The Tropical Fruit Forum

Just sent this as an email and decided that it might help someone with their choices.  There's a lot to consider and this is a big committment for most.
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Howdy,

I too thought I needed at least a double wall, was focused on it for a long time.   But if you want to grow tropicals, they need all the light they can get.   Chose the corrogated Palram which sticks into the ground about 4".  Embedded UV resins on the outside and resins for moisture runoff in the inside of the material.  There is a covering out of France I believe the repels the source of heat - infra-red while allowing high light.   Never could get my hands on it though.

I went with a Reznor UDAP propane heater and love it.  http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.Xreznor+udap+heater.TRS0&_nkw=reznor+udap+heater&_sacat=0&_from=R40

I paid $20,000 turnkey for my 30X36X18'H Zephr Nexus which has an automated roof vent and guillotine south facing side vent (for the south prevailing winds) running the 36' span.  I have 2 swamp coolers and they're are not cutting it even though they put out about 10,000 cfm.  Just not enough pad square footage and not thick enough plus I play hell with my water hardness.  I need to work on cooling and have explored mist flash systems....you name it.  Even though I painted the metal members white after the fact, they still get damn hot! The cooling stages are 6 phase.  I have a dirt floor.  Keep in mind you're gonna get a lot of leaf drop and if you have gravel it's gonna get clogged up.   

I was worried about pollinators but with the vents cycling open/close like they do in the early spring, I have all kinds of flying insects that just love my cados and citrus.  They always manage to leave before sunset. 

IMO, if you MUST do a multi wall, don't go more than double for the best light transmission.  You're not in Michigan.  Also, that megastore tends to have high prices, on everything.  I shop Ebay and other places. http://www.nexuscorp.com/StructureDetail.asp?sId=4

Oh, Texas Greenhouse near you is another choice.  My dad had one and raised orchids.

Mark

Rather than hijack a thread, gonna start with a reply to Carlos regarding balancing a tree or plants foliar/root production with the fruit.  Using my young Oro Negro as an example......

I would remove most if not all of them. Don't give in to the pressure!

I understand, but again, I think dropping or retaining fruit is a grower's call based on the vigor and mass of roots and foliage no matter if it's a pecan tree, peach,  mango or avocado.  There is no black and white protocol when it comes to gardening IMO.....you have to learn to read your plants.  They'll tell what they need if you're smart enough to observe and "listen".  If they're weak, then by all means drop their fruit.

I have excellent, very vigorous roots and foliage with a huge flush of foliage going on, so I think it can support the fruit.  I'll wait until the first cold snap which means the heat's gone for 2013 and done it's dirty deeds (dropped fruit), and then make another call. 

Bottom line, a grower must learn how to balance his fruit load with the vigor, health, root mass and foliar mass of his plant material.  Give you an example, I also grow wine grapes and if I have a wimpy vine I make sure and drop all of its young clusters so that the vines resources can rebuild that vine.  I have almost killed vines by overloading them.  Takes a long time to recover too.  Same with peaches but I let my gusty winds knock the fruit off and about 60% is dropped by the winds.  My wimpy looking Gwen is one precocious mom and it took me forever to pluck all the blossoms off it.  Now it's exploding with new foliage where it was pretty much a bare little tree while blooming.

Just took these photos of an Oro Negro that was planted last March in my greenhouse in bottomless RootBuilder pots.  It has 24 beautiful fruit.  Discussion welcome!

Mark

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.     Two from Pine Island, the others (Reed, Sharwil, Gwen) I grafted onto Florida pits.

Mark

March 2012, I grafted Reed to a 6 month old Florida seedling that I started from seed and it has set quite a few fruits.  Veneer graft is super strong and thick.  Per the grower "norm", I'm inclined to pull all fruit to let the "energy" go into roots and foliage but to me that decision depends on plant health, foliage/root mass, and vigor.   Except for the impending summer heat which starts soon and lasts until September, my greenhouse avocados have the best of conditions.  IOW, they're not stressed and have a robust root system thanks to the custom backfill and RootBuilder pots.  New foliage output has just begun after spring foliage drop.

Input appreciated!   And as an aside, if you need info on the merits of root-tip termination/training, I'm your man.   







Thanks,
Mark

I have a young Gwen tree which started showing this brownish-red branch rot, then turning black, working its way down from the top of the plant on one of the main "trunks".  I've cut below it twice and it continues its trek.  This usually stops on its own but it went past a small scaffold branch and kept on going.  I just cut barely below it and sprayed the tree with two systemics I use on grapevines, both known as wide spectrum - Pristine and 3336WP.  I suspect anthracnose.  Too much plant food has been frying some young leaf tips and margins.  Could it be that?  Just flushed it with rainwater.

Thanks,
Mark