Garden update 10/27/12

[nullzero]

I took some pictures of the garden this Saturday. Everything is looking good, the high heat the last few months and days has really pushed this along.

'Yellow Dragon' Dragon Fruit, getting ready to bloom.


'Ewais' Mango, fruits forming.


Chilacayote (Cucurbita ficifolia), have about 20 squashes in different sizes. This is the largest so far, about the size of a small canary melon.


'Manila' mango, looking good did a tip pruning about 3 months ago.


1yr old Reed avocado seedling, I was originally thinking of grafting. However, I am now going to up it into a 12 gal superoots. Hoping it will fruit in a few years, maybe its a good quality fruit. There is a good chance this was crossed with the hass avocado next to it.


Surinam cherry, defoliated shortly after transplant. Its now flushing with new growth and looks to be recovering. I suppose its kind of like the white sapote with shedding its leaves.


'Subelle' White Sapote, looking great in a 15 gal container.


'Julie' Mango, has not been the healthiest mango. It is flushing new growth now though, and seems to be happier.



Marula, in a 12 gal superoots.


Lucuma, looking nice after repot into 12 gal superoots.


'Holiday' avocado, in a 15 gal container.


Section of the garden #1


Section of the garden #2


Section of the garden #3


Acai palms, one on the left has been growing outside in CA for over a year. The one on the right has been growing about 6 months outdoors. I am hoping to leave them outdoors a majority of the time, unless a freak freeze comes.


Finally starting to get great results in the container garden, after about 5 years of trial and error. Changing up from the store bought mixes made a big difference, using mainly pine bark mixes with other additives such as coco coir, peatmoss, perlite, charcoal helped a ton. For fertilizer I have been using sea kelp powder, rock phosphate powder, liquid compost tea. Occasionally been using chelated iron. azomite, mycorrhizal, and magnesium sulfate. I hope everyone enjoys! Please ask me questions, I hope I can pass any helpful info for those container gardeners. Giving them idea or steering them away from the mistakes.

[Ethan]

Wow N/Z, the garden does look great, everything is so lush and green.  The S. megalanthus bloom is beautiful too and it isn't even open yet, thanks for the quick tour.

[Jackfruitwhisperer69]

Hi Nullzero,

Your garden is looking splendid as always Truly packed like a forest

Your chilacayote, is looking great Will share the jam recipe this week...Got to warn you, it ain't a walk in the park type jam Ya going to work hard to taste the divine final product

Thanks for sharing  

[Tomas]

Very nice Nullzero! Everything looks so green and healthy. I am especially happy for you that your acai palms are doing well. I had the hardest time to keep mine alive.

Tomas

[nullzero]

Very nice Nullzero! Everything looks so green and healthy. I am especially happy for you that your acai palms are doing well. I had the hardest time to keep mine alive.

Tomas

The one on the left was only one germinated outdoors in the fall of last year out of 10 seeds. Conditions were less then optimal, so I am hoping it has some sort of cold tolerance. We had a relatively mild winter last year.

Steven,

When do you harvest the chilacayote?

[Jackfruitwhisperer69]

Very nice Nullzero! Everything looks so green and healthy. I am especially happy for you that your acai palms are doing well. I had the hardest time to keep mine alive.

Tomas

The one on the left was only one germinated outdoors in the fall of last year out of 10 seeds. Conditions were less then optimal, so I am hoping it has some sort of cold tolerance. We had a relatively mild winter last year.

Steven,

When do you harvest the chilacayote?

Null,
End of summer onward...I harvest them when they are rock hard

[NewGen]

Beautiful photos, thanks for sharing. What's so special about the "superoots" containers?

[JeffDM]

Wow, it all looks good and I'm impressed with the number of plants successfully grown in containers.
This was my first summer without a ground squirrel problem and if next year is the same I'll be adding more container plants to my patio area.
In the past it was almost impossible to stop the squirrels from digging up the containers and I got tired of putting rocks or metal mesh on top of the pots.

[nullzero]

Beautiful photos, thanks for sharing. What's so special about the "superoots" containers?

The containers are designed to enable root pruning, this leads to more fibrous root system. Since there is a restriction of root zone space in containers, the goal is to have more fibrous roots which absorb more water and nutrients. The bigger and thicker roots act more of a pathway and storage of nutrients (at least thats what I read a while back).

The aeration is also improved in the superoots compared to a standard container. The improved aeration lowers the temperature of the root zone in hot days, and raises the temp in cooler days. I have noticed great results after using them, and I have quite a few different containers (SWCs, fabric containers, ceramic, and plastic).

JeffDM,

A lot of plants perform very well in containers, there are some that I have noticed do exceptionally well with production (Persimmons, Blueberries, Apples, Strawberry Guava, and Grapes). Many have not come into bearing yet. Goal is to have a dense container garden that produces a decent yield of diverse produce per sq ft. I am aiming at having most plants take up about 2-3 sq ft of space each, growing tender seedlings and shade tolerant plants in between the spacing.

