Show Posts

This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.


Messages - vanman

Pages: [1] 2 3 ... 5
1
So I ended up getting the biggest bag I could find and it still wasn’t big enough.  7’ x 6’.  I covered the rest with bird netting.  We’ll see how it goes. 


2
This is my parents tree in So. Cal and we’re just visiting.  They suspect raccoons but they really don’t know.  Just one night, they were all gone.  Do you think the bird netting or even the bags will slow down a raccoon?

3
Two seasons ago, my parents young longan was completely stripped of it fruit by something.  Last year, they ended up picking they’re fruit a little early so, somewhat less sweet that it could have been.  This year they asked me to build something to protect the fruit.  Here is the tree as it looks now. 

It’s doable now but it will probably outgrow it by next year.  Any suggestions to protect from critters or is it just do what I can for now and eventually the tree will grow big enough for everyone and everything?

4
So back at my parents house.  The tree has done great.  My mom said there was a ton of fruit last season and she was going to wait one more day to pick them.  The next day they were all gone.  She said she going to put some fence or netting around it this year. 


5
Citrus Buy, Sell, & Trade / Xie Shan budwood to trade or give
« on: October 30, 2019, 11:06:41 AM »
I have some Xie Shan budwood to trade for anything interesting.  Or I can give if no trade for the cost of postage (probably a 2 day mailer)

Van

6
I'm not in Calif now but my mom tells me the tree is still doing well.  It has about 50 fruit on it.  When do longans ripen in the LA area? 

7
The bark on this longan is cracking.  It's at my parents house in Whittier, CA (So. Cal, LA area).  It's also blooming.  I suspect it's a last ditch effort to  propagate and will soon die afterwards. 

It's a tree from Memosa that we planted for them about 2 years ago. 

Any thoughts?  Over watered?  I suspect my parents water it everyday. 




As an aside, the longan I have in Oklahoma is thriving even after the horses ate down to the ground. 

8
Citrus General Discussion / Re: Anybody growing Tahoe Gold Mandarin.
« on: January 13, 2018, 11:29:13 AM »
I tried to get this a couple of years ago though the CCCP but I had to have a nursery license (which I've heard is not that hard to get).  I ended up getting it from another source since I'm in a non citrus growing area.  I haven't looked to see how it's doing. 

On a side note, the shiranui I got from CCCP last year has flowered and has fruit now. 

9
Citrus General Discussion / Re: A tale of two Mandarins
« on: January 04, 2018, 11:09:07 PM »
It would be an interesting experiment to graft some of east to west and vise versa.  Then you could give us an answer. 

10
Citrus General Discussion / Re: New Zealand Lemonade Tree
« on: November 29, 2017, 11:54:47 PM »
This the first fruit of NZ lemonade grafted 2 summers ago. 

After reading this post today, I picked one that was yellow and another that was 70% green. 

There were about 4-6 seeds per fruit. 


I had high expectations. I like my lemonade very sweet.  Unfortunitely, it wasn't that sweet.  It taste like a lemon that isn't too sour.  The green one did taste better that the yellow one.  Hopefully with time it will taste better.  It is very prolific.   

Also on these trees are Pomona acidless lemons and Hamlin oranges.  They are also first fruit and almost ready. 

11
Citrus General Discussion / Re: Xie shan
« on: October 13, 2017, 09:24:10 PM »
Again, this is first time fruit.  There is only 4 fruit.  The second and third fruit were half rotting on the tree.  One finally fell off, and the other was about to fall off.  The second one tasted terrible like a grapefruit.  The third one was a little better.  Hopefully it will improve with time. 
 




12
Citrus General Discussion / Re: Xie shan
« on: September 21, 2017, 07:29:44 PM »
I went ahead and picked one fruit when still green.  It was not good.  It probably still needs another month.  Also, the segments had a tough skin like a grapefruit.  Granted this is the first year so we'll see if it gets better.  It was seedless and fairly easy to peel. 




13
Citrus General Discussion / Re: Xie shan
« on: September 08, 2017, 10:17:43 PM »
Here is one of two Xie Shan I got from Harris two years ago.  One flowered and fruited with these four being it first fruits; the other just had vegetative growth although I did graft shiranui and 88-2 on it.  Interestingly, the one pictured is outside on the southside of the greenhouse.  It got down to at least 14 degrees last winter for one night  (This was a thermometer that was right next to the tree.  I stopped looking after that).  The outside temp was single digits.  An owari and an arctic frost just to the east of this had frost damage but they have both come back strong this summer.   I'll probably wait another month before I pick one. 


14
Citrus Buy, Sell, & Trade / Budwood for trade or postage
« on: August 28, 2017, 08:48:52 PM »
I have some left over budwood.  I am looking for Bearss Lime or anything interesting.  I really on have limited amount of branches to graft right now. 

I have 3 variegated pink lemon, 2 pixie and 1 moro.  These are already wrapped in parafilm.  I can cut some Sanguinelli if anybody is interested in it. 

I will only ship to non quarantined, non citrus growing areas.

Van

15
Thanks for all the replies.  When I dug the hole, my kids actually, it wasn't clay-like at all.  It was nice and soft and easy to dig.  Just from the grey color of the soil did I assume it was clay.  I also went ahead a grafted sweet tart to it and like Patrick said if it doesn't take hopefully I'll have multiple branches next year.  I lightly amended the soil because it just looked like inorganic with no organic components.  I munched the top and turned the sprinkler head a little away from the tree. 


As an aside, here is a mango tree I saw just a couple of miles away in Whittier.  I talked to the owner and she said that it was planted about 17 years ago from a seed.  She said the fruit was sweet and it has fibers.  She didn't know the variety, I surmise that it's probably a Tommy Atkins, probably the only thing they had back then. She was also surprised I asked about the fiber and said don't all mangos have fiber?  She says people will come into her yard and take fruit.  They've climbed the tree and broke branches.  Too bad. 


