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Messages - Mark in Texas

Pages: 1 ... 117 118 [119] 120 121
2951
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: My Eureka Lemon won't flower...
« on: May 22, 2013, 10:42:39 AM »
Quote from: bsbullie on May 22, 2013, 10:13:52 AM
Mike's issue needs to be addressed in terms of Florida.  Soil, temps and growing co ditions vary greatly between Florida Texas and California.   As I have stated in the past, Flying Dragon is used more often for its cold heartiness. ..while many citrus that ar sold in SFla are on Swingle.

I understand and like I pointed out, you may have just made my point - that the Swingle rootstock may have a negative influence.  One must understand the characteristics of the rootstock's influence on the scion and also some finer points such particular elemental uptake, preferred pH range, etc.

FWIW, Flying Dragon is used to dwarf and impart cold hardiness.

Mark

2952
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Mini-trip to Jeff's place Tamarac FL
« on: May 22, 2013, 10:39:51 AM »
Wow!  Excellent job!

2953
Tropical Vegetables and Other Edibles / The official "my tomato can beat up your tomato" thread
« on: May 22, 2013, 09:17:01 AM »
Gonna stop hijacking one of the lemon threads and start a new one on maters.....

Quote from: Mark in Texas on May 21, 2013, 07:48:51 AM
Quote from: fruitlovers on May 21, 2013, 05:54:40 AM

Hi Mark, i can tell you don't know your heriloom tomatoes. There are so many that are 10's that it would make your head spin! I worked one summer at Seed Savers Exchange in Iowa and got to taste about 400 varieties that year. Sorry to derail the thread.


What I do know I don't like regarding the heirloom tomato's growth habits, productivity, disease issues, tendency to catface and crack like crazy, blossom end rot issues and all the ones I've tasted have not come close to the richness, texture, juice, perfect round shape and skin-that-melts-in-your-mouth of the new 'Rodeo'.  It was developed in Florida for hot climates. http://www.plantanswers.com/Articles/BHN_602_Tomato.asp  Another one I love is "Big Beef".  Please start a thread recommending some varieties, I'll try anything.  For example, I've been growing Dutch bred greenhouse tomatoes since the fall.  Here's a great resource for seeds, catalog is a must have - http://www.johnnyseeds.com/

Regards,
Mark


Quote from: fruitlovers on May 21, 2013, 06:25:08 PM
I haven't tried Rodeo but would be willing to bet some of the heirlooms are as good or better. As i remember some of the best tasting ones of the heirlooms to my taste buds were the orange colored ones that were streaked with red inside. I don't remember all the cultivar names, there were 4-5 like this. One i remember was called Pineapple Pleasure, or something like that, was many years ago. I think seedsavers.org sells some of these.


I'll look for it, thanks!

Quote from: Jsvand5 on May 21, 2013, 09:17:47 PM

Cherokee Purple
Cherokee Green
Neves Azorian Red
Eva Purple Ball
Black Cherry
Sun sugar ( Hybrid cherry that is really good)

I grow Big Beef sometimes. It's a pretty good tomato, but all of the above blow it away. I'll give Rodeo a try next season.

Thanks for those names.  Other than the cherry what is your fave?  I've already got my tomato crop in for 2013 - Big Beef, Rodeo, and Sunmaster (Sunmaster seeds no longer bred). 

Rodeo aka BHN 602 is the craze of Texas now.  It was developed by a Florida research facility and sets excellent fruit throughout our hot summers.   Off of 3 Rodeo plants I grew last year I canned 2.5 gals. of juice and ate and gave away "tons".  The canned maters is blood red and sweet as sugar.  Makes great chili or pasta sauce.  My plants finish at 7' tall by 5' wide and are grown in 5' tall by 3' diameter cages built out of a 50' roll of concrete reinforcing cloth, the kind that has 6X6" mesh.

Like another member pointed out, your mileage will vary depending on where you are, soil, and how you grow.

Mark

2954
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: My Eureka Lemon won't flower...
« on: May 22, 2013, 08:49:53 AM »
I agree with Carlos, doubt if N is the culprit.  Perhaps an influence of the rootstock?  My current citrus trees on Flying Dragon behave a lot differently regarding veg and fruiting habits than the ones I used to grow on sour orange.