[Rtreid]

Hey Nullzero,

Thanks for sharing your garden, everything looks just great!  I need to take some lessons form you as I have such a hard time keeping things alive in pots long term.

Most everything you gave me is doing great.  The Yakon grew to about 8 ft tall then the stalks could not support their own weight and tipped over.  I cut them back and they are coming right back!  The Stenocereus (do you know the species or variety of this plant)  has doubled in size and the Oca was doing great until it got blasted by the AC fan during a heatwave.  I moved it to a more sheltered spot and it is coming back nicely.

Richard

[nullzero]

Hey Nullzero,

Thanks for sharing your garden, everything looks just great!  I need to take some lessons form you as I have such a hard time keeping things alive in pots long term.

Most everything you gave me is doing great.  The Yakon grew to about 8 ft tall then the stalks could not support their own weight and tipped over.  I cut them back and they are coming right back!  The Stenocereus (do you know the species or variety of this plant)  has doubled in size and the Oca was doing great until it got blasted by the AC fan during a heatwave.  I moved it to a more sheltered spot and it is coming back nicely.

Richard

Its a Pitaya Agria, Stenocereus gummosus. You can root the Yacon stalks as well into new plants. Did you harvest a few tubers to try them out?

[CalCM]

Excellent diversity of fruit trees, Nullzero. Very happy and healthy container grown plants. Great job!

The containers are designed to enable root pruning, this leads to more fibrous root system. Since there is a restriction of root zone space in containers, the goal is to have more fibrous roots which absorb more water and nutrients. The bigger and thicker roots act more of a pathway and storage of nutrients (at least thats what I read a while back).

The aeration is also improved in the superoots compared to a standard container. The improved aeration lowers the temperature of the root zone in hot days, and raises the temp in cooler days. I have noticed great results after using them, and I have quite a few different containers (SWCs, fabric containers, ceramic, and plastic).

JeffDM,

A lot of plants perform very well in containers, there are some that I have noticed do exceptionally well with production (Persimmons, Blueberries, Apples, Strawberry Guava, and Grapes). Many have not come into bearing yet. Goal is to have a dense container garden that produces a decent yield of diverse produce per sq ft. I am aiming at having most plants take up about 2-3 sq ft of space each, growing tender seedlings and shade tolerant plants in between the spacing.

[fyliu]

Wow, it all looks good and I'm impressed with the number of plants successfully grown in containers.
This was my first summer without a ground squirrel problem

In San Diego I think your problems are mice for eating above ground fruits and pocket gophers for chewing off roots and girdling mature trees below ground. There's no magic bullet for them. Just talk to the neighbors and try different things. However, the verminator is probably illegal unless you own acres.

[MangoFang]

...looking good Nullzie - but I can't believe your Ewais??!!XXX

Fruiting at this time?  How unusual - should I assume it is in a pot?
Your Manila is looking stout and proud too...

Please keep us abreast of the Ewai fruit as it develops...will probably have
to overwinter and finish ripening in the spring......I really hope it does,
just like many of my papaya's do....!!!!!

Thanks, gary

[nullzero]

...looking good Nullzie - but I can't believe your Ewais??!!XXX

Fruiting at this time?  How unusual - should I assume it is in a pot?
Your Manila is looking stout and proud too...

Please keep us abreast of the Ewai fruit as it develops...will probably have
to overwinter and finish ripening in the spring......I really hope it does,
just like many of my papaya's do....!!!!!

Thanks, gary

The 'Ewais' mango is in a superoots 12 gal container. Mix is 5 parts pine bark 1 part peatmoss 1 part perlite. From the looks of it... shows no signs of slowing down. I would love to share budwood sometime soon. I am hoping the fruit quality is excellent.



More flower buds about to bloom.

[JF]

Nullzy

with all of the great posts by Ant and Tim I let this jewel slip by. You have a way with growing container fruit tress! In a very short time you will be up there with Adam and Jacob, congratulations!!

[Jacob13]

Hey Stephen,

Everything is looking great!  Your trees are really coming along nicely.  This extended heat has really been great, hasn't it?  You'll have to let me know how that yellow dragon fruit tastes.  Thanks for sharing brother!

 - Jacob

[ScottR]

Stephen, great looking plants and very green and healthy, the heat sure has helped ripen thinks for us on the Central Coast. Hope the yellow dragon fruits for you.

[nullzero]

Thanks for all the comments.

Jacob,

I am loving this extended heat. Btw, here is one of the trees you gave me. Will update when I get yellow DF fruit.
Inga edulis


JF,

Thanks, I am trying to catch up to Adam and Jacob .

ScottR,

Thanks I will let you know how the yellow dragon fruit tastes.