The Tropical Fruit Forum
Tropical Fruit => Tropical Fruit Discussion => Topic started by: simon_grow on October 19, 2018, 02:33:35 PM
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I have a tiny yard but it still produces a good amount of fruit. Not too long ago, I teamed up with Brad to set up a big orchard and we hope to be harvesting wheelbarrows full of fruit in the coming years.
First, here is a picture of my harvest from several years ago. I love this picture because of the diversity of fruit and contrast of colors between the different varieties of fruit.
(https://i.postimg.cc/nCSx9FLJ/7-FE7310-A-6-AAA-4-B53-80-A6-EB16-ABD79-FE2.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/nCSx9FLJ)
Here is a picture of fruit harvested today. This is only fruit from today. There are still a ton of fruit that I was too lazy to pick. There is also a lot of fruit that are still ripening. I chopped up the White Jade pineapple yesterday but it would have been beautiful in the background. The bananas, guava and key limes are from Brads place.
(https://i.postimg.cc/21JBGN0p/DEB2-DB0-E-66-A5-43-FB-BC44-A980-B3-E41-A2-A.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/21JBGN0p)
I should have added a few stalks of San Diego Yellow and Asian Black Sugarcane but too late, I already juiced them.
Simon
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The Desertenyi Pomegranates are excellent again this year. Not just this year but year in and year out. The juice sack is huge compared to most other varieties and the seed is super soft and hardly noticeable.
(https://i.postimg.cc/ns4Sf2jL/3-FC2-D327-3-E2-F-4417-A648-C1906002-FEA5.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/ns4Sf2jL)
(https://i.postimg.cc/gXGSzh8H/49-E47810-A80-D-4053-B587-1-A89846876-CC.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/gXGSzh8H)
(https://i.postimg.cc/Hr7PBdTX/77-CDE7-FB-1432-433-E-81-B4-6-B6-F50375995.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/Hr7PBdTX)
Parfianka is excellent as well and has more acid balance. People wanting a bit more tart will like Parfianka. The seeds are super soft. This variety is much much better than Wonderful.
(https://i.postimg.cc/hJDTh1Zv/09-B6-F43-A-F0-BD-4-E0-C-8-D06-8-B0379-BA8-D96.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/hJDTh1Zv)
(https://i.postimg.cc/06VmSKhf/8-E096-BED-87-C5-414-D-8-D27-300-C611-C864-D.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/06VmSKhf)
(https://i.postimg.cc/vDc7WXY6/F87-D3-BDF-50-F4-4194-B57-B-F872380-AC1-CE.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/vDc7WXY6)
Simon
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Great job.
Nice to see all the colors.
Are those Asian pears?
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Yeah, I have Hosui, Kosui, Shinseiki, 20th century and a few more I can’t remember at the moment. They’re much sweeter and crunchier than the supermarket fruit.
Simon
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Wonderful fruit basket, Simon.
I have parfianka and sirnevyi pomegranate trees,
Have not gotten single fruit in last 2.5 years despite
Fertilizing. Thinking to yank them out.
-FruitFool
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Wonderful fruit basket, Simon.
I have parfianka and sirnevyi pomegranate trees,
Have not gotten single fruit in last 2.5 years despite
Fertilizing. Thinking to yank them out.
-FruitFool
That sounds really strange. Poms are prolific with very little effort here. Did they bloom?
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Also, did they go dormant? Don’t give your tree too much Nitrogen. My Pom trees get so heavy with fruit that branches snap from the weight of fruit.
You can give them some 0-10-10 or 3-10-10 now but this should be the last feeding with anything with Nitrogen in it. You can give Kelp emulsion and minors and trace. As the leaves dry up, change yellow in color and start to drop, back off on watering.
Once they go dormant, water very very little. Sometimes I’ll go 2-3 months without watering. If it’s dry, I’ll water about once per month.
In Spring when you see new growth, slowly increase watering and start feeding with 0-10-10 or similar again. Avoild overwatering and too much Nitrogen. Both can cause excessive growth at the expense of fruit.
Simon
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This Sugarcane juice was juiced yesterday. It is the San Diego Yellow variety. I added a lot of Calamansi because I love the flavor and preserves the juice so well. I juiced the Sugarcane with the peel on and it’s hard to believe this juice is still so yellow and vibrant in color after one full day.
One thing that my friend did mention about the San Diego Yellow is how long it takes to oxidize and turn brown. It is the Reed of Sugarcane. For those not familiar with Reed Avocado, you can cut it open and it won’t turn brown for a day or more.
(https://i.postimg.cc/XGbCTMtr/11-D02-BD9-B2-FD-4-E6-D-9-F7-A-331-AA1619-E8-C.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/XGbCTMtr)
(https://i.postimg.cc/JD5k86WP/ECC0921-E-6-E60-426-E-AF01-6-CCA8-B2-EA0-E6.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/JD5k86WP)
For those visiting Brad today, ask to try a sample of the juice. The juice I brought over to Brads place was juiced today so it’s even fresher than what I’m drinking now.
This is the last batch of Sugarcane I will be bringing over to Brads. It’s a lot of work chopping the canes, cleaning them up and driving them over. I may have more in the future but I’m not planning on it.
