Author Topic: SF Bay Area Tropical Fruit Experiment  (Read 5087 times)

SoCal2warm

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SF Bay Area Tropical Fruit Experiment
« on: October 20, 2018, 09:03:54 PM »
I don't know if any of you have seen this. This guy is around the San Francisco Bay area, zone 9b

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1e7cxoXeJo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FSOb4hdF8Q

Quick summary of what survived and what didn't:

Thrived:
Longan (although one of the trees died)
Starfruit
Jaboticaba (several different species)
Cabelluda
Suriname Cherry
Cherry of the Rio Grande
Cherimoya (although one of the trees died)
Atemoya
Lucuma

Damaged but did not completely die:
Cinammon  (half of the new growth died back)
Grumichama
some of the mangos

Died or mostly died:
Lychee
Green Sapote
Achachairu
Luc's Garcinia
Imbe
Black Sapote
Peanut Butter Fruit
Pitomba
Cinnamon Apple
Wax Apple (note about the Wax Apple, I am aware of a few people with thriving Wax Apple trees in Southern California, zone 10 )
Bay Rum
most of the mangos

The lowest the Winter temperature got down to was 28 F. There was some frost on the surface of the soil.
He didn't bother protecting any of the plants.

His bananas also look good too.
He's also growing oranges and a macadamia nut tree.

Zpusher

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Re: SF Bay Area Tropical Fruit Experiment
« Reply #1 on: October 20, 2018, 11:17:18 PM »
Excellent video, I believe he's a member of the forum. Hopefully we get a video of how his plants did after this winter is over.

DSotM

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Re: SF Bay Area Tropical Fruit Experiment
« Reply #2 on: December 08, 2018, 10:41:42 AM »
Would have been nice to experiment with levels of frost protection. Wrapping in plastic house, frost cloth, hacker cloth, etc.

joehewitt

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Re: SF Bay Area Tropical Fruit Experiment
« Reply #3 on: December 08, 2018, 10:40:50 PM »
Hey guys. I am way overdue for an update video. If I could sum it up, the subtropicals have done ok but nowhere near their best. I don’t think it’s worth growing trees that putter along and struggle to produce any fruit. If I were going to stay in the Bay Area I would probably keep the cherimoyas and jaboticabas and replace the rest with figs, white sapote and other proven plants. Anyway, the conclusion of the “experiment” is that I’m moving to the Big Island of Hawaii so I can grow tropical fruit for real.

zephian

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Re: SF Bay Area Tropical Fruit Experiment
« Reply #4 on: December 09, 2018, 11:28:45 AM »
Hey guys. I am way overdue for an update video. If I could sum it up, the subtropicals have done ok but nowhere near their best. I don’t think it’s worth growing trees that putter along and struggle to produce any fruit. If I were going to stay in the Bay Area I would probably keep the cherimoyas and jaboticabas and replace the rest with figs, white sapote and other proven plants. Anyway, the conclusion of the “experiment” is that I’m moving to the Big Island of Hawaii so I can grow tropical fruit for real.
Please keep up posted, I've seen you in a few of Bill's videos lately and your property sounds nice out there!
-Kris

DSotM

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Re: SF Bay Area Tropical Fruit Experiment
« Reply #5 on: December 09, 2018, 02:31:00 PM »
Hey guys. I am way overdue for an update video. If I could sum it up, the subtropicals have done ok but nowhere near their best. I don’t think it’s worth growing trees that putter along and struggle to produce any fruit. If I were going to stay in the Bay Area I would probably keep the cherimoyas and jaboticabas and replace the rest with figs, white sapote and other proven plants. Anyway, the conclusion of the “experiment” is that I’m moving to the Big Island of Hawaii so I can grow tropical fruit for real.