I give my faves the typical tropical NPK values of 3-1-2 and they are loaded.  Might try Peter's Citrus Feed and see how they do.  It's a 20-10-20 with triple chelated Fe.    Unless your soil is severely deficient in K don't ever apply a 0-0-50.  You'll induce another elemental antagonism affect regarding N, Ca, and Mg.  See this concept - http://www.totalgro.com/concepts.htm

If I knew what your soil analysis revealed and the quality of your water source is I could make a pretty good educated guess as to what is going on.

Mark

2955
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: To Remove Or Not To Remove Existing Back Yard Lemon Tree?
« on: May 21, 2013, 07:48:51 AM »
Quote from: fruitlovers on May 21, 2013, 05:54:40 AM

Hi Mark, i can tell you don't know your heriloom tomatoes. There are so many that are 10's that it would make your head spin! I worked one summer at Seed Savers Exchange in Iowa and got to taste about 400 varieties that year. Sorry to derail the thread.


What I do know I don't like regarding the heirloom tomato's growth habits, productivity, disease issues, tendency to catface and crack like crazy, blossom end rot issues and all the ones I've tasted have not come close to the richness, texture, juice, perfect round shape and skin-that-melts-in-your-mouth of the new 'Rodeo'.  It was developed in Florida for hot climates. http://www.plantanswers.com/Articles/BHN_602_Tomato.asp  Another one I love is "Big Beef".  Please start a thread recommending some varieties, I'll try anything.  For example, I've been growing Dutch bred greenhouse tomatoes since the fall.  Here's a great resource for seeds, catalog is a must have - http://www.johnnyseeds.com/

Regards,
Mark

2956
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Avocados in a greenhouse? Yes you can - Oro Negro's first fruit!!!!!!
« on: May 21, 2013, 07:40:44 AM »
Quote from: GreenThumb on May 20, 2013, 08:23:57 PM
Mark,

Congrats on those lil Cados,  :)

Really nice healthy tree, and nice fruit set. Great Job!! I look forward to seeing an update on how they mature.
How's the Reed? I'm thinking of getting one.

Reed is fine.  They are not cold hardy you know.

2957
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Avocados in a greenhouse? Yes you can - Oro Negro's first fruit!!!!!!
« on: May 20, 2013, 02:11:56 PM »
Quote from: CTMIAMI on May 20, 2013, 01:49:13 PM
NICE LOOKING BABIES. Looks like a Pine Island tree?

Thanks Carlos and yes it is, like I said in the first post.  I also got a Brogdon from Pine Island with the same shipment.  Their quality of stock, shipping method and service is unbelievable.

2958
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Avocados in a greenhouse? Yes you can - Oro Negro's first fruit!!!!!!
« on: May 20, 2013, 02:09:44 PM »
Quote from: zands on May 20, 2013, 09:49:18 AM
Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones?  No wonder he's the epitome of health and youth.  I always thought he grew only poppies, for its medicinal value.  ;)


Here is more on your favorite Rolling Stone and his lemon cultivation hobby >>>> http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/bizarre/2974076/Keith-Richards-loves-growing-lemons.html
[/quote]

Can't believe it!  He looks pretty good compared to 10 years ago.  In case you missed it I was being facecious about his health.  Looks like he finally got his act together. 

2959
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Avocados in a greenhouse? Yes you can - Oro Negro's first fruit!!!!!!
« on: May 20, 2013, 09:35:54 AM »
Quote from: zands on May 20, 2013, 09:23:02 AM
The French aristocracy grew citrus in their ratty old greenhouses. Keith Richards grows lemons in Connecticut. My sister in Pennsylvania has a French friend with a lemon bush/tree. Just saying  :)

Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones?  No wonder he's the epitome of health and youth.  I always thought he grew only poppies, for its medicinal value.  ;)

2960
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Foliar Feeding
« on: May 20, 2013, 09:04:45 AM »
Quote from: BestDay on May 19, 2013, 01:31:08 PM
It's been over a year.  Is everyone happy with their new foliar feeding products?  I want to start a foliar feeding program and was interested in what people thought after a year.

Bill


Hard to beat Dyna-Gro products.  They are complete and have up to 16 essential elements.  !/2 tsp./gal. with a Spreader-Sticker aka surfactant.  Highly recommend DG's Foliage Pro - 9-3-6 or the standard 3-1-2 ratio for tropicals.  N nitrate to ammonical ratio is spot on.  http://www.dyna-gro.com/936.htm
 

Mark

2961
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Foliar Feeding
« on: May 20, 2013, 08:59:12 AM »
Quote from: NewGen on February 04, 2012, 01:44:26 AM
I like Spray N Grow products.