Simon
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Here’s the Asian Black Sugarcane. It’s too beautiful a plant not to post a picture. Picture taken one minute ago.
(https://i.postimg.cc/sQYNrrXq/50-CB82-EB-B8-D6-4-A82-A2-D4-D656-E8-F86738.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/sQYNrrXq)
Simon
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The first Gary Mango off my tree. I touched it and it fell into my hands. It already has a Coconut smell to it. It is a tiny mango.
(https://i.postimg.cc/ZBsy09Cd/CE4900-C5-EFC2-4-AD4-BC8-E-3-B72-E4-B289-A4.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/ZBsy09Cd)
Here’s are some Venus Mangos. They all came from a single graft that turned out to be a giant panicle holding 6 fruit. I know the shape isn’t the typical Florida Venus but Mangos here are very different. I wrapped the Mangos in a styrofoam fruit wrap and this appears to have given the skin different blushes of color. I just touched the fruit and they fell off, 4 out of 6.
(https://i.postimg.cc/z31fSF1G/1-A4-FDD91-C065-4700-8381-BFBD7-B643422.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/z31fSF1G)
We’ve had very hot and dry conditions lately and I believe this is causing the faster ripening of Fruit, especially Mangos. I found this Lemon Zest on the ground after I returned home from Brads place.
(https://i.postimg.cc/18LSRym3/AB0-D6175-34-EB-4-BB3-AFC9-A2-B06206-AE50.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/18LSRym3)
(https://i.postimg.cc/7C0kfjhM/FFEB2990-F1-C0-4455-8-A41-7-DA34-F4-BEE16.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/7C0kfjhM)
This is the first and only fully formed Lemon Zest Mango harvested from this particular Florida tree. I believe it is large enough now to outgrow Phomopsis and hopefully it will start producing more fully formed fruit and fewer of the round but ultra sweet Nubbin fruit.
Simon
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Here’s a picture of the tree. There’s still 2 Venus fruit holding on a graft towards the bottom.
(https://i.postimg.cc/ZWf9wBxD/19-C6-AF8-C-0-F94-4877-9-A67-62-FD90-D09594.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/ZWf9wBxD)
(https://i.postimg.cc/B8XjkShZ/C6068-A84-EEEE-409-A-B434-553-F0220-FD34.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/B8XjkShZ)
Simon
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Raja Puri Bananas from Brads place. First time trying them and they are delicious. They have the slightest bit of acid balance to give the banana base flavor some extra complexity.
(https://i.postimg.cc/B8Hj4YGR/39-D51-E0-A-F95-B-4885-A480-2-A838-A747-E29.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/B8Hj4YGR)
Simon
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Thanks for posting the beautiful fruits of your labor, Simon!
I used to eat (sucking the juice) sugarcane by just cracking them off with my teeth
after the vendor skinned and scored it with his sickle... :D
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Very nice harvest, great job guys!
I've not seen those varieties of pomegranates before. I have a 'wonderful' I purchased this year with a small fruit hanging on it, but I've always found them only OK. Do you purchase those varieties locally or are they grown from seeds or cutting? Pomegranates seem to grow very quickly with little care here and I want to add at least one more to my collection.
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You are not going to be happy but wonderful is a really sub par pomagranite. I have one of them. The seeds are big and hard and leave you with a mouth of seed. Im going to yank mine and put in a new one. Ive got a couple other types that are keepers.
I got my plants as little starter sleves for 20$ from the local nursery. They were dave wilson starter plants.
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Coming up in the following months will be the Cherimoya harvest.
(https://i.postimg.cc/t13NJwvW/2-ADD890-B-BC9-A-4-C0-D-A681-59-A5-CDD1-C4-F0.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/t13NJwvW)
(https://i.postimg.cc/QKtQ6t8J/A54-A0-BD9-21-F1-4283-BAA7-9-B9727-CC094-E.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/QKtQ6t8J)
Still small but developing nicely. I didn’t thin enough so the fruit will likely stay smaller than normal. I just hope the branches don’t snap.
Simon
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You are not going to be happy but wonderful is a really sub par pomagranite. I have one of them. The seeds are big and hard and leave you with a mouth of seed. Im going to yank mine and put in a new one. Ive got a couple other types that are keepers.
I got my plants as little starter sleves for 20$ from the local nursery. They were dave wilson starter plants.
Wonderful is what we are used to out here. It's a normal backyard plant out here. I can only find two types at our local nursery - Wonderful and sweet. Dave wilson website lists those two varieties at my local nursery though (Local being 45 minutes out, my town has nothing) Ill check this spring they look 'wonderful'
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Simon, thanks fo the sugar cane juice. We have been drinking it with limes and water. Im about to sample some with some pomagranite liqueur and then go for the key lime margarita with reposado and make some guacamole.
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1932/30498566987_1e2d970cf9_b.jpg)
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beautiful trees Simon. How old are they?
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Simon and Brad, congrats on your harvests! Good to see your hard work paying off.
You guys are doing the community a great service by contributing valuable knowledge and selecting the best varieties. Can’t wait to see more pics!
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I need a ticket to Cali.
