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Messages - funlul

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1
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Trimming overgrown avocado tree then graft?
« on: April 05, 2018, 03:37:43 PM »
Oh and I finally removed the struggling queen branch (graft got half broken by accident but continued to grow).

In terms of vigor, for my tree Fuerte ~ Reed ~ Mexicola > Jan Boyce >> Sharwill. One year old Mexicola (suspected) shoots up for the sky and is already much taller than three year old Sharwill (which is not quite able to support itself upright).

2
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Avocado thread
« on: April 05, 2018, 03:27:26 PM »
Quote from: spaugh on April 05, 2018, 10:08:10 AM
Reed blooms last and self pollinates.

Even though reed does not have the "alternate bearing" reputation, I was still a little concerned. Thank you. Anxious to taste my first properly ripened reed.

3
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Avocado thread
« on: April 05, 2018, 01:24:51 AM »
Does reed bloom for you guys in socal yet? New to reed, it's holding lots of fruits this year and hesitant to flower. All other trees are in frantic bloom and I start to worry I may not get many reeds next year.

4
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Do you like jujube fruit?
« on: April 05, 2018, 12:57:11 AM »
I have li and although it produces well, we never have enough. I have heard sugar cane and honey last do not produce well, not sure if it's pollination issue.

5
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Trimming overgrown avocado tree then graft?
« on: April 05, 2018, 12:37:25 AM »
Tree is doing well.



6
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Grafting pitaya / dragonfruit
« on: February 23, 2018, 12:45:57 PM »
Dear TFF folks, I have a few mature (2-3 yr) df plants that I'd like to "top work" and change into S8 -- never have enough of them. Questions:

1. Can I graft onto semi-hardened rootstock? The vascular cambium (spine?) seems much larger and harder than the scion I have.
2. If I cut scion into 2-3 pieces, should I let the open wound on top heal first before grafting? Is it a good idea to tape or parafilm the top?
3. For securing the grafting union, would you recommend tie or tape? Will tape increase the risk of mold?

Thank you very much!!!

7
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Trimming overgrown avocado tree then graft?
« on: February 05, 2018, 01:14:09 PM »
Continuing the updates...

General growth and fruits:
Fuerte: I removed new branches from the top easily, just needed good eye sight! Because of limited production after heavy pruning, this year's fruits are very large.
Jan Boyce: it was expected to ripen later than fuerte, but I think it's kind of ready in January and drops some fruits, and skin habitually cracks open (see photo). They will be eaten first.
Sharwill: growing more after I cleared some room for it.
Mexicola grande (suspected):  fast vigorous grower!
Reed: late season heavy producer, complements other varieties well.

Next year's flowers:
Fuerte: full bloom, earliest of my varieties.
Mexicola: OMG it's flowering! I don't know if these thin branches are capable to support fruiting in one year's time yet, will monitor closely.
JB, Sharwill: noticed buds.
Reed: no flower yet, late babies.






8
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« on: October 05, 2017, 02:07:11 PM »
Very cool! Thank you very much

9
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« on: October 04, 2017, 02:52:21 PM »
My yellow df has a flower developing for the first time, but it's already October. Considering the slow speed of yellow df, do you think I can realistically expect fruit for next year? Or will frost kill it?

10
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« on: September 12, 2017, 01:52:16 PM »
Quote from: Louie on September 08, 2017, 06:20:28 PM







Hi Everyone, I was looking for some advice.  I have a few dragonfruit in various stages of ripeness.  I also have a few friends who are coming into town next Sunday (9/17) who i have promised said dragonfruit to.  I would like the fruit to be as good as possible and was wondering if it would be better to pick the fruit that is dead ripe now and store in the fridge, or if it would be better to leave the ripe fruit on the vine until next Sunday even though it is perfectly ripe now.  I have previously left dragonfruit in the fridge for a little over a week and it seemed good, just wondering if anyone knows if it is better to leave on the vine.  Thanks for any help and suggestions.

I will not call it dead ripe. Normally I leave the fruit on the vine as long as I can. Watch for rodents and splits though.

11
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« on: August 16, 2017, 05:37:55 PM »
I plan to leave my fruits on the vine until the last second (before they split). Usually what pests are after ripened fruits? Anyway to protect the fruits while letting them continue to ripen?

12
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: How to train your dragon... oh fuerte avocado
« on: August 15, 2017, 07:49:49 PM »
Quote from: alangr088 on August 15, 2017, 03:10:44 PM
At what height were you trying to keep your fuerte at? I think I can live with it being about 15 feet tall if it is feasible

Ideally 1.5 stories tall, 1.75 stories at most. I guess that's roughly 15-20 ft.
As I mentioned, I will keep removing new shoots from the same cut, not sure if it works well. My dragon ain't quite tamed yet.

13
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: How to train your dragon... oh fuerte avocado
« on: August 15, 2017, 02:42:28 PM »
Quote from: alangr088 on August 15, 2017, 02:07:54 PM
I have been told by some people working at nurseries that it can be controlled at about 15-20 feet. Is that about the height that you have tried to maintain you Fuerte at?

