The Tropical Fruit Forum

Which jackfruit varieties are considered “crispy”? Which is best in your opinion? And Has anyone tried to arrange them on a scale from softest to crispest based on variety?

Many of us wait for this time of year to enjoy the fruits of our labor but regrettably It's also fruit thief season.  Besides the typical iguanas, racoons, possums, birds, and squirrels, people are the worst they're out and about at all hours.

 A few people knock on the door and ask, which is the polite thing to do but they knock  even at night  sometimes. Even then I must confess it still gets on my nerves a bit. These people are not neighbors on my street, I have no idea where they come from and how they make their way to me almost at the end of a dead end street?

They'll knock asking for mangos, june plums, jackfruit etc and if you say no but you can buy some they quickly lose interest. I guess stolen fruit taste sweeter.
I'm sorry to feel like the little red hen but no, grow some in your own yard or purchase them. and unless you see fruit spoiling on the floor as an obvious sign that the residents of the house dont care for the fruit don't even knock to ask. 

I wonder for everyone I catch how many get away with it.

Those who reap where they don't sow are the worst kind of people.
post and wire fence going up tomorrow; because I'm sick of it.

I'm at the point I can spot them when they drive past the front window and begin to slow down. I'm considering video recording them from now on, and putting printed still shots of their faces at local supermarkets to publicly shame the thieves; who knows, maybe a youtube channel in the works.  some good should come of it.

anyway, I know y'all feel my pain.

Has anyone compiled a list of Heavy Bearing Mango varieties?

I know, Duncan, Venus, Phillipine, and Pickering. what others are there?

what west indian avocados would you recommend for backyard planting? I am looking for at least 5 different varieties to plant and have avocados as close to year-round as possible.
also what would be the recommended spacing? zone 10b

I planted a seed a while back; can't remember now if it was Abiu or Canistel? Can anyone I.D?

what are my choices and what variety performs best in South Florida? only varieties I have seen around me are Arkin Papershell, Beaumont, and Dana white. is that all that is recommended for this area? any dwarf varieties?

I work at a Middle School in west palm beach, Fl zone 10b and the school was looking at starting a vegetable garden, and that sort of changed into lets do more of a backyard kitchen inspired demo gardens from around the world. more perennial plantings, less annuals etc. anyway, I recomended they stick to more herbaceous or shrubby types of fruit trees like papayas and bananas, citrus and guavas, but the desire to have other fruit trees is pretty strong.
Therefore, since this forum is worldwide and there are well traveled folks here  I'd like to pick your brains a bit; I have several questions for you:

first a little background info on the space: the garden area is well protected between 2 story buildings that run North-South, roughly a 120' x50' planting area,  6+ hours of direct sun a day. We are hoping to represent the following countries or regions of the world: latin america and the caribbean, India/Asia, and maybe western Africa. but, I'm open to other ideas. also if anyone would like to partner with us, volunteer their expertise, seeds, plants, cuttings, discounts etc for the school garden let me know.

Q1: what trees/herbs/ perennial vegetables would you suggest or recommend as typical/authentic to represent each demo backyard garden?

for example, for a caribbean inspired garden I would think of: sour orange, avocado, yuca, pigeon peas, plantains, oregano, chayote squash, etc.

Q2: What fruit trees would fit the design without completely overcrowding everything else. or (my suggestion) what dwarf varieties can be grown as a specimen in a large pot to dwarf it further, almost indefinitely (for a good 7-10 years) if possible?

Q3: could you recommend any local sources for mulch, topsoil, plants, and trees that would deliver and maybe sell at a discount?

I will print your comments and suggestions and push them through the bureaucratic machine.

thanks in advance.

I saw this on my drive home the other day and it got me thinking on the topic of fruit thieves. 

Now I'm just wondering from those who have been victims to fruit thieves of the 2 legged kind: how do you deal with fruit thieves?

I have more front and side yard than backyard, and this will no doubt be an increasing problem for me. fences can't be over 4' tall in front yards and my neighbors mother in law is a notorious fruit thief who will throw her grandkids toys over the fence and then go in my yard with the excuse that she was "retrieving a ball" and for example, help herself to a few of my avocados. lol, I dealt with her BS but now I plant all the "weird" stuff on that side of the house now; all the fruit they won't recognize or fruit that stays green through maturity and you have to know when to pick it etc.

I'm thinking maybe motion sensing sprinklers connected to a miracle grow container that I would fill with dye. lol