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This is another project we have been working on for 3 or 4 months. Just finished a week or so ago. We cleared a quarter or half an acre or so of hillside and planted 50 mango trees. The trees are on a 15x15 spacing. Theres some FL grafted trees, some FL seed stocks and some CA rootstock grafted with FL selections. It doesnt look like much now but these trees are out on a prime location here with full south exposure and deep draining DG soil in the hottest are of coastal CA.
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1977/45400135772_acb728888b_b.jpg)
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I just cut open one of the Venus mango and it didn’t have any smell to it but there was a bad spot on it and the nose was getting a bit soft so I cut it open. While cutting it, I noticed that the stem end was still quite firm. This particular fruit seemed to have ripened unevenly. This fruit was not a drop.
The fruit was a nice orange color and the Brix came out at 28%! I thought I was mistaken so I took a bite and the 28% Brix was legit. The flavor profile was very similar to Sweet Tart with that Indo Chinese flavor but it is just slightly weaker in Venus compared to Sweet Tart.
I didn’t get to sample much of the fruit because my daughters devoured everything I cut up but Venus is an Excellent mango. I wish it had a bit more acidity to balance out the sugars.
The seed was completely flat. I’m not sure if this would be considered a giant nubbin or simply an atrophied seed but this mango is excellent. I’ve seen in Florida, the Mango is much larger but here in SoCal on my particular tree, I got 6 medium small fruit on one single large panicle.
Here are some pictures of the fruit and seed.
(https://i.postimg.cc/1nNz507V/33641-DA7-8-BD0-4-E48-BFBB-F596788-BF85-C.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/1nNz507V)
(https://i.postimg.cc/Mf7K16SW/AE54-FB2-A-3952-412-D-8-F85-F39-F8-DB30640.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/Mf7K16SW)
(https://i.postimg.cc/PPHqTwWN/B1-BB417-A-1-FE1-46-F5-801-E-9145-BF414-F2-E.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/PPHqTwWN)
(https://i.postimg.cc/NLm034rW/F7-C108-F0-AE12-4340-AF2-C-4-C67-D42-EB199.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/NLm034rW)
Simon
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Quince fruit, a relative to apple and pear many people today have never heard of. While quinces are usually known for being hard and inedible - they have to be cooked before you can eat them - this here is one of the rare varieties that is possible to be eaten raw. It's an obscure variety called Kuganskaya.
(https://i.postimg.cc/Th4YLwDq/20181019-173315.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/Th4YLwDq)(https://i.postimg.cc/cvqxhbTv/20181019-173444.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/cvqxhbTv)
A regular quince (uncooked) is spongy and so astringent it feels like a mouth full of sawdust, but with this variety I could eat two thick slices without noticing any astringency. Eating it is almost like eating an apple. It is pretty acidic though.
The exterior of the fruit has a pleasant heirloom apple fragrance, even before you cut into it, although with this particular variety it's not quite as fragrant as a regular quince. Maybe there's a little hint of pear, caramel and vanilla in the fragrance too.
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beautiful trees Simon. How old are they?
This tree is around 6-7 years old.
I’ve never tried Quince before but I think I may have seen some marmalade made with it at the Asian markets.
Simon
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I’ve never tried Quince before but I think I may have seen some marmalade made with it at the Asian markets.
This quince I showed a picture of is totally different from regular quince. A normal quince is not something you would want to eat raw.
Cooked, however, a few slices of regular quince go well with vanilla icecream. The flavor is pungently deep, almost like cough syrup, and like a very tart intense heirloom apple, some people perceive a slight caramel aroma. Using a ratio of 40% quince to 60% apple also goes well in an apple pie, and then you don't have to use any added thickener in the filling. It will give the apple pie a more intense flavor.
It also of course makes a good preserve spread. Long ago the original marmalade was made out of quince before the sour orange was brought to Europe. I think some of the best jam in the world is boysenberry-quince (and again because of the quince you don't have to add pectin if you make it).
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You are not going to be happy but wonderful is a really sub par pomagranite. I have one of them. The seeds are big and hard and leave you with a mouth of seed. Im going to yank mine and put in a new one. Ive got a couple other types that are keepers.
I got my plants as little starter sleves for 20$ from the local nursery. They were dave wilson starter plants.
Don't need to start all over again -- you can graft your favorite scions on the rootstock just like mango. In Feb this year I did cleft graft and 5 out of 6 took and even carry a fruit this year.
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You are not going to be happy but wonderful is a really sub par pomagranite. I have one of them. The seeds are big and hard and leave you with a mouth of seed. Im going to yank mine and put in a new one. Ive got a couple other types that are keepers.
I got my plants as little starter sleves for 20$ from the local nursery. They were dave wilson starter plants.
Don't need to start all over again -- you can graft your favorite scions on the rootstock just like mango. In Feb this year I did cleft graft and 5 out of 6 took and even carry a fruit this year.
Pomagrantes send out tons of suckers from their root zone. No way I want to deal with trying to keep the graft as the only thing allowed to grow.
I put in very small starters this year in january 2018. They are now 4 to 5 ft tall and loaded with fruit. Its really not worth trying to salvage a bad pomagranite.
This was a little twig 10 mnths ago.
