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Messages - Louie

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Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Cacao Growers, zone pushing and varietals
« on: November 08, 2023, 09:48:20 PM »
Wow it's massive. Very encouraging. Thanks for the knowledge.

I’ve been surprised at how little care it takes outside of keeping it out of cold and in shade. This one gets a 1-2 hours of morning/evening sunlight. This is in a pot that it’s outgrown and I can’t remember the last time I fertilized it. Sprouting seeds from a pod was the most economical way for me to get fresh seeds. If you do that clean them really well including taking off the thin skin between the fruit and the actual seed. Doing that increased germination and decreased seed rot for me.

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Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Cacao Growers, zone pushing and varietals
« on: November 07, 2023, 01:39:59 PM »
Here are pictures of the cacao tree I grew as a seedling from a pod from montoso gardens about 5 years ago. I bring it inside next to a window when lows drop to 45-50 regularly and it goes back outside in the spring usually around March. It’s flowered the last couple years but I’m not holding my breath on actually getting pods.Climate is a fair amount milder here than the Bay Area but it’s been fairly easy to grow as long as you keep it protected when the weather cools.






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I am running out of room and have a 5 gallon Son Pari Grafted Mango Tree, Grafted onto manila rootstock last year by myself. Additionally I have a few 5 gallon papayas including Solo, Tainung 2 and Sun Gold as well as a couple Pitogo Banana in 5 & 7 gallon containers. Local Pickup only. Attached are pictures  please DM if interested. Thanks,

Son Pari - $95
Papayas - $40
Pitogo Banana - $50










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This year I began applying foliar sulfur to my flowering mangos and it seems to have been beneficial.  Information online is hard to come by on when exactly to stop spraying outside of a generic "fruit set."  The fruit on some of my trees is in the pea stage and I was wondering if that is far enough along that spraying for PM is no longer necessary.

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Thanks scott, I live a couple miles away from the ocean on the lower riviera part of Santa Barbara.  I didn’t do anything for humidity it seems like I indirect light is the most important factor.  It almost never freezes in town (or the foothills) anymore which helps a lot.  These vines also do great as house plants.

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It is possible to grow vanilla bean in California.  As a matter of fact they seem to grow just fine despite a lot of other information on the internet.  I picked up a small plant a couple years ago from the Orchid Estate in Santa Barbara and left it uncovered and mostly uncared for.  They like shade and will burn if left in direct sun.  After about a year mine produced about 5 flowers, one of which i successfully pollinated.  Unfortunately this was in the fall and the fruit only developed about 3/4 the way over winter (as well as i didn't bother to cure it properly when ripe which is a pain and time consuming).  I currently have about 5 smallish cuttings growing under various trees unprotected that look no worse for wear even in the middle of winter.

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Tropical Fruit Discussion / How Long for Ylang Ylang to Flower
« on: November 09, 2018, 12:24:20 AM »
I have a ylang ylang tree planted that is roughly 8 feet tall and wide and was hoping it would flower this year.  I seems very healthy and as we head into winter and cooler weather I'm bummed that it'll be at least another year until it flowers.  Does anyone know generally how long these trees take to flower?  This tree was a seedling and was not grafted.  Info on the internet is hard to find. 

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Tropical Fruit Buy, Sell & Trade / Manila Mango Trees for Sale
« on: August 07, 2018, 02:30:27 PM »
Hello all california mango growers.  I have a few too many La Verne Manila Mango trees and would like to get rid of a few.  These are 5 gallon healthy trees ready for grafting or planting in ground.  Trees are anywhere from 3-4 feet tall and many have multiple branches that would be able to be grafted.  $30 per tree or 4 for $100.

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Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Steps/Help for Curing Vanilla Beans
« on: February 08, 2018, 12:48:24 AM »
Thanks for all the tips, I've got a good bit of info to sort through!

