Author Topic: Anonas  (Read 12432 times)

ScottR

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Re: Anonas
« Reply #25 on: November 24, 2018, 06:55:33 PM »
Well said Har!

Bush2Beach

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Re: Anonas
« Reply #26 on: November 24, 2018, 09:10:29 PM »
From a real Annona Guru, thank you Har.
There are many variables and each one’s experience can be insight or a learnimg experiment if you choose to look at it that way. Like most folks here I write about my trials and errors, successes and failures so we can learn from each other to be better fruit farmers .


Several factors infuence flowering, fruit set, and fruit set retention:  mineral nutrition(especially Calcium, Boron, and Zinc), soil moisture, air humidity, warmth, presence of pollinators (Nitidulid mini beetles, not bees or flies), and lots of sunlight.

So from one yard to the next, persons can have 100% different results, without anyone's being a liar.

kh0110

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Re: Anonas
« Reply #27 on: November 25, 2018, 02:42:29 AM »
Several factors infuence flowering, fruit set, and fruit set retention:  mineral nutrition(especially Calcium, Boron, and Zinc), soil moisture, air humidity, warmth, presence of pollinators (Nitidulid mini beetles, not bees or flies), and lots of sunlight.

So from one yard to the next, persons can have 100% different results, without anyone's being a liar.

It's been 2 seasons now that I've seen Nitidulid beetles in my yard. This could be excellent for annonas growers in So Cal if they don't carry diseases. Below photos show one fella I caught on a small Na Dai flower. These insects are probably the ones mainly responsible for the fruiting without hand pollination in So Cal. I don't think annonas such as Cherimoyas are self fruitful due to the timing of the flowering and the form factor of the flowers themselves which prevents wind and normal pollinators such as bees and flies from getting in.

 
Thera

Jose Spain

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Re: Anonas
« Reply #28 on: November 25, 2018, 08:11:16 AM »
I’ve seen Annonas including Cherimoyas set fruit on their own but it’s usually larger trees like the ones at Exotica. For consistent harvests of nicely shaped fruit, you need to hand pollinate for good harvests.

For us with larger Cherimoya trees, I expect between 70-100 Fruit year in and year out. For really large trees, you can expect a lot more. I already harvested a bunch of fruit from my tree and there is still quite a few hanging. This is accomplished by hand pollination.
Here’s some fruit that recently fell off

And still quite a bit hanging on the tree


Simon

Impressive Simon!

Guanabanus

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Re: Anonas
« Reply #29 on: November 25, 2018, 10:21:04 AM »
The beetle pictured probably does pollinate.  Many Nitidulids are smaller than that.
Har

spaugh

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Re: Anonas
« Reply #30 on: November 25, 2018, 11:26:34 AM »
Speaking of bugs and annonas, just in the last couple of weeks there has been a lot of hornworms eating my cherimoya trees.  They did quite a bit of chomping away on a few trees.  I don't go look at the trees closely very often and they had plenty of time to eat away.  Anyone else have these hornworms on their annonas?  Ive only seen them on tomatoes before.
Brad Spaugh

JF

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Re: Anonas
« Reply #31 on: November 25, 2018, 11:30:51 AM »
Nitidulid or not the best way to maximize yr product is hand pollinating. The practice is widely use by commercial growers and hobbiest alike to achieve results like the one you see above.

kh0110

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Re: Anonas
« Reply #32 on: November 25, 2018, 01:12:14 PM »
The beetle pictured probably does pollinate.  Many Nitidulids are smaller than that.

Below is a closeup photo of one that fell into the cup when I was collecting pollen.


Thera

FMfruitforest

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Re: Anonas
« Reply #33 on: November 25, 2018, 02:30:47 PM »
Is Zone 10a in Southwest florida a suitable location to grow cherimoya?

pineislander

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Re: Anonas
« Reply #34 on: November 26, 2018, 05:09:13 PM »
Not really good for Cherimoya. We are best suited to Sugar Apple or Atemoya. Please send me a Private Message I am neighboring on Pine Island and can introduce you to other members close to you if desired/

johnb51

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Re: Anonas
« Reply #35 on: November 26, 2018, 05:19:24 PM »
Speaking of bugs and annonas, just in the last couple of weeks there has been a lot of hornworms eating my cherimoya trees.  They did quite a bit of chomping away on a few trees.  I don't go look at the trees closely very often and they had plenty of time to eat away.  Anyone else have these hornworms on their annonas?  Ive only seen them on tomatoes before.
Yes!  They were on my atemoya tree earlier this year.  Also, had them on flowers once (pentas).
John

marklee

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Re: Anonas
« Reply #36 on: November 28, 2018, 12:00:35 PM »
Speaking of bugs and annonas, just in the last couple of weeks there has been a lot of hornworms eating my cherimoya trees.  They did quite a bit of chomping away on a few trees.  I don't go look at the trees closely very often and they had plenty of time to eat away.  Anyone else have these hornworms on their annonas?  Ive only seen them on tomatoes before.
Brad, the "hornworm" that is getting peoples annonas is the Giant sphinx moth (Cocytius antaeus). I know a few people that have been getting them, but I haven't seen any on my trees in Chula Vista.

Seanny

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Re: Anonas
« Reply #37 on: November 28, 2018, 12:33:40 PM »
I only had a problem with grasshopper eating leaves last summer.

simon_grow

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Re: Anonas
« Reply #38 on: November 28, 2018, 01:44:07 PM »
Frank and Har and any other Annona expert,

Is there a way I can get less seedy fruit but still hand pollinate to get good crops of nicely shaped fruit. I get a ton of fruit from my trees but they’re too seedy.