(https://i.postimg.cc/67pNs1KD/20181013-123107.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/67pNs1KD)
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Hi Simon,
I used to have a very big pomegranate tree -- 15" trunk -- with tons of fruits, and my favorite time to pick was around Thanksgiving when the fruits cracked or about to crack because the seeds were so swelled up and the skin inside turned white instead of yellowish, with the thin membranes turned pinkish. Very easy to crack open and click off the seeds at this time. I have seen people picked the fruits too early.
Maybe yours is an early kind, but it's worth a try to save some fruits on the tree to experiment the late harvest -- quite a big difference.
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Pomegranates store extremely well in the refrigerator. I post on this forum a while back an experiment where I stored some pomegranates in the fridge for almost 1 year. The outside skin looked horrible but the inside was perfect and better tasting than when it was fresh. The storage seemed to decrease the amount of ascorbic acid content which brought out the sweetness compared to the fresh fruit.
We have several different varieties of pomegranates and most of mine are cracking already. Once there is damaoto the skin, it cannot be stored for long periods.
Simon
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I cut open this very small Gary mango last night. It had a slight sweet and coconut smell to it. The Brix came out at 24%. The flesh had a nice orange color to it and I was hoping to get a good coconut flavor from it but it smelled more coconut than it tasted.
This mango had excellent sweetness and a perfect acid balance with a little Tropicalfruit flavor mixed in. The texture of the fruit was reminiscent of a ripe Kesar. This was not a nubbin Fruit as it had a fully formed but small Monoembryonic seed. This is a great mango, I just with it we’re a lot bigger.
This fruit came from a graft off my multigraft tree which is predominantly Lemon Zest. I will try to grow this seed and see if I win the lotto.
(https://i.postimg.cc/Q9b3ySMV/74-BBD1-CE-D1-DE-4-EC9-B0-E2-1-E30246-ED1-F9.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/Q9b3ySMV)
(https://i.postimg.cc/kBhnCjvb/ADBD6347-6-F48-4-BD5-BBE3-08-B794-B9-E424.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/kBhnCjvb)
(https://i.postimg.cc/0MxvnhPL/CAF97491-08-C4-4-FE4-A842-C9-CCAA5-C0-C26.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/0MxvnhPL)
(https://i.postimg.cc/mPzTgQm6/D49-FCAB1-4-DE8-4-BD9-827-C-792-F035-E4-B77.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/mPzTgQm6)
Simon
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Heres my harvest today. The guavas are pouring in. I already thinned twice, going to do another last minute thinning. They really respond to thinning even when its late into the season. The next round of fruit get larger.
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1924/45535986932_0aa33f1d3e_b.jpg)
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Brad, your bananas and guavas were awesome. The first Cherimoya fell off the tree today. This one is a Booth.
(https://i.postimg.cc/dLGJR9XM/752-CD8-AA-2-F0-B-4804-9-A4-B-F6880-A6-CC516.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/dLGJR9XM)
Simon
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Nice harvest Brad. How do the guavas taste? The ones from grocery store are so bland.
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The guava from Brads place is very sweet with a creamy and strong guava flavor and aroma. The smell was so strong, it freshened up my whole kitchen. It was eaten in the soft stage and had good moisture. I’m not a big fan of guavas but Brads were really good.
The only other guavas that impressed me were the Seedless crunchy types.
I have not eaten as many varieties of guavas as some others but I have tasted quite a few of them.
Simon
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Nice harvest Brad. How do the guavas taste? The ones from grocery store are so bland.
Its a very good mexican white guava. Not bland. Theres a ton of them here if you want to try come take some. I had 3 trees, one was tasteless and I removed it. This one is my A guava. We have another guava that makes bigger fruit but they are not quite as good in flavor.
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(https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1936/30648273317_df843be355_b.jpg)
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amazing. I picked one measly passionfruit yesterday, lol
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Nice harvest Brad. How do the guavas taste? The ones from grocery store are so bland.
Its a very good mexican white guava. Not bland. Theres a ton of them here if you want to try come take some. I had 3 trees, one was tasteless and I removed it. This one is my A guava. We have another guava that makes bigger fruit but they are not quite as good in flavor.
I’d love to try it. Thanks. Do they make good juice?
Do you grow wax jambu? They are not sweetest fruits but the good ones are very refreshing to eat. May worth a try given you have the space. The tree I saw in Taiwan was huge.
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Nice color on the Pomegranate Brad.
I found this on the ground last night. First El Bumpo of the year.
(https://i.postimg.cc/PCynnxG3/683-BA2-BD-D11-C-4969-9-AE3-F8-B0-BD027-E91.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/PCynnxG3)
Simon
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Nice harvest Brad. How do the guavas taste? The ones from grocery store are so bland.
Its a very good mexican white guava. Not bland. Theres a ton of them here if you want to try come take some. I had 3 trees, one was tasteless and I removed it. This one is my A guava. We have another guava that makes bigger fruit but they are not quite as good in flavor.
I’d love to try it. Thanks. Do they make good juice?
Do you grow wax jambu? They are not sweetest fruits but the good ones are very refreshing to eat. May worth a try given you have the space. The tree I saw in Taiwan was huge.
