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Topics - bradflorida

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26
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Tree being eaten by lizards
« on: November 01, 2014, 09:12:13 AM »
My small white sapote tree is being consumed by lizards.  They are eating the bark as well as leaves, at a pace that the tree can't keep up with. 

I'd like to prevent the lizards from climbing up the trunk, and was considering wrapping something loosely around the trunk and coating it with grease in order to prevent them from climbing up.  I was also going to cut off the remaining leaves / ends of limbs since the cambium near them has mostly been eaten. 

Anyone have better ideas or does this sound like it would do the trick?

Brad








27
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Red Lady Papaya - when to pick?
« on: October 12, 2014, 04:51:48 PM »
When is this variety of papaya ready to pick?  Do I judge by softness of fruit or color?  How much color?  Will they ripen off the plant?



28
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Carambola under attack by bugs
« on: October 12, 2014, 04:49:42 PM »
Looks like flies are attacking the fruits.  Fruit flies?  And then some of the fruit have long black bugs that burrow inside of the fruit also.  Is this something that I can expect to have to deal with each year?  Anyone else had a similar experience?









29
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Is this a Suebelle White Sapote Tree?
« on: July 13, 2014, 11:46:55 PM »






The tree was sold as a suebelle but I'm suspicious that it might not be.  I wonder if it's a wooly leaf / tetrameria. 

The top sides of the leaves have developed a yellowing this summer, despite my unchanged irrigation and fertilization over the past year. 

Brad

30
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Hasya vs oxkutzcab sapodilla trees
« on: July 01, 2014, 08:30:01 PM »
I've got an Ox sapodilla tree occupying a spot in my full yard.  Lately I'm getting concerned that I may only get a dozen fruits per year from it....especially when I could replace it with another variety such as Hasya and get decent production of a larger fruit. 

One online reference mentioned that varieities such as hasya, molix and morena tend to get limb breakage issues from the fruits weighing down the branches. Supposedly that can look unattractive in a front yard, whereas Ox supposedly doesn't have these issues.

Has anyone experienced these limb breakage issues?

Any opinions on differences in taste and texture of any of the larger varieties?

Thanks!

Brad

31
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Lychee tree: to prune or not?
« on: June 29, 2014, 12:22:25 PM »
This Kaimana lychee tree had its central leader cut off when I bought it, and has grown more laterally than vertically.   I'm afraid that if the tree is supported on these two lateral branches at the base, it will be more prime to breakage. 

I'm on the fence as to whether or not I should pug the tree and cut it off just below the two low lateral branches. 

Opinions appreciated!

Thanks. 






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33
This is the first year my parents have had a fruiting lychee tree.  It's a Mauritius, and over the past few days, the crows as well as a few squirrels have raided the tree and taken 1/3 to 1/2 of the crop.  The crows will circle overhead, come down and take a lychee or even a couple at once, then fly to the nearby roof, eat them, and then come down for more. 

As a result, we decided to pick a good amount of the remaining fruit, and tie nets around the bunches of less mature lychees on the tree. 

As the tree gets larger, it will become impractical to place nets around each bunch of fruits. 

Any suggestions?  Or is it just luck of the draw as to the location you live in, and whether or not the birds discover the fruits that year?

Brad

34
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Does this look like a Green Sapote tree?
« on: June 01, 2014, 10:43:50 PM »





This tree was sold to me as a green sapote seedling.  However in my limited experiences, it seems to resemble a canistel tree more than a green sapote tree.  Opinions?

Thanks!

Brad

35
The fairchild website says that jackfruit trees can easily be kept to 6-8' height and width, with annual pruning. 

Has anyone done this and as a result has a mature jackfrut tree kept at the above size range?  I'd be interested in seeing pictures and hearing experiences. 

36
Tropical Fruit Discussion / 2014 Jackfruit Jubilee at Fairchild
« on: May 31, 2014, 09:15:51 PM »
Fairchild is bringing back the Jackfruit Festival. 

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden will celebrate one of the most intriguing of tropical fruits, the jackfruit. Participants will learn about its enticing taste and curious fragrance, how to grow it, and what varieties most suit differing tastes.
We will have recognized speakers presenting information on planting and pruning, pollination and the variety of cultivars available in South Florida. Tree sales and cultivar tasting follows the presentations.

Lectures

10:00 a.m.             Pioneering the Introduction of Jackfruit in Florida
                             Dr. Richard J. Campbell, FTBG
10:45 a.m.             A new Generation of Jackfruit
                             (Jackfruit Breeding at FTBG)
                             Noris Ledesma, FTBG
11:30 a.m.             Using Green Jackfruit as a vegetable
                             Kamala Bukkapatnam and Saroja Charyulu
12:15 p.m.              “Jack” it up with Fire and Spice!
                              Wild Gulf Shrimp and Jackfruit Escabeche, Chef Allen Susser
1:00 p.m.              Jackfruit and South East Asian Culture
                            Chris Rollins
1:45 p.m.              Grafting jackfruit
                            Todd Walton, FTBG
2:30 p.m.              Caring for your jackfruit tree
                            Jeff Wasielewski, Miami Dade Cooperative Extension Service

Tropical Fruit Program volunteers clean and evaluate jackfruit during the jackfruit season. Flesh from each cultivar is carefully labeled for sampling. Following the ‘Just Jackfruit' lectures participants will taste fruit from a wide range of flavors.

http://www.fairchildgarden.org/Events/?date=09-2014&eventID=965

37
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Sapodilla tree problem
« on: May 16, 2014, 08:32:40 PM »




I planted this Alano sapodilla tree in the ground one year ago.  At that time the trunk was very rubbery, even at 4-5 feet tall and a 7 gallon tree.  It was rubbery to the point that if unstaked it would bend to form an upside down letter U. 

