Cacao are notoriously difficult to grow when young due to rot. I've never been successful growing them from seed.

Stihl might have an edge up when it comes to gas powered machines. But I think husqvarna makes the best battery powered units. I've been switching over to battery.. just got a batt powered hedge trimmer too. Lighter weight (usually), less noise, no futzing with gummed up carburetors nor storing and mixing gas. If you get 2 batteries, the charge time is roughly the same as discharge time, so you can just keep rotating. They've designed the batteries such that they last roughly as long as a full tank of gas.

That's what I figured would happen. I've read that those are just temp hives.

Arrived home this afternoon to find my visitors have departed. Checked other trees and around the exterior
of the house and found no sign of them. Love it when mother nature does her best work.

Yep. And, it doesn't need to receive OMRI approval to be permitted for organic production. There is a list maintained by USDA that defines what is allowed and what is not.

The main difference between organic and synthetic is how a supplement is sourced, and oftentimes the exact same product is available with and without organic certification (the former at a higher cost of course).

Quote from: FruitFreak on October 31, 2018, 08:12:43 AM

Not to hi-jack, but does anybody know an OMRI approved Potassium?  Thanks.

0-0-22 is organic.  Its called "langbeinite"
0-0-50 is also organic and naturally occuring sulfate of potash. 

You can get either of these for dirt cheap.  May cost extra for them to go through the certification process but there are ones that are omri listed.  Try googling them.

To my knowledge, no. Gypsum is used to ameliorate salt burn, and you want the Ca to K ratio to be above 10 to 1 (probably preferably 20 to 1) for best brix.

There is an FSHS article that I posted here in another thread a while back where growers applied multiple tons of gypsum per mango tree (like 4k pounds per tree if memory serves), and the outcome was very favorable.

So, the only detriment would be a slimmer wallet if you apply more than needed.

I apply it once a year usually.

Update: here's the fshs article; looks like it was 1k pounds of gypsum per tree per year: https://fshs.org/proceedings-o/1962-vol-75/364-371%20(YOUNG).pdf

Is it possible to overdo the gypsum?  Im trying to decide how much to buy.  You use it once a year or multiple times? 

Got a big list of stuff on order for January with Harrells.  They have the polyon slow release 16-6-12 50lbs for 35$.  Its basically the same stuff as osmocote.  Also they have water soluables for cheap.  Can't beat the prices.  You guys probably have a Harrell's out there.  They have a wharehouse here, I put the order in to my rep via email and show up and they load the truck. 
 

Those are great prices, a few cents cheaper than what I'm paying. Get the granulated gypsum; it's easier to spread and you don't get to breathe in a bunch of dust. I just laid down 1/2 ton of Kelly's myself.

Quote from: Cookie Monster on October 30, 2018, 10:45:11 AM

Adding K alone can result in a Ca and Mg deficiency, depending on the soil. Richard Campbell recommends 0-0-50. However, he's growing on very (very) calcareous soil. You're much better off applying a full nutrient package, unless you happen to live in Homestead. One year, I gave a healthy dose of K to my mangoes (without Ca), and jelly seed was off the charts.

The higher price for online ag products I was referring to excludes shipping cost. Margin is simply a lot higher for online ag suppliers, as they don't really cater to large scale growers.

Helena is one of the best deals around if you're close enough to get it delivered.

cookie, when using gypsum for calcium is pellet form or or powder preferred?

Theses are prices I was quoted from Harrells for some common fertilizers.  They have Harrells in Florida too I think.

Here are prices per 50# bag:
Kellys Gypsum      $11.25
0-0-50                  $23
0-0-22 Sulpomag    $19.65
0-45-0 Triple Super $13

CC could also stand for coconut cream.

OP's tree is pretty small. I don't think there is any risk of over application. In fact, gypsum is recommended to mitigate salinity issues in soil. And it totally depends on circumstances. If you have calcareous soil to begin with, you likely don't need gypsum. Or, if you're on acid soil, calcium carbonate would be a better choice. The key is ensuring that your trees have enough calcium. I've read that ratio of Ca to K should be north of 10 to 1 for max brix (essentially making Ca a super macronutrient). Lack of Ca also produces softer flesh, which in carambola manifests itself as fruit that has little to no crunch.

Usually growers in my area (west broward) don't need to supply calcium. But my situation is very unique. I have a layer of black muck several inches thick, which is the result of a decade worth of ultra heavy mulching. Compost / muck has its own set of advantages and disadvantages, too much K in relation to Ca being one of the bad points. I had the curious experience of observing all the fruits in my orchard drop in sugar content gradually over a 10 year span as the mulch decomposed and feeder roots started to hang out in the richer muck layer.

You could probably also throw the Ca to K and Ca to Mg ratios out of balance by applying too much K or Mg. This can be detected as a color change in fruit flesh (darker orange usually) and softer flesh (eg, internal breakdown in mango). Unless you're in super ca rich soil, you probably don't want to apply K without Ca.

One of the disadvantages of gypsum is that it doesn't seem to stick around for very long. Har, recommended a less soluble form of Ca called soft rock phosphate, which I've been applying as well

Jeff, when you say "a few pounds a year" for a small tree, do you mean? 10, 20, 30lbs? and how often should it be spread around the tree, all at once? or a couple of pounds every two week? I just planted my first one last month so I want to make sure it gets what it needs to prosper. Thanks in advance! XE

Cookie Monster getting excited!

I moved to FL from socal 13+ years ago -- with literally miles of haas avocado groves within walking distance from my house (right next to the Calavo packing house). Still have not adapted to the horrible west indian avocadoes that are grown here. Over the years, I've found a couple that I can down without retching (usually the ones with giant seeds and thin flesh -- which seems to concentrate the flavor a little).

I give my kari about 150 - 200 pounds of gypsum a year, but it's a large tree, over 10 years old. Gypsum is inexpensive if you get it from a fertilizer supplier. I get mine for $12 / 50 pound bag... actually just got 1/2 ton delivered the other day to prep for mango season. Brix on mine went from 8's to 12 to 14 with gypsum.

Your young tree probably only needs a few pounds.

I'm so jealous! You want to sell / trade budsticks? I have the Florida Hass, which is excellent, but doesn't turn black like that.

I'll give ward labs a shot.

Curious to see the updated soil test from cbss.

Don't prune now. Blooming can start in late Oct / early Nov.