I never tried juicing them. Theres a ton of the guavas still but they dont last long. If you want some just stop by and get them. We can do dragonfruit tasting next saturday morning if you want.
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Thanks Brad. Can’t wait to your nursery. Will txt or email you.
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This is another project we have been working on for 3 or 4 months. Just finished a week or so ago. We cleared a quarter or half an acre or so of hillside and planted 50 mango trees. The trees are on a 15x15 spacing. Theres some FL grafted trees, some FL seed stocks and some CA rootstock grafted with FL selections. It doesnt look like much now but these trees are out on a prime location here with full south exposure and deep draining DG soil in the hottest are of coastal CA.
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1977/45400135772_acb728888b_b.jpg)
Nice Brad! What sort of irrigation system did you install? What are you guys using on the terminal ends of the system? Soakers or sprinklers?
I was planning to do the same on my south facing hillside.
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This is another project we have been working on for 3 or 4 months. Just finished a week or so ago. We cleared a quarter or half an acre or so of hillside and planted 50 mango trees. The trees are on a 15x15 spacing. Theres some FL grafted trees, some FL seed stocks and some CA rootstock grafted with FL selections. It doesnt look like much now but these trees are out on a prime location here with full south exposure and deep draining DG soil in the hottest are of coastal CA.
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1977/45400135772_acb728888b_b.jpg)
Nice Brad! What sort of irrigation system did you install? What are you guys using on the terminal ends of the system? Soakers or sprinklers?
I was planning to do the same on my south facing hillside.
Theres a half inch threaded riser at every tree. We are running 8 stream micro sprinklers. When the trees get larger I may swap them to the little spinning type.
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Sorry but I had thought pictures of "Today’s Harvest from the orchard" were desired.... I must have been wrong in my read... sorry removed...
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This is another project we have been working on for 3 or 4 months. Just finished a week or so ago. We cleared a quarter or half an acre or so of hillside and planted 50 mango trees. The trees are on a 15x15 spacing. Theres some FL grafted trees, some FL seed stocks and some CA rootstock grafted with FL selections. It doesnt look like much now but these trees are out on a prime location here with full south exposure and deep draining DG soil in the hottest are of coastal CA.
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1977/45400135772_acb728888b_b.jpg)
Nice Brad! What sort of irrigation system did you install? What are you guys using on the terminal ends of the system? Soakers or sprinklers?
I was planning to do the same on my south facing hillside.
Theres a half inch threaded riser at every tree. We are running 8 stream micro sprinklers. When the trees get larger I may swap them to the little spinning type.
Good deal, thanks for the info. Gonna be setting my hillside up this Feb/Mar. Pretty excited, hope to plant about 12-20 mango trees depending on if I can cut down a couple more shade trees. My hillside is about the same grade maybe a little steeper in some sections.
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This is another project we have been working on for 3 or 4 months. Just finished a week or so ago. We cleared a quarter or half an acre or so of hillside and planted 50 mango trees. The trees are on a 15x15 spacing. Theres some FL grafted trees, some FL seed stocks and some CA rootstock grafted with FL selections. It doesnt look like much now but these trees are out on a prime location here with full south exposure and deep draining DG soil in the hottest are of coastal CA.
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1977/45400135772_acb728888b_b.jpg)
Nice Brad! What sort of irrigation system did you install? What are you guys using on the terminal ends of the system? Soakers or sprinklers?
I was planning to do the same on my south facing hillside.
Theres a half inch threaded riser at every tree. We are running 8 stream micro sprinklers. When the trees get larger I may swap them to the little spinning type.
Good deal, thanks for the info. Gonna be setting my hillside up this Feb/Mar. Pretty excited, hope to plant about 12-20 mango trees depending on if I can cut down a couple more shade trees. My hillside is about the same grade maybe a little steeper in some sections.
Escondido?
Come by sometime and poke around if want.
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More pics from the orchard
(https://i.postimg.cc/XXvntGm9/20181104-100016.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/XXvntGm9)
(https://i.postimg.cc/BLSJSX69/20181104-115050.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/BLSJSX69)
(https://i.postimg.cc/jnCKfmPM/20181104-190251.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/jnCKfmPM)
(https://i.postimg.cc/c61JZ5gg/20181104-190433.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/c61JZ5gg)
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Sorry but I had thought pictures of "Today’s Harvest from the orchard" were desired.... I must have been wrong in my read... sorry removed...
Post your pics
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looks yummy! which dragon fruit types are your favorites this year? Did you take a brix reading?
My American Beauty vine (got cutting from Simon last summer) set 3 fruits - still in green stage. The Simon's purple had 3 flowers but none set despite my effort to hand pollinate them with AB or Sugar Dragon pollen (which was probably no good since I saved/froze them a couple of months earlier). Looks like AB is self-fertile.
Since my AB fruits are so late in the season, they probably won't be as sweet. Will see in a few weeks.
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I’m going to be looking for cherimoyas to buy in SoCal In the next week or two if anyone here is selling some of theirs or know of a good grower to recommend, it would be appreciated. Thank you
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looks yummy! which dragon fruit types are your favorites this year? Did you take a brix reading?
