soon.
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Looks really good Brad.
What spacing are you using on your mango/avo sized trees in your climate?
I have stone fruit on 20x20ft, the mangos spaced 15ftx15ft ( ~5x5 meters) and avocados 12 to 20ft depending on cultivar. The avocado patch is on a really uneaven piece of dirt so they are not laid out on a grid. They just get planted where it makes sense. Im trying to keep the trees trimmed to a manageable size since its not possible to get a truck or any kind of lift out on the hill. Everything has to be managed by hand. Trees have to be cut with a pole and chain saw and fruit has to be put in buckets or wheelbarrel and carried up the hill.
Nice location spaugh, i always follow your thread because i appreciate the beautiful pics you share, besides the fact that we have some trees in common.
Once your trees and crops get larger, you may consider having a horse to help you carry the fruits to uphill, i think it has a lot of possible added value in such a wide and beautiful property.
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Great pictures Brad!
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Definitely time for some updates. Even a year or two ago when I rolled through the orchard was way more stuffed! Some side by side comparisons would be really cool. The cherimoya especially are mind blowingly bigger from 2018-2019 or 2020 whenever I came by last.
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Everything is coming along nicely, trees are filling in.
(https://i.postimg.cc/KKv5TFV0/20210518-160201.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/KKv5TFV0)
These are erdon lee grafts. Its been 3 or 4 weeks and no action but they are still alive.
(https://i.postimg.cc/pmPQNR2P/20210518-155730.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/pmPQNR2P)
(https://i.postimg.cc/K3XL0yqS/20210518-160119.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/K3XL0yqS)
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Beautfiul work Brad! Exciting to grow so many tasty and rare plants.
Keep us posted on erdon lee.
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Wow! Nice
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We need more pictures of your chickens! The Sweet Tart seedling is looking good, we need to plant more of those. I’ll try to get more seeds from our friends in Florida. Awesome updates as usual. I’m stoked you planted more Watermelons, hopefully you did more Orangeglo!
Simon
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Your place looks better in person. What is amazing is the attention to details you have in your garden and your ambition.
BTW, I did text my friend for mulch but he never called back. We'll see if he remembers if he has a job in Poway.
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What do you do for water? Do you have a well?
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i have a couple rain barrels.
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Wow and that is enough?
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You can tell a pro from a noob.
Looking great, as usual.
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Amazing picture. Love creating a garden that my grandkids play in every time they come. Their parents are not very happy every time they see them in dirty clothes and full of dirt on their hands. I love reminding my daughter of her young years and how she used to get the garden hose and make a mess in the yard. Nowadays, we also have a that it's even safer than the ones we had in the past. The kids are getting thirsty on the hot days on their summer visits and as much as we would like to avoid it, they still drink water from the hose.
My grandson tends to drink out of it. That's a great suggestion.
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Can the mods delete these spam bot trolls? They are trying to spam us with clean drinking hose ads. These people are not real.
This person Sirris spam bot has only 1 other post with some spam link in it.
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Brad, amazing peace of land and amazing work you did on it. Thanks for posting new pictures. Great to see everything in progress and how much work involved.
Specially love your avocados. So different varieties. They are awesome. Your bananas as well
Great pleasure to see what people like you can do from pile of rocks and clay soil. Thanks again.
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"florida grafted mangos planted over winter."
I can't believe Simon allowed you to do this :) Why planting Florida root stocks?
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Haha Sapote, Brad meant Seedling trees from seeds obtained by friends in Florida. We have noticed that the seedling trees perform well at Brad’s place. I can’t wait for some of these seedling trees to start production.
Simon
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I have a few grafted trees on turpentine rootstocks mail ordered from FL. One that is doing well is Taralay, it doesnt get so droopy. The seedlings do well but many have gotten droopy now also since they bloomed. Mangos are a pain to grow in CA. Many of them exhibit bad growth habits especially when doing huge heavy blooms over our long winter and tend to droop and become sickly. Panicles and fruit need to be remove to relieve the trees. Certain cultivars need to be top worked with better performing types. Ive had a lot of complete failures with la Verne manilla rootstocks top worked with various mango types. To be honest I think rootstock isn't horribly important, some varieties are just more well suited to CA then others. Thats just my observation from all the trees Simon and I planted here.
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Did you wait until the seedling had flowers or fruits before grafting? If not it will slow down the growth as it is trying to make flowers. Most of my seedlings started to have flowers/fruits at 3 years old.
