I now see winter in a new light.

[jc]

Wandering through the yard, I now have a greater affinity for the transition from hot and humid Florida to the dry and crisp cold/cool fronts that come with a Florida winter.   As a rookie fruit tree grower, this year I have planted about two dozen trees since this past summer.  As a result, I am just beginning to see the "flowers" of my labor. 
 
My Brahm Kai Meu mango, Dot mango, and Wurtz avocado are pushing out bloom.  Pretty cool. 

Perhaps it's a blessing, perhaps it's curse, but I'll let the BKM and the Wurtz take their chances.   Ms. Dorothy, on the other hand,  will likely have to wait until next year.  I think she needs another year of growth before throwing down some fruit. 

I like this hobby, but the waiting is a bitch! 

[FlyingFoxFruits]

Yes, you'll need to learn how to "hurry up and wait" for trees to fruit.

some trees will surprise you with their precocity,
annona squamosa
myrciaria caulifora hybrid
papaya
fig
and more!

trees that will be slow to bear, and painful to wait for,

 caimito(seed)
mamey (seed)
jaboticaba
and peach palm.  LOL

for trees that grow this slow, you'll learn to appreciate the smaller more subtle changes of the tree...like when the bark finally starts peeling (plinia) or when the tree can finally handle full sun without stress damage(cherapu / pawpaw).

[zands]

@bc
I like this hobby, but the waiting is a bitch!

Took a friend through my yard today. I planted most in spring 2008 and things are getting very big as of November 2012.  My Carrie and Haden are getting freakin' big and he can see the difference only seeing my trees once or twice a year   (btw Haden is a v good mango don't believe the naysayers)

So my take is give four years for big impact

[nullzero]

Diversify your edible plants! Want some instant satisfaction 60 days or less, plants some carrot, radish, dandelion seeds. Tomatoes, Peppers for 120 Days or Less.

Here are some quick producing fruiting plants (less then 3 yrs);

Physalis peruviana
Passiflora sp.
Dragon Fruit
Bananas

[natsgarden123]

@bc
I like this hobby, but the waiting is a bitch!

Took a friend through my yard today. I planted most in spring 2008 and things are getting very big as of November 2012.  My Carrie and Haden are getting freakin' big and he can see the difference only seeing my trees once or twice a year   (btw Haden is a v good mango don't believe the naysayers)

So my take is give four years for big impact

Are you attempting to keep your Haden small?   

[zands]

@bc
I like this hobby, but the waiting is a bitch!

Took a friend through my yard today. I planted most in spring 2008 and things are getting very big as of November 2012.  My Carrie and Haden are getting freakin' big and he can see the difference only seeing my trees once or twice a year   (btw Haden is a v good mango don't believe the naysayers)

So my take is give four years for big impact

Are you attempting to keep your Haden small?

2013 will be year number five for my Haden tree. Right after its 2013 mango harvest I am going to cut and trim it back by 1/3.  All these years I have only done tip pruning to it.  Haden is beginning to shade out younger mango trees plus my property is too small to let Haden grow wild.

I have posted before but>>>>  Haden is my largest mango tree due to having bought it in 7 gallon size (at Spykes Nursery) in 2008. Other mangoes I bought 2008 were 3 gallon. So my instant advice to anyone who wants to plant some mango trees is to diversify and buy some in the 7 gallon and 15 gallon size. Buy some 3 gallon too (most of mine were) but at least get some 7 and 15 going and producing sooner!