Then you like sodium.  Check out the analysis. 

2962
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: To Remove Or Not To Remove Existing Back Yard Lemon Tree?
« on: May 20, 2013, 08:57:59 AM »
What do you like more, fresh lemons or mangos? Can you get quality fruit at a fair price at your local farmer's market or grocer?  How much of a slave to your plants are you willing to be?  These are questions I'd ponder.

It's kinda like veggie gardening.  I only grow what I know will get me quality produce with limited inputs that is either too expensive in the store or of poor quality.  Tomatoes comes to mind and  speaking of maters, I'm a variety research freak.  We have a new tomato that you need to get your hands on - BHN 602 aka "Rodeo".   Out of 4,500 tomatos trial, it was selected #1 at the 2012 San Antonio Stock and Rodeo.  Think of the richest, sweetest, reddest 10 oz tomato with a skin that is very resistant to cracking and catfacing but melts in your mouth, produces like crazy and that's BHN 602.   Much better quality than the current trend/fad back to heirloom tomatoes, which I think are of poor quality and taste.  Asparagus is another one that's worth planting.  Out of 9 crowns planted 2 years ago, I've picked so much asparagus we're sick of it!  I'm letting it go to ferns.

Regarding the lemon's root system - head down hiney up!  Sometimes I spray an unwanted tree like that with glyphosate to kill it and allow the roots to rot a bit, then yank it out.  Otherwise, you're gonna have to sever those roots and then dig it out by hand.  I cheat and use a chain and my tractor's bucket to yank stuff out too, but I doubt if you have that luxury.

Mark

2963
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Avocados in a greenhouse? Yes you can - Oro Negro's first fruit!!!!!!
« on: May 20, 2013, 08:43:10 AM »
Quote from: ASaffron on May 20, 2013, 08:02:21 AM
excellent work Mark!!

thanks for sharing!

Now what will you fruit next??

Thanks!  Still looking, got any recommendations?  I have some room available although when it comes to exotic fruit I'd like to taste it first.  BTW, a lemon costs $0.46 a piece in our local grocery stores!

2964
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Avocados in a greenhouse? Yes you can - Oro Negro's first fruit!!!!!!
« on: May 20, 2013, 07:43:24 AM »
Quote from: ReneeFLL on May 20, 2013, 06:54:55 AM
Wow thats great. Soon you will have your own avocados to eat. Nothing more satisfying than growing your own.

Yep, and that first cado will have cost me ONLY $20,000!   ;D  Well, at least I can say I grew it, hah!  I also have about 20 fruit on the Reed and about 2 cados on the Brogdon, which is turning out to be quite a brute.

All citrus trees are loaded, after really going through about 6 months of transplant shock, dropping all leaves.  Mex. lime, Moro blood orange (for my signature Margarita), Rio red grapefruit and Meyer Improved lemon.  Grafted them to Flying Dragon rootstock I started from seed.

Thanks Zands, I hope so.  Can't do what you guys in Florida do <sigh> but we do have the climate to grow incredible peaches, wine grapes and other goodies like pomegranates.  A Joey avocado is going outdoors in the ground next spring.

Regards,
Mark

2965
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Avocados in a greenhouse? Yes you can - Oro Negro's first fruit!!!!!!
« on: May 20, 2013, 07:38:54 AM »
Quote from: nullzero on May 20, 2013, 01:59:00 AM
Mark,

What type and size of the containers? Looking great btw!

They are bottomless RootBuilder pots that you make yourself, in any size you want.  I started with about 20 gallon on the citrus and cados and then added 3 panels to the cados and bumped them up to about 30, maybe 50 gals.?  I rushed them but not ever working with this special root tip pruning system did not know when to increase the size so I had to look.  They weren't ready but it won't hurt a thing.   I'm a poor judge of actual size but they are now huge, like 30" diameter or so.  Backfilling took one whole bucket full of mix regarding my compact tractor's bucket.