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We have all kinds of mangos planted here. Lots of seedling trees not grafted, some grafted trees from nurseries, some trees we grafted onto various rootstocks. Yes they flower after 3 years thats true. Doesnt take long. We are both well aware of the flowering slowing down grafted trees. The problem with letting your tree get large and then grafting is that it becomes more difficult to top work. More grafts or bigger cuts are required. Theres tradeoffs with everything.
Right now the best strategy here seems to be grow seedlings of good genetic lineage and hope they make decent fruit. And if not then start top working them. I haven't gotten to the point of changing varieties on any of the good genetic seedlings yet. We have top worked a few manilla trees. Maybe in a year or 2 we will know more about the fruit on some of the seedling trees. Some of the store bought grafted trees have such bad growth pattern, I've started top working them and consolidating varieties down to ones that grow well and have good tasting fruit.
In the future we may run into the issue of the ones that grow well, dont fruit well... Or some other unforeseen issues. It will be many many more years before I get the mangos trees where I want them here. Its an ongoing project and its not an easy task.
Frankly I would suggest most people in CA to grow stone fruits or cherimoyas instead of mangos. Yeah it can be done but its not easy.
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This is quite unbelievable spaugh, I live on the other side of the world to you and your place looks like another planet to me maybe a moonscape or what mars might look like!!!!! Im extremely curious about your climate it looks like a desert to me yet you grow amazing trees. Obviously everything is heavily irrigated, What is your annual rainfall there? Do you get freezing temperatures in winter? What are your average annual temperatures? What type of soil do you have in that sort of environment ?
Where Im from we average 3000mm of rain a year (118inches) so you can imagine it looks quite different here. Ive never seen your type of land anywhere ive been in Australia like that.
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I live in a near identical microclimate as Brad and completely agree with his suggestion that Cherimoya is the way to go. It has very little disease or pest pressure out here and grows like a damn weed once planted. If you take just a little time to pollinate the flowers, you will have more moya than you can eat from one tree. Personally, the moyas are too sweet for me and I can only consume several per year before my teeth hurt. Stone fruit on the other hand, I can eat until I get sick. They too have their environmental pressures. Between wood boring beetle, leaf curl, aphids, gophers, birds, and fruit thinning, they do require some work for a decent crop and a healthy tree.
Growing mango is definitely possible, but has been the luck of the draw for me. I've planted over 150 seedlings from various varieties along with store bought Kent and Ataulfo mango seeds. Some do great while others never take off, both mono and polyembryonic seedlings. Its really a numbers game. Some varieties seem to do well on Florida rootstock (Lemon Zest, Valencia Pride, Sweet Tart, Alphonso) in my yard, but they don't come close to the vigor and fruit retention from a good seedling that's been top worked at maturity. Regarding the lanky growth, I think that could be resolved through strategic pruning, but I dont have the time for that. I just let mine grow wild and let them look like crap.
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This is quite unbelievable spaugh, I live on the other side of the world to you and your place looks like another planet to me maybe a moonscape or what mars might look like!!!!! Im extremely curious about your climate it looks like a desert to me yet you grow amazing trees. Obviously everything is heavily irrigated, What is your annual rainfall there? Do you get freezing temperatures in winter? What are your average annual temperatures? What type of soil do you have in that sort of environment ?
Where Im from we average 3000mm of rain a year (118inches) so you can imagine it looks quite different here. Ive never seen your type of land anywhere ive been in Australia like that.
yeah its hot and dry here. Not quite a desert but almost. It barely ever rains and it never freezes. At the bottom of the hill is might get light frost a few nights per year. Theres rattlesnakes, scorpions, coyotes, deer, rabbits, hawks, mice, bobcats, mountain lions, squirrels, gophers,... oh yeah and violent wildfires.. Why do I even live here? I guess if they come for my water there will be nothing left to stick around for. The soil is good though its sandy decomposing granite. Plants like it.
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Hey Brad,
Just checking in, how are the erdon lee grafts doing?!?!
-joe
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Be careful Brad, they may actually send you to Mars to cultivate the barren wasteland. Move over Matt Damon and your crappy potatoes!
