Author Topic: Planting Miracle fruit tree - help!  (Read 2110 times)

MotherOfDragonfruit

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 8
    • Central Florida
    • View Profile
Planting Miracle fruit tree - help!
« on: June 20, 2020, 05:37:46 PM »
We have had two small miracle fruit trees for several years. They are very picky about soil and type of water. I have read they need acidic soil. In a pot we use half perlite and half peat moss and only use rain water, and an acid base fertilizer (sparingly).

Here in central Florida we have sandy soil (aka pure sand). It is alkaline apparently. The first time we planted the miracle fruit tree straight into the ground (adding a lot of peat moss to surrounding area) it lost all its leaves... We dug it up and put it into a pot. Much happier! Now both the trees have been transplanted into big pots. They were happy but now are root bound, leaves less green and not producing berries. I can't get pots any bigger.

I was thinking of making a square raised bed maybe 1 to 2 feet tall with the soil mixture they like and let them grow into the ground...

Thoughts?

Budtropicals

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 183
  • Largest collection in the smallest yard!
    • South Florida Zone 10b
    • View Profile
Re: Planting Miracle fruit tree - help!
« Reply #1 on: June 21, 2020, 11:17:14 PM »
Perhaps it's not the pot. I know that they can do great in a 7 gallon pot for the rest of their lives. They really are better of in pots. I don't really know what else to say as I'm not that experiences with miracle fruit, but like I said they can grow perfectly in a container so you should look at the other aspects of how you are growing it.

Hope this helps.

palingkecil

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 400
    • Los Angeles
    • View Profile
Re: Planting Miracle fruit tree - help!
« Reply #2 on: July 24, 2020, 04:49:46 PM »
I just got my miracle fruit plant from an online order from a small nursery in Texas. It is much bigger than the price I paid for, comes with the pot, and already has flower and a fruit!
While I am happy with the plant, still couldn't decide if I should transplant it to a bigger pot or is there any possibility it will do well in the ground? I just hate doing root trimming of potted plants.
Does it really need acidic soil?
Anyone in So-Cal grow this in the ground?



« Last Edit: July 24, 2020, 04:53:23 PM by palingkecil »

bsbullie

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9621
    • USA, Boynton Beach, FL 33472, Zone 10a
    • View Profile
Re: Planting Miracle fruit tree - help!
« Reply #3 on: July 24, 2020, 05:00:25 PM »
Perhaps it's not the pot. I know that they can do great in a 7 gallon pot for the rest of their lives. They really are better of in pots. I don't really know what else to say as I'm not that experiences with miracle fruit, but like I said they can grow perfectly in a container so you should look at the other aspects of how you are growing it.

Hope this helps.

They cannot live in a 7 gal pot the rest of their lives.  They can get a decent size for a shrub, and would require a far bigger pot as they age.

If planting in ground, treat them as a blueberry but they will need a shady location.  They will not be happy in direct sun.
- Rob

Nyuu

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 330
    • Florida , lake placid 9b
    • View Profile
Re: Planting Miracle fruit tree - help!
« Reply #4 on: July 24, 2020, 05:04:22 PM »
To be honest I planted mine in the sand in a shady area never did anything ever again still get fruit have both small and big leaf zone 9B

brian

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3356
    • Pennsylvania (zone 6) w/ heated greenhouse
    • View Profile
Re: Planting Miracle fruit tree - help!
« Reply #5 on: July 24, 2020, 05:33:50 PM »
Mine seems happy in a 5-7gal pot.  I cut the top off once to keep it small

Dirt Diva

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 161
    • Houston, Tx 9A
    • View Profile
    • YouTube Channel for the DivingTemptress
Re: Planting Miracle fruit tree - help!
« Reply #6 on: July 24, 2020, 09:16:12 PM »
Have a Miracle Fruit tasting party !

Our bush is about 15 years old. We did not move up the pot for our Miracle Fruit more than once every 3 years. They are very slow growing, but precocious, fruiting over 100 berries in its 3rd year. I just added peat as top dressing fed it hollytone and chelated iron over the last 3 months and fruit is beginning to form ... another wonderful year for berries.

Ours prefers shade, and doesn't like winter, when it typically drops a significant number of leaves.

Happy Gardening
P J, the Dirt Diva


Faro showing off his Miracle Fruit






P J, the DivingTemptress and Dirt Diva

bsbullie

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9621
    • USA, Boynton Beach, FL 33472, Zone 10a
    • View Profile
Re: Planting Miracle fruit tree - help!
« Reply #7 on: July 24, 2020, 10:13:16 PM »
Those leaves are mighty yellow.  That pot is not optimal due to its shape.  I guarantee that plant would benefit from a larger pot and fertilizer.

I have seen a number of miracle fruit 5 - 6 feet tall and close to 5 feet wide.  The biggest in pots were in 25 gal pots.
« Last Edit: July 24, 2020, 10:16:53 PM by bsbullie »
- Rob

FMfruitforest

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 391
  • Tropical Fruit
    • USA, FL,zone 10a
    • View Profile
Re: Planting Miracle fruit tree - help!
« Reply #8 on: July 25, 2020, 06:47:44 AM »
Perlite, peat moss, small nuggets of binebark soil medium. I also use what  plinia prince recommended( epsoma hollytone)for acid loving trees and give it some fish fertilizer.



