Show Posts

This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.


Messages - brian

Pages: [1] 2 3 ... 108
1
Yup!  I wouldn't rip up a perfectly good tree if you're happy with it, I just mean for anybody starting new Nordmann is the way to go.

2
I certainly believe you, this particular type sounds interesting to me also.  I started noting my the seeds/scion/plants I acquire as "from so-and-so" as I suspect there will be a lot of variability once things come to fruit.

3
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: grafting question
« on: Today at 05:48:31 PM »
here's example of zip tie + bag



this one the scion already had parafilm, but if it doesn't I don't bother adding it

4
When I visited Excalibur and got a suebell it was labelled as such.  So were most of the trees I saw there.  I'm sure they have some disorder but it wasn't like the whole place was without labels and they are going from memory. 

5
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: grafting question
« on: Today at 04:25:32 PM »
my method is to use a few small zip ties to hold the graft union tight, then put a plastic baggie over the whole thing.  I don't use buddy tape/parafilm anymore. 

This method works for me because I struggle to get the film and other tape wrapped tightly, often I am grafting a bunch of branches onto one rootstock and there are thorns or other branches in the way that makes wrapping difficult.  I really like zip ties instead, they hold very tight.

6
They taste identical to me.  I see zero reason to grow plain seeded Nagami unless you are using it as a breeding parent. 

7
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Root stock for Ross Sapote graft
« on: March 19, 2023, 10:20:15 PM »
There was recently some discussion in buy/sell/trade about lucuma rootstock options and from this thread it sounds like lucuma, canistel, mamey, ross all close enough to be graft compatible.  Good to hear, I had grafted some excess lucuma scion onto a ross sapote seedling, and I still have some more I might graft onto my canistel.

8
I believe I have the "excalibur red hybrid" though it was simply labelled red lime.  And yes it is dark orange rather than red, even the description says "as red as a honeybell tangelo" which isn't red at all

9
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Rollinia bloomed for the first time
« on: March 19, 2023, 01:19:43 AM »
I planted mine in ground in my greenhouse to give it a try, fully expecting to cut it down if it isn't amazing.  I hear mixed things about it.  I've got other annonas, I will probably only keep one or two in the end.

10
Citrus General Discussion / Re: white pummelo identification
« on: March 19, 2023, 12:09:44 AM »
If it is from Taiwan, it could be 文旦柚子,Wendan pomelo.  It is the most grow pomelo in Taiwan.

It wasn't labelled with country of origin, or might have said China, I forget now.  The shape looks a bit off, but the flesh and peel looks exactly right.  This seems a likely candidate, thank you.  Unfortunately, I've never seen this variety for sale in the US

11
Red lime has sour orange taste, it isn't anything like a typical lime.  It tastes like a rangpur&kumquat hybrid

12
I do, no HLB in Pennsylvania.  Are you in NE USA, or EU?

13
The grocery store types eureka and lisbon are nice and productive.  Limequats are good if you are looking for single serve juice to squeeze into a drink. 

14
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Rollinia bloomed for the first time
« on: March 17, 2023, 08:22:02 PM »
I am interested if these are self fruitful or need pollination.  Mine also bloomed for first time last year, but only a few blooms and no fruit set. 

15
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Inga flowering already
« on: March 16, 2023, 02:07:05 PM »
It is greenhoused in winter so climate isn't an issue.  Mine is in a 25gal container and is about 7ft tall, trunk diameter is about 1.5in

16
Citrus General Discussion / Re: soil wetting agents
« on: March 16, 2023, 01:49:08 PM »
You are absolutely right that soaking the containers in a tub of water solves the problem, but I have a *lot* of containers, it would take all day to do them one at a time :)

17
I can't speak from experience, but my recollection from various threads on this topic is the most common rootstocks are cherimoya and pond apple.  There's a table of known compatibility somewhere if you search the forum, though it isn't very complete.

18
Citrus General Discussion / Re: soil wetting agents
« on: March 16, 2023, 11:41:46 AM »
To be clear, I am not looking for a wetting agent to retain water, but one to cause water to flow more freely through the container to avoid hidden dry pockets. 

I know that soil mix is the best way to handle this, but I'm thinking of wetting agents as an additional safeguard. 

19
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Inga flowering already
« on: March 16, 2023, 11:35:57 AM »
Nice!  Hope you get fruit.  My inga edulis flowered for the first time (at much larger size) last year but didn't set fruit.  Hoping this year it will.

20
Citrus General Discussion / Re: soil wetting agents
« on: March 15, 2023, 07:14:49 PM »
Yucca! but you have to add it to the water I think not the soil so I'm not sure if that would work

I found this recommended various places... when digging a bit it seems to be yucca "saponins" aka soap, right?  Much of what I am finding is basically "use soap" but ideally non-detergent potassium-fat soap.  And it looks like the liquid types are close to every watering. 

21
Citrus General Discussion / Re: soil wetting agents
« on: March 15, 2023, 04:06:25 PM »
I interrogated ChatGPT about this and it seems that most common wetting agents are plain soap and polysorbate, both of which I already have.  And wetting agents and surfactants (used for insect-smothering and foliar fertilization spays) are much the same thing and used interchangeably.  The soap I use for smothering insects is "Dr Bronners pure castile soap" which is a salt of potassium (not sodium) so it shouldn't cause salinity issues in soil.  I can't find a satisfactory answer on how long these remain effective in soil... seeing anything from days to months.  If it must be included in every watering it is a dead end for me as I have too many plants to amend every watering. 

Seems there are some granular agents that might last longer, looking into that...

22
Citrus General Discussion / soil wetting agents
« on: March 15, 2023, 03:23:08 PM »
We all spend a lot of time thinking about soil mixes and drainage.  I have personally seen severe tree damage or death caused by large dry areas of hydrophobic soil inside of a container mostly caused by too much peat moss.  But whenever I buy some decorative plant or use seed starting soil I am always amazed to see mostly-peat soil draining like sand.  I now know this is because they have added wetting agents.  It makes me wonder... why not just add wetting agents to all container plants with ever repotting (they don't last forever).  If I search for 'wetting agents' I get a mix of:

 1) scientific articles not specific to agriculture talking about wetting agents in a general chemistry sense
 2) various soil wetting agents for sale
 3) instructions on how to make your own wetting agents, seeming to always be detergent soap + water

So, we all know plants don't like salty soil, so dumping soap into the soil doesn't sound like a good idea at all to me.  Of the many wetting agents for sale, I can't really understand the pros and cons of different types.  Anybody have experience with this?

Is there a low cost wetting agent that I can safely apply to my container trees?

23
Citrus General Discussion / white pummelo identification
« on: March 15, 2023, 03:14:58 PM »
I found this white pummelo at a local asian market, any idea what type it might be?  It is large, heavy, unusually thin rind for a pummelo.  Seedless, dry (not juicy), teardrop shaped.  It is very good tasting.


24
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Fruits with Side Effects
« on: March 13, 2023, 05:32:18 PM »
It's very noticeable in nagami, fukushu, marumi.  You can often find nagami kumquats at grocery stores. I have them all growing in my greenhouse.

25
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Fruits with Side Effects
« on: March 13, 2023, 11:25:10 AM »
Kumquats create a tingling sensation similar to szechuan peppercorns

Pages: [1] 2 3 ... 108
SMF spam blocked by CleanTalk