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I also love my garden. This is my only occupation in retirement. I grow everything myself and love flowers, trees, berries. I want to write a book about growing a garden, improving the soil, etc. This is very useful knowledge that the modern generation doesn't know. Grandchildren don't even know how to dig with a shovel. In my youth, I read all the books about gardening that could be found in stores. And now these books are on the Internet for free. But my grandchildren help me take photos of my garden and taught me how to process them using the background eraser tool online (https://depositphotos.com/bgremover.html).
this person is another fake spam bot.
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Hey Brad,
Just checking in, how are the erdon lee grafts doing?!?!
-joe
thry seemed still pliable last time i checked but they never grew. Looks doubtful at this point but who knows.
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Living the dream, just incredible. Successfully executing your dreams of location, land, family and a healthy livelihood has paid off, something to be really proud of.
yeah its hot and dry here. Not quite a desert but almost. It barely ever rains and it never freezes.
The fact that tropical fruit trees (which are indigenous to humid areas) grows in such desert climes as SoCal blows me away. How they manage in your ultra low RH and occasional Santa Anna heat is beyond me. As some of us have learned first hand avocados once established are pretty tough trees though. As I've said before my Reed has been subjected to lows of 18F and recently 21F and come right thru it. GEM, Lamb, Ardith and Sharwil also took that hit in Feb. and are doing fine. Lost the somewhat mature fruit and flowers that were setting....
The avocado's origin dates back to an area between Laredo, TX and Monterrey Mexico and south in the state of Nuevo Laredo. Sabinas Hidalgo is the northern range located north of Monterrey. 100's of creoles, native and improved cultured varieties are found there. That mountainous area receives a lot of rain and heat and RH is rather high all the time. https://www.google.com/maps/@26.4067241,-100.2349791,10.25z (https://www.google.com/maps/@26.4067241,-100.2349791,10.25z)
Mexico is considered the center of origin of avocado, and in the mountains of Sierra Madre Oriental in Nuevo Leon the remains of an avocado have been found, which are evidence of the place or origin of Persea americana var. drymifolia, or the Mexican avocado.
https://www.intechopen.com/books/molecular-approaches-to-genetic-diversity/genetic-diversity-of-mexican-avocado-in-nuevo-leon-mexico (https://www.intechopen.com/books/molecular-approaches-to-genetic-diversity/genetic-diversity-of-mexican-avocado-in-nuevo-leon-mexico)
(https://i.postimg.cc/WFpPFj6X/Avocado-Origin.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/WFpPFj6X)
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As I've said before my Reed has been subjected to lows of 18F and recently 21F and come right thru it. GEM, Lamb, Ardith and Sharwil also took that hit in Feb. and are doing fine.
That is incredible, great to hear!
I'm assuming these are in your greenhouse...
I had a couple 7g soursops in my small 12x20 hoophouse that took 28F like champs. I pulled them out around Valentines, soon after we hit 33F which totally defoliated them with some pretty significant die back, they survived and are doing well now.
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Hey Brad,
Just checking in, how are the erdon lee grafts doing?!?!
-joe
thry seemed still pliable last time i checked but they never grew. Looks doubtful at this point but who knows.
Hey Brad, would you happen to be backed up against Camp Pendleton?
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Hey Brad,
Just checking in, how are the erdon lee grafts doing?!?!
-joe
thry seemed still pliable last time i checked but they never grew. Looks doubtful at this point but who knows.
Hey Brad, would you happen to be backed up against Camp Pendleton?
No I live around 30 or 40 minutes south of camp pendleton. Near the east side of Miramar Marine base.
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UFO country!
Impressive job generating so many fruits in such a hilly and dry spot. You grow the best moyas and cados I've ever had.
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I love this place but the politicians and public healthy officials are going to drive me out of here. Their authoritarian bullshit is becoming unbearable. I need to move...
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I love this place but the politicians and public healthy officials are going to drive me out of here. Their authoritarian bullshit is becoming unbearable. I need to move...
"Sweet talkin' people done run me out of town..."
Politicians suck, some worse than others, and ya'll are way over-regulated.
Sad to think you can't even be free on your little mountain top.
That's why I can't live in an area with and HOA, even less freedom.
When you find freedom and paradise, send word and keep it on the down low.
On another note, should we put together a choice lychee group buy, just in case those Erdon Lees don't start pushing?
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I love this place but the politicians and public healthy officials are going to drive me out of here. Their authoritarian bullshit is becoming unbearable. I need to move...
Hi Brad,
Your land looks awesome! I'm thinking of moving to your area in the future, either Poway or Fallbrook.
