Author Topic: My Ft. Myers Backyard (Read 10532 times)

jabomano · « **on:** February 01, 2012, 08:13:34 PM »

I couldn't get a wide enough angle to take in all of my backyard but these are decent shots to give you an idea. I also included a shot of one of my favorite beneficial insects.....that tiny and truly wonderful grayish/white leaf notching weevil. I just love feeding these things because they always seem to be famished and besides they do make our fruit trees look absolutely beautiful with their gorgeous leaf notching abilities. All kidding aside, these insects are the biggest problem to my trees I've yet to encounter. I think what most are seeing are the native Artipus floridanus or Little Leaf Notcher Weevils which are native to Florida. The native notcher weevil chews the leaf from the outside tips inward while the Sri Lanka chews from the inside outwards. The import also has a yellowish head. Most of the photos of leaf damage I see from these pests appear to be radiating from the tips inward. At any rate I found that any insecticide with a high percentage of Pyrethrum will drop these bugs immediately.

Also here's something else I do. These weevils are very poor fliers and really don't spread their hard wings to escape. That's why when you approach them they drop off of the leaf instead of flying away. I have a couple of inches of Tanglefoot spread on the trunk of my trees. I haven't found it at Lowes or Home Depot in Ft. Myers and I get mine online. In fact nobody I've talked to has even heard of it...not even nursery owners. Here's some info on it. Great stuff and works fantastic and is clear and doesn't dry out. I use a paper wrap first to make it easier to remove. Tanglefoot sells the wraps also. I started using this stuff up north over 30 years ago.

http://www.amazon.com/Tanglefoot-300000684-Tree-15-Tub/dp/B000BWY3AA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1328142774&sr=8-1

They even make it as a Bird Repellant:

http://www.nixalite.com/tanglefoot.aspx?gclid=CIjE2r2G_q0CFUlN4Aod7kbsPQ

The reason my Sweetheart lychee has so much damage is because I was away from the house for about 3 months.

Getting back to my trees. At the moment I have 5 lychees....a Brewster, Mauritius and a Sweet Heart and two lychees I just had shipped from Frankies (Hawaii).....a small Sam Ut Hung and Kaimana. Both layers. Three mangoes....one nice size (12') Glenn loaded with flowers, a Nam Dog Mai (flowering) and a small Himmayudin from Frankies. One Siam Seedless guava and a Bai Dum longan, both also from Frankies. These are about 2 gallon size layers. One NS-1 Jackfruit loaded with flowers/fruit and 3 bearing size jaboticoba's. And a few banana's.

Ray
www.raybayer.com

Mfajar · « **Reply #1 on:** February 01, 2012, 08:42:18 PM »

Nice backyard! I have never read about Himmayudin mango, how is it?

jabomano · « **Reply #2 on:** February 01, 2012, 09:12:35 PM »

Mfajar

I have no idea how the Himmayudin grows or tastes. I talked to the nursery and asked for something not readily available here in the states and this is one of the mangoes they suggested. Frankie brought it back from one of their annual world fruit collecting trips and this one was imported from India. The nursery said it was superb and really not available in the states. I'm not sure but I think I was told that it could also be eaten green. Way too small to flower yet....time will tell.

Ray
www.raybayer.com

MangoFang · « **Reply #3 on:** February 01, 2012, 10:19:54 PM »

Welcome, Jabomano: Other than those damn ugly weevils your plants look nice. Almost moved to Ft. Myers way back in the 80's
but headed to California instead...I always loved it there.....

M-Fang

JF · « **Reply #4 on:** February 01, 2012, 10:24:07 PM »

Beautiful lush tropical setting and your trees are growing nicely! I think I remember you from the other forum.

JF

lycheeluva · « **Reply #5 on:** February 01, 2012, 10:28:35 PM »

lovely pics and nice collection. how big is your yard

jabomano · « **Reply #6 on:** February 01, 2012, 11:56:43 PM »

lycheeluva

I'm not sure of the exact size of the backyard but it's probably around 1/4 acre with another 1/4 acre in an easement that runs down to a small canal which I just cleared off. I'll be planting more fruit trees on this right of way.

Ray
www.raybayer.com

fruitlovers · « **Reply #7 on:** February 02, 2012, 03:17:39 AM »

About the tanglefoot, the reason for not putting it directly on tree trunk is that direct contact can kill or damage some trees. It is made from a plant resin the can injure some trees. I use duct tape around trunk first. All the way around, but not overlapping, so at to not girdle the tree.
Oscar

zands · « **Reply #8 on:** February 02, 2012, 07:25:30 AM »

Quote from: jabomano on February 01, 2012, 11:56:43 PM

lycheeluva

I'm not sure of the exact size of the backyard but it's probably around 1/4 acre with another 1/4 acre in an easement that runs down to a small canal which I just cleared off. I'll be planting more fruit trees on this right of way.

