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Messages - slopat

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26
I'll second this idea!

Kevin, maybe a late Winter early Spring get together could be fun time to exchange scion's and all :o
Will see I guess ::)

27
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: How close can I plant avocado trees?
« on: July 26, 2022, 04:23:34 PM »
Would a Finger lime and jujube hedge as living fence work?

28
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Recommendations: Pruning tools
« on: July 01, 2022, 07:29:33 PM »
The Milwaukee M12 looks nice!  Btw, speaking of Milwaukee,  the Sawzall works great for roots.

Last Christmas,  I scored on woot for a corded pole saw for ~$50+tax, free prime shipping. Have mowed down a dying narly 30 year old weeping willow , only the trunk and some 6+inch limbs awaits the chain saw. Spent more time being careful on the cuts vs sawing.  The 12awg cord is a hassle but a lot easier than the manual pole saw that ironically cost more 15+ years ago.

Sun Joe Electric Multi-Angle Pole Saw https://sellout.woot.com/offers/sun-joe-electric-multi-angle-pole-saw-1?utm_medium=share&utm_source=app

Felco and 2 if the $8 pruners Zands posted about last year. $8 to prune sappy stuff, as "loaners" or left in the truck for as needed.

I keep eyeing the Cordless chainsaws but if I didn't already have both red and yellow lines , they'd be even far too expensive. Maybe a good black friday deal this year?

29
UPS is great most of the time, just be aware that during the Christmas holidays it may be different.  Loaders are super rushed filling the trailers at night and if a small package slips closer to the bottom,  a larger and/or heavier package may end up on top.  Not a pretty sight at all when the trailer is unloaded.

All of them have issues occasionally,  USPS sent a package in a detour to Boise last year,  before going up 101 for a "short" ~180 mile trip and arriving a week later. A bicyclists would have been faster. Regarding damage, UPS decided to see how flexible a package was a few months ago... good thing it was a grape vine, but the bamboo support stick broke! Ever try breaking a 1/4 inch bamboo?




Concur that good packing helps a ton.

For anything larger than seeds or seedlings, I tend to go with UPS for this reason. They're generally cheaper for larger packages, and usually always handle them better.
...


30
Cold Hardy Citrus / Re: Fukushu grafted to Flying dragon
« on: June 28, 2022, 09:32:41 PM »
Nice!

Looks like the rooftop been working out well for you.

31
I didn't pay attention to this thread at all... can I get a raincheck? The KT1 used up my rootstock or existing tree space and seedlings are tiny toothpicks.

Date Registered:June 05, 2020, 19:26:06

This is my 2nd year anniversary month

32
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Fruit party?
« on: June 22, 2022, 03:51:51 PM »
LOL, even after another 11 years, you'll still be busy! :)   As a parent I now kind of know what my parents had to deal with, kids never grow up and house projects are forever!

One of these days, too bad I didn't find this forum before COVID when I was travelling down to San Diego monthly for work!

... Ive been extremely busy with house projects and homeschooled 1 kid through 1st grade this year.  Things are finally almost settling down and I have time to relax a bit...

33
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Papayas don't thrive
« on: June 15, 2022, 03:45:32 PM »
My sister in Hawaii just buries the seeds in a corner of the yard and a few months later, papayas magically appear. They get chopped down when the fruits get picked or grow too tall and the cycle repeats. No real effort as they seem to grow like weeds there  So nice to pick some papayas and a lemon or two at the same time.  Served chilled and splashed with lemon juice,  good stuff! 


Papaya can be tough to repot and plant; roots tend to be sensitive. Might just need some time to recover, or not. Best papaya plants for me tend to be from seeds that sprouted out of the ground.

34
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Overhyped avocados
« on: May 28, 2022, 09:06:14 PM »
I like making guacamole with my bacon avocados more so than hass,  mexicola/stewart, reeds , and definitely zutano.  Add pressed garlic and fresh ground pepper to a creamy smooth mash. My tree is so much happier now that the neighbors gigantic eucalyptus is gone. Btw, seems to freeze ok as guacamole too.

Thanks for sharing your experiences with the various trials.

35
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Trying Barbados cherry in 8B
« on: May 26, 2022, 08:10:37 PM »
Had purchased 2 last spring and growing nicely until winter. Left them unprotected next to a small mango, avocado seedlings, nate's yangmeiseedlings,  and grafted persimmon.  Also dead as Kevin's but everything else is happily green and growing.

Maybe it needs to be protected until larger ?  At least they were cheap and an experiment.

It died for me in 9b, but I also wasn't protecting it.

36
I think I've identified a source of my diminishing writing skill, I can't blame the years of talking to my kids since they were born..

https://www.justagric.com/how-to-prepare-soil-for-apple-trees/amp/

See if you find what I read.

Reading the article U of Minnesota helped straighten my thoughts.

https://extension.umn.edu/fruit/growing-apples

37
Isn't there some warnings about some herbicides that may not be adequately brokendown? Sprayed hay eaten by horses and composted that still has residuals?

And after reading the other thread about septic tanks, precautions should be taken to "test" municipal stuff before applying or simply avoiding for edibles.