Good luck in Hawaii, sounds incredible. Thanks for documenting your experiment. Couple questions: do you think you’d have more success if you didn’t have such wet winters? I’m in Fresno ca, and we receive much less water than Los Gatos, I know some tropicals hate wet winters. Which plants do you think would have gone above struggling to thriving if you’d have provided frost cover? Did you experiment with microclimates? From your videos it seemed like most of the tender trees were in open air, thus getting the fullest force of winter. Thanks again for posting, your videos were so enjoyable to watch and a great resource!

joehewitt

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Re: SF Bay Area Tropical Fruit Experiment
« Reply #6 on: December 11, 2018, 01:28:22 AM »
A drier winter would certainly have helped. I see more and more black spots and other fungal issues as winter goes on. These plants just don't have the defenses for this combination of cold and dampness. As far as microclimates, I did plant some trees in the canopy of oaks (green sapote, babaco, tamarillo) and observed significantly less damage to them on frosty nights. The canopy is good for at least 5F difference and little frost forms there. No doubt, if you can provide cover for your trees the odds are in your favor.

DSotM

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Re: SF Bay Area Tropical Fruit Experiment
« Reply #7 on: December 11, 2018, 10:43:20 AM »
A drier winter would certainly have helped. I see more and more black spots and other fungal issues as winter goes on. These plants just don't have the defenses for this combination of cold and dampness. As far as microclimates, I did plant some trees in the canopy of oaks (green sapote, babaco, tamarillo) and observed significantly less damage to them on frosty nights. The canopy is good for at least 5F difference and little frost forms there. No doubt, if you can provide cover for your trees the odds are in your favor.

Thanks, Joe. Good luck in Hawaii! If my yard becomes a success I’ll hope to put out some videos much like yours.

nattyfroootz

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Re: SF Bay Area Tropical Fruit Experiment
« Reply #8 on: December 11, 2018, 09:19:39 PM »
Hey guys. I am way overdue for an update video. If I could sum it up, the subtropicals have done ok but nowhere near their best. I don’t think it’s worth growing trees that putter along and struggle to produce any fruit. If I were going to stay in the Bay Area I would probably keep the cherimoyas and jaboticabas and replace the rest with figs, white sapote and other proven plants. Anyway, the conclusion of the “experiment” is that I’m moving to the Big Island of Hawaii so I can grow tropical fruit for real.

Oh daaang! Your making the move for real! Have an amazing time Joe!
Grow cooler fruits

www.wildlandsplants.com

9B in Brazil

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Re: SF Bay Area Tropical Fruit Experiment
« Reply #9 on: December 12, 2018, 01:38:33 AM »
Hey Joe.  Hawaii is amazing.  Just put it in the ground and it grows.  I was on Kauai, but I assume Hawaii is the same.  What part of the island are you thinking about?  BTW, I brought a Rosa mango back from Brazil and hope the early season can produce some fruit here.

Marc Doyle
I am an American from California with a small farm in Southern Brazil. 
Sou americano na Califórnia e tenho um sítio em Brusque, SC, Brasil.

Marc Doyle

knlim000

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Re: SF Bay Area Tropical Fruit Experiment
« Reply #10 on: December 16, 2018, 11:52:06 AM »
Joe is right about cherimoya in nortern CA bay area.  They love the climates here.  I have about 30+ seedlings ranging from 4-10yrs.  14 of the trees are fruiting now. Other than some having too many seed(maybe I overdid it on hand polination), the taste and texture of the fruits are excellent, sweet with some acidity, and strong flavor.  One of the trees that fruited this year(planted seed in 2012, seed from taiwanese friend), I picked one off the tree to give to my mother, she called me last night and said it's the best out of the bunch.  Not too much seeds, and the inside is sectional,chewy, a bit like sugar apple, but not graining.  I have a few more fruits on that tree, will try to take picture next time of the fruit and taste it myself, provided that the squirrels and rats don't beat me to it.

Si Duong

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Re: SF Bay Area Tropical Fruit Experiment
« Reply #11 on: December 17, 2018, 02:47:48 AM »
There is a facebook group called
San Francisco Bay Area Tropical Fruit Growers

Check it out and you will see what people are growing in the SF bay area.