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Messages - zands

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3501
Tropical Fruit Discussion / South Florida rain and damp clearing up for rest of Febuary says Accu-Weather
« on: February 10, 2012, 08:23:58 AM »
Two more days of crud then comes relief--->>

http://www.accuweather.com/en/us/sunrise-fl/33351/daily-weather-forecast/337629

http://www.accuweather.com/en/us/sunrise-fl/33351/february-weather/337629

Good news for mango production. Lotsa panicales at my place but 99% of my panicles have not opened up into flowers so its looking good at my house at least. I'm thinking the damp hurts mangoes most when the flowers are open and subject to pollination. This is when the fungus can take hold. Or am I all wet? :)

3502
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Extreme Mango Bloom
« on: February 09, 2012, 10:12:15 PM »
JH--Your grafted PSM is nicely budding and will graduate from shrub to tree very soon ...... Then I'll have to make sure tree sheddings don't clog up the A/C coils. But should not be a big issue to keep on top of.

3503
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Extreme Mango Bloom
« on: February 09, 2012, 09:38:18 PM »
Quote from: FloridaGreenMan on February 09, 2012, 08:05:59 PM
The second one is my 6 yr old Pin Saen Mun (PSM) that is overloaded with bloom.



I thought Pin Saen Mun were supposed to grow upright in habit. Yours is a low rider PSM...low and loaded.  Here is a PSM I just planted (another Jeff Hagen graft) front of my air conditioner to beautify it. The town requested people  plant shrubs or decorative fences so A/C units are not street visible






3504
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: seedless lychees?
« on: February 08, 2012, 01:47:18 PM »
@lycheeluva
It could be that seedless lychees don't have much to them. I see seedless grapes and seedless watermelons as jokes. As inferior to the seeded kind. It's a shame to see seedless grapes and watermelons taking over the markets. Gets harder to find them each year. Consumers must be voting for them. grrrr...

3505
Tropical Fruit Discussion / DIY foliar iron spray and possibly copper and others (homemade)
« on: February 08, 2012, 09:27:27 AM »
Just putting these out for your consideration. Why should we be slaves to expensive store bought mineral chelates. I have done neither yet though I do have iron and copper sulfates on their way to me and I already have DMSO sitting around. You will find one gallon 99.85% pure DMSO at Amazon from a horse tack shop.Delivered for about $40. http://www.amazon.com/Valhoma-INDUSTRIAL-SOLVENT-DMSO-GAL/dp/B00562ST6Y/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1328710733&sr=8-2  Though I would just deal direct with this source, they are on the internet in a big way. Big Dee's Tack & Vet Supplies.
 DMSO is a lignin product. Look at the label of your Southern Ag Citrus Foliar. You will see unbound (unchelated) iron, magnesium, zinc, manganese sulfates plus their sulfates bound (chelated) to lignins.

Ascorbic acid= vitamin C and goes for about $14/lb

DMSO based foliar sprays    http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1749-6632.1967.tb34876.x/abstract

DMSO based foliar sprays     http://www.avocadosource.com/Journals/FSHSP/FSHSP_VOL_78_PG_358-364_1965.pdf

DMSO based foliar sprays        http://www.fshs.org/Proceedings/Password%20Protected/1971%20Vol.%2084/17-23%20%28BASIOUNY%29.pdf

Ascorbic acid + mineral sulfates nutritional sprays --- http://www.reeis.usda.gov/web/crisprojectpages/203864.html   Research done at USDA in Miami. The ascorbic acid helps mineral sulfates penetrate leaves same as DMSO

3506
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Anyone using copper sulfate on their mango trees?
« on: February 06, 2012, 10:25:26 AM »
Quote from: Sleepdoc on February 06, 2012, 09:36:52 AM
Tough to say, but it sure is wet and humid for February.  I started spraying copper last week on my small trees, and I may continue to do so every week or 10 days from now on. 

I am only going to do this on those that are under 10 feet tall or so.  The big ones will have to take care of themselves this year.  No more climbing up a 16 ft ladder with a 4 gallon backpack for me ...

What form of copper may I ask? I am about to buy some copper sulfate... Ebay 3lb for $15

3507
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Anyone using copper sulfate on their mango trees?
« on: February 06, 2012, 08:43:49 AM »
In South Florida I'm looking at the rain today and drizzles of the previous four days and probably the next four more days. The mango panicales are out, this moisture is making them susceptible to anthracnose. Copper is supposed to prevent it. The time to apply it would have been before this rainy interlude.

How much is this rain going to hurt 2012 mango production here? Based on what you have seen in previous years.

3508
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Foliar Feeding
« on: February 05, 2012, 02:15:37 PM »
Quote from: Saltcayman on February 05, 2012, 12:19:51 PM
The turf pro sounds like a great suggestion. Thanks. Does anyone think their is a downside to using a hose end sprayer?


