Precocious Biribá - What size pot for fruit production?

[Epicatt2]

Can't recall where I read it but Biribá (Rollinia deliciosa) is supposed to produce fruit once the tree gets to be around 5- or 6-ft tall.

With that in mind what's a decent sized pot for fruiting to occur?  Five gallon?  Seven gallon?  Or . . . ?

I'll want to keep mine small enough that it can be moved inside when temperatures which would be distresing to it are expected to occur.  But of course I'll want the tree to be large enough to be able to produce a few fruit.

Comments?  Suggestions?

TIA

Paul M.
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[FMfruitforest]

Why stop at 7gallon? A 15 gallon is still maneuverable. Id let it get root bound and keep stepping it up. Full sun, proper water and fertilizing should get it to flower and set fruit.

[Johnny Redland]

I have an 8ft tree that flowers profusely but does not set fruit. I've also seen 30FT healthy trees with only a dozen or so fruit on them.  I believe these trees demand hand pollination for a halfway decent fruit set, but I could be wrong.

[gnappi]

I have an 8ft tree that flowers profusely but does not set fruit. I've also seen 30FT healthy trees with only a dozen or so fruit on them.  I believe these trees demand hand pollination for a halfway decent fruit set, but I could be wrong.

I've come to a "wait and see" attitude with fruit trees. I waited for what seemed like ages for my Lychee, canistel, sapodilla, jaboticaba, peach, soursop, caimito (Flowers no fruit so I'm still waiting) mamey (still waiting) , sugar/custard apples and others to set fruit and those that have not fruited I consider as shade trees until they do.

[Epicatt2]

Thanx for the sensible replies about the Biribá, all.

I'm not sure about going into a 15 gallon pot with it because I don't think I'd be able to move it around.  I'm guessing a 7- or a 10-gal pot would be about the largest I'd want to try to maneuver around if it was gonna get too cold.

As far as the wait & see attitude for some other fruit trees that was mentioned, I may be seeing that with my canistel 'Trompo' and an Atemoya 'Gefner'.  Lots of buds/flowers but no fruit setting.  I did have one fruit on the canistel that I just last week finally picked which had been on the plant since last season.  But it isn't setting any right now although it was full of buds.  And I've got a 'Mexicola Grande' avocado in ground for three years now and about 12 feet tall.  It, too, bloomed for the last couple of years but is not settng fruit.  All these are in full sun.

I'm wondering whether they don't set fruit because they are not getting the kind or amount of fertilzer that they would like.  Too much, maybe.  Maybe need to be pruned to shock 'em into flowering.  Or maybe they would benefit from having a 'companion' to share pollen with.  Not sure which is more likely…

Cheers!

Paul M.
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[Acetogenin]

I move 45gal trees solo with a tree dolly.  A 15 gal is no prob.  In fact I just moved 10 different 15 gal planters alone tonight w my tree dolly (search amazon for tree dolly).

[Epicatt2]

I move 45gal trees solo with a tree dolly.  A 15 gal is no prob.  In fact I just moved 10 different 15 gal planters alone tonight w my tree dolly (search amazon for tree dolly).

Thanx for the suggestion, and I am sure that is all well and good –assuming that one has a tree dolly.  Unfortunately, I do not have one. 

Only have a standard sized office hand truck and can't imagine that it would lift more than a 10-gal pot, if that.

But back to my original question, please:  Anyone manage to fruit a biribá at 5 or 6 feet tall in a 7- or 10-gallon pot?

TIA

Paul M.
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[WilliamTheYoungGrower]

Thanx for the sensible replies about the Biribá, all.

I'm not sure about going into a 15 gallon pot with it because I don't think I'd be able to move it around.  I'm guessing a 7- or a 10-gal pot would be about the largest I'd want to try to maneuver around if it was gonna get too cold.

As far as the wait & see attitude for some other fruit trees that was mentioned, I may be seeing that with my canistel 'Trompo' and an Atemoya 'Gefner'.  Lots of buds/flowers but no fruit setting.  I did have one fruit on the canistel that I just last week finally picked which had been on the plant since last season.  But it isn't setting any right now although it was full of buds.  And I've got a 'Mexicola Grande' avocado in ground for three years now and about 12 feet tall.  It, too, bloomed for the last couple of years but is not settng fruit.  All these are in full sun.

I'm wondering whether they don't set fruit because they are not getting the kind or amount of fertilzer that they would like.  Too much, maybe.  Maybe need to be pruned to shock 'em into flowering.  Or maybe they would benefit from having a 'companion' to share pollen with.  Not sure which is more likely…

Cheers!

Paul M.
==

I’ve heard that in the case of starapple most trees need another tree closeby since they rely on cross pollination for fruit set. But since you say youre getting problems with different species i would say maybe you have a low amount of pollinators in your area and should think of ways to bring them to your place

[Daintree]

Mine is in a 15 gallon plastic "toy tub" that has rope handles on it.  I can drag it, but not lift it, with the handles. But it is enough to get it on a dolly if I need to.

Carolyn

[TSmith]

I have eaten fruit off a friends biriba in a pot. It is in a 25 gallon pot though and it fruits profusely. It can be done in a pot, but I don't know what size would be necessary. You should try it with a 7-10 gallon. I just planted seeds so I am giving it a try in a smaller pot.

[Epicatt2]

I have eaten fruit off a friends biriba in a pot. It is in a 25 gallon pot though and it fruits profusely. It can be done in a pot, but I don't know what size would be necessary. You should try it with a 7-10 gallon. I just planted seeds so I am giving it a try in a smaller pot.

In February I got two seedling biribá about 4-inches tall from Jupiter in 2" square pots and moved them up into deeper 5" pots where they've grown apace up 'til now but have somewhat slowed down.  They are now almost 2ft tall each one of 'em.

But because they have slowed down I'm now considering moving them up into 1- or 2-gal pots to see if that will sort of jumpstart them again.  I'm thinking that the roots may have reached the bottom of the pots that they're in and they think that there's nowhere else to go.

There's also a third one I got in March from TT in Ft. Myers in a 3-gal pot.  It arrived overnighted and had lot of leaves which were all crinkly and only 2- to 3-inshes long.  I potted it in a 5-gal pot and put it in the shade.  Then because this species is native to the Amazon River várzeas I set it in a 2-inch deep plastic saucer filled with water –which it drinks up all in one afternoon. 

I have now shifted it out into brighter sun but fill the saucer every other day that it does not rain.  The leaves now look normal and velvety and a few of the newest ones are about 10-inches long.  It's turning into a really nice looking plant, about four feet tall now.  I'm toying with going ahead and moving it up to a 7-gal pot to see if it will continue growing without any slowdown.

And that's why I am considering also moving the two smaller ones up into larger pots to see if they will take off running again.

Fingers X-ed!

Paul M.
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[Guanabanus]

I have never seen a six-foot Biriba' holding fruit to maturity.  I expect a tree about ten-feet tall and with a trunk diameter of at least three inches to be able to start fruiting.

[Epicatt2]

I have never seen a six-foot Biriba' holding fruit to maturity.  I expect a tree about ten-feet tall and with a trunk diameter of at least three inches to be able to start fruiting.

Thanx for your observations, Har.  Looks like it has about a 1-1/2 to 2 inch dia. for its main trunk right now. So sounds like it's getting close on that account. But since my tree needs to gain a bit more vertical height

Fortunately it's growing pretty fast so I will try to keep it happy and growing.

Now I need to figure out what sort of fertilizer it prefers.

Fingers X-ed!

Paul M.
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