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Topics - johnb51

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1
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Best of the New Zill Mangos (Truly Tropical)
« on: February 26, 2018, 07:06:08 PM »
I watched all three videos on Truly Tropical's YouTube Channel in which Har Mahdeem and Marlys Zill discuss the new Zill varieties, and their favorites seem to be Peach Cobbler, Juicy Peach, Fruit Punch, Cotton Candy, and Orange Essence although they had good things to say about the others.  By the way, do we have any idea if Zill will release Orange Sherbert, which is a favorite of Richard Campbell?

2
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Post-Hurricane Tree Recovery
« on: September 25, 2017, 08:50:21 AM »
New leaves on just about everything--two weeks after Hurricane Irma blew through.  I've watered a lot, and we've gotten decent rain.

3
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Pinks Mammoth vs. Paxton Prolific Atemoya
« on: September 05, 2017, 03:51:03 PM »
It's my understanding that Paxton Prolific might require thinning since it sets fruit heavily without hand-pollination.  If you do that, would the fruit be identical in flavor and quality since PP is a bud sport of PM? 

4
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Atemoya on Guanabana Rootstock?
« on: September 01, 2017, 09:03:13 AM »
Is it possible to graft atemoya scions onto guanabana rootstock to produce atemoya trees?

5
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Pine Island Nursery VS. Excalibur
« on: July 28, 2017, 12:19:08 PM »
Have you seen how PIN has revamped their website?  Unfortunately they didn't add any of the newer Zill mango varieties to their Mango Variety Viewer.  I would imagine that they do sell some of them.  Excalibur, on the other hand, lists Coconut Cream, Cotton Candy, Edgar, Fruit Punch, Honey Kiss, Juicy Peach, Lemon Zest, Orange Essence, Peach Cobbler, Pina Colada, Phoenix, Pineapple Pleasure, Providence, Seacrest, Sunrise, Sweet Tart, Ugly Betty, and Venus.  Wow!

6
Is it true that Carrie and Angie are very similar in flavor?  If so, which one is superior and has less issues?  And if you consider them not similar, how are they different, and which one do you prefer?

7
I live in Deerfield Beach and have a 4-year-old Mallika tree which I need to remove to make room for something other than mango.  In the spring I cut it way back to the main branches, and it has filled out beautifully with new growth.  You'll have to dig it up yourself, but you don't need to get all the roots for the tree survive.  Contact me if interested.

8
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Thomson Red Avocado
« on: March 31, 2017, 12:50:45 PM »
The Thomson Red is a Jamaican variety,  You will pick it green and it will turn red brown.
Fruiting in September, they will grow to be 20 to 40oz.
Fruit is smooth with a creamy texture.


Is anyone growing this one, or have you tasted it?

9
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Uses for Starfruit and Sapodilla
« on: March 27, 2017, 09:36:44 AM »
Since these two fruit trees bear so heavily in South Florida, you're probably looking for ways to use the fruit.  If you enjoy fruit smoothies, either one is a great addition, and their flavor complements other fruit very well.  I'm using sapodillas at this time of year and starfruit during their season.  (HEALTH NUT ALERT: my standard breakfast--a smoothie with various fruits, plain Greek yogurt, chia seed, flax seed, hemp seed, apple juice or coconut water to make it liquid, and maybe a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar.  Who knows--it may help me live to be 100, although my mother turns 100 this year without it!)

10
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Pineapple Pleasure and Pina Colada
« on: March 19, 2017, 02:27:29 PM »
How do these two match up?  How similar in flavor are they?  Is one clearly superior to the other?  Do they ripen at the same time?  What about tree and growth charactersitics?

11
Tropical Fruit Discussion / What would you replace Mallika with?
« on: March 16, 2017, 10:11:22 AM »
I'm not having much luck with Mallika.  It doesn't want to bear much fruit--hardly any blossoms again this year--and it's easily the least healthy and robust mango tree in my yard.  Also, I wasn't impressed with the flavor last year.  I'm thinking of replacing it with Honey Kiss.  I want to go with a small, compact tree.  Is Honey Kiss considered a fine-flavored mango that's SUPERIOR to Mallika?  Can you describe the difference in flavor?  I know it has a later season, but that works for me.

12
Tropical Fruit Discussion / USDA Will Revise Zone Map
« on: February 14, 2017, 09:37:17 AM »
Yesterday I was listening to a gardening program on WLRN's "Topical Currents," and the gardening experts who were answering callers' questions said the USDA is going to once again revise their climate zone map.  Zone 11 will start at Hollywood Blvd. in Broward County.  We can probably say good-bye to winter weather in South Florida!  (I like 50's and 60's.  Boo-hoo!)

13
Tropical Fruit Discussion / My First Day Avocado (lousy)
« on: September 07, 2016, 12:38:20 PM »
My tree is 3 to 4 years old.  It carried one avocado to maturity this year.  WHEN SHOULD I PICK IT?  (I picked the last Simmonds today, out of a total of 3.)