Too much water ....you need one of these. I would go with a window cleaner spray bottle until I got one....which actually works great but you cannot reach higher leaves with one. But maybe you can get enough of the good stuff on lower leaves to keep the tree happy

3509
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Have you considered growing Myrciaria vexator??? I love this jaboticaba relative
« on: February 05, 2012, 04:34:56 AM »
Thanks Adam. I never heard of this one


http://organicfarm.net/fruitnursery.htm

Fruit Fact Sheet
Blue Grape, Myrciaria vexator
   Common Name: Blue Grape

Botanical Name: Myrciaria vexator
Max Size: 15 FT
Time To Fruit: 3-4 Years
Availability: Limited Stock
Price - small size : $25.00

Fruit Description
This jaboticaba relative has grape-like purple excellent fruits that taste somewhat like sweet grapes. The nursery specimen are from a high quality cultivar grown at Govardhan Gardens.




3510
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: What is the best lychee?
« on: February 04, 2012, 02:29:16 AM »
All I know is lychees are always so expensive in the store compared to mangoes. $4.00/lb is the least expensive I have seen while you can luck out with decent Florida grown mangoes @$1.00 each. Plus you can buy backyard mangoes or get donations from neighbors. Lychees trees in back yards are far less common even though they are usually mentioned along with mangoes in this forum. So I better plant the Brewster lychee I have sitting in a pot

3511
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Foliar Feeding
« on: February 04, 2012, 02:20:23 AM »
Quote from: jb_fla on February 04, 2012, 01:15:28 AM
Foliar feeding was brought up on the Organic Gardening post.  I was curious the various products people have had used with good results.  I have always used the Southern Ag Citrus Spray for foliar feeding.

What products, organic or not, are you using?

My big question is why not buy iron sulfate and magnesium sulfate  (Epsom salts). Both are cheap. Make foliars with them with a little soap to adhere better to leaves and such.  Are iron and magnesium chelates better for foliar feeding than the simple sulfates? I know  that Souther Ag foliar (which I have) has a few other chelated and non-chelated elements .... zinc and manganese.

Southern Ag citrus foliar seems to be chelated elements and plain old unchelated sulfates


http://www.southernag.com/docs/labels_msds/chcitr.pdf
GUARANTEED ANALYSIS:                  BY WT.
Total Magnesium as Mg 1.00%
Water Soluble Magnesium as Mg 1.00%
Chelated Magnesium as Mg 0.70%
Soluble Iron as Fe 1.20%
Chelated Iron as Fe 0.70%
Soluble Manganese as Mn 1.20%
Chelated Manganese as Mn 1.00%
Soluble Zinc as Zn 1.70%
Chelated as as Zn 1.50%
Combined Sultur as S 4.10%
Derived from: Magnesium Sulfate, Magnesium Lignin Sulfate Chelate, Manganese Sulfate, Manganese Lignin Sulfate
Chelate, Zinc Sulfate, Zinc Lignin Sulfate Chelate, Ferrous Sulfate, Ferrous Lignin Sulfate Chelate. Chelating agent is Lignin
Sulfate.
Guaranteed by:  Southern Agricultural Insecticides, Inc.   P.O. Box 218     Palmetto, Fl 34220
USE PRECAUTIONS
THIS PRODUCT WILL SEVERELY STAIN CONCRETE, MASONRY AND PAINTED SURFACES.  B

3512
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Introduce Yourself
« on: February 04, 2012, 12:31:27 AM »
Quote
The topsoil on my farm is mostly a good quality loam, with a little too much clay in some areas.   Most areas drain well, but water weeps out of rock in a few places for 3-5 days after a good rain.  The soil is shallow in some places, with soft volcanic rock underneath.  It's a very dark soil.  I use plain topsoil for starting plants in bags - nothing added.

I only started farming 5 months ago, and am still in the process of clearing land.  Only the first 3 acres have been planted with fruit so far.
John


South Florida soil has no clay content or volcanic content so yours is better just on that. Palm Beach County, Broward County and Dade County, you usually will get a soil that is 100% sand with the organic matter in it (humus) being what holds fertilizer and minerals. You might get a mucky soil depending on what era and how your land was drained and developed. Over by Lake Okeechobee lots of vegetables are grown on muck soils. You might have access to granite rock dust  http://www.permies.com/t/7154/permaculture/Rock-Dust if you have gravel operations crushing volcanic granite,

3513
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Birthday Present Ideas for my Tropical Dad
« on: February 04, 2012, 12:14:19 AM »
2 different kinds of bananas. Get  that banana patch going ASAP! Plus they give a tropical look to a place. Can even plant out front. Plantains if he likes them, cooked of course.