2966
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Avocados in a greenhouse? Yes you can - Oro Negro's first fruit!!!!!!
« on: May 19, 2013, 10:26:13 PM »
Thanks people, its a work in progress.  My primary risk was pollination issues and it worked.   I open up the house with a roof and side vent in late winter/spring (Feb. - April) and have about 6 different pollinating species doing their biz - butterflies, moths, all kinds of flies, bees, etc.
 
Soil is a mix of 1/2 inert inorganics (sand and vermiculite)  and organic (compost, pine bark, cypress mulch.)  Slow release food, a 18-4-9 Polyon product.

BTW, if you're going to do this, you need to have a tall house.  Mine is 18'.   I will control height by pruning and using Bonzi, a PGR.

Hi Ed, heat source is a Reznor UDAP propane heater.

Mark

2967
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Avocados in a greenhouse? Yes you can - Oro Negro's first fruit!!!!!!
« on: May 19, 2013, 10:28:49 AM »
Damn proud of this considering it was pencil size and very small when planted late winter of last year.  There are about 30 fruit left after I dropped quite a few and because of natural fruit shed.  As far as I know, I don't know anyone growing avocados in a temperate climate in a greenhouse.  Would like a link to other growers doing the same if known, please.  This is one of 7 cado trees in mi la casa de verde.   8)  Two from Pine Island, the others (Reed, Sharwil, Gwen) I grafted onto Florida pits.

Mark









2968
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Tahiti Lime
« on: May 19, 2013, 09:57:48 AM »
Quote from: fruitlovers on May 13, 2013, 04:11:33 AM
Quote from: Mike T on May 13, 2013, 04:07:27 AM
Not that it matters but I thought Key Lime pie was named after the Keys rather than the Key Lime.

I might have to call my semantics arbitrator to straighten this out!  :-\  Whatever the original foundation of the recipe is from, now it has come to pass that key lime = mexican lime. Floridians can correct me if i'm mistaken?

Ditto in Texas.  Key lime = Mexican lime - small green lime turning yellow, seedy, juicy, rich limey flavor, very tart.   Small thorny tree.  Seen them growing wild in Mexico.    FWIW, my thornless Mexican lime in my greenhouse is loaded.

Mark

2969
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Time Release Fertilizers - affected by weather
« on: May 16, 2013, 07:27:18 AM »
Quote from: Mr. Clean on May 16, 2013, 02:38:42 AM
At 90F, it says 7-8 months.  See picture.





Thanks.  Looks like your bag is item #1143 which doesn't come up when I Google it.

2970
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Time Release Fertilizers - affected by weather
« on: May 16, 2013, 07:18:28 AM »
Quote from: fruitlovers on May 15, 2013, 06:25:27 PM
Simplot? Where is that? Hawaii is a big place with 8 different islands.


Don't know. Click on Distributors, it comes up as a distributor in Hawaii.   Probably Honolulu - http://www.polyonthinkgreen.com/howitworks.html

2971
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Time Release Fertilizers - affected by weather
« on: May 15, 2013, 08:33:47 AM »
Quote from: Mr. Clean on May 14, 2013, 09:54:07 PM
My local fertilizer store didn't have the Harrell fertilizer.  I bought an Osmocote Plus 15-09-12   12-14 month Northern, which lasts 7-8 months at 90F.  I got 50lbs for $61.  The bag looked a little old.  Are they discontinuing it?  Should I stock up?


Hmmmmmm, seems there's 3 different formulations, item numbers, for this product and they're all pricey.  http://www.amleo.com/Scotts-Osmocote-Fertilizer-15-9-12/p/VP-OS-15912/   :-\

And this is why I prefer Polyon: 

Quote
Months of Product Longevity: Nutrient Diffusion
Throughout the season, the membrane slowly releases dissolved nutrients through diffusion. This controlled-release of nitrogen is triggered by soil temperature, not irrigation or rainfall, which helps eliminate growth surges.


http://www.polyonthinkgreen.com/howitworks.html

Looking back over my notes I bought it a couple of years ago at $47/50 lb. bag.

Simplot distributes/sells it in Hawaii.

2972
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Time Release Fertilizers - affected by weather
« on: May 15, 2013, 08:03:54 AM »
Quote from: Mr. Clean on May 14, 2013, 10:46:51 PM
Quote from: Cookie Monster on May 14, 2013, 10:00:54 PM
wow you got a killer deal. Last time I bought that stuff I paid like 90 bux for it. Where did you buy it? That's my favorite formulation.