Next step up will be small trashcan

Dirt Diva

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 161
    • Houston, Tx 9A
    • View Profile
    • YouTube Channel for the DivingTemptress
Re: Planting Miracle fruit tree - help!
« Reply #9 on: July 25, 2020, 06:15:32 PM »
Bullie

I guess you didn't read my post .... I just fed chelated iron and holly tone  new growth coming and it is getting greener daily !
P J, the DivingTemptress and Dirt Diva

bsbullie

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9621
    • USA, Boynton Beach, FL 33472, Zone 10a
    • View Profile
Re: Planting Miracle fruit tree - help!
« Reply #10 on: July 25, 2020, 07:35:08 PM »
Bullie

I guess you didn't read my post .... I just fed chelated iron and holly tone  new growth coming and it is getting greener daily !


Thats a bandaid for the problem...

That shape pot (and especially  terra cotta ) are not a re commended pot for any tropical fruit trees.  Using the same soil for 3 years in the same pot is also not good.
- Rob

FRUITBOXHERO

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 418
    • Coral Springs Fl
    • View Profile
Re: Planting Miracle fruit tree - help!
« Reply #11 on: July 25, 2020, 10:10:00 PM »
bsbullie, why even try to help people.... that the sorriest looking 15 year old Miracle tree I have ever seen! in fact it's a miracle it lived that long with the shitty care it's given!
Joe

Jaboticaba45

  • Check out TN Tropical Fruits!
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2355
  • Tropical Fruit Tree Connoisseur
    • Chattanooga TN 7b
    • View Profile
Re: Planting Miracle fruit tree - help!
« Reply #12 on: July 26, 2020, 09:13:50 AM »
Got a 3 gallon from PIN last summer and its already bigger than that, so it needs a new pot and soil. Good luck, Ryan

Daintree

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1209
    • Boise, Idaho - zone 6, with a zone 12 greenhouse...
    • View Profile
Re: Planting Miracle fruit tree - help!
« Reply #13 on: July 26, 2020, 06:47:04 PM »
Oh, come on guys.  DirtDiva was sharing her experience, and the topic drifted off the question that MotherOfDragonfruit was posting about and turned into a "snipe-fest". 

EVERYBODY is learning about something, and NOBODY knows everything about everything.

Lots of folks on this forum know LOTS about plants, but we need to practice a little kindness, too.  Snarkyness is never constructive.

 - Carolyn


Nyuu

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 330
    • Florida , lake placid 9b
    • View Profile
Re: Planting Miracle fruit tree - help!
« Reply #14 on: July 26, 2020, 06:57:04 PM »
Oh, come on guys.  DirtDiva was sharing her experience, and the topic drifted off the question that MotherOfDragonfruit was posting about and turned into a "snipe-fest". 

EVERYBODY is learning about something, and NOBODY knows everything about everything.

Lots of folks on this forum know LOTS about plants, but we need to practice a little kindness, too.  Snarkyness is never constructive.

 - Carolyn
the problem is that people are ignorant . they think they know it all has to be done their way don't know it's about the experience growing as well and joy it can bring to someone . It pretty much made it as a little bonsais pretty cool something similar


bsbullie

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9621
    • USA, Boynton Beach, FL 33472, Zone 10a
    • View Profile
Re: Planting Miracle fruit tree - help!
« Reply #15 on: July 26, 2020, 07:02:29 PM »
Oh, come on guys.  DirtDiva was sharing her experience, and the topic drifted off the question that MotherOfDragonfruit was posting about and turned into a "snipe-fest". 

EVERYBODY is learning about something, and NOBODY knows everything about everything.

Lots of folks on this forum know LOTS about plants, but we need to practice a little kindness, too.  Snarkyness is never constructive.

 - Carolyn
the problem is that people are ignorant . they think they know it all has to be done their way don't know it's about the experience growing as well and joy it can bring to someone . It pretty much made it as a little bonsais pretty cool something similar


Pot stirring dumbass.
- Rob

Nyuu

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 330
    • Florida , lake placid 9b
    • View Profile
Re: Planting Miracle fruit tree - help!
« Reply #16 on: July 26, 2020, 07:09:55 PM »
Oh, come on guys.  DirtDiva was sharing her experience, and the topic drifted off the question that MotherOfDragonfruit was posting about and turned into a "snipe-fest". 

EVERYBODY is learning about something, and NOBODY knows everything about everything.

Lots of folks on this forum know LOTS about plants, but we need to practice a little kindness, too.  Snarkyness is never constructive.

 - Carolyn
the problem is that people are ignorant . they think they know it all has to be done their way don't know it's about the experience growing as well and joy it can bring to someone . It pretty much made it as a little bonsais pretty cool something similar


Pot stirring dumbass.
again I didn't talk about the pot did I you assume you know a lot but you really are yes a very ignorant person