Thanks for the advise and will keep my fingers crossed.

16
My intent is to plant this Manila at my parents house.   I just got it from Lowes for $25 and will graft some variety on it.  I will be here only through the weekend and in fact I'm leaving today and will be back on Friday.  I need advise on planting here.  It's completely clay soil.  Should I amend the soil?  Plant it on a mound?  They will have a sprinkler watering it daily.  I know it's not ideal but that's what we have to work with. 

Second question is, should I graft it this year?  My concern is really my parents who are getting up in age (low 80's).  I'd like to get them some fruit while they are still here. 

Van



17
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: White Jade Pineapple
« on: July 25, 2017, 08:24:24 PM »
I wonder if you can tissue culture from near the crown.  I've read that it is not that hard to TC pineapples.  Again, I don't think it's illegal to propagate for your personal use.  Don't tell anybody but I took some scion off of my parents gold nugget mandarin. 

18
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: White Jade Pineapple
« on: July 25, 2017, 02:35:49 PM »
will definitely keep you in mind, the pineapples run about $15-20/each and I think they somehow keep them from getting pollinated because there are very few seeds. But if one day I ever hit the motherload and get a bunch of seeds ill send some to you for sure! Otherwise we just have to wait until the few seeds I've collected eventually fruit.... its gonna be a while.

Thanks for the info appresser! I have not had a chance to try the Meli Kalima yet. Too bad it is patented. If you ever find extra Meli Kalima seeds that you would like to sell, please let me know because I would be very interested in getting my hands on its genetics even if it's from seeds.

I am growing White Sugarloaf and White Jade but I've only tasted White Sugarloaf and it is the best tasting pineapple Ive ever tried. I hope the White Jade will taste similar.

Simon
Do the Meli Kalima not come with a crown when purchased?  I thought you could propagate a patented variety and maybe even give them away as long as you didn't sell it?  I bought 10 patented thornless blackberry plants a few years ago and now their like a weed all over the place.  I give the cuttings to whoever wants them.  Maybe I'm not suppose to? 

19
I think I read somewhere that you could turn your pots on their sides and they will flower.  I think that happen to one of mine when the pot fell over and I never turned it back upright.

Van

20
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Kauai White Sugarloaf Pineapples
« on: July 16, 2017, 06:54:42 PM »
Just order 3 Sugarloafs from Jude.  Unfortunately, it appears he has a back-order now but it's only 7-10 days. 

It seems that I read somewhere, that the core could be quartered and you would still get plants.  I think I'll try that with one of them.  I'll report back with a taste and the quartered cores. 

I have an elite gold pineapple that just flowered.  It will be interesting to see how it ripens in the GH. 


21
Cold Hardy Citrus / Re: Arctic Frost Satsuma experience
« on: June 25, 2017, 11:58:52 AM »
I have arctic frost and orange frost in the ground.  One set is on its own rootstock, the other is grafted to trifloliate.  Both were protected with Christmas lights and covers.  This was their first winter.  One set got down to at least 14 degrees and probably lower but I stopped looking after 3am.  The lows for those three nights were 11, 3 and 5.


Here is Arctic frost (right) and Owari.  Owari suffer the most damage.  Where there were no Christmas lights, it died back.  The Arctic frost had mild to moderate damage. 




This is Orange frost and Xie Shan.  No damage at all.  The Xie Shan has fruit this year.  The real surprise is the mango seedling to the very right, no damage.  The Orange frost had fruit on it when purchased.  I picked them in Sept.  They were ok, not great and they had seeds. 

The pair that were grafted also were no damage, but they are smaller and much better protected.  These grafted ones are growing much slower.  Part of the reason is that they're growing in native soil versus a garden soil for the others. 

As of now, I don't have an opinion about Arctic or Orange frost.  Other mandarins so far seem to be about as cold hardy.  This last winter was fairly mild after those 3 days in Dec. 




22
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Tagging trees
« on: March 24, 2017, 11:47:50 PM »
I bought some copper plant tags at a local nursery for about $9 for 20.  I then used a scrawl to etch the name into it.  I like the aluminum can ideal even better.

23
Just grafted 88-2 and Shiranui on to the above.  I'm looking for mango, specifically lemon zest or sweet tart if any is available.  Otherwise, I'll just give them away.  Free if they fit in a business envelope and one stamp otherwise a mailer and postage.  Obviously, only to non quarantine areas. 

This Xie Shan I got last year from Harris and is growing vigorously.  It has not fruited and no flowers this year so far.    The blood orange just flowered this year.

Van

24
Tropical Fruit Buy, Sell & Trade / Give or trade: Avocado scion
« on: February 25, 2017, 02:36:39 PM »
I have one left over each of Jan Boyce, Greengold, Sharwil, Bonny Doon, Carmen Haas and Koala.  I got these in the mail from Epicenter Nursery yesterday.  Would like to trade for Sweet tart , lemon zest or any good new variety Zill scion.  You can send when they are available.  If there is no trade, I will send for the cost of postage (priority or regular).  PM me.

Van

25
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Are your lychees blooming?
« on: February 24, 2017, 07:15:27 PM »
Just wonder where everybodies lychees are now from east coast to west coast and everywhere in between.  My lychees are blooming for the first time in the GH.  According to lycheesonline.com they generally bloom in Dec-Jan.  It's been an unusually warm winter but in the GH it's 80-90 degrees in the day time and 50 at night.  Mine are just starting to push their spikes. 


Pages: [1] 2 3 ... 5