Sugar apple tree in raised bed?

[sosamo]

Hi, I read that Sugar apple trees have shallow roots.  I have a raised bed beside my house (about 16" high). Do you think the tree with survive and fruit?  I think I would be more worried that it won't get enough sun.

[SeaWalnut]

They need full sun.Might survive thogh.Better keep them in a pot.

[sosamo]

Thanks. Another question. I was at a nursery buying a sugar apple tree (i think it was in a 7 gal). The guy there said to not put in the ground.  He said to leave it in the pot. I was like, wth?  Sugar Apples do better in the pot in SoCal?

[roblack]

actually they can do well with partial sunlight.

probably would be fine for a while. might be restricted in growth as it matures.

why not go for it and see what happens?

[sosamo]

I was going to plants lettuces, etc there, but it's too big, and can probably fit 2 sugar apple trees.  If any of you are wondering why I have a raised bed on the side of my house like that....well digging about 10+ holes to plant all my trees in the backyard, I had nowhere to put the dirt  

I wouldn't mind trying to grow sugar apples trees there, but each tree cost about $100.00.  That's a pricey experiment.  The wife already warned me about buying another tree.

[Seanny]

You should coat the wall to block water from penetrating into the blocks.
The neighbor's side would get nasty stains.
The wall get damage over time if there is no water barrier.

Here in OC people bring their potted sugar apple trees into the garage on cold nights.

[sosamo]

Thanks for the info. Man..too late about the wall, oh well.

[SeaWalnut]

You can grow them from seed and they fruit fast in 2 years or sooner. They need hand polination and can fruit well in a pot.
All you need to know about growing sugarapples its here,perfectly detailed. https://youtu.be/Lmf4Jgm9ETo

[gnappi]

My two sugar apples are in a shady spot not getting max by any stretch sun and fruit very well without any hand pollination.

OTOH, my soursop (bought as a 7' tree and in ground since 2014) gets lots more sun, has MANY ants in the flowers to pollinate them and as yet has produced zero fruit.

[Jungle Yard]

My two sugar apples are in a shady spot not getting max by any stretch sun and fruit very well without any hand pollination.

OTOH, my soursop (bought as a 7' tree and in ground since 2014) gets lots more sun, has MANY ants in the flowers to pollinate them and as yet has produced zero fruit.

Soursop is not pollinated by ants. Beetles do the job.

Here is an interesting article on soursop pollination

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/261510642_Manual_and_natural_pollination_of_soursop_Annona_muricata_L_Annonaceae

[Seanny]

The flower stays as female for 3 days then become male on the 4th. Tough to know which day to get pollen without labeling each flowers.

[pineislander]

  I think I would be more worried that it won't get enough sun.

Yes, but it depends on the orientation of the house and resulting shade.
If this is on the north side of a house you should only consider shade loving plants. Most annuals love more light. Most fruit trees unless they are shade lovers will grow tall and spindly in such conditions trying to find light.
If you want one tree plant it on the extreme outer end and it will grow outwards towards the light you could plant shade lovers back of it. I know of a mango planted directly under a vigorous oak tree. One branch grew horizontal and found it's way out to the sun, then grew up and is making some fruit. So if a tree can find sun it can have it's roots in shade. Here it is:

[sosamo]

Why does it matter what day the flower is on?  Can't you just pollen when it is female either day 1, 2, or 3?  You can tell when they are female or male when looking at them  just like Atemoyas right?  I am new to hand pollination.

  I think I would be more worried that it won't get enough sun.

Yes, but it depends on the orientation of the house and resulting shade.
If this is on the north side of a house you should only consider shade loving plants. Most annuals love more light. Most fruit trees unless they are shade lovers will grow tall and spindly in such conditions trying to find light.
If you want one tree plant it on the extreme outer end and it will grow outwards towards the light you could plant shade lovers back of it. I know of a mango planted directly under a vigorous oak tree. One branch grew horizontal and found it's way out to the sun, then grew up and is making some fruit. So if a tree can find sun it can have it's roots in shade. Here it is:

[sosamo]

I gave up on planting the sugar apple tree in the raised bed. I will just plant it in a pot.   I didn't know that they can grow from seeds to fruiting in 2 years.  Sounds kinda fast. I was thinking more like 4 years from seeds to fruit.

[gnappi]

My two sugar apples are in a shady spot not getting max by any stretch sun and fruit very well without any hand pollination.

OTOH, my soursop (bought as a 7' tree and in ground since 2014) gets lots more sun, has MANY ants in the flowers to pollinate them and as yet has produced zero fruit.

Soursop is not pollinated by ants. Beetles do the job.

I guess they're on extended vacation for a while in so. Flo. :-)

[roblack]

Try hand pollination. You can pollinate guanabana with just one flower, pollinating itself. Ants are just there milking scale.

My two sugar apples are in a shady spot not getting max by any stretch sun and fruit very well without any hand pollination.

OTOH, my soursop (bought as a 7' tree and in ground since 2014) gets lots more sun, has MANY ants in the flowers to pollinate them and as yet has produced zero fruit.

Soursop is not pollinated by ants. Beetles do the job.

I guess they're on extended vacation for a while in so. Flo. :-)

[sosamo]

Try hand pollination. You can pollinate guanabana with just one flower, pollinating itself. Ants are just there milking scale.

My two sugar apples are in a shady spot not getting max by any stretch sun and fruit very well without any hand pollination.

OTOH, my soursop (bought as a 7' tree and in ground since 2014) gets lots more sun, has MANY ants in the flowers to pollinate them and as yet has produced zero fruit.

Soursop is not pollinated by ants. Beetles do the job.

I guess they're on extended vacation for a while in so. Flo. :-)

How do you pollinate with just 1 flower?  I thought you have to collect the pollen from a male flower first (like Atemoyas).

[mangomanic12]

Why don't you grow Cherimoyas instead?
Don't they grow fine over there in California.? I've tasted both and Cherimoya IMO is superior.
Search the Cherimoya threads ..read and learn!

[sosamo]

I have 2 Cherimoyas in the ground. 4 Atemoyas in the ground. Vietnamese people prefer the chewiness of Atemoyas / Sugar apples vs Cherimoyas.  I am out of space, and read that Sugar apples does well in pots.