My American Beauty vine (got cutting from Simon last summer) set 3 fruits - still in green stage. The Simon's purple had 3 flowers but none set despite my effort to hand pollinate them with AB or Sugar Dragon pollen (which was probably no good since I saved/froze them a couple of months earlier). Looks like AB is self-fertile.
Since my AB fruits are so late in the season, they probably won't be as sweet. Will see in a few weeks.
I like all the dragon fruits to be honest. S8 overall best plant probably. A lot of the others are doing really well also. American beauty won for taste and brix just barely over S8 but not fruiting as much as the others.
Im going to try and move some potted plants that already fruited into the greenhouse and run Xmas lights on them. Will see if I can get winter fruit off them by extending the photoperiod. It should be hot and sunny enough to ripen the fruit in the GH during winter.
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The Sugar Dragon you sent me Brad is the best df I've tasted. Waiting on AB, so time will tell.
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Cosmic charlie was pretty good out of these ones we sampled today.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4803/45033736864_84093152d4_b.jpg)
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Thanks to Brad for the mini fruit tasting at the orchard. Today we sampled 4 different Dragonfruit varieties along with Gold Rush Apple and two different varieties of Guava.
(https://i.postimg.cc/crVcZFGn/10-A1-D580-25-B1-4127-AC5-A-2-F38-A20413-E3.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/crVcZFGn)
(https://i.postimg.cc/62jdP0hT/348-D6877-A6-E2-4-DC6-A68-E-20-BA2287-A196.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/62jdP0hT)
(https://i.postimg.cc/LY6tv7Lr/3-C064-AC3-01-FC-420-C-B1-BC-1-E0242-B98-DD0.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/LY6tv7Lr)
(https://i.postimg.cc/rDxNp5qY/434598-F3-AADD-41-D0-A087-45-B73-CC0-EB3-F.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/rDxNp5qY)
(https://i.postimg.cc/ftKHRmfh/6-C4-B13-FC-B240-4027-861-A-2-FB36604-A4-EA.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/ftKHRmfh)
(https://i.postimg.cc/kDgsyVyB/A06-C8102-EB66-43-B6-93-C3-E3-B6-C0-FDB2-F7.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/kDgsyVyB)
(https://i.postimg.cc/06vdKrQ5/ADBCB1-F6-E04-C-444-B-AE09-621716-D03991.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/06vdKrQ5)
Simon
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Dragonfruit varieties were Dark Star, Natural Mystic, San Ignacio and Physical Graffiti. The Dragonfruit were delicious and the Gold Rush Apple is the best home grown apple I’ve ever tasted. The Gold Rush Apple was solid, firm and crunchy with Dense flesh that was sweet with a perfect acid Balance. This can be one of the best apples out there.
I forget which DF variety was my favorite today, maybe Brad remembers .
Simon
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Out of the 4 DFs samples today, I like the dark star the best. Other three were also delicious. I am thinking of grafting dark star over natural mystic.
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Out of the 4 DFs samples today, I like the dark star the best. Other three were also delicious. I am thinking of grafting dark star over natural mystic.
If you are growing makisupa, its really similar to natural mystic. Natural mystic being slightly better. So maybe ditch the makisupa if you are getting rid of some.
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That’s a good suggestion. I have two natural mystic and one makisupa so I will probably leave one NM and graft dark star and potentially condor on the two that I don’t need.
Thanks for the invite Brad. Your plants are so amazing. I’ve never seen passion fruits so big.
I don’t recall seeing your Lilikoi passion fruit though?
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The lilikoi is behind the banana plants next to the fredrick. Its not that big yet, it has has had a rough start. Animals got it a couple times but its back and had flowers on it. I would have showed you. It hasnt set any fruits yet but has been flowering for a few weeks. I tried some fredrick pollen on it a few days ago so we will see. I think I read the flavicarpas dont self pollinate which sucks.
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Mine lilikoi set a dozen fruits so far. I did hand pollinate most of them. They are smaller than Fredrick. Will find out if they taste better.
(https://i.postimg.cc/bGgCwKTm/FA129068-2-E07-45-B3-843-B-1-DE61-CCD9112.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/bGgCwKTm)
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Mine lilikoi set a dozen fruits so far. I did hand pollinate most of them. They are smaller than Fredrick. Will find out if they taste better.
(https://i.postimg.cc/bGgCwKTm/FA129068-2-E07-45-B3-843-B-1-DE61-CCD9112.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/bGgCwKTm)
Nice, Did you use its own pollen? Post pics when they are ripe.
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Mine lilikoi set a dozen fruits so far. I did hand pollinate most of them. They are smaller than Fredrick. Will find out if they taste better.
(https://i.postimg.cc/bGgCwKTm/FA129068-2-E07-45-B3-843-B-1-DE61-CCD9112.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/bGgCwKTm)
Nice, Did you use its own pollen? Post pics when they are ripe.
Agreed. I just got a cutting from Brad for the wife. Please let us know how they taste!
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Will do! Brad I use pollens from Fredrick whenever possible.
The Fredrick did almost nothing prior to August. It get most of the fruits from the second crop. It appears that passion fruit vines need a lot of heat to do well. In my coastal area we doesn’t get much heat prior to the summer.
