Author Topic: Theobroma gileri  (Read 10342 times)

bsbullie

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Re: Theobroma gileri
« Reply #25 on: December 27, 2015, 12:53:45 PM »
when i put them in the fridge a little while back  ;) :o
no, last February.

I question those low temps, just saying...
you don't remember that cold snap last year?  I was out watering my whole yard like a madman at 2am.  Lowest reading I saw from my area that day was like 37 IIRC

While i know temps can vary and you are not officially in Hollywood,  the lowest low in February 2015 for Hollywood was 46....and no, I didnt give any care to any plants in the winter of 2014/2015.
- Rob

Domnik

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Re: Theobroma gileri
« Reply #26 on: December 27, 2015, 05:33:26 PM »
Luc, how are Your t. gileri now?

Friends, about minimum temperatures: all depends on how long they occur . Long-term - several days , maybe a week or two with temperatures below 40-50 F will kill (small) these and other theobroma. Big trees hold out longer.  Also the maximum temperatures are important. T. gileri treated by temperatures above 95 F  + partial sun and You could see the damage ( yellow leaves).

Before i lost my gileri i found something on leaves. Maybe it is normal (starch, saccharose or something else?) Is there anyone who find similar to these growths on gileri leaves?





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Pan Dulce

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Re: Theobroma gileri
« Reply #27 on: December 27, 2015, 11:00:17 PM »
Hey Domnik,

Which scope are you using?

Been thinking about buying my first microscope?

TomekK

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Re: Theobroma gileri
« Reply #28 on: July 08, 2020, 10:36:24 PM »
After several years of searching, I finally got my hands on a few Theobroma Gileri seeds. They are now beginning to germinate, and I’ll be sure to give updates on how they grow and if/when they flower.

Domnik, you said here that your gileri died, and on your Oleander forum you showed new plants in 2017. Are they still alive? You also said that they are difficult to grow. Can you explain why? I also will be growing them indoors for the winter, and I don’t want to lose them! Is it that they suffer from low humidity (something my grow tent could help) or something else?

Thanks,
Tomek







Finca La Isla

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Re: Theobroma gileri
« Reply #29 on: July 09, 2020, 11:12:40 AM »
I have t. gileri growing and in production at my farm.  Originally it flowered plenty and never set any fruit.  Finally we got a fruit set.  The pulp is tasty and I’ve planted a couple more which could help with pollination.  Some theobroma need cross pollination, so I hope this helps.
Peter

TomekK

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Re: Theobroma gileri
« Reply #30 on: July 11, 2020, 10:33:16 AM »
Have you tried pollinating by hand? From what I’ve heard gileri on general has a poor fruit set compared to other theobromas (that’s why it’s not regarded as a “good” theobroma) , but maybe it just needs stronger pollination? I don’t know...


Tomek

Finca La Isla

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Re: Theobroma gileri
« Reply #31 on: July 11, 2020, 04:34:04 PM »
No, I haven’t tried pollinating gileri by hand.  We have plenty of good pollinators here.  There is a lot of serious work done on cacao in Costa Rica and some selections are known to set best when paired with certain clones and to set poorly on their own.  T. Grandiflora is self infertile while bicolor easily sets on its own.  Rather than hand pollinate I am going to compare the result once I get some companion trees flowering.
Peter

Budtropicals

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Re: Theobroma gileri
« Reply #32 on: July 11, 2020, 10:30:33 PM »
If anybody here has some seeds or better yet a plant, i'd love to buy one!

guaycuyacu

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Re: Theobroma gileri
« Reply #33 on: July 26, 2020, 01:47:12 PM »
gileri is native and common here in w. ecuador.  my opinion about the fruit-  pulp is sweet and good, but not great like may other T.sp.’s, and a bit scant.  seed are unlike any other T. i know, very hard, apparently low in fat, seems inedible.   here they prefer wet areas


TomekK

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Re: Theobroma gileri
« Reply #34 on: July 26, 2020, 03:56:43 PM »
What about production? Do they produce without cross pollination? At what age can they bear fruit? And does hand pollinating help?

Tomek

Nyuu

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Re: Theobroma gileri
« Reply #35 on: July 26, 2020, 07:07:09 PM »
I hope this species fruits well at low elevation.  My friend gave me a seedling today, in a red solo cup, about 2-3 month old, only 8 inch tall, with a stem smaller than 1cm thick....and it already had one flower!

I can't think of any other fruit tree I've seen that flowered at such a juvenile phase!
I know this might sound weird but I find a friend with sugar apple about the same size with fruit with no  sign of graft

guaycuyacu

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Re: Theobroma gileri
« Reply #36 on: July 28, 2020, 03:14:48 PM »
What about production? Do they produce without cross pollination? At what age can they bear fruit? And does hand pollinating help?

Tomek

since i dont plant them, i cant help with those questions.

TomekK

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Re: Theobroma gileri
« Reply #37 on: August 12, 2020, 09:33:04 AM »
An update on how my gileri are growing. Most of them have matured their first leaves. Some are even splitting their growing tip. I’d like to see a flower before I have to move them inside for the winter! They are extremely sensitive to humidity, far more than cacao. Especially when they first break the ground.

Here is a video of the pod before I opened it: https://youtu.be/uQzfhKWb6Ic

And here is one I made a few days ago better showing the developing plants: https://youtu.be/3i4a6XTjU2g

Tomek



Budtropicals

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Re: Theobroma gileri
« Reply #38 on: August 12, 2020, 06:56:00 PM »
An update on how my gileri are growing. Most of them have matured their first leaves. Some are even splitting their growing tip. I’d like to see a flower before I have to move them inside for the winter! They are extremely sensitive to humidity, far more than cacao. Especially when they first break the ground.

Here is a video of the pod before I opened it: https://youtu.be/uQzfhKWb6Ic

And here is one I made a few days ago better showing the developing plants: https://youtu.be/3i4a6XTjU2g

Tomek



Is it possible for you to sell me one?

Finca La Isla

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Re: Theobroma gileri
« Reply #39 on: August 12, 2020, 09:48:48 PM »
As a precaution I would plant two.  Some theobroma are self infertile.  I had a single t. gileri that flowered for years with no fruit set. Then it produced 1.  I get a couple of fruits for what seems like hundreds of flowers.  I have planted two more but they haven’t flowered yet so no proof of the hypothesis, but I feel cross pollination could be important here.
Peter

TomekK

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Re: Theobroma gileri
« Reply #40 on: August 12, 2020, 10:12:06 PM »
The people I’ve talked to have all said that it fruits very sporadically and has few fruits. Don’t know how many plants they have though. I wonder if it’s just not getting pollinated enough, and if hand pollination would help with fruit set. Perhaps the natural pollinators are a bit shy of the plant.

Will definitely keep at least a couple, and will see if cross pollination is necessary/helpful (of course, if I can keep them alive until they get old enough to fruit).