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Topics - Sleepdoc

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1
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Achachairu - doing great in S. Fla
« on: September 24, 2023, 11:45:41 AM »
My Achachairu (garcinia humilis) tree is still doing great in Southeast Florida.  I have posted about it before, but figured I would make a quick update video.  This tree is really fantastic.  Pest animals and insects avoid it.  It has a prolonged season now, giving fruit form about May until late September.  Low maintenance, not too tall, but it is wide.  Seems to tolerate cold snaps, and our soils.  Low maintenance, but takes a long time before it starts to put on size. 

https://youtu.be/6__V0IUVKsw?si=iS30wT1VhKdx4ylI

2
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Dragonfruit - Purple Haze vs Yellow - Video Link
« on: September 24, 2022, 10:41:13 AM »
Quick 1 minute review of Purple Haze vs Yellow Dragonfruit. 

https://youtu.be/vLEiBeSPFuc

3
Tropical Fruit Discussion / My fruiting Achachairu - Video
« on: May 09, 2022, 05:37:52 PM »
I did a quick video on my Achachairu tree. Also some bonus footage of my big male Luc’s, and White Pakistani? Mulberry. 

https://youtu.be/XwwrBQO606A

4
We put these 2 “wild mango’s” to the test

https://youtu.be/_lnfmSpUBrQ

5
We put Luc’s Mexican Garcinia to the test.  Check out the vid

https://youtu.be/uX-eo5tspd8

6
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Video - Picking Mango’s at color break
« on: June 06, 2021, 11:35:54 AM »
Grinding out the video’s today.  Thought I would share, as I get a lot of questions regarding when to pick a mango.

https://youtu.be/OUzTaZeNz9E

7
Ive been pumping out some videos lately - this is what I'm doing on my vacation LOL.  I bet you can guess the winner ...


https://youtu.be/DsAzsqijJzw

8
I’ve been growing this Mangifera Casturi in my yard for a few years.  It’s a really different and tasty “mango”.  I thought some forum members would be interested in seeing it.

https://youtu.be/OhtaXSK4n0Y

9
Today I picked and tried a “Luc’s” Mexican Garcinia from my 2nd largest tree. 

I made a quick video to show the tree and fruit.  I definitely picked it too early, as it definitely wasn’t fully ripe.  More to come in the next week or two, when I’ll try to get the timing right and have some other forum members give it a try.

As Harry used to say - stay tuned ...

https://youtu.be/bzWNUGPT4_c

10
I added a couple of quick video descriptions of the Bangkok Lemon Seedling Jackfruit tree I am growing in my yard.

https://youtu.be/dE2zKXuHhG0
https://youtu.be/h7gVVDas5g4




11
Tropical Fruit Discussion / My Florida Luc’s- Fruit tasted video links
« on: September 07, 2019, 03:48:55 PM »
Here’s a video of us trying out the Mexican Garcinia I have growing in my yard from seed. 




https://youtu.be/JEyjifr0w74
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XT5OJKlvWbQ
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5tZ0NatX1-c

12
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Aichacharu first fruits - SFl
« on: April 13, 2019, 04:36:30 PM »
My Aichacharu has a few little fruit on it. 

I was walking the yard and found them growing - never saw it flower. 










13
Tropical Fruit Discussion / The Best Mango - On any given Sunday
« on: July 01, 2018, 05:36:00 PM »
It was great to sit down today with Friends and continue our traditional, annual, Mango Snob evaluation and Feeding Frenzy.  A few key players were missing - but the core was there, as well as a new official 8 year old snob in the making.  HMHausman(King Harry), Murahilin, cbss_daviefl, PDiddy, and myself stuffed our faces and rated more mangoes than 5 humans should really eat.





I can’t remember all of the varieties we tried, but here is a list off the top of my head:
E-4
Edward
Guava
Taralay
Dupree
Lemon Zest
Orange Sherbet
Pineapple Pleasure
J12
Ice Cream
Dot
Coconut Cream
Haden
Sweet Tart
Maha Chanok
Fruit Punch
Peach Cobbler
Edgar
Venus
San Felipe
Rapoza

There were definitely more varieties than above at the table.  My memory is probably obscured a little bit by the sugar coma the feast put me in.

My top 3 -

E-4
Sweet Tart
Dot.

Many others were really great, some off, and some falling short of potential and previous years.

As always it goes - not everyone’s top 3 were the same, with my son’s top 3 being J12, Dot, Fruit Punch...

14
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Berry Jackfruit Seedling
« on: July 08, 2016, 11:04:53 PM »
Today Brandon and I tasted my Berry jackfruit seedling.  It is described in the link below


http://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?action=search2;params=eJw1zMENAjEMRNFWEBeuUAI1bAGR1x6RrEyCnASElOLXQcvtzzsMyZsyQ8ZlXMd5rDbr5lVj-QQuz5ei4W993cAtlKxfpynFWpBkvgSVD_FlUPyeJ4GMo-O912akifJpAURTfuydxjJX;start=0




Best Jack I've had this year by far, and possibly my favorite overall to this point.  It's difficult to determine based on a single fruit, but this one sure seems like a winner.  Wonderful aroma, great texture - medium to firm with no gagging effect, and taste was on point.  In addition to all of that, the tree is only 2 years in the ground and should only improve. 