14
Tropical Fruit Discussion / How Small Can You Keep a Lychee Tree?
« on: August 15, 2016, 12:30:09 PM »
(I was thinking of planting an Emperor lychee tree because I want a SMALL lychee tree for one of the few remaining spaces in my yard.  Just how bad (or good) is the quality of the fruit compared to other varieties?  How does it compare?  I know it's not considered one of the best.  Anything else I should know about this variety since online information about it is scarce?)

See my last question.

15
I planted a 3-gal. soursop/guanabana tree from Excalibur Nursery, Lake Worth, about 4 years ago.  I believe they told me it was grafted and low-fiber.  The tree is producing its first crop this year.  I am more than satisfied with the fruit.  I wouldn't call it fiberless or even low-fiber (maybe there's no such thing?), but nevertheless, it's sweet and delicious, and the tree is bearing heavily.  I scoop out the pulp and mash it through a coarse strainer (not too much work really), and then use the resulting fiberless pulp in various ways.  What a great fruit!  Definitely a favorite.  I recommend Excalibur 100% for soursop trees.   

16
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Giant Ameiva Lizards!!!
« on: July 19, 2016, 09:56:49 AM »
Deerfield Beach, where I live, is epicenter for Giant Ameiva Lizard infestation, and my yard seems to be epicenter of the epicenter!  Because their diet is one of insects, their favorite pastime is digging holes everywhere I have mulch spread--under my trees and in the flower beds.  As the lizards grow (to 20 inches!), they make the holes larger and deeper to the point that they're almost the size of gopher holes.  There seems to be at least a dozen of them working over my yard every day.  Any way to control them, as in capture/kill?  As if all the iguanas weren't bad enough!

17
Tropical Fruit Buy, Sell & Trade / Sun Gold Papaya Plants
« on: May 26, 2016, 07:20:25 PM »
I have some very small Sun Gold papaya plants (3), which I started from certified seed (Aloha Seed).  Sun Gold is supposed to be a sweeter variety than Red Lady.  Described as "Robust plant/Excellent yielder/Tolerant to PRSV/Fruit sets at 75 cm."  If you have something to trade for them, let me know.  If you have nothing to trade but would still like them, also let me know.

18
Calling all annona experts!  What is the germination time for (very dry, very hard) annona squamosa seeds?  How many weeks?  I've already been waiting about a month, and nothing has happened.  Should I have done something other than planting them in pots and keeping the potting soil moist?

19
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Downside to Keeping Mango Trees Small?
« on: April 28, 2016, 07:04:24 PM »
The upside to severely pruning mango trees to limit size would be manageability, easy picking, and growing (a number of) trees where space is limited.  But wouldn't the downside be limiting the potential of your trees especially in regards to production?  What would a happy medium be?  The ideal size.  Fifteen-foot-tall trees?  Of course, there would be variation between cultivars.  (I'm writing this as I watch the little mangos continue to fall from my six-foot-tall Pickering tree.)

20
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Mango Fruit Set and Retention
« on: April 25, 2016, 07:15:38 PM »
It's interesting how certain mango trees/varieties set so much fruit and then proceed to lose about 90%.  Angie and Pickering set fruit like crazy, and now most of them are on the ground around the tree.  I know that's a good thing because the tree should retain only what it is strong enough to bring to maturity.  Also, you wouldn't want all the limbs to break under the weight of too much fruit.  How unique are mango trees in this regard?  I don't have any peach trees in South Florida, but when I did in California, we would thin the fruit to get better size and quality.  Mango pretty much seems to thin itself.

21
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Jimmy Kimmel Tries Durian, 4/20/16
« on: April 21, 2016, 10:30:43 AM »
Did you see Jimmy Kimmel last night?  Jessica Chastain was a guest, and she had just returned from working in Asia.  She brought a "gift" for Jimmy, which was a durian fruit.  She told him she had fallen in love with the fruit in Asia.  Jimmy cut it open, and was instantly repelled by the odor.  When he tasted it, he said it was somewhere on the border between horrible and delicious, and then he subsequently said he felt like he was going to throw up.  Anyway, it was totally hilarious and served to introduce durian to late-night TV viewers in the USA.  If you go to the website for the show, you can view it.


22
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Insect Damage to Avocado Leaves
« on: April 17, 2016, 07:37:25 PM »
Okay.  It's not from Sri Lankan weevils, which chew at the edges and are visible during the day.  The leaves are looking like SWISS CHEESE--full of holes throughout--but the insects seem to be nocturnal only, not visible at all during the day.  I've seen slight damage of this sort in past years, but this year the leaves are being devoured!  Is anyone familiar with this problem?

23
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Atemoya Wish List
« on: April 12, 2016, 01:00:53 PM »
Paxton Prolific, Tropic Sun, Arka Sahan, Calostro, Birula.  Has anybody in the States tasted all of these?  Is Arka Sahan still considered an atemoya if it's only 25% cherimoya?

24
If you live in North Broward or South Palm and you'd like to start some banana plants, I've got pups for you.  Dwarf Red (beautiful plant), Namwah, and Mysore.  If you have something to trade, fine.  But not required.  PM me.

25
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Size of Blossoms--Avocado
« on: March 25, 2016, 10:45:25 AM »
The size of the blossoms on the Simmonds tree are extremely tiny and delicate, compared to Day and Oro Negro.  Does this sound normal?  Honeybees are still all over them.

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