The Tropical Fruit Forum

As mentioned already, Florida grown OS don't look like that. The one on the right looks slightly like a sweet tart. Does the sap smell like citrus?

Yes, must go deeper on the rootstock to reach the cambium layer (white). Be careful not to scrape off the wet / slimy cambium layer.

Yah, i was also thinking sunburn, like maybe it got moved from shade to sun.

The orange growth look like a good sign.

Veneer graft, like this. But wrap the top in parafilm or similar to prevent dehydration and water ingress.

https://guide2agriculture.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Veneer_Grafting_In_Mango.jpg

Venus and orange essence

It's late August, anything other than Keitt left on the trees in Florida?

Now is the time, but I would start grafting some of those shoots. I see a lot of very nice looking shoots for side veneer grafting.

Alternately you can cut to a stump and graft the stump like Dr Richard Campbell does here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dyjkl9Fzzs4

Weird cause my 10+ year old maha has been low vigor with a complex branching habit. But then again, I grafted mine on nam doc mai seedling, so maybe that has some impact on growth control.

You're not feeding it any nitrogen right?

It's like rats (and tree rats aka squirrels): while they are firmly established, it is possible to maintain a localized area of very low population density using appropriate control methods (traps, air rifles, etc).

I don't mind the iguanas chewing on leaves. What I do mind is them creating extensive burrows just behind my seawall and the eventual 5 figure cost to replace it.

It's absolutely incredible how proficient they are at digging through the toughest of soil conditions. Those little claws can dig out a trench in limestone rubble / builder's fill faster and easier than I can with a plethora of digging tools at my disposal.

For those who don't have concrete structures (pool decks, seawalls, etc) at risk of being destroyed, it's really quite cool to see those dinosaur looking creatures in the landscape.

Try CENTA or ENA (the two ag schools)

There's certainly a lot of labor involved in harvesting, pruning, weed control, etc. But even at $4 / pound, you're looking at like 80k+ gross revenue per acre.

Think I've been paying $4 - $5 per lb this year.

Gotta wonder, what are homegrown mangoes costing me? Trees + supplies =    ...and then time, at hourly rate = expensive mangoes. Damage/cost will come down with time, as more trees become more productive, but don't think there is such thing as a free mango much these days.

What a great season this year has been though, WOW! Almost mangoed out, but not quite. Gonna pick some up this weekend. The best thing has been the wide variety and taste testing new ones, along with plenty of my favorites. 

Time to prune, graft, and prepare for next season.

What are people planning on adding/grafting, based upon performance and quality this season?

Adding more Ceci Love and Carioca here.

Yes, I had the same problem. Golden Queen is another that they seem to enjoy, as well as Florida Hass avocado. They can end up destroying most of the crop. And they cause damage to the house (they were chewing through the foam and furring strips under my tile roof). Air rifles are the best defense. A shot to the head or upper chest will instantly take them out.

I've lost about 30 OS to squirrels. 5 of my largest ones just yesterday. They aren't even ripe. They take a bite or two and then leave them there to taunt me, drives me nuts!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzpFpRFs0dU

Well holy smokes, $8 / pound. That's nuts. It wasn't that long ago that she sold for $2 / pound. Inflation has hit the trop fruit industry pretty hard. I remember when you could get fruiting jaboticaba trees for around $30 at zills and when a quarter acre of land was $25k. So much has changed.

I made a trip to Truly Tropical, Delray Beach, today to see what was still available.  Chris had just picked a box of assorted mangos and was selling them for $8 a lb.  God bless her that she has customers at that price point, but when you're on social security like me, no can do.  She still must have a passion for what she's doing because she could easily sell that property in one of the most desirable neighborhoods in South Florida and retire a wealthy woman. Walter had a sign "Closed on Saturdays."    Then I remembered that the Zill family are Seventh-Day Adventists.