Author Topic: Black sapote spacing and size control  (Read 1506 times)

Ulfr

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Black sapote spacing and size control
« on: December 16, 2017, 01:41:46 AM »
What sort of spacing can I get away with on black sapote. Bernicker I am not worried about at all with the way it grows.. recently picked up a Tahiti which looks more vigorous in the pot and wanted some info before it goes in the ground. The only distances I can find are for unpruned trees.


Note: I prune for size control where possible. Mangoes are spaced at 15ft.
« Last Edit: December 16, 2017, 04:33:18 AM by Ulfr »

Mike T

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Re: Black sapote spacing and size control
« Reply #1 on: December 16, 2017, 07:40:19 AM »
They can be almost mango tree size in the tropics and 25 feet might be a more realistic spacing in Briz-vegas. They really need heavy pruning like a jack or mango to keep at a modest size.

Ulfr

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Re: Black sapote spacing and size control
« Reply #2 on: December 16, 2017, 08:02:34 AM »
They can be almost mango tree size in the tropics and 25 feet might be a more realistic spacing in Briz-vegas. They really need heavy pruning like a jack or mango to keep at a modest size.

Damn haha that is more than I wanted to hear. I don’t mine the pruning (only on half acre) but will re-evaluate my plans. Thanks Mike :)

Canvo

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Re: Black sapote spacing and size control
« Reply #3 on: December 16, 2017, 02:21:46 PM »
I have heard that cincturing can help control size, but on the small experiments I have done have seen little evidence of this.

Ulfr

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Re: Black sapote spacing and size control
« Reply #4 on: December 16, 2017, 10:44:51 PM »
Ok next question then would be how much does pruning affect fruiting? Could I prune as I do for mangoes for a smaller spacing and still get ruit production?

Or is the 25ft even with regular pruning?

Final question would be what wins if it comes to it between Bernicker and Tahiti? I have had Bernicker and like it. I’ve never had Tahiti.

« Last Edit: December 17, 2017, 06:38:34 AM by Ulfr »

Canvo

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Re: Black sapote spacing and size control
« Reply #5 on: December 17, 2017, 02:41:00 PM »
I keep mine to about 12-14 feet. It is a seedling and vigorous grower but my yard isn’t large so I have to control size. The difficulty with this tree is that it is setting some of its fruit while some of previous crop is still maturing, My method is to prune back branches once I have harvested fruit from branch extremitys. If no fruit on a branch I cut it back early, some I cut back close to the fruit, occasionally I sacrifice fruit high up to control height. I still get plenty of fruit with this approach, about 80 fruit this season with the biggest 1.2kg