I’ve considered diluting down my pollen

Or can I use pollen from another Annona that will produce fewer seeds?

Simon

Guanabanus

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Re: Anonas
« Reply #39 on: November 28, 2018, 05:11:25 PM »
I've heard that some commercial producers, of Cherimoya, use puffers with Lycopodium Fern Pollen.  I don't know any details.
Har

Guanabanus

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Re: Anonas
« Reply #40 on: November 28, 2018, 05:13:32 PM »
Usually, the more seeds there are, the better the flavor, due (so I hear) to growth regulators exuded by the seeds.
Har

simon_grow

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Re: Anonas
« Reply #41 on: November 28, 2018, 06:48:36 PM »
Thanks for the info Har!  I normally I collect pollen from multiple flowers before I hand pollinate and I refresh my brush with new pollen after every flower. Next year, I’ll try to pollinate 10-15 flowers before refreshing with new pollen to see if that helps.

I will also test to see if Atemoya pollen will produce less or more seeds.

Simon

BonsaiBeast

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Re: Anonas
« Reply #42 on: November 29, 2018, 05:56:30 PM »




I just picked my first cherimoya ever! It's supposedly a chaffey (got it from la verne).

It started to have very small cracks last time it rained, and now that its raining again, I decided to pick it. Did I make the right decision?

Also, how would you reccomend ripening it? I have it in a paper bag on the counter right now.
« Last Edit: November 29, 2018, 06:45:09 PM by BonsaiBeast »

Coach62

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Re: Anonas
« Reply #43 on: November 29, 2018, 08:08:56 PM »
They are apples and oranges even though they are in the same family.

Apples and oranges aren’t in the same family! 😉

Sorry, I’m tired.
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Stop New Yorking my Florida!

Bruce

simon_grow

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Re: Anonas
« Reply #44 on: November 30, 2018, 05:33:59 PM »




I just picked my first cherimoya ever! It's supposedly a chaffey (got it from la verne).

It started to have very small cracks last time it rained, and now that its raining again, I decided to pick it. Did I make the right decision?

Also, how would you reccomend ripening it? I have it in a paper bag on the counter right now.

Just ripen on the counter out of air conditioning. If it was picked mature, it will usually ripen in about 1-3 days. Putting it inside a brown paper bag, especially if you include other ripe fruit, will hasten ripening.
Simon

BonsaiBeast

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Re: Anonas
« Reply #45 on: November 30, 2018, 05:43:20 PM »




I just picked my first cherimoya ever! It's supposedly a chaffey (got it from la verne).

It started to have very small cracks last time it rained, and now that its raining again, I decided to pick it. Did I make the right decision?

Also, how would you reccomend ripening it? I have it in a paper bag on the counter right now.

Just ripen on the counter out of air conditioning. If it was picked mature, it will usually ripen in about 1-3 days. Putting it inside a brown paper bag, especially if you include other ripe fruit, will hasten ripening.
Simon

Thanks! Does it look properly mature to you? I felt like I was forced to remove it because of the rain we were getting causing splitting. How does one deal with this issue?

I will post a follow up when I open and taste it to see how it is.

simon_grow

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Re: Anonas
« Reply #46 on: December 01, 2018, 09:12:10 PM »
When you shake it, can you hear the seeds rattle? By the color and size of your fruit, it looks like it will ripen but I usually let my fruit turn slightly more yellowish green before harvesting in order to maximize sugars.

If your tree is fully established and you have a regular watering schedule, your fruit will probably not split from the rain but in your case, it looks like you may have already had some cracking prior to the rain so it was a good idea for you to pick it before more damage is done.

The wind from the last storm blew loose a lot of my ripe fruit but the remaining fruit from my trees have no signs of cracking even after all the rain I just received. Giving your trees enough Calcium may help with any cracking issues.

Simon

BonsaiBeast

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Re: Anonas
« Reply #47 on: December 02, 2018, 01:51:01 AM »
When you shake it, can you hear the seeds rattle? By the color and size of your fruit, it looks like it will ripen but I usually let my fruit turn slightly more yellowish green before harvesting in order to maximize sugars.

If your tree is fully established and you have a regular watering schedule, your fruit will probably not split from the rain but in your case, it looks like you may have already had some cracking prior to the rain so it was a good idea for you to pick it before more damage is done.

The wind from the last storm blew loose a lot of my ripe fruit but the remaining fruit from my trees have no signs of cracking even after all the rain I just received. Giving your trees enough Calcium may help with any cracking issues.

Simon

I can hear the seeds rattling. Is that a good sign?

simon_grow

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Re: Anonas
« Reply #48 on: December 02, 2018, 05:43:08 PM »
Yeah, when you can hear the seeds rattle, that is a great sign you picked it when it’s mature. Let us know how it tastes.

Simon

BonsaiBeast

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Re: Anonas
« Reply #49 on: December 04, 2018, 11:40:07 PM »
I finally decided to open it. It was pretty tasty, although not the sweetest or most flavorful I've had (very good nonetheless).

I was hoping for more acidity and tartness. Perhaps this is because I let it ripen a day too much. Next time I'll try opening it just when the fruit gets "springy" and not when it starts bruising.

All things considered, this is a definite success for my first cherimoya harvest, I'd say! 😁😁