I'm very impressed. 

15
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Lychee Bloom S. Fla. 2016
« on: February 20, 2016, 11:33:59 AM »
My Sweetheart Lychee is going into full bloom.  No activity from my Mauritius or Brewster.

Anyone else seeing lychee bloom ?




16
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Nubbins
« on: May 23, 2015, 12:15:42 PM »
This year, for whatever reason, my Glenn and Cogshall are producing quite a few mature "Nubbin" mangoes.  About golf ball size, mature ripe, and they pack a punch. 

They taste better than the full size fruit.  My Cogshall overall production is very light, and 80% of the fruit are Nubbins.  Weird but true....

17
I have a " mystery tree" that I was hoping to get some new opinions/insight on.  I have brought this tree up for discussion in previous years, but now it is holding fruit, which has brought me to ponder it's origin and genetics once again..

Background:  I was given this tree by fellow member jsvand in a 3 gallon container.  When I first planted it, it was not in great shape, probably having been in the 3 gallon for some time.  It had a tag on it from the Broward Rare Fruit Council which read " Chempedak".  I had little hope for the tree, being a chempedak which are notoriously tough to grow here in S.Fla.  The tree however has done quite well over time.  It has been a strong grower and has not seemed any more sensitive to the cool winters than my other Jacks.  Early on, I posted photos of the tree and most experts including Oscar commented that is was most likely a cheena, as the leaves were not "hairy" enough to be a true chempedak.  Add all the previous up, and I had also come to the conclusion that this has to be either 100% Jackfruit, or a cross Jak x Chempedak. 

I have been anxiously awaiting the tree to flower and fruit, and this year I am happy to say the tree is holding 2 fruit.  To add to my excitement, the fruit definitely look different than any of my other Jacks.  They are long and cylindrical, with a yellow color.  Leads me to believe ( or hope) at this point that these have a lot of chempedak DNA in them. 





One interesting point that Brandon brought up to me this weekend at the BRFC sale is as follows :  Excalibur sometimes has trees that are put up for sale at the BRFC.  Especially Jacks and the like.  Sometimes Excalibur has some very interesting things in the works.  Which brought me to wonder if this tree is from Excalibur, and if so, could Rob find out any info on it?

Anyway, on to the pictures, and hopefully some expert opinions ....












18
Jackfruit Flowers can be tough to identify in regards to male vs female.  I figured I would post some pics of female and male flowers to help my fellow Jak growers.

In general female flowers grow from flower stalks that are near the trunk or major branches near the trunk.  This is a general rule of course, and females can grow more peripherally.  Female flowers also tend to have a more profound "collar".  This can be deceiving however as females from some varieties don't have a particularly profound collar and males from some varieties do have remarkably profound collars.  Females have much more noticeable bumps on their surface.  You can definitely see the difference in the "bumps" when side to side with a male. 

One thing that is only present on females is tiny "tubules" on the tip of the bumps when receptive to pollen.  When seen close up, it is distinctive.  Males have powdery or granular pollen which is also distinctive.   

Well, a picture speaks a thousand words right?  Check it out :)

2 females on variety: Excalibur


Close up of "tubules" on female flower variety: Excalibur



Male flower on variety: Excalibur



Female flower on variety: Super Thai.  Yes, there is male pollen on it, I had just finished hand pollinating it :)



Female flower past receptive stage, now more like a fruit - variety unknown, tagged as "chempedak" by BRFC - likely a cheena.  You can also see a female flower pre receptive stage in the background.




Receptive female next to a crusty old male - asme variety as above


Male from same tree



Female variety : seedling of Bangkok Lemon


19
Here are two pictures of my Bangkok Lemon Jackfruit that I harvested today --






I've been waiting on this fruit to ripen for some time.  It has been on the tree for about 8 months.  I have been thumping it daily to check for ripeness since early July.  It seemed to sit on the tree forever.  This morning I knew it was ready as I walked up to the tree.  It was emitting a pleasantly sweet aroma that I detected about 10 yards away..

It has a slight give to it, adding to it's odor emitting sign of ripeness.  The fruit looks like 2 fruit fused together, giving it a tremendous girth.  It is the largest Jackfruit I have harvested from this tree.  It grew in the canopy about 10 feet off the ground, and was completely self pollinated.

So, whats the weight?






20
Tropical Fruit Discussion / My first South Florida Breadfruit
« on: August 09, 2014, 05:41:49 PM »
My Ma-afala tree has held 5 fruits over the summer.  I harvested the first one today and cooked it up on the grill ...