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We had a lot of successes and positive results here but today was a really bad day. A lot of trees and plants got battered in the nasty santa ana wind the last couple days. I went out to look at things and its not pretty. Trees blown over, potted plants blown over, trees defoliated, fruit on the ground. Single digit humidity, strong winds, no bueno. Thought my house was going to lift off over the night.
Still we are lucky to not have a fire to really destroy things here. My focus the next year will be wind and fire hardening the orchard.
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Winds breaking my trees too. fortunately, it us clearing out dome smoke. (Not helping the fire though)Looks post apocalyptic here from the camp fire when they aren't blowing. I can barely breathe outside.
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Damn, I have a bunch of potted trees knocked over too so I can only imagine how bad it is at your place where it more windy.
Simon
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Sorry to hear, Brad.
I just put support for my sapodilla tree which was
being bent violently in these winds.
-FruitFool
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We had a lot of successes and positive results here but today was a really bad day. A lot of trees and plants got battered in the nasty santa ana wind the last couple days. I went out to look at things and its not pretty. Trees blown over, potted plants blown over, trees defoliated, fruit on the ground. Single digit humidity, strong winds, no bueno. Thought my house was going to lift off over the night.
Still we are lucky to not have a fire to really destroy things here. My focus the next year will be wind and fire hardening the orchard.
Sorry to hear. Hopefully the trees will recover soon. How do you plan to wind/fire harden the plants?
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Kang, I will clear all the native vegetation around the orchard to keep fire risk down. And cover the fence line in vines and exterior shade trees to block the wind.
Things actually come out pretty well here. Still getting harvests like this one from today.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4865/45929507792_32b1b01f69_b.jpg)
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Kang, I will clear all the native vegetation around the orchard to keep fire risk down. And cover the fence line in vines and exterior shade trees to block the wind.
Things actually come out pretty well here. Still getting harvests like this one from today.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4865/45929507792_32b1b01f69_b.jpg)
Nice harvest Brad !
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pick two Lisa ripening on tree today , taste good and little chewy , second years grafted on cherimoya , still have 28 on tree .lol
(https://i.postimg.cc/R3yn8LRN/IMG-1256.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/R3yn8LRN)
(https://i.postimg.cc/8fHc1Rhd/IMG-1268.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/8fHc1Rhd)
(https://i.postimg.cc/8jZd4Wqr/IMG-1272.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/8jZd4Wqr)
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That's nice looking Lisa!
My super lisa scion has not been doing much for the
last 2 years, maybe I should move it to a more dominant
branch...
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Thanks to Brad for the mini fruit tasting at the orchard. Today we sampled 4 different Dragonfruit varieties along with Gold Rush Apple and two different varieties of Guava.
I assume the Gold Rush apple is a low chill requirement apple?
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I am so jealous of your harvests! My dragon fruit cuttings from Brad seem to be doing well according to my parents who are shepherding them until I move to Cali. I also have started some passion fruit from seed (purple possum, banana, and granadilla sprouted. Really want the giant granadilla to sprout) and found a blue passion fruit (caerulea) locally I took some cuttings from.
I'd love to visit the Poway farm after I move Brad and see your orchard. It looks amazing.
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I am so jealous of your harvests! My dragon fruit cuttings from Brad seem to be doing well according to my parents who are shepherding them until I move to Cali. I also have started some passion fruit from seed (purple possum, banana, and granadilla sprouted. Really want the giant granadilla to sprout) and found a blue passion fruit (caerulea) locally I took some cuttings from.
I'd love to visit the Poway farm after I move Brad and see your orchard. It looks amazing.
You are welcome to stop by.
Not a lot going this time of year but we do have some citrus/avocados/passionfruits.
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7873/47038012831_95ca1a4ffb_b.jpg)
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I top worked some African Pride trees at Brads orchard and came home with a bag full of fruit. There were tons of fruit on the ground. All the biggest fruit seemed to have fallen off from the weight and many were found at the base of the trees and more rolled down the hill. The larger fruit were about 3 lbs with most being closer to 2 lbs.
Here’s a picture of some fruit I took home
(https://i.postimg.cc/CdfW45c2/0-C89-ABB2-7-DD7-4-E94-A0-AE-F3-C03-B4-C8-F79.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/CdfW45c2)
(https://i.postimg.cc/LJv7s1sJ/61451-DE2-EBAD-4-E03-83-F2-59096-BD2-BF97.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/LJv7s1sJ)
(https://i.postimg.cc/1ghgffYZ/9-E18-FC61-A926-4-E90-9554-1-DC07707-B018.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/1ghgffYZ)
(https://i.postimg.cc/YvtZk3tc/B56244-B9-8-D0-F-496-E-8666-C6901-A96-E5-FF.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/YvtZk3tc)
(https://i.postimg.cc/GHw6gRNm/B9-D8-E78-B-EB08-4-BA5-95-F4-E48-BBBAADDDD.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/GHw6gRNm)
(https://i.postimg.cc/f3LPSR3B/EA56-ED82-520-F-4-C94-B968-7194302-C11-A9.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/f3LPSR3B)
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And a lot more fruit that the fruit flies and chickens are going to eat.
