Author Topic: Growing ilamas in central & west central Florida  (Read 1032 times)

Epicatt2

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Growing ilamas in central & west central Florida
« on: June 13, 2022, 02:26:14 AM »
Who of y'all are growing ilamas in Florida zone 9b?

Do they need or appreciate hilling if your soil isn't sandy and well draining?

As far as cold tolerance of this particular Anona (32º - 30ºF.), are they more tolerant of the cold while they're leafless?

Have you noticed any needed cultural differences between the white-fleshed and pink-fleshed varieties?

Do yours seem to like one sort of fertilizer more than another type?

Just trying to get a handle on growing this particular Annona before I take the plunge.

Regards & TIA,

Paul M.
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achetadomestica

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Re: Growing ilamas in central & west central Florida
« Reply #1 on: June 13, 2022, 11:52:58 AM »
My grafted red genova did not make it from the 2 cold nights in January.
I was below 32F for 5-6 hours
The tree was in the ground for 4-5 years and around 10'
Almost all of my annonas were damaged or killed from the cold.

Epicatt2

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Re: Growing ilamas in central & west central Florida
« Reply #2 on: June 13, 2022, 06:51:07 PM »
My grafted red genova did not make it from the 2 cold nights in January.
I was below 32F for 5-6 hours
The tree was in the ground for 4-5 years and around 10'
Almost all of my annonas were damaged or killed from the cold.

Thanks for that observation:  So protection will be necessary in cases of colder weather.

Hoping still to hear from any other TFFers with comments on my other questionsa about ilama cultivation in 9b or even in nearby 10a.

Regards & TIA

Paul M.
Tampa, FL
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« Last Edit: June 14, 2022, 01:56:34 AM by Epicatt2 »

FMfruitforest

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Re: Growing ilamas in central & west central Florida
« Reply #3 on: June 15, 2022, 07:24:19 AM »
With Ilama you will want to mound the planting area or plant on a hill in well draining soil where there is no standing water.
I have also read they benefit from Iron rich soils.
The leaves will have a floppied wrinkled look when overwatered.
They have responded well to composted chicken manure.

Epicatt2

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Re: Growing ilamas in central & west central Florida
« Reply #4 on: June 15, 2022, 11:29:57 AM »
With Ilama you will want to mound the planting area or plant on a hill in well draining soil where there is no standing water.
I have also read they benefit from Iron rich soils.
The leaves will have a floppied wrinkled look when overwatered.
They have responded well to composted chicken manure.

Thanks for the reply.  I'm lucky in that here in Tampa my yard is sandy and drains quickly.  So quickly that after a heavy downpour with 3- to 4-inches of water flooding the yard most of the water drains away and the rest soaks in within ten minutes after a rainstorm ends. –And that is even if we've already had a heavy downpour the day before! 

Guessing that it is more likely that I will have to irrigate when it is not raining regularly.

Composted chicken manure sounds like an option for feeding an ilama.  I'll try that.  (I was planning on using citrus fertilizer.)

Cheers!

Paul M.
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Galatians522

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Re: Growing ilamas in central & west central Florida
« Reply #5 on: June 15, 2022, 09:30:16 PM »
I have a strong suspicion that Ilamas do not like alkaline soils. We had a seedling in a potting mix that sugar apple grew well in but it almost killed the Ilama. It recovered after being planted in acid sand. Also, I think they are more resiliant trees than sugar apple (at least in our acid "beach sand"). Over the years I have seen many people plant sugar apple here. They grow a few years and then die off. I know of an Ilama in Sebring that appears to be over 10 years old. It does not fruit much, but when it does the fruits are huge and symmetrical--about the size of a small grapefruit.

Epicatt2

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Re: Growing ilamas in central & west central Florida
« Reply #6 on: June 16, 2022, 05:43:55 PM »
I have a strong suspicion that Ilamas do not like alkaline soils. We had a seedling in a potting mix that sugar apple grew well in but it almost killed the Ilama. It recovered after being planted in acid sand. Also, I think they are more resiliant trees than sugar apple (at least in our acid "beach sand"). Over the years I have seen many people plant sugar apple here. They grow a few years and then die off. I know of an Ilama in Sebring that appears to be over 10 years old. It does not fruit much, but when it does the fruits are huge and symmetrical--about the size of a small grapefruit.

Thanx for the comments & comparisons of the requirements of sugar apples and ilamas, Galatians.

I mix my potting soil with 1/3 each milled sphagnum (acidic), humus (dug out of my azalea bed and prolly acidic, too), and coarse builders sand.  Both sugar apples and ilama seedlngs planted in this mix have done well in smaller pot sizes.  Meanwhile, I have sandy, well-draining soil in my yard here in Tampa. 

Your comments, quoted above, have just about convinced me to go on and plant my large white-fleshed ilama out of its seven-gallon pot and into the ground. 

Hopefully this larger ilama of mine will be able to withstand staying outside December thru February, unless we have some really cold weather.

Cheers!

Paul M.
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