3514
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Tree trimmings delivered today at neighbor's house
« on: February 03, 2012, 07:04:02 PM »
Tree trimmings delivered today at neighbor's house!
This is my neighbors place...he got the delivery
I made off with some of this free tree trimmers mulch for my own place and might get a delivery myself in a few months
Some was caked up and hot w vapor coming out

Below are:
Canistel
Boniato as ground cover and perennial peanut ground cover
Surinam Cherry tree
Chinese brasscia of some kind
Neighbors smaller mango tree of unknown variety
His large Keitt mango tree
Avocado on left, lychee at right
lots of mulch on aloe vera in the front yard
sunflowers
raspberries












avocado with lychee on the right


neighbors low and wide mango tree....belongs to his neighbor one over




Keitt


boniato



Surinam Cherry tree






canistel


perennial peanut ground cover


3515
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Introduce Yourself
« on: February 03, 2012, 04:41:35 PM »

Quote


My internet is delivered through the mobile phone network.  I recieve it on a little modem that looks like a flash memory stick.   It's painfully slow by EU and U.S. standards (no YouTube for me), but okay for most websites.

John

Too bad about slow internet. Other than that, being on or very close to the salt ocean for fish to eat, plus growing all you do, where you are is ideal. Is your  soil sandy? Do you have clay content and volcanic content in your soil?

internet:
The Topography of Fiji is similar to most island in the South Pacific. This islands are mostly volcanic in origin with a substantial number of the smaller islands

Z

3516
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Emerald Mango
« on: February 03, 2012, 11:28:42 AM »
Quote from: BENDERSGROVE on February 03, 2012, 09:50:25 AM
trying to get some info about emerald mango, if any has tried this variety?? we have 2 in ground would appreciate some info on taste and growth habit. Thanks Mike

from 2010 Fairchild festival program courtesy Jeff Hagen:

‘Emerald’ (Florida) ‘ Emerald’ was selected on Pine Island, Florida
many years ago due to its heavy production, disease resistance and
excellent flavor. It falls within the ‘B ombay’ flavor class of mangos
and has a deep, rich flavor with heavy tones of berry and Indian
spice. The fruit are 12 ounces with a emerald green skin color. When
exposed to the full sun the fruit will have a slight burgundy blush on
the shoulder. The skin is smooth and waxy and very smooth. The
flesh is deep orange and without fiber. The fruit can be scored and
twisted open and eaten with a smooth. The tree is medium to large
and is a vigorous grower. Nitrogen and water should be tightly
controlled in order to get consistent, heavy production. The fruit ripen
in the middle of the summer and have excellent disease tolerance and
storage characteristics.

3517
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Honeybell orange
« on: February 03, 2012, 03:28:03 AM »
Quote from: FloridaGreenMan on January 29, 2012, 08:27:17 PM
The local place where I buy my fruit is called Doris Italian Market. Located in several locations in Broward & Palm Beach counties, they carry a nice assortment of Homestead grown fruits-veggies most of the year. During July, they sell some awesome Guatemalan grown Rambutans for $7lb.     

Was just there today at Doris Coral Springs location and bought some limes @2/dollar which you would think is expensive.  But they were so enormous I bought a few. They were so ugly they must be local grown.   Z   
Stiles Mkt on Oakland Pk Blvd goes very very local w lots of Florida in season suppliers
Swap Shop is  even better with backyard suppliers  (some at least) During a mango drought year I went there and found lotsa  backyard mangoes

3518
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Introduce Yourself
« on: February 03, 2012, 02:50:28 AM »

Quote
I'm on the most northern part of Viti Levu, the biggest island (the pin on the forum map is exactly on my farm).  It's an intermediate rainfall area, which is great for citrus and mango.  Too dry for vanilla and a few other tree crops.

The fishing is good - no need to buy cat food :-)
John

Hi J
Do you get on the internet via wide area wireless network? Though it looks hilly where you are. How does one get on the internet in rural Fiji?

Z

3519
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Organic Gardening of Tropical Fruit
« on: February 03, 2012, 02:24:25 AM »

Quote

I do add a very small amount of liquid soap to my sprays to act as a sticker. We don't have the same kind of alkaline soils here as in Florida, so don't have the iron problems here.
Oscar

Just added some soap to my foliar mix so thanks a lot. Very interesting how you rate foliar feeding superior to ground feeding. But of course you are adding tons of humus via wood chips so this takes care of a lot of ground feeding and fertilization.


