The Tropical Fruit Forum

My guess is that you got a seedling tree somehow. It should start fruiting once it ends its juvenile
phase. Guava seedlings from named varieties typically produce good fruit.

You may be on-target, about this Galatians, so if that's the case and it's a seedling, it'll prolly
be another year before I see any fruit.

It's discouraging that so often local nurseries buy to resell and then choose creative labelling
to boost their sales.  I've noticed that the big-box stores often take this labellng tactic, too.
(C'mon youz guys; give us a break!)

Paul M.
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PM sent . . .

Hi- I have the same issue with my Kilo Guava as well. I heard they are heavy feeders.

My 'Ruby Supreme' gets a big handful of citrus fert. at least twice a season. 

This guava is HUGE already and giving it more fert., I fear that it may take over that side or my yard!

What kind of fert. for guavas is recommended in Florida?

Paul M.
==

I bought a 'Ruby Supreme' guava about five years ago.  Four years ago it went into the ground.

It has grown like gangbusters and two years ago in June it was cut back to fence high (4 ft.). 
It rapidly grew back to 8 ft tall. in about four months' time.

This following year it was trimmed back again to 4 ft tall in June.  Again no flowers or fruit.

So far this year (2024) I did not cut it back and it's at least 8 ft tall again but again no flowers
or fruit.  Plant seems perfectly healthy and robust but refuses to make any fruit.

It has been fertilized occsasionally each year and has gotten plenty of water both from rain and
city water (when there's not enough rain).

Does it sound like I'm doing something wrong with this guava?  (Maybe it's too happy to bother
with blooming or setting fruit!)

Help, please . . . !

Paul M.
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Funny you mentioned...I thought I was the only person here afraid of Annonacin toxicity.

Sir G,

I have never had any sort of problem with Annona toxicity, but it's sensible to be aware of it.

That said, I am not in any particular way afraid of Annonas but being aware of their potential
toxicity, let's just say that I'm respectful of the Annonas.  That doesn't stop me from eating
their fruit, in reasonable quantities!

Cheers!

Paul M.
==

Sir G,

Your imbes look great.  I have several but they seem to be very slow-growing.

Any suggestions for jump-starting them?

And one question aside:  What is a good white marking pencil for writing on our
black plastic nursery pots?  (You'd think I'd know by now.)

Cheers!

Paul M.
==

Cactus mix already has a ton of perlite/pumice. I don't think it's needed.
Promix is really good though! I can tell you I definitely see results with vs without it.
I meant don't use big chunks of pine bark. When it starts to decay you can get rot etc.

OK, thanks Jabo.  That all makes more sense to me now.

SO, it doesn't matter then that the citrus mix's labelling on the bag also indicates that
it's  for cactus, then lists that it's for palms and citrus, too?

I will put any one gallon mangos that I may decide to buy in future into this cactus mix. 

BTW, I never had any problems with 3- (or 5) gallon mangos dying on me, even though
they were in my earlier mentioned mix of 1 part each of builders sand, milled sphagnum,
and mulch from my flowerbeds.  Go figure . . . .

Paul M.
==

Yes, citrus mix should work with eugenias, jabos, garcinias, etc.
It's a bit acidic which is good.

Sounds OK then to me, Jabo.  Do you think it'd be OK for mangos?

Now I would using big chunks of pine bark etc.

Now sure what you mean here about big chunks.  Please clarify.

Have a picture or link to reference the mix?

Here's a link to a product on Amazon that I've bought before for potting citrus:

Miracle-Gro Cactus, Palm & Citrus Potting Mix

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0799NMGPC/ref=olp-opf-redir?aod=1&pd_rd_w=x2zqg&content-id=amzn1.sym.528bfdfa-ea96-478b-a7d9-043e650836af&pf_rd_p=528bfdfa-ea96-478b-a7d9-043e650836af&pf_rd_r=0AR4TKP960HY40D3VJF3&pd_rd_wg=n5gCn&pd_rd_r=786b93d8-4a21-4407-b406-85086d2b722c&pd_rd_i=B0799NMGPC&ref_=pd_basp_d_rpt_ba_s_1_sbo&th=1

So what do you think, Jabo.

Paul M.
==

I have had problems with small 1 gallon mangos that have been in my usual mix of
1 part ea. of builders sand, milled sphagnum, and rotted down mulch that's harvested
from my flowerbeds.

The small mangos start presenting burned leaf edges, leaf-drop, and ever-smaller flushes
of leaves, then the plant dies.  This has happened several times.  I don't believe that it is
a case of overwatering and definitely not over-fertilizing.  (This has not happened with any
3 gallon or larger mangos that I've bought; only with small one gallon sizes.)

So, I'm considering buying/using  a commercial citrus potting mix which apparently offers
better drainage. 

With that in mind, will such a citrus mix be suitable for other tropicals that get started in pots
to begin with?  So would it be suitable for Eugenias, Garcinias, mangos, Passifloras, or others
for getting them started in one gallon pots and over time moving them up to five gallon pots,
before they get planted out into the ground?

So . . . . Have any of our TFF members had success using citrus potting mix for other than citrus?

Cheers!

Paul M.
==

1 in ground, it is growing well and would be 10 -15 ft tall already if didn't trim it. No flowers yet. In ground for about 3 years, but not sure. Nasty thorns.

Roblack,

Which species (Latin name, if possible) of scichuan pepper are you  growing? 

There seem to be several similar ones out there.

Paul M.
==

Me neither . . .  Never saw a seed in a Hua Moa fruit.

PM
==

Hopefully someone can come in clutch lol.
Also, I've never seen an olosapo that smooth in the states.
All the ones in FL basically came from the F and S park tree which makes bumpy ones.

What about the olosapos which came out of Puerto Rico from a TFF vendor down there? 
Did that vendor's material that he was offering plants of several years ago come from
the same F&S Park 'bumpy' genetics mentioned above?

Just curious . . .

Paul M.
==

Received my two 'Purple Boots' yesterday.  Box was a bit battered (thanks USPS) but the plants inside were fine cuz they were packed well.

Nice husky, rooted 'cuttings', thanx vnomonee!

Paul M.
==