I think I overcooked it.  I left it on the grill for about an hour at around 425f.  The flavor was decent, but I think I need to up my cooking skills in order for it to truly shine.  Anyway, I am happy that the tree actually held fruit to maturity here in S.Fla.  I certainly won't Axe the tree anytime soon, but I also don't think I'll make a grand effort to cold protect it this winter.

I hope I can get a chempedak or marang to fruit one of these days ....

21
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Sequestrene drenches are a PITA!
« on: March 14, 2014, 11:56:26 AM »
I just wanted to vent about what a total PITA it is to do soil drenches with sequestrene 138. 

Mixing 3 tablespoons of that powder in a 5 gallon bucket, geez, iron lung.  Then, it is so blood red, your hands and everything else gets stained.  And to top it off, you have to dump 3 gallons of the mix per inch of tree diameter.  Hmmnnn ... Let's say 20 gallons for a decent sized tree, x a lot of trees = a $hitload of work.


There.  I said it.  I feel better now :)

22
Tropical Fruit Discussion / My Breadfruit Protection Project
« on: January 05, 2014, 03:08:22 PM »
I figured i would start a new post to illustrate this weekends project.  With the help of Brandon, we did it in about a day and a half.  Couldn't have done it without his help, and many thanks. .....

This project began in a rush, without much planning, as a cold front is making its way to S. Fla Monday night.  When I planted this tree, I knew the risks and I told myself I wouldn't try to protect it from our occasional winter cool blasts.  But, this tree has almost rudely had a way of changing my idea of just letting it be when it decided to pop out 5 fruit in January.  Go figure.

Anyway, here is what we did:

I decided on using wood to frame out the structure.  I knew going into the build that wood is not exactly a long lived material here in S. Florida.  I thought about using steel fence posts used in chain link fences, but realized the cost was about 3x that of wood.  Brandon discussed with me using steel conduit, which seemed like a reasonable idea.  I ended using wood because I figured I would have and easier time fastening the plastic sheeting to the wood.  Using wood definately may have been a mistake as far as longevity is concerned,  I'll find out soon enough.

Posts, I used 4x4's, in 8 foot length.  We dug post holes, and concreted in the 4x4's.  Height was extended with 2x4's, mounted on metal brackets, adding about 3 feet of height.   We set out a 8x12 area around the tree, and after the posts set, built up the rest of the structure.

The posts and framing took up a good bit of time.  The cost for all materials including concrete, screws, etc was about 100$

On day # 2, I went back to home depot and purchased some 6 mil plastic sheeting.  This is not the UV protected kind, but I had to use what was available.  We cut the sheeting, and attached the two long sides in a semi-permanent fashion.  I intend on leaving the two long sides up until march or so.  The smaller sides we cut the plastic to size and attached it on the top of the structure.  The rest of it we rolled up and left it up top, waiting to be rolled down and tacked on the eve of an impending front.  !/2 of the roof we covered semi permanently with the plastic sheeting, and the other half with an agricultural frost cloth, rolled up , waiting to be tacked down the eve of a cold front.

Inside the structure we placed a rain barrel full of water, heated by two aquarium heaters. 

So there it is. 

Would I do it again?  Maybe, maybe not.  It was a lot of work, cost me about 200$ total, I have no idea how long it will last, and I have no idea if it will work well or not.

Time will tell ..












23
Amazingly, yesterday during a quick walk around my yard, I spotted what looked
like a Breadfruit female flower or fruit on my less than 2 year old Ma'Afala
breadfruit tree.

Today, when I got a chance to go really inspect it, I was again in near
disbelief as I found 4 female flowers vs fruit and 1 male !

In January, in Florida, planted in ground, no protection.

Any advice regarding pollination would be greatly appreciated.  Thinking about
getting a paintbrush out to try and get some of the male pollen onto the
females. 

Also, anyone know if these are fruit or flower at this point?  One is much
larger than the others, about the size of a quarter.

Pics:







Male and female flower in the following photo..







24
Tropical Fruit Discussion / December Guanabana S.Fla
« on: December 21, 2013, 09:51:06 AM »
I figured I would share a photo of this Guanabana I picked this morning.  It has been an unusually warm fall, and my Guanabana tree is obviously happy about that !

After 7 or 8 years off and producing nothing, my Guanabana tree finally has come back into production , and in 2 waves.  A summer and a winter crop.



The tree produced about 6 of these nice sized fruit in Nov-Dec.  I only was able to harvest 2, as the squirrel population has exploded and they take out almost anything they can sink their teeth into ..

The carambola are Kary, in the photo for size perspective.

25
Tropical Fruit Discussion / My 18 mo breadfruit is flowering S. Fla
« on: October 09, 2013, 06:21:48 PM »
I am amazed at what I found in my yard today.  My 18 month old in ground Ma-afala breadfruit tree has a flower on it.

Check it out !














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