3520
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: What tropical fruits impress normal people?
« on: February 03, 2012, 02:09:42 AM »
A ripened Florida backyard (or from a grove) mango will impress visitors who have only eaten lousy supermarket mangoes "up north".  But many regular ol Americans (I'm one myself) who live in Florida will refuse to eat a mango and many claim to be allergic which I don't believe. I tell them to grow fruit trees for food and to enhance their real estate value and they just don't get it. So grow an avocado tree (just about everyone likes avocados) and they won't do that. I offer to help relatives and friends up north to buy and plant an apple, cherry or peach tree....They say yes but never follow through.  And don't tell me they are too busy with children and paying mortgages.....not even one fruit tree which if nothing else enhances real estate value and aesthetics??

My conclusion is most people have 100% bought into the buy at the supermarket mentality and they ain't gonna change unless the SHTF 8) but that's when everyone will be scrounging and it will be too late

3521
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Organic Gardening of Tropical Fruit
« on: February 02, 2012, 05:42:29 PM »

Quote

I do add a very small amount of liquid soap to my sprays to act as a sticker. We don't have the same kind of alkaline soils here as in Florida, so don't have the iron problems here.
Oscar


Many thanks on that plus I just did so to my foliar spray.  You jogged my memory, I must dig up my old copy of  Secrets of the Soil http://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Soil-Solutions-Restoring-Planet/dp/1890693243/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_2  It had lots on foliar feeding plus a lot of subtle energy stuff you can find on the Acres USA bookshelf

3522
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Australian Finger Lime
« on: February 02, 2012, 05:06:37 PM »
Quote from: nullzero on February 02, 2012, 02:11:26 PM
Quote from: Fruitguy on February 02, 2012, 09:23:52 AM
It appears that Four Winds does not ship to Florida.  Does anyone have any sources that Floridians may be able to utilize?  (Or seeds, budwood, etc.?)


I can give you some seeds if mine decides to fruit this year. I bought Australian finger lime a few years back from them. Four Winds, its an excellent citrus grower (sad to hear you can't order :(, I know how it feels with mangoes). I am planning to order a Yuzu and Kaffir lime sometime this year.



Later in the summer should have ...I just communicated w them
You can email them now but they are on a soft hiatus so prefer no phone calls

Nate and Anna Jameson
Brite Leaf Citrus Nursery, LLC
480 CR 416 South
Lake Panasoffkee, FL 33538

352-793-6861 office
352-793-3674 fax

www.briteleaf.com

3523
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: My Ft. Myers Backyard
« on: February 02, 2012, 12:04:58 PM »
Here is Jabomano's post at gardenWeb where he planted a huge Glenn mango tree on his property
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/tropicalfruits/msg0722482724091.html?20






3524
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: My Ft. Myers Backyard
« on: February 02, 2012, 07:25:30 AM »
Quote from: jabomano on February 01, 2012, 11:56:43 PM
lycheeluva

I'm not sure of the exact size of the backyard but it's probably around 1/4 acre with another 1/4 acre in an easement that runs down to a small canal which I just cleared off. I'll be planting more fruit trees on this right of way.

Ray
www.raybayer.com



Jabo....I figured that was you. You are the man who posted a photo essay (at G-Web) of workers bringing in a huge fruit tree from the nursery and planting it. Was mango I think. You said you like to buy real big. Nice to see you are now planting on another 1/4 acre....thinking big!

zands

3525
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Organic Gardening of Tropical Fruit
« on: February 02, 2012, 07:12:31 AM »
Quote from: fruitlovers on February 02, 2012, 12:00:24 AM


If you apply most of your nutrients in a foliar spray you don't need to spend very much money. Plants are very efficient at absorbing nutrients through the leaves, and very inefficient at absorbing them through the roots. Most of what you put around the base of the tree will NOT be absorbed, and so most of that money is wasted.
Oscar


Good on the foliar basics--->>> http://www.florahydroponics.com/foliarnutrition.aspx

You really got me thinking on that one. This is a radical statement. Where I am we have iron uptake problems due to alkaline soils which are due to coral/limestone layers. I do  have some ferriplus which is chelated iron that can be used as a foliar or as at the roots as a "drench". I have Southern Ag foliar which has more chelated minor elements. http://www.southernag.com/docs/labels_msds/ms0190.pdf
Chelated sprays are expensive and I don't like the idea of being dependent on such fancy stuff. While various sulfates, iron, magnesium etc are cheap. Iron sulfate will not work at the roots here. The soil alkalinity blocks its absorption. I think magnesium is the same

  • do you add a little dishwashing soap to your sprays?
  • do you ever make your own non-chleated sprays? I'm thinking of making up foliar spray iron sulfate and magnesium sulfate (Epsom salts) with soap wetting agent
  • do you have any opinion on non-chelated foliar sprays?

Ebay seller of agricultural sulfates. The iron sulfate at least is water soluble and OK for foliar sprays
http://stores.ebay.com/The-Organic-Store/_i.html?rt=nc&_nkw=SULFATE&_dmd=1&_sid=23660683&_trksid=p4634.c0.m14&_vc=1

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