The Tropical Fruit Forum

As far as the vanilla is concerned, I don’t have production comparisons right now but the growth looks the same in the 3 areas where I have plants. 
One of those areas has good soil underneath.  Another is too wet for my liking and the third has poor soil from a landslide.
But I have seen vanilla grown on cement or gravel in Mexico.  Then they support a medium of composting biomass that measure about70cm across and 30cm high.  That medium gets applications of all kinds of stuff.  The idea with having gravel underneath is to keep out any pathogens that might be in the soil.
Peter

It’s taken awhile but our place is profitable as an organic agroforestry farm.  It works because we grow stuff that gets a good price.  It’s a business.

Nice video, you certainly are putting a lot of effort into this and your approach seems well thought out.
I’ve noticed at my farm that the soil quality varies significantly from area to area as well.  The area has a history of landslides and we had one five years ago that completely changed an area of 5000sq meters.  At first it was a soft, creepy moonscape.  Then some sections burste forth with growth while others to this day barely grow weak looking grass.  I replanted the areas of high weed growth with fruit trees and the result was amazing.  In 3-4 years I had production of sapodilla, canistel, terap, and others.  The areas that seemed unsuitable have been planted with vanilla and pitaya since they don’t really need soil.  Those epiphyts are on living posts with stakes around their base to hold the biomass they want.
Anyway, that’s a small scale solution to a good soil, bad soil solution.
On crops that produce high income we apply rock phosphate and magnesium sulfate.  We also apply manures and we apply laboratory produced lactic acid every two weeks unless it’s too dry.  Everywhere we apply microorganisms has biochar which we produce on the farm with a TLUD adapdted steel drum. 
I don’t think leaf cutter ants help in any way.  The leaves that they bring to the nest are all subsequently removed by them and decompose on top of the sterile hills they produce.
Saludos, Peter

Personally, I would use microorganisms.  An EM type culture of lactic acid micros ot trachederma culture applied as a drench to the root feeding area and perhaps on the foliage as well.
Peter

Fruits twice a year for us.  I sense some coco in the flavor, piña colada.
Peter

Single Langsat trees produce fruit. Congratulations!!
Peter

Sure, for really rare fruits Borneo would be the best. But Kalimantan is a little hardcore. It can be rough. My experience is that it doesn’t have very good markets or very interesting farms. You absolutely have to have a good guide.
Malaysian Borneo does have interesting farms, better markets, and lots of people speak English.
Peter

If it’s been flowering for 6 months shouldn’t you have fruit by now?

If potassium sulfate is produced naturally then it is accepted for organic.  We can easily get that here in CR.
Peter

Sounds to me like the problem is the fault of the seed seller. Good salak seeds should work well if shipping time was only 1 week. The seeds weren’t fresh when shipped.
Peter

Im not really sure which mulchi it is. I started with that one, let’s say standard, and dwarf mulchi. The dwarf mulchi is easy to get to fruit and it’s a cute plant. The fruits are ok but not much to them.
I just got giant mulchi from Jim on his last visit. I hope to plant it out later this year.
Jim says all his stuff is in partial shade.
My mulchi gets direct sun but not all day.
Peter

Yes, it’s self pollinating.
Peter

Not too sure about your analogies.  I’m surprised you don’t say creamy.  Creamy sweet with soft fiber and a strong smell.  I’ve had people think there was a gas leak!  I have never experienced any trace of acidity in the champedeks I’ve eaten.
Peter