Quote from: Mr. Clean on May 14, 2013, 09:54:07 PM
My local fertilizer store didn't have the Harrell fertilizer.  I bought an Osmocote Plus 15-09-12   12-14 month Northern, which lasts 7-8 months at 90F.  I got 50lbs for $61.  The bag looked a little old.  Are they discontinuing it?  Should I stock up?



Winfield Solutions in Boynton Beach.  What's the shelf-life of fertilizer?  I might get 2 more bags.


Whoa!

Uh oh, got all excited until I checked the longevity stats.   Not sure where you got the 7-8 months at 90F?  Only 5-6 months is what I'm coming up with which still isn't bad.   Gonna call up my Winfeld agent and if it's only $61/bag, I'm in for one or two as the specs are excellent.  Will also check out Polyon and get back to you guys.  http://everris.us.com/sites/default/files/e903246_.pdf

Mark 

2973
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Time Release Fertilizers - affected by weather
« on: May 14, 2013, 07:24:33 AM »
Quote from: fruitlovers on May 13, 2013, 10:52:11 PM
We don't have as high temperatures as you do, but we probably have 5x the amount of rain or maybe more? And as you noted most slow release fertilizer is affected by moisture as well as temperature. The specs you posted are only for that brand of fert which i've never seen here.
I only use slow release on my potted nursery plants. I usually use Osmocote Plus or any other slow release that has the micronutrients as well as the NPK. Some plants like Nutricote better, and it's usually cheaper.

Funny but Nutricote aka "Dynamite" is outrageous here.  A couple of pounds of Nutricote costs about as much as a 50 lb. bag of Polyon.  I buy the Polyon from Winfeld Solutions.

You must live near Hilo.  Love the big island. One of my most enjoyable experiences was renting a 4 wheel and going up to the summit.  Got taken in by an astronomer and given the cook's tour of the Keck and other observatories.  Always stayed on the Kohala coast and did Saddle Rd. over to the east side many a time.

I probably keep my pots about as wet as the rains you endure in ground.  I like feeding a plant a little at a time....don't believe in doing starvation/gorge diets.  Some of my favorite foods are Dyna-Gro Foliage Pro and Jack's Citrus Feed.

Aloha....

2974
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Time Release Fertilizers - affected by weather
« on: May 13, 2013, 10:42:03 PM »
Quote from: Mr. Clean on May 13, 2013, 10:40:47 PM
Quote from: Mark in Texas on May 13, 2013, 10:38:21 PM
Quote from: fruitlovers on May 13, 2013, 06:45:04 PM

Mark, it's not a problem for the plants. It's only a problem for your pocket book.  :(  What happens in the tropics is that the total length of release time is about halfed. So that fert rated for four months actually lasts about 2 months. I buy the longest rated ones: 9-12 months and figure it lasts about 1/2 a year. It's true that in very rainy climates they will last even less time.  :( :(  Big expense now as a 50 pound bag can be well over $100 bucks.  :'(


I live in central Texas, that means heat.   My plants tell me a year later they like what I'm doing.  You'll get 10 months load at 90F soil temps.  I've been to all the islands and you don't have those type soil temps except on the west side.

Attached is the 12 month profile. 







Nice specs!


Damn straight....

BTW, this is the same product you find in many packaged soil mixes and is used by golf course managers.   Get acquainted with Polyon. 

2975
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Time Release Fertilizers - affected by weather
« on: May 13, 2013, 10:38:21 PM »
Quote from: fruitlovers on May 13, 2013, 06:45:04 PM

Mark, it's not a problem for the plants. It's only a problem for your pocket book.  :(  What happens in the tropics is that the total length of release time is about halfed. So that fert rated for four months actually lasts about 2 months. I buy the longest rated ones: 9-12 months and figure it lasts about 1/2 a year. It's true that in very rainy climates they will last even less time.  :( :(  Big expense now as a 50 pound bag can be well over $100 bucks.  :'(


Are you talking Polyon which you have experience with, or some other product?

I live in central Texas, that means heat.   My plants tell me a year later they like what I'm doing.  You'll get 10 months load at 90F soil temps.  I've been to all the islands and you don't have those type soil temps except on the west side.  You'll get up to a 13 month load at 60F.

Attached is the 12 month profile. 




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