What kinds of trouble do politicians make?
Itay
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I love this place but the politicians and public healthy officials are going to drive me out of here. Their authoritarian bullshit is becoming unbearable. I need to move...
What kinds of trouble do politicians make?
Itay
Itay, I'm sure you can think of a few examples.
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That is incredible, great to hear!
I'm assuming these are in your greenhouse...
Yep. Happy to hear about your soursops. I have 2 annonas doing real well. Huge leaves on this grafted cherimoya cocktail tree.
(https://i.postimg.cc/ZWqf4yV7/Cherimoya-May-23.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/ZWqf4yV7)
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I love this place but the politicians and public healthy officials are going to drive me out of here. Their authoritarian bullshit is becoming unbearable. I need to move...
I was wondering about that. You Cali guys put up with a lot of stupid government induced shit.
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I love this place but the politicians and public healthy officials are going to drive me out of here. Their authoritarian bullshit is becoming unbearable. I need to move...
I was wondering about that. You Cali guys put up with a lot of stupid government induced shit.
They are seriously ramping up their BS by the day it seems. Its amazing people are on board with some of this crap.
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I did go take some pics of the yard today. It's pretty nice out here. A cool 88f today
(https://i.postimg.cc/mcGL74mP/20210630-125338-0.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/mcGL74mP)
(https://i.postimg.cc/56TNNLvq/20210630-130329.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/56TNNLvq)
(https://i.postimg.cc/jCqj8stN/20210630-130404.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/jCqj8stN)
(https://i.postimg.cc/0zKjpcxB/20210630-130604.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/0zKjpcxB)
(https://i.postimg.cc/RNVXVn9F/20210630-125146.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/RNVXVn9F)
(https://i.postimg.cc/ftcBkcJ3/20210630-125210.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/ftcBkcJ3)
(https://i.postimg.cc/v4KPK8Jm/20210630-125244.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/v4KPK8Jm)
(https://i.postimg.cc/xqG4d2zs/20210630-125314.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/xqG4d2zs)
(https://i.postimg.cc/3kNS90b6/20210630-125546.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/3kNS90b6)
(https://i.postimg.cc/cK8DGyWB/20210630-130341.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/cK8DGyWB)
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(https://i.postimg.cc/vDxKwnYd/20210630-123700.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/vDxKwnYd)
(https://i.postimg.cc/ph63YYPs/20210630-123840.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/ph63YYPs)
(https://i.postimg.cc/vxxkPgBb/20210630-124055.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/vxxkPgBb)
(https://i.postimg.cc/sQvNXQ57/20210630-124236.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/sQvNXQ57)
(https://i.postimg.cc/gx3dz5Gm/20210630-124534.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/gx3dz5Gm)
(https://i.postimg.cc/2LqRP9Hp/20210630-124558.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/2LqRP9Hp)
(https://i.postimg.cc/56cR4tyQ/20210630-124807.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/56cR4tyQ)
(https://i.postimg.cc/F114d1hP/20210630-124952.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/F114d1hP)
(https://i.postimg.cc/pp4zb9L3/20210630-124745.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/pp4zb9L3)
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I did go take some pics of the yard today. It's pretty nice out here. A cool 88f today
(https://i.postimg.cc/mcGL74mP/20210630-125338-0.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/mcGL74mP)
(https://i.postimg.cc/56TNNLvq/20210630-130329.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/56TNNLvq)
(https://i.postimg.cc/jCqj8stN/20210630-130404.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/jCqj8stN)
(https://i.postimg.cc/0zKjpcxB/20210630-130604.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/0zKjpcxB)
(https://i.postimg.cc/RNVXVn9F/20210630-125146.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/RNVXVn9F)
(https://i.postimg.cc/ftcBkcJ3/20210630-125210.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/ftcBkcJ3)
(https://i.postimg.cc/v4KPK8Jm/20210630-125244.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/v4KPK8Jm)
(https://i.postimg.cc/xqG4d2zs/20210630-125314.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/xqG4d2zs)
(https://i.postimg.cc/3kNS90b6/20210630-125546.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/3kNS90b6)
(https://i.postimg.cc/cK8DGyWB/20210630-130341.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/cK8DGyWB)
Nice pics, thx for sharing. What’s the pineapple variety with the bright red leaves? And when can I get a slip? ;)
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VERY impressive Brad. Thanks for sharing.