About right. Reachable thru the right picker. And it produced plenty of quality fruits last winter.

14
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: How to train your dragon... oh fuerte avocado
« on: August 15, 2017, 12:45:06 PM »
Quote from: alangr088 on August 15, 2017, 10:36:47 AM
It is because of your struggles with the fuerte of keeping it small that I have given serious thought into taking mine out of the ground (which is about 7 feet tall, 2 years in the ground has about 15 avocados on it right now) and replacing it with a Sir Prize.

RIP baby dragon...

15
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: How to train your dragon... oh fuerte avocado
« on: August 15, 2017, 12:54:09 AM »
My fuerte tree received a major cut earlier this year. (Sigh and hampered this season's production severely, could never figure out the right time to prune)

Of course it wants to grow back up immediately. My plan was to always remove new shoots from that cut before they harden. However is there a better way? I also saw people hanging weight on branches so they grown sideways instead of shooting straight up?

16
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Trimming overgrown avocado tree then graft?
« on: August 15, 2017, 12:45:22 AM »
Fuerte branch received a major pruning earlier this year and understandably has much fewer fruits this season. I hope to always remove new shoots from that cut and not suffer major production losses in the future.

Reed is crazily loaded: there are newer branches almost touching the ground.

Jan Boyce also produces well considering its size.

Sharwill, to my surprise, is either alternate bearing, or shadowed by nearby fuerte branches. Last year a smaller branch had quite few fruits. Just made some room for it.

Queen: poor thing was nearly broken as a new graft, never attempted to flower and will be removed.

Hass and mexicola grande: made room for these new grafts, hoping they can flower next season.

Maybe there is hope I'll soon have year around avocado. Telling my parents when to pick what, is a different story!!

17
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Guava recommendation?
« on: August 15, 2017, 12:31:24 AM »
I finally have an in-ground guava tree, lol. It is a seedling Taiwanese emperor guava and I grafted my friend's yellow super aromatic soft guava onto it. (idk after how many tries before one took. guava surely hates grafting). Both flowered this year but I did not let them fruit. Maybe next year!! :D

18
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« on: August 14, 2017, 02:44:22 PM »
This year I'll compare some of my df varieties to S8 in terms of flavor and productivity. May end up removing some of them and replace with "worthier" varieties.

Lisa is one of them on this list.

19
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: The Reed avocado thread
« on: August 13, 2017, 12:32:14 AM »
Quote from: Mark in Texas on August 12, 2017, 07:36:32 AM
Now.......last year's fruit set is unreal.  We've been eating super rich Reeds since May. 

I truly regret picking my few reeds earlier this year, mistakenly thought they ripen together with fuerte.

20
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: The Reed avocado thread
« on: August 11, 2017, 07:55:57 PM »
Quote from: spaugh on August 11, 2017, 02:17:09 PM
Yes, you need to wait about 10+ more months.  I will start eating them next May and they ripen here maybe a bit earlier than most places in CA.  My reeds are about the size of tennis balls currently.  They should be more like a grapefruit or softball size and then they still need many months to get the oil up.  Last year my reeds were about 1lb 13oz in April

Would you think reed will still thin its fruits from now on? Branch is heavily loaded already, if the fruits will gain weight significantly I'd worry about support.  ???

21
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: The Reed avocado thread
« on: August 11, 2017, 02:26:12 PM »
Quote from: spaugh on August 11, 2017, 02:17:09 PM
Yes, you need to wait about 10+ more months.  I will start eating them next May and they ripen here maybe a bit earlier than most places in CA.  My reeds are about the size of tennis balls currently.  They should be more like a grapefruit or softball size and then they still need many months to get the oil up.  Last year my reeds were about 1lb 13oz in April

Thank you!! Good to know before I waste 'em!! Mine are about tennis ball size too.

22
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« on: August 11, 2017, 01:50:24 PM »
Quote from: fyliu on August 10, 2017, 09:17:10 PM
Yeah, S8 I gave it to a friend who doesn't garden. I go water their plants twice a year and they still get 5 fruits.

Put me on the waiting list for magic watering too lol

23
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: The Reed avocado thread
« on: August 11, 2017, 01:45:36 PM »
Hello all, I'm delighted my grafted reed branch is loaded with fruits. Bloom was from maybe December last year, and I am really uncertain when is suitable harvest time for reasonable oil content and flavor? I've heard August - September for harvest, but reading this...

Quote from: Mark in Texas on October 03, 2013, 10:22:36 AM
Reed is one of my faves too, if, allowed to hang on the tree at least 16 months.   

...am I one year too early?? Having no prior experience with reed, the fruits definitely still look small 9 months after bloom. Do I need to wait until May NEXT YEAR?

24
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« on: August 07, 2017, 06:11:28 PM »
LOL thanks! I don't intend to let it climb on the wall (mom will get paranoid). Will sort of guide it to grow more in the sun.

Any thoughts about DF root system hurting the foundation of the house?

25
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« on: August 07, 2017, 05:26:07 PM »
Quote from: ricshaw on August 07, 2017, 03:36:40 PM
I would be more concerned on which direction the side of the house is facing.

Thanks! It faces west.

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