The Tropical Fruit Forum

What are you applying top dressing of fertilizer to?
It is for trees? or in a vegetable patch?

It’s for trees in container

Hi, I’m in Central FL and have a problem doing the top dressing fertilization method, as the organic matter seems to always gather mold, which proves detrimental to sensitive plants.  Does anyone else deal with this and what is the fix?  Many thanks!

The website indicated that only quantities of over 10 seeds require permit.  Is that untrue?

Hi all,

In preparations for tonight’s uncharacteristic cold snap does anyone know if C9 lights placed on top of frost covers will burn the fabric?  I am wondering because it will be easier to cover a large bunch of small trees and seedlings this way rather than weaving the lights all around every single tree…

My ponderosa lemon bush has lemons this year that are huge and finally turning yellow?  I know that there isn't much juice in these fruits, but is there a way to tell when they are ready to be picked?  In general I have a hard time knowing when to pick citrus, as I think my other citrus trees probably have HLB and never achieved their correct color (stayed green)

Just to confirm, if you want to get fruit quicker, it’s the SCION being grafted onto the rootstock that has to be from a mature, fruiting-age tree, correct?  That it is not the age of the rootstock that matters for faster fruiting time, right?

Oh wait…

If you graft a young branch of a new cultivar onto an established tree, then fruit will come quickly as if it were an extension of the same trees. OK now I’m confused. 

OH I JUST REALIZED

If the rootstock is a rooted cutting of a mature tree then the scion will fruit faster. However, young rootstock will not yield fruit quickly even if the scion is mature…

RIGHT???

Thanks!  I did thru Etsy and will be getting cuttings!  Thanks for the idea!!

akimbo, you should have bought the Professor's Big Red passion fruit cuttings, the fruit is large and much better flavor (sweet and a little tart).

Oh man, I guess I'll have to suffer through my current batch for now LOL

Are the ones I have listed not so good?  I haven't had any fruit yet as I just started growing them this past year

Oh I think I've bought from him before (I think through Etsy), but it doesnt look like he has any bael fruit items available now.

OMG Yes that would be awesome!  Please PM me!

Also, if you use sand for seedling medium, do you reuse it immediately after repotting or do you have a sanitization protocol?

I am growing Frederick, some red variety, Kavery, organensis, and Guanacaste Giant

Something that I have found to be critical when growing very young and small seedlings is to use mostly sand, around 75-80% or so (or 60% with 20% perlite). This is also the same medium I've been using for everything since this spring, and my losses have gone down so much it's ridiculous. For pots, I have been using red solo cups due to their cost and pretty good dimensions. To germinate things I use moist vermiculite and it works well, I've also used moist sand

Where do you get your sand?  If I go to Lowe’s they only have playground sand.  On amazon, the little bags of sand aren’t enough for all the things I grow.  I would love to know your source!!