(https://i.postimg.cc/DJ2yVsmB/4819684-F-2-FF2-4-A4-C-A394-D6-F114-AA866-A.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/DJ2yVsmB)
(https://i.postimg.cc/yJ1wsTXg/62-A496-E5-B7-E6-471-A-8-D4-B-34-E1468-E5705.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/yJ1wsTXg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/Pvpg0rbS/7366-ECDE-66-DC-45-B4-8-E7-F-C24-BFE4-B3-E5-A.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/Pvpg0rbS)
Simon
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I suppose Brad is not fan of African Pride atemoya.
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I top worked some African Pride trees at Brads orchard and came home with a bag full of fruit. There were tons of fruit on the ground. All the biggest fruit seemed to have fallen off from the weight and many were found at the base of the trees and more rolled down the hill. The larger fruit were about 3 lbs with most being closer to 2 lbs.
Here’s a picture of some fruit I took home
(https://i.postimg.cc/CdfW45c2/0-C89-ABB2-7-DD7-4-E94-A0-AE-F3-C03-B4-C8-F79.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/CdfW45c2)
(https://i.postimg.cc/LJv7s1sJ/61451-DE2-EBAD-4-E03-83-F2-59096-BD2-BF97.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/LJv7s1sJ)
(https://i.postimg.cc/1ghgffYZ/9-E18-FC61-A926-4-E90-9554-1-DC07707-B018.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/1ghgffYZ)
(https://i.postimg.cc/YvtZk3tc/B56244-B9-8-D0-F-496-E-8666-C6901-A96-E5-FF.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/YvtZk3tc)
(https://i.postimg.cc/GHw6gRNm/B9-D8-E78-B-EB08-4-BA5-95-F4-E48-BBBAADDDD.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/GHw6gRNm)
(https://i.postimg.cc/f3LPSR3B/EA56-ED82-520-F-4-C94-B968-7194302-C11-A9.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/f3LPSR3B)
Nice harvest! How old are brad's atemoya trees?
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One tree was an african pride, the other one was a mislabeled mystery cherimoya tree. The APs are ok, they have hard spots in the flesh around the seeds I really dont like. It ruins the fruit. Theres better stuff to grow. We put el bumpo on that tree. It was maybe 3 years old tree.
(https://i.postimg.cc/kBLHgKG9/20200425-155927.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/kBLHgKG9)
(https://i.postimg.cc/06jKXMGM/20200425-104826.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/06jKXMGM)
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Haha, yeah, Brad is definitely not a fan of AP! I’m not a big fan of AP myself but I’ll definitely eat them and enjoy them when better fruit is not around. We are converting all the varieties that we are not fond of into the newer top tier varieties like Leo Hybrid#3, Rudy # 20 and some other seedling selections.
I don’t remember exactly how old these trees are but the rate of growth at the orchard is incredible. The tree was probably planted as a sapling 3-4 years ago and was about 6-7 feet tall and about 8 feet wide before I hat racked it
(https://i.postimg.cc/sMQvpd37/17-E9238-B-4-BEB-43-A3-BA87-EC0-BA9-DBF505.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/sMQvpd37)
Simon
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Brad definitely has a nice orchard and nice fruit tree collection.
I myself am in cherimoya fan club but
my wife liked Mr. Minh atemoya taste.
I top worked my AP to Mr. Minh and Geffner.
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Most usefull information i got from this site was from Brad when he said cherimoya flowers imediatly after you cut somme branches.It is true and tested.
He is a big expert in cherimoya.
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Cados are from Cali. Mangoes, rollinia, sap, and peppers are from the yard
(https://i.postimg.cc/Jy66rft2/IMG-6526.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/Jy66rft2)
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Most usefull information i got from this site was from Brad when he said cherimoya flowers imediatly after you cut somme branches.It is true and tested.
He is a big expert in cherimoya.
Im definitely not an expert. But that much I do know. You can get flowers just by leaf stripping.
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Cados are from Cali. Mangoes, rollinia, sap, and peppers are from the yard
(https://i.postimg.cc/Jy66rft2/IMG-6526.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/Jy66rft2)
Beautiful picture roblack! I love the bright yellow colors.
Simon
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Most usefull information i got from this site was from Brad when he said cherimoya flowers imediatly after you cut somme branches.It is true and tested.
He is a big expert in cherimoya.
Im definitely not an expert. But that much I do know. You can get flowers just by leaf stripping.
So is it possible to get 2 crops per year with that trick ?
Even if on different trees or different branches of the same tree ?
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Most usefull information i got from this site was from Brad when he said cherimoya flowers imediatly after you cut somme branches.It is true and tested.
He is a big expert in cherimoya.
Im definitely not an expert. But that much I do know. You can get flowers just by leaf stripping.
So is it possible to get 2 crops per year with that trick ?
Even if on different trees or different branches of the same tree ?
I'm still picking cherimoyas here. So 5 month long harvest by just pollinating in early and later summer. You can extend that by pollinating in spring through fall. Again, I'm not an expert at this but my observation in my own yard is as long as the tree has not gone dormant from cold weather you can get fruit to set. And 6 months later you have ripe fruit. And there's about 4 month dormant period here from January to April/May. How it works out in a different climate or in a greenhouse I have no idea.