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Tropical Fruit Discussion / Steps/Help for Curing Vanilla Beans
« on: February 06, 2018, 12:08:49 PM »
I was looking for some help on the next steps for this vanilla bean.  I got the bean to set in the beginning of October 2017 and all of the information i found online says they are ready to cure in 4-6 months.  However that is about the clearest information i can find online.  Does the bean cure on the vine, do i pick it and cure it inside.  Any tips would be greatly appreciated as i am totally confused as to what to do next.




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Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« on: September 12, 2017, 11:36:51 PM »







Hi Everyone, I was looking for some advice.  I have a few dragonfruit in various stages of ripeness.  I also have a few friends who are coming into town next Sunday (9/17) who i have promised said dragonfruit to.  I would like the fruit to be as good as possible and was wondering if it would be better to pick the fruit that is dead ripe now and store in the fridge, or if it would be better to leave the ripe fruit on the vine until next Sunday even though it is perfectly ripe now.  I have previously left dragonfruit in the fridge for a little over a week and it seemed good, just wondering if anyone knows if it is better to leave on the vine.  Thanks for any help and suggestions.

I will not call it dead ripe. Normally I leave the fruit on the vine as long as I can. Watch for rodents and splits though.


Thanks for the reply, i started seeing some splits on a few of my Physical Graffiti.  Seems to be limited just to them though.  I have never left them on the vine past the point that they are totally bright pink, is there any way they will become washed out or lose flavor if left on too long?

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Tropical Fruit Discussion / Mango Splitting?
« on: September 11, 2017, 10:25:33 PM »






After the strange weather the last couple weeks which included thunderstorms and unusual summer rains for California i was inspecting a few sweet tart mangos i have on the tree and noticed these cracks forming on the fruit with sap dripping.  I was wondering if there is no hope and they should be picked now and used as green mangos or if the sap will fill in the crack and they will ripen properly.  The cracks are fairly small and as there is nothing nearby that could cause physical damage i figure i might be splitting due to the weather.  Anyone have any advice?  Thanks

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Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« on: September 08, 2017, 06:20:28 PM »







Hi Everyone, I was looking for some advice.  I have a few dragonfruit in various stages of ripeness.  I also have a few friends who are coming into town next Sunday (9/17) who i have promised said dragonfruit to.  I would like the fruit to be as good as possible and was wondering if it would be better to pick the fruit that is dead ripe now and store in the fridge, or if it would be better to leave the ripe fruit on the vine until next Sunday even though it is perfectly ripe now.  I have previously left dragonfruit in the fridge for a little over a week and it seemed good, just wondering if anyone knows if it is better to leave on the vine.  Thanks for any help and suggestions.

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Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: When to Pick This Himsagar Mango
« on: August 07, 2017, 07:18:36 PM »
Thanks for the replies, the color has begun to lighten to a lighter green, still feels firm and it doesn't have any smell yet, ill keep a close eye on it seems like its close to picking time.

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Tropical Fruit Discussion / When to Pick This Himsagar Mango
« on: August 07, 2017, 01:59:44 PM »
Was hoping for some help on telling when to pick this Himsagar Mango.  It started really filling in recently and sap started leaking from the stem 2 days ago.  Seems like its not quite ready but I'm unsure as i don't have any experience with mangos that are supposed to be picked green and ripened on the counter.  Any help and advice is greatly appreciated.   






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Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Red Mango Leaf Veins
« on: May 15, 2017, 10:38:37 AM »
Thanks for the help everyone.  This is only displaying on the newer leaves that flushed in late March and are hardening off right now.  The older leaves look normal and healthy.  This tree has Manila rootstock and i have a few different mango trees, including another keitt planted 20ft away and none have ever had this happening.  I will hit it with a foliar and see if it has an affect.

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Tropical Fruit Discussion / Red Mango Leaf Veins
« on: May 14, 2017, 10:59:05 PM »



Hi everyone, i saw this reddening of the veins of my Keitt mango tree.  I searched google and couldn't find anything but came across this forum.  Searched the forum and couldn't find this specific problem addressed.  I have been growing mangos for a few years now and have never seen this before.  I gave them a light fertilizer in late march but other than that no sprays or ferts.  Any help would be awesome.

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