The Tropical Fruit Forum

I have grown summer squash (Curcubita pepo) here in Florida for a number if years. This species includes acorn, spaghetti, yellow crookneck, and zucchini squashes. They are susceptible to mildew and bugs. This year, I tried growing Tromboncino squash instead. This is an Italian heirloom summer squash in the Curcubita moschata species. Moschata squashes are resistant to bugs like squash vine borer (note: resistant--not immune). Some moschata squashes like Seminole Pumpkin are also resistant to mildew. They also make massive vines instead of a bush like the pepo squashes. I am very pleased to report that the Tromboncino was a huge success. I planted around Valentine's day and the vines are still going strong at the beginning of June with only about 10% of the pest and disease issues I had with the pepo squashes. The flavor is fine textured and excellent--like a good zucchini. I have been giving squashes away for weeks and have a dozen in the fridge now. All of this is from 4 hills with about 5 seeds each! The only down side is that they have taken up about a 30 x 12 space in my garden and are still growing. I have let a few fruits mature and they are like a massive butternut squash with a super long neck (or a Tahetian Melon squash if you are familiar with that). I can't comment on the flavor of the mature squash yet, but I hear they are like a butternut. They appear to have slightly less resistance to mildew than the Seminole, but still very good.

Mine here in Florida grow fine in full sun as long as they have something to climb. I have noticed that young tender vines get burnt if they are laying on the ground. Once they are up on the pole they seem to be fine with full sun. In the wild (both where they are native and here in Florida) they grow in forested environments. So, when the vines are yoing they are in the shade. As they get older they make it to the tops of the trees and get full sun.

Sounds like we should air-layer Sugar Belle to use as rootstock.

There has actually been some research done on that by University of Florida.

I tend to like 3/4" to 1" branches for air layering lychee. I have used 1/4" for miracle fruit and occasionally for lychee.

Is there a safe way of disposing of the infected branches?
I fear leaving by the roadside for hauling company may result of its incorporating into free mulch, spreading the disease.

I cant burn, I think we may still have a burn ban and may just get stuff airborne.

Any suggestions?

I remember reading that you could also burry them. However, this might be a good opportunity to convince everyone that you need a flamethrower...

Urushiol is typically the allergen that causes the issue in mango. So, anything used for poison ivy should help. This is what worked the best for my mom (who is very allergic to mango sap). It is expensive, but the price is well worth it to end the misery.

https://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/aclk?sa=L&ai=DChcSEwjg8r-ut57_AhWRxYYKHZjdDcgYABAKGgJ2dQ&ohost=www.google.com&cid=CAASJuRo2N62FjOhKS7FvqtnciJggwep-MMHQhynFzdBGSw36xxqCvW0&sig=AOD64_0etGvU6ei1mmQuX3VTpNpC2HIO9A&ctype=5&q=&ved=2ahUKEwiKurmut57_AhWIpYQIHQt