Ray
www.raybayer.com

Jabo....I figured that was you. You are the man who posted a photo essay (at G-Web) of workers bringing in a huge fruit tree from the nursery and planting it. Was mango I think. You said you like to buy real big. Nice to see you are now planting on another 1/4 acre....thinking big!

zands

jabomano · « **Reply #9 on:** February 02, 2012, 07:28:58 AM »

To Oscar.....fruitlovers

Hi Oscar.

As you know this product is a thick, non drying paste and if applied directly to the trunk it can cook the bark and will leave a permanent stain on the bark. That's why I always wrap the trunk and apply the paste on the paper wrap. It'll last years that way. But I've never heard or read of one documented case where Tanglefoot actually killed the tree. Possibly a seedling or very small air layer or sensitive tree but I wouldn't use it something that small anyway.

Many studies have been done with Tanglefoot and the general conclusion is that it works as it's supposed to and works really well.

Ray
www.raybayer.com

puglvr1 · « **Reply #10 on:** February 02, 2012, 07:48:26 AM »

Wow...Great backyard and look at all those beautiful trees! Thanks for the pictures. I wish I lived a couple hours more south...it sure would make growing Mango and Lychees so much easier for me. Oh well, we can't have it all...

jabomano · « **Reply #11 on:** February 02, 2012, 07:54:35 AM »

Hi Zands

Yep I'm over here now and yes this is the same yard you saw on GWeb. Like I said way back then.....I'm 61 years old and glad to be on this side of the grass. I don't have the time to wait until those 2' trees get to be bearing size so I buy the largest trees I can afford. I want to taste their fruit before I become their fertilizer...

Ray
www.raybayer.com

Tim · « **Reply #12 on:** February 02, 2012, 11:57:09 AM »

Quote from: jabomano on February 02, 2012, 07:54:35 AM

... I want to taste their fruit before I become their fertilizer...
Ray
www.raybayer.com

That is a great line. Hope you get more fruits from your trees than you can afford to eat

zands · « **Reply #13 on:** February 02, 2012, 12:04:58 PM »

Here is Jabomano's post at gardenWeb where he planted a huge Glenn mango tree on his property
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/tropicalfruits/msg0722482724091.html?20

fruitlovers · « **Reply #14 on:** February 02, 2012, 04:46:20 PM »

Quote from: jabomano on February 02, 2012, 07:28:58 AM

To Oscar.....fruitlovers

Hi Oscar.

As you know this product is a thick, non drying paste and if applied directly to the trunk it can cook the bark and will leave a permanent stain on the bark. That's why I always wrap the trunk and apply the paste on the paper wrap. It'll last years that way. But I've never heard or read of one documented case where Tanglefoot actually killed the tree. Possibly a seedling or very small air layer or sensitive tree but I wouldn't use it something that small anyway.

Many studies have been done with Tanglefoot and the general conclusion is that it works as it's supposed to and works really well.

Ray
www.raybayer.com

I got lazy once when i first started using tanglefoot and applied it directly to the trunk and it DID kill the tree. But was very long ago and don't remember what kind of tree it was.
How do you get the paper to stay on the trunk? I've always used wide tape to apply the tanglefoot onto.
Oscar

mangomandan · « **Reply #15 on:** February 03, 2012, 11:28:17 AM »

Welcome, Ray. Do you get any hard freezes in your neighborhood?
I gave a friend in N Ft Myers a couple mango trees a two or three years ago. Both were killed by some cold nights.

Perhaps planting larger trees helps a bit with this?

MangoFang · « **Reply #16 on:** February 03, 2012, 01:09:09 PM »

Jabomano is a cheater!!!!!!

(just kidding - If i had the money......ditto)

MF

Ethan · « **Reply #17 on:** February 03, 2012, 02:18:32 PM »

Glad everything is still doing well for you Ray, cant wait to see the fruit reports.

-Ethan

Tropicalgrower89 · « **Reply #18 on:** February 03, 2012, 02:21:34 PM »

Nice fruit trees! Every time I run into one of those sri lankan weevils, I just crush them.

jabomano · « **Reply #19 on:** February 03, 2012, 08:18:10 PM »

mangomandan

I've never heard of a mango being killed by a freeze in my area. Leaf damage yes but entire tree death no. It stays a little warmer where I am than in the surrounding area.

MangoFang

I'm not flush with cash but do quite a bit of eBay selling. That allows me to buy want I want. Overtime used to do it but I don't want to work anymore.

Ethan

This is where I'll be with the fruit updates.

lycheeluva · « **Reply #20 on:** February 04, 2012, 06:59:27 AM »

jabo- u r living my dream.
please post regular pic updates.
tx
ll

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Author Topic: My Ft. Myers Backyard (Read 10532 times)