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Messages - brian

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1
Same here.  I need to get off my butt to hand-pollinate to actually get to taste fruit from the large cherimoya and rollinia trees I have.  They are wearing out their welcome in my greenhouse, where lots of self-fruitful trees are producing without obvious insect pollination

2
Citrus General Discussion / Re: Can these be identified by pictures?
« on: September 25, 2023, 04:36:42 PM »
Yes those are definitely Nagami. 

If you like Creamsicles, try cut up kumquats with vanilla ice cream.  It has become my favorite dessert.

3
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: What is your favourite tropical fruit?
« on: September 25, 2023, 10:25:06 AM »
... If I have to pick only one, then Monstera deliciosa  fruit.

You are making me regret my decision to trash my monstera plant, it got too big and never flowered and I didn't think it was worth the space.  I have always wanted to try the fruit

4
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Introduce Yourself
« on: September 23, 2023, 11:35:10 AM »
Mine is 4yrs I think, I prune it 10ft because it reaches the ceiling fans in my greenhouse. It would be absolutely massive already if didn't prune it.  The trunk is around 4in diameter now.

5
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: What is your favourite tropical fruit?
« on: September 23, 2023, 11:23:38 AM »
Jackfruit

6
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: trees that suffer injury below 45F / 7C?
« on: September 22, 2023, 09:42:33 AM »
My 2 year old grafted Spanish lime from Lara Farms took our low of 36 degrees on Christmas for an hour or two with no issues.

That is impressive.  This is the same one I have.  I have read that spanish lime is supposed to be as cold sensitive as mongosteen, rambutan, etc.  But maybe this is not so?  Or at least, it can handle lower temps briefly even if not sustained.

7
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: trees that suffer injury below 45F / 7C?
« on: September 22, 2023, 08:11:30 AM »
...Other plants that died in the same period were a chempedak hybrid and a young peanut butter fruit.

Hah maybe I can use this to finally figure out which of my jackfruit trees that lost their label is the Cheena (chempedak x jackfruit hybrid).  The one that dies is it!  :)

I still have my 20gal peanut butter fruit tree outside in the 40s.  It seems to be okay so far.  That is one for the next round for when we break into the 30s.

I have some "test plants" that I don't care so much about that I can use to judge how cold it really got outside as the weather reports are not very reliable.  A tomato volunteer growing in the mulch pile, a starfruit seedling-rootstock whose scion had long died, and some excess seedlings that aren't worth the effort to try selling. 

8
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: trees that suffer injury below 45F / 7C?
« on: September 21, 2023, 07:01:17 PM »
I have a 1/2gal kwai muk I left out, seems to be doing fine in the 40s

9
You should know these grow extremely easily from root suckers so if you know anybody who has a plant you can separate the root suckers to have your own plant.  For whatever reason they do not seem to produce many seeds, at least not for me.

10
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Introduce Yourself
« on: September 20, 2023, 08:52:47 PM »
Hi everyone.  I live in Boca Raton, FL and have the following in my backyard:

Alphonso Mango
Pickering Mango
Coconut Cream Mango
Honey Kiss Mango
Silas Wood Sapodilla
Makok Sapodilla
Pace Mamey Sapote
Soursop
Yellow Jamaican Cherry
Golden Nugget Jackfruit
Oliver Loquat
Namwa Banana
Grimal Jaboticaba (in a pot)
Three Fig trees in pots
lots of pineapple plants

I keep up with my gardening on my youtube channel.  Here's my most recent mango tree video update: https://youtu.be/3fyzTiUTa68?si=0OuicHEC5lKgAxQ6

Hi, welcome to the forum!

I am interested to hear your opinion of the golden nugget jackfruit.  I have this type also but mine has just started flowering and not fruited yet

11
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: trees that suffer injury below 45F / 7C?
« on: September 20, 2023, 11:20:05 AM »
Thanks.  I don't think I am growing anything African aside from Miracle Berry which I brought in.  I haven't ordered anything from those guys as I don't know much about which of the African fruits may be good to eat

12
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: trees that suffer injury below 45F / 7C?
« on: September 20, 2023, 11:08:51 AM »
Thanks guys.  I have brought the abiu and spanish lime in. 

For fun I left an excess malay apple seedling out to see when it dies, but my large one in the greenhouse

13
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: trees that suffer injury below 45F / 7C?
« on: September 19, 2023, 11:14:03 PM »
Thank you.  The only artocarpus I have outside are jackfruit which I know can handle some cold.  My greenhouse heater is set to 55F which should be good enough for anything, I hope.  Marang is doing great in there and has already survived one winter. 

Everything goes in the greenhouse soon enough, I am just trying to do it slowly over the next month.

14
Tropical Fruit Discussion / trees that suffer injury below 45F / 7C?
« on: September 19, 2023, 10:30:42 PM »
Can anyone think of any fruit trees discussed here that could be injured from brief exposure to temps 40-45F (4.5-7.2C)?

I am starting to bring my most cold sensitive plants into the greenhouse as lows are now in the 40s.

