Author Topic: White Sapote size control?  (Read 3793 times)

greenbean88

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White Sapote size control?
« on: January 11, 2018, 12:57:23 AM »
So this last summer I had my first taste of White Sapote and I was blown away. I will be planting a Mcdill in a large area in my backyard this spring and I want to try and control the height on the tree and keep it 15 to 20 feet max. Does anyone have a mature tree that they have successfully kept this size. If you have a stand out favorite I would love to hear the name of that cultivar.

Thanks,
Erik
Erik

joehewitt

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Re: White Sapote size control?
« Reply #1 on: January 11, 2018, 01:00:52 AM »
Interested in hearing what others have to say about this. I have a Suebelle that's been the ground 3 years and I've been having to prune it often. It grows so fast the limbs get top heavy and bend sideways when I want it to grow tall and not shade the plants around it. I'm not sure how sustainable this is.

buddy roo

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Re: White Sapote size control?
« Reply #2 on: January 11, 2018, 02:57:29 AM »
Hi Erik, i have the suebell 20 years old, i topped it 8 to 10 years ago to keep it about 9 feet tall, if you do it right after 1 or 2 years there is little to no extra pruning to keep it there .        Regards       Patrick

greenbean88

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Re: White Sapote size control?
« Reply #3 on: January 11, 2018, 01:31:34 PM »
Hi Erik, i have the suebell 20 years old, i topped it 8 to 10 years ago to keep it about 9 feet tall, if you do it right after 1 or 2 years there is little to no extra pruning to keep it there .        Regards       Patrick

Thanks Patrick for your response. Do you have any pictures of the tree, I would love to see it? I like the Suebell but from researching on the forum I have heard of so many other good varieties that I want to try.
Erik

fyliu

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Re: White Sapote size control?
« Reply #4 on: January 11, 2018, 01:51:04 PM »
My suebelle has been in the ground for 7+ years and it's less than 10ft tall. The branches feel naturally weak and tend to bend downward. Just prune off the very vigorous ones.

buddy roo

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Re: White Sapote size control?
« Reply #5 on: January 11, 2018, 10:08:20 PM »
Hi Erik, i have the suebell 20 years old, i topped it 8 to 10 years ago to keep it about 9 feet tall, if you do it right after 1 or 2 years there is little to no extra pruning to keep it there .        Regards       Patrick

Thanks Patrick for your response. Do you have any pictures of the tree, I would love to see it? I like the Suebell but from researching on the forum I have heard of so many other good varieties that I want to try.
sorry Erik i can'not do/post photos yet maybe someone from the form close by will be kind enough to come by and do a photo.     Regards     Patrick

CAdreamer

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Re: White Sapote size control?
« Reply #6 on: January 12, 2018, 12:52:49 AM »
Is there a good time to do the pruning to keep it small?  Usually I prune tress after they fruit; however, sapote was growing so much I end up pruning it the other week while it is still flowering and setting fruit.

ScottR

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Re: White Sapote size control?
« Reply #7 on: January 12, 2018, 11:04:44 AM »
I prune my white Sapote's any time of year but you do have to be aware of flowers and fruit!White Sapote's like to naturally be tall but you can keep them small by topping and tipping back branches, best way is to drop crotch prune and then tip back remaining branches. We you top any tree you get vigorous regrowth (which sometimes is what you want) but by drop crotch pruning you cut back tree to existing branch then shape remaining branches. :) 

fyliu

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Re: White Sapote size control?
« Reply #8 on: January 12, 2018, 03:41:22 PM »
Yes, drop crotch! Here's a video you should watch.
Pruning talk by Tom del Hotal

Jack, Nipomo

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Re: White Sapote size control?
« Reply #9 on: January 12, 2018, 05:04:05 PM »
White sapotes can be grown as dwarfs. 


The photo shows a Pike white sapote over 20 years old.  There is a gallon pot next to it for size.  I have another that is the same age, but it is a Vernon.  It is in the ground and is not over 4 ft tall.  Both produce normal sized fruits and are prolific.  They are grafted on yellow sapote rootstock (Casimiroa tetrameria).  By grafting yellow sapote on white sapote rootstock the resulting tree is not as extremely dwarfed and measures 7 ft tall after more than 20 years in the ground.  I have several ones in the ground and they fruit normally and well.

Jack, Nipomo

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Re: White Sapote size control?
« Reply #10 on: January 12, 2018, 05:26:19 PM »
Something which I have not tried yet is using an interstock of various lengths between the rootstock and the preferred scion. This is done with apples.  The interstock could be any related variety (like tetrameria or pringlei) and enough time to see what works.  My C. edulis trees on C. edulis roots are giants and leave massive numbers of fruits on the ground for the local varmits and chickens.  A dwarfed tree could be an asset for smaller yards.

az_edulis

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Re: White Sapote size control?
« Reply #11 on: January 12, 2018, 07:08:32 PM »
Here in the desert I haven't seen a grafted sapote get to a towering size (15 feet tops, maybe?) but I understand that you can airlayer the branches as you go, or bend them towards the ground to retrain the growth. Like in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiheXO-zbXc

ScottR

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Re: White Sapote size control?
« Reply #12 on: January 13, 2018, 11:51:37 AM »
Excellent video Fang, Tom is good!!! Thanks for posting! ;) 8)

greenbean88

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Re: White Sapote size control?
« Reply #13 on: January 13, 2018, 01:47:02 PM »
Thanks for all the great responses. As long as I can keep the tree 15 to 20 feet tall and easy to climb I will be happy.
Erik

greenbean88

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Re: White Sapote size control?
« Reply #14 on: January 13, 2018, 03:32:28 PM »
White sapotes can be grown as dwarfs. 


The photo shows a Pike white sapote over 20 years old.  There is a gallon pot next to it for size.  I have another that is the same age, but it is a Vernon.  It is in the ground and is not over 4 ft tall.  Both produce normal sized fruits and are prolific.  They are grafted on yellow sapote rootstock (Casimiroa tetrameria).  By grafting yellow sapote on white sapote rootstock the resulting tree is not as extremely dwarfed and measures 7 ft tall after more than 20 years in the ground.  I have several ones in the ground and they fruit normally and well.

wow I cant believe that those are twenty year old trees. If I was really starved for space I would seriously consider your method. I'm curious what the productivity leave is on your super dwarf's?
Erik

Jack, Nipomo

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Re: White Sapote size control?
« Reply #15 on: January 14, 2018, 12:18:01 PM »
Actually they are probably more than 20 years old.  The 3 1/2 ft plant in the ground produces 6-7 normal sized fruit.  The one in the pot produces 4-5.  My yellow sapotes (c. tetrameria on C. edulis roots) produce 40-50 fruits on a 7 X 7 ft tree.  Now the Vernon/Pike white sapote (C. edulis) on white sapote rootstock is over 40 years old and so loaded with fruits that the undergrowth is loaded with squishy fruit.  A dwarfed white sapote tree would enable folks with small yards to enjoy this tree/fruit.

buddy roo

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Re: White Sapote size control?
« Reply #16 on: January 14, 2018, 12:49:34 PM »
Hi Jack, i like that idea of the dwarf , where do you find your seeds  of the {casimiroa tetrameria} i checked the net. on luck checked with old crfg friends and no luck.         Regards        Patrick