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Looking good Brad!! you have enough land to secede from CA ;D
I love this place but the politicians and public healthy officials are going to drive me out of here. Their authoritarian bullshit is becoming unbearable. I need to move...
I was wondering about that. You Cali guys put up with a lot of stupid government induced shit.
They are seriously ramping up their BS by the day it seems. Its amazing people are on board with some of this crap.
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Up this thread you said your soil is decomposed granite. People pay for granite dust to apply to trees and vegetable gardens. This dust supplies many trace minerals. You added drip irrigation to it to make it come alive. Plus with your very dry climate you have zero? harmful insects and much fewer fungus problems.
In many ways your growing situation is ideal. One possible negative is your irrigation water is quite mineral laden. Perhaps you use a filter? How far down did you have to drill for your well?
All looks great! In a way you are imitating the Persians who have a long history of growing melons and watermelons on their arid lands. I bet you grow some Persian watermelon varieties.
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Hey Zands, the hole in the ground is around 650ft but the water table is at 100ft down. The water is a little hard but not that bad. It's around 600ppm of mineral. The water here has a lot of iron, manganese, and calcium.
We did put in some watermelons in a newly cleared area that's planted out with avocados. I just pop the watermelon plant next to the baby avocado trees to share the water and mulch. It doesn't look like much yet but thats going to be loads of avocados and watermelons.
Theres some pics of the chicken area in the previous posts, we planted pomegranates and mulberry plants in there. It looks pretty bare still but in a few years that will be loads of poms.
(https://i.postimg.cc/LJ8HvxMB/20210630-125858.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/LJ8HvxMB)
(https://i.postimg.cc/zbgDK3Ys/20210630-130008.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/zbgDK3Ys)
I've also started popping artichoke plants throughout the older orchard area that's getting irrigated with spinners.
(https://i.postimg.cc/r0Mc0jgr/20210630-125021.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/r0Mc0jgr)
(https://i.postimg.cc/w3WHMhN1/20210630-125035.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/w3WHMhN1)
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This is one I'm super excited for its an air layer Simon took from Leo Manuel's Brewster lychee. It set a few fruit this year for the first time.
(https://i.postimg.cc/1nhXWDBm/20210630-123840.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/1nhXWDBm)
(https://i.postimg.cc/34m47tN0/20210630-123856.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/34m47tN0)
(https://i.postimg.cc/gLGJpd11/20210630-123857.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/gLGJpd11)
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Damn Brad, Leo’s special Brewster took off! I’m glad it’s doing so well at your place, there’s only a handful of surviving air layers from Leo’s tree because his mother tree died. Everything’s looking good, I need to stop over soon.
Simon
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Wow Brad, your place just keeps growing and looking good that DJ ground is great stuff, congrats on all your continued successful growing. 8)
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Your Brewster Lychee tree looks great. Excellent Job. My Brewster looks similar to yours just smaller. Probably about 1-1.5 years behind yours in growth. Great wide-angle photos. Your irrigation system looks very good. It's what I use on my property as well.
I love DG (decomposed granite) for growing. Great drainage and excellent material for growing mangos and other subtropicals trees. Last Monday, I received a new DG shipment and sandy loam topsoil (see attached photos). I use a 50/50 mix and use this to backfill for my mango and avocado tree holes after I remove the heavy clay soil at my location.
Keep up the good work.
Johnny
(https://i.postimg.cc/F7q2JmbG/8-U1-A1079-DG-Gravel-Purchased-from-Larrys-Building-Materials-6-28-21.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/F7q2JmbG)
DG
(https://i.postimg.cc/18qbGTJS/8-U1-A1086-Topsoil-and-DG-Gravel-from-Larrys-7-Yards-Total-6-28-21.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/18qbGTJS)
Sandy Top-Soil and DG
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i should sell DG.
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Don't mess with hares; it's better to get rid of them. Hares do the most damage in late fall and winter. In summer, they have plenty of plant food in the fields and forest belts: leaves, fruits, and berries, and with the onset of cold weather, it becomes difficult to get food. They appear in the garden at night, nibbling the bark on fruit and ornamental trees; the most damaged part of the trunk is the lower part, up to the first tier of branches. I remember my grandmother constantly complaining that rabbits were trampling the beds and spoiling the crops, as well as killing the flowers she had freshly planted, beautiful types of bellflowers like here [spam link]