I'm aware of mangosteen and cherapu, durian, plus the various soapberries that are known to be completely intolerant of cold.  I believe the other garcinias commonly available are fine until 30s.   Any artocarpus this sensitive?  Syzgiums?  Pouterias?

The only thing questionable I could think of that I actually have outside right now is spanish lime and malay apple, which I just brought in.  The "ultra tropicals" I have never leave the greenhouse. 

Edit- cacao too

15
Hi Brian.

Thanks for the reply.  That is some actionable information and I appreciate it.  Technical question: why do you not just start out with JACK'S HIGH PERFORMANCE in the first place?   Is it too much for the baby plants to take?  At what size would you consider them "large" and switch over?  Do you follow the instructions on the package or would you say there is a "maximum" threshold to how much fertilizer you would apply?

   Thanks for the info on the peat pots.   I haven't actually thought that far out...   I saved the seeds and put them in wet paper towels to sprout them, and then I scrambled around the house (garage) looking for something to put the seeds and some potting soil into!  Just happened to be what I found.   I will plan further ahead with my next batch!   I will remember to cut the peat pots into sections before I transplant!

    Thanks for the info.  Going to do research now!

Lazarus.

Osmocote is slow release and so less likely to burn roots.  I switch to granular fert around 20gal size or when I plant in-ground.

I don't measure I just eyeball it so I can't give much advice there. 

16
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Kei apple cold tolerance
« on: September 18, 2023, 03:48:14 PM »
Thank you for sharing.  That makes me very optimistic

17
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Kei apple cold tolerance
« on: September 18, 2023, 03:30:33 PM »
hammer524, can you tell us a bit about your situation?  You only have one tree?  Is it a seedling or clone?  If a clone, where'd you get it? :)


... and how big was it when it first flowered?

18
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Kei apple cold tolerance
« on: September 18, 2023, 03:05:32 PM »
Okay I called Julian and he said he believes it is hermaphroditic because the scion came from a tree which has no others "in 45 miles" I think he said.  He said he is going to update the description to this effect.

This is good to hear because I had already bought one before I read that they are strongly dioecious.

19
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Kei apple cold tolerance
« on: September 18, 2023, 02:53:04 PM »
Where , who has a self fertile variety?

So are self-fertile varieties commonly grown or are you guys all having one known male + one known female... or planting 5+ to ensure both?

I know these are supposed to be dioecious but I keep seeing things that suggest otherwise.

I have been seeing posts like "my kei apple" and not "my female kei apples" when talking about fruiting.

Lara Farms sells a grafted kei apple with no mention of it being dioecious or if the scion is male or female.  I can't imagine they would sell a tree that won't fruit without some warning, but maybe my expectations are wrong?


https://larafarmsmiami.com/products/kei-apple

20
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Kei apple cold tolerance
« on: September 18, 2023, 02:26:05 PM »
So are self-fertile varieties commonly grown or are you guys all having one known male + one known female... or planting 5+ to ensure both?

I know these are supposed to be dioecious but I keep seeing things that suggest otherwise. 

21
I use Osmocote Plus slow-release pellets for all my small container trees, and I switch to Jacks High Performance 25-5-15 granular fertilizer once they become large, as it costs much less.

I agree it looks like your seedlings need fertilizer

EDIT - also, you should know that those peat-trays don't decompose easily as advertised, if you are planning to transplant them by cutting the peat tray apart and planting the entire segment, I suggest cutting or tearing the bottom off so the roots are not restricted

22
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: The Best Cinnamon Species
« on: September 17, 2023, 05:12:25 PM »
I have a cinnamon zeylanicum. I don't use the bark but i like to chew on the twigs when I prune, I make tea out of the leaves, and I love to eat the berries.

Carolyn

Same!  Bulk cinnamon is so cheap it would be silly to harvest the live tree, but I chew any twigs that die on their own.  How long/what size did you start getting flowers and berries?  Mine has never flowered

23
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: The Best Cinnamon Species
« on: September 17, 2023, 05:08:43 PM »
Ceylon cinnamon is typically known as "true cinnamon" and cassia cinnamon as the "cheap subsititue" but they taste the same to me.  I think cassia recently became controversial because it naturally contains a carcinogen above EU levels and I think restricted in food products there?  I remember some article about cinnamon-bun bakers balking 'bout the ban.

I have a small ceylon cinnamon tree and it is a neat conversation piece.

24
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Trouble germinating sugar apple seeds
« on: September 17, 2023, 11:44:05 AM »
I have always scored the outside of the seed with sandpaper to help water penetrate.  I have pretty good germination rate this way.  I am starting them in regular container soil.

25
Thanks,  Kaz.

My summary of the linked video for summer fig rooting:
- use sterile potting soil, and pre-moisten it
- leave parafilm on the above ground wood only
- use tall skinny container (ex. treepot)
- insert cutting about halfway into soil in container
- place in shade outdoors and ignore for two months

Notable omissions: rooting hormone, scoring or re-cutting the cutting, covering the cutting/soil

I am going to re-cut the bottom and score the sides around it slightly, and place it in my greenhouse in full shade as my outside temps are now dropping below 50F at night sometimes.

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