The Tropical Fruit Forum

I live in PQ, and my backyard is a north-facing 2:1 granite slope with a little soil (DG + leaf litter) on top.  Old trees hold the soil from sliding down, so I can only replace them one by one.  One of the old trees blew over, so I have a spot near the rear fence to plant something.  I have a ton of plants in pots (species of Eugenia, Psidium, Annona; papaya, white sapote, persimmon, etc.). Which one would do best at that location?  It's somewhat protected when shorter than 6 ft, but exposed to the wind when taller than 6ft.  It never freezes here, at least so far. 

• What fruit-tree is best suited for this location?
• How thoroughly should I remove the (part rotten) roots of the old tree?  I was thinking of using what's left of it as a source of nutrients, but I never tried that before.  I can't really dig a hole through granite bedrock, I'm not a Hobbit.
• What SoCal fruit trees are best able to hold on to the rocky slope with their roots, so they don't blow over?

   
Thanks in advance!!!

Physalis (various species) take little space and can be eaten fresh or dried.  I never tried drying them, but that's because I eat all of them before they have a chance to dry   Lycium (goji and others) dry well but are an acquired taste, so kids may not like them.  Fresh ones of the Lycium species I grow are bitter, but turn sweet when dried.  TL;DR:  solanacea family, but only the ones you're certain are not toxic.  They need to be fully ripe, and do your homework before trying any!  Some species in solanacea are toxic, so you need to be sure the ones you're growing are fine to eat.  Tomatoes and bell peppers are fine     Caveat emptor.

Hi People.
I have a bumper crop of Billardiera cymosa in my backyard.  What's the best way to germinate and grow seedlings for sale, shipping within the continental US?   I can use regular 3" pots, or compostable 3" pots, or jiffy pucks (never used those before, but what the heck), or rapid rooter / root riot plugs.  What's the best way to grow seedlings for shipping within the continental US?  What is your preferred method? I have ample experience growing tropicals & subtropicals for myself, but I've never grown anything for sale; so please let me know.   Also,  I searched USDA website and found no restrictions on shipping Billardiera -- or did I miss something?   Please let me know.   Thanks in advance!

This is them now.  One year old, 4 ft tall.

No.   They need to be hardened off gradually.   

I have a young Spondias pinnata (from Trade Winds Fruit seed I planted in January 2018) that needs to be repotted into a larger container.  What type of soil do they naturally prefer?  (Rich / poor, pH, etc.).  Also, should I feed it heavily or sparingly, and with what composition of fertilizer (NPK values, micronutrients)?  Please let me know.  Thanks in advance!  Dimitry

Both Grewia asiatica (phalsa) and Grewia occidentalis (crossberry) grow well in San Diego.   There are  Grewia occidentalis trees/bushes in Balboa Park and in Sorrento Valley, blooming just fine but not setting fruit.  Evergreen nursery on Carmel Valley Road had rather large Grewia occidentalis, trained as trees, with fruit, in stock this winter.  Your best bet would probably to talk to the Evergreen staff, to figure out what Grewia needs to set fruit: whether it's just a matter of the plant size or not.   I have several Grewia species, including the above two, growing from seeds. Some are blooming but none set fruit yet. They are easy plants to grow (or hard plants to kill - depends on your perspective), and pretty, but don't expect fruit anytime soon.  Both Trade Winds Fruit and TopTropicals have Grewia seeds occasionally, that's where I've got them.
Kindest wishes,
Dimitry

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I'm looking for fresh seeds of Texas persimmon Diospyros texana.   Does anyone have any to sell?   They're supposed to be in season in August. 
Thanks in advance!
Dimitry

What's the binomial (Latin) for Yara Yara?

If you grow purple mombin (Spondias purpurea) from cuttings here in SoCal, keep in mind that roof rats are really fond of them as I discovered.   So far all the cuttings I've got from achetadomestica are alive and have rooted (awesome cuttings, really good!) but three of them were defoliated clean by roof rats at one point.  Put some rat-traps with white bread next to your plants, your plants will say thank you if you do

H-Mart in San Diego carries fresh unripe ume, presumably for pickling.  99 Ranch may have them as well.  The pack says "product of USA", so I don't think they are irradiated.  The seeds should be viable. 
All the best
Dimitry