Initially I staked it with several stakes surrounding the middle of the trunk like a teepee. 

Then that didn't seem to do the job too well so I decided to go to the current set up which is a piece of rebar driven into the ground and a piece of rope attached from the rebar to the tree to hold the tree against its main direction of leaning.

The tree itself has become noticeably less rubbery and is more upright even when I'm supported.

However there's a new problem. When the wind was blowing today I noticed that the ground was moving at the base of the tree. The ground was moving in the shape of roughly a 7 gallon container of dirt.

The tree itself has an umbrella like shape which may be catching the wind like a sail.

Watering has been done once or twice a week.

Do you guys recommend staking the tree more securely so that it cannot move in any direction and new roots can form which would give the tree a better anchoring system?  Or should I let the tree move around which may encourage the tree to better anchor its roots?

Would you recommend giving a significant pruning to the tree in order to decrease the sail effect?

Or should I just pug the tree completely and let it branch out lower and prune it in order to avoid the sail effect?

Thanks!

Brad


38
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Does this look like an Alano Sapodilla?
« on: May 03, 2014, 02:05:51 PM »
Or possibly Makok? 

The tree was purchased as an Alano, but Im wondering if the fruit looks too narrow to be Alano.  The fruit is anywhere from 3-6 months old, and is still immature.  The fruit is about 2.5" long.  It is the only fruit the tree has produced so far (it is a 7' tall, 3-4 year old tree).

Brad




39
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Crafton Clift contact info?
« on: May 02, 2014, 10:30:32 PM »
Just obtained a green sapote seedling tree, grown from a seed from Crafton Clift. 

I want to get in touch with him, in order to learn of the seed's origin.

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks,
Brad

40
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Green sapote seedling in ground?
« on: May 01, 2014, 10:38:25 AM »
Has anyone here had luck growing a green sapote seedling in the ground in Florida?

The references I have seen have involved growing a green sapote that has been grafted onto mamey rootstock

Thanks

Brad

41
Tropical Fruit Discussion / What is wrong with this mango?
« on: April 17, 2014, 10:04:03 AM »
Store bought Ataulfo mango.  Sliced it open and was surprised to see it look like this.  Anyone know what this is? 





42
Does anyone know of there is a difference?  Pine Island Nursery says their is (website).  Anyone know firsthand or heard of reports?

Thanks

Brad

43
Citrus General Discussion / Citrus: nutrient schedule?
« on: February 20, 2014, 05:45:29 PM »
I have an orange and grapefruit tree.

I am considering the following schedule:

Fertilize NPK slow release: March, June, September.
Foliar spray of minor elements: April, July October.
Iron drench: April, mid June, September.

Is this routine appropriate?

Thanks

Brad

44
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Pineapples and nematodes
« on: January 12, 2014, 09:45:46 PM »
I'm considering planting a bunch of pineapple plants.   

If grown in the ground in the sandy soil of SW Florida, will nematodes eventually prevent successful production?  Should I be considering growing them in separate pots instead?

Thanks!

Brad

45
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Emerald Blueberries sour?
« on: January 06, 2014, 03:06:49 PM »
Does anyone have experience with Emerald Blueberries?  I just planted a couple of bushes in the yard, and they already had blueberries on them, which have now turned dark blue.  I gave them a few days to sit on the bushes while dark blue, but they are still very tart.

Is the Emerald variety typically tart?

Brad

46
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Cold weather preparation methods?
« on: January 04, 2014, 10:32:05 PM »
In light of the upcoming cold weather here in Florida, I'm looking for input on cold weather tree protection methods. 

I was considering wrapping some type of insulation around the base of the trunks of my trees, and draping bed sheets over the trees.  Is it OK for the cloth sheets to be directly contacting the leaves?

Brad

47
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Nam Phet Longan
« on: November 23, 2013, 12:45:03 AM »
I already have Sri Chompoo and Biew Kiew trees in the ground.  It is my understanding that Nam Phet fruits later than these varieties.  Can anyone compare the taste and size of Nam Phet to the SC or BK?  Does anyone know where I can obtain a Nam Phet tree in Florida?

Brad

48
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Izu persimmon in Florida?
« on: November 04, 2013, 08:14:51 PM »
Does anyone have experience with Izu (nonastringent) persimmon?   I'm curious if it might be productive in south Florida in an area where fuyu persimmon is somewhat productive. 

Do the nonastringent varieities vary in chill hours requirements?

Brad

49
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Persimmon trees - mature size?
« on: October 31, 2013, 10:12:16 PM »
I'm trying to make a row of trees at the rear property line and I have allotted an 8' wide space which I would like the Hana fuyu tree to fill.  Will the tree be big enough in south Florida to fill the spot?   Should I put two Hana Fuyus side by side to fill this space better?

On the other hand, would I be better off putting a Fuyu in that 8' wide spot?  Can a Fuyu be reasonable kept prunes to 8' wide or is this pushing it?

Brad

50
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Coconut palms - spiraling whitefly
« on: October 27, 2013, 05:49:48 PM »
I just wiped off the spiraling whitefly gunk off my coconut palm fronds. 

Is oil application (monthly?) the best way to prevent this from happening again?

Brad

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