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Messages - MarkoS

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26
Tropical Fruit Discussion / What am I?
« on: October 11, 2012, 11:48:17 PM »
I ran into this tree at Leu Gardens in Orlando.  The "fruits" were the size of a golf ball sized fuzzy fruit.  Is it edible? It was a rather sizable tree with dinner plate sized leaves.  For those in Orlando, the tree is with the bamboo and palms.


27
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: anyone growing Myrciaria dubia? camu camu
« on: October 03, 2012, 03:41:32 PM »
When doing some research on Camu-Camu I ran into the commercial site describing what they were doing.  It seems like the Camu-Camu seedlings may actually be fully submerged for four months.  Here's the link:

http://www.amazonherb.com/Zamu_Growing_Camu.aspx

Adam, I mentioned to you the air conditioning integrated condensation (rain) barrel.  I get about 5 to 10 gallons of clean water every day my A/C runs here in Florida.  I'm thinking you could use this system to keep the plant flooded for the summer.  Maybe add some aquarium or pond fertilizer each month.

28
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: cherry-like fruits
« on: September 28, 2012, 03:25:19 PM »
Anyone tried a goumi (Elaeagnus multiflora)?  The fruit  looks very much like a cherry but I hear that they taste like either rhubarb or slightly sour cherries.  Supposedly a nitrogen fixing plant, which for me might be a double play.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elaeagnus_multiflora

29
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Mangoes - True to Seed or To Graft?
« on: September 18, 2012, 07:58:08 AM »
I've got, what I've narrowed down by research,  three giant 65+ year old Haden Mango trees growing in my backyard from when it was a mango orchard.  Under one I have six that have sprouted and are currently about a foot tall.  Unfortunately next door is a small mango tree, but I did not flower at the same time.  Several other trees in the neighborhood are also left over from the orchard.  Can I expect this new trees to be "true" Hadens or if I wanted to get the same Haden Mangoes should I graft?  I don't want to misrepresent them as Hadens.

30
Can I use mango seedlings as rootstock for anything other than mangoes?  I have three mango trees in my yard that have been here since before the 50's when it was a mango grove.  Every year I see one or two seedlings emerge, even though I do a daily cleaning to keep the fruit flies at bay.  This year I've found at least six and some are getting to be a foot tall.  I may clone one of my mango trees but I'm wondering if there would be other uses for the remaining plants as rootstock.  I'm taking a grafting course with Fairchild in October but I'm getting tired of navigating my lawn mower around them. 

31
ASaffron,

The presentation I went to was at the Treasure Coast Rare Fruit Club meeting in June.  But I saw the presentation posted on the Tampa site and it was the same one.  I enjoyed the presentation and it really gave me something to think about. 

MarkoS

32
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Breeding Projects
« on: September 09, 2012, 09:52:41 AM »
I thought I took pictures of my first large pumpkin but realizing I did not.  Here's a small one on the vine.  The larger one is much harder to get to in that I would need to move the vines and I hear that can be a bad idea.


33
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Breeding Projects
« on: September 07, 2012, 09:52:00 AM »
I'm not doing a breeding project, but for winter squash (in Florida) I ran into an old breed Seminole Pumpkin.  I ran into it doing some research and started my hunt.  I found two starter plants at a local garden show in September '11.  One quickly died being in the shade and maybe a little less water.  The other one planted six feet away is still growing 12 months later.  In the time, it has produced two 14-16 pound pumpkins and three 8-10 pound pumpkins.  One pound converts roughly to one cup cooked.  I was about to pull the vine out as it takes up over 20 square feet of space, except I found two more of the smaller pumpkins and one that looks like it will become the larger.  Further inspection shows at least 2 more female flowers.

The best thing is that I rediscovered (as pointed out by research) that these pumpkins will last at least five months once picked.  Then you freeze the remainder once cooked, even more time.  We've been eating roast pumpkin, pumpkin/ potato mash, pumpkin bread, and even pumpkin cookies regularly since January.

Here's a link to an article on Seminole Pumpkins
http://www.eattheweeds.com/cucurbita-muschata-seminole-edible-2/

34
Thanks for the answers everyone.  A few things I learned along my way that I can answer some of the question brought up.

On cocktail use
I read on a page to microwave the pearls for 15 seconds to soften them.  Have not tried this though.

On picking
I read that if you can lightly pull it off then it's ripe.  I would think that means the same as if the wind can knock it down, it should be ripe.

As to varieties
Unfortunately here in the US we have citrus bans in California, Arizona, Texas and Florida.  It seems that our propagation of finger limes across the US has followed that ban line with California getting them first.  I was told by growers here in Florida that we only got them in 2009.  My specific variety has been named the Giant Finger Lime as the fruits are larger than the regular finger lime.  What I was told exactly was, "that all trees propagated in our state since March 2009 are this variety and not the true Australian Finger Lime."  I'm told it's the same flavor and texture just larger.  For $20, I was willing to give it a try while I keep my eyes open for "true" finger limes.

Has anyone seen any other varieties in the US?  I think we all are jealous of the rainbow of colors available in Australia.

35
I finally have a (giant) Australian finger lime coming my way.  I've been doing research for past several weeks and have little luck in getting a handle on what's needed to get it to grow.  Specifically I'm looking to find the sunlight requirements.  I see that Dave's Garden says "Full Sun" and I've read where commercial orchards do this.  But I've also seen sentence from Australia that mention that young plants specifically like partial sun to shade as they are rain forest trees.  I even saw a mention from California that the fruits and pulps color can be effected by weather during flowering.  I have an empty spot that get's full morning sun until noon which is where I want to put it.

I'm tempted to pot the plant and move it around until I find a good spot.  But I'm also tempted to get it in the ground as my freeze warning storage is my living room and I have sandy soil which I've read they like.  Any advice?

I've started doing more international research on plants after a presentation at TCRFC on jaboticabas mentioned doing just that to get the best information.  I've been surprised that I can't get good home gardening advice on finger limes from Austrlia.

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