38
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Pineapple thread
« on: May 12, 2022, 11:56:38 AM »
Not mine but at a house a few blocks over. Gives me hope of growing some also! There were a ton of succulents next to it.

39
Once retired when the eggs stop, they continue to take care of the slugs, snails, most bugs, low hanging grapes and unprotected vegetables, and provide the compost material. Living the good life. They do seem to start acting like dogs a bit as they age, in other ways like kids... freeloaders. :)  Sadly,  a couple if them died of old age earlier this year, lasting 7 and 10 years hence the remaining grumpy 10+ year old and new youngsters. Cheaper and easier pets than dogs plus fresh eggs again after a dry spell.

Regarding predators,  raccoons,  their coop is built like fort Knox,  hardware cloth all the way around except for siding and doors, asphalt singled roof like a normal house, concrete filled cinder blocks a foot deep for perimeter to fasten down the walls with j hooks, 6 inches of tampered gravel topped with sand (good enough for pavers). Nice run and space under the coop. Plenty of room to keep 4 or 5 birds if i don't want to let them out or am away as its designed for 12, just have to make sure there's enough food and water.



What will you do to the hens whose not laying any more eggs?  Giving them away?

40
Pretty cool. Worth the delay.  We've been refilling the hummingbird feeder every day lately,  so they must be hungry,  nesting.

41
Definetely a win-win no compromise loss with chickens. My daughter's chickens work until they retire. About 80% of our kitchen green waste gets processed by the chickens. Then the "amended" pine shavings/straw goes into the compost pile with the other 20% and yard refuse.

Good fresh eggs and compost for the plants. The 10 year old retiree "managees" the young (8 month olds) flock for  us. Talk about a stern and vicious overload. I mix the chicken compost with a couple of yards from the calpoly dairy and along occasionally with fish emulsion, seems good enough for the for the year. I do have a couple of bags of the $11 deal and some other organic just in case.

Water is the greater concern this year. Those who have been conserving too well are getting squeegeed big time.

42
Funny how sometimes when actively searching its not easily found but shows up unexpectedly when not looking? ?

I gave one yangmei to a sibling and a month later they gave me a some 1g m californicas :)

I'm all set now too. Thanks

Ps. Good luck with the truck. I'm having to deal with a radiator leak...decisions, to replace it plus hoses, heater hoses, Thermostat,  etc..  20 year old truck purchased in 2007 used so I can't complain about original parts.

43
There's a YouTube channel "Ben B in Seattle " that grew one, is that it? I think he's also in the fb yangmei group too.

Talk about convincing a relative to travel on a plane with a tree...

Same with the seedlings from Nate, in 4x14 treepots growing nicely 👌until I figure out where to plant them. More useless 30+ year old ornamentals to rip out.

44
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Irrigation pump question
« on: April 30, 2022, 05:02:27 PM »
If the water source is higher than destination,  depending on flow rate desired,  you may not even need a pump. Regardless of pump or flow valve,  don't forget the vacuum relief right after to avoid the implosion!

If the water level can be used to determine the amont of water you want moved, tank or pond, a float valve can get it going and stop. Kind of like a toilet. Also, if  possible, flow and pipe friction can be taken advantage of. Once the water stars flowing and no air is in the line, the pipe can even be run to through the top of a tank -siphon.

Good idea on no electrically run or activated parts to make it simple.


45
Citrus General Discussion / Re: Smudge pots?
« on: April 29, 2022, 01:51:52 PM »

I think  I saw them at the C&M nursery in Nipomo, CA from the freeway.  Anyways,  they are probably going to be  relics with smog issues. They are also "hot" items too url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2021/02/21/police-accuse-california-man-of-stealing-citrus-tree-heaters/

I see more wind machines in orchards these days, but caution is advised!
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.fresnobee.com/news/local/article224209950.html

I would if a patio propane heater work for smaller home orchards? Plug in box fans to keep frost from landing?

46
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Yangmei (Morella/Myrica rubra) thread
« on: April 29, 2022, 01:27:56 PM »
Similar situation with my 2 BCs   one wrapped and the other with plastic bag covering. Same leaf out and dry up.

Have another one neglected, pot placed in a 5 gallon HD bucket to catch drainage after the RKN notice,  only watered when it rained that is starting to leaf out.



47
Temperate Fruit Discussion / Re: cherries in san diego what?
« on: April 27, 2022, 04:47:40 PM »
Nice! The cherries are still just past the flowering stage up here but Now I know where to plant the Thai Dwarfs!!!!   :)

48
Hi Kaz,

One of each please.

Thanks!

49
Same here, cooler weather delivery! Thanks again!

50

As a beginner in grafting and being lazy,  either the pets or I have destroyed plenty of seedlings.  If there's room in the yard, I would put it with other plants needing similar requirements and "ignore" for a while and eating another cherimoya to plant a ton more to try again next year.  If this one survives and gets larger, great, otherwise not much lost trying.

At least this part of the hobby is inexpensive. Can't get too upset at the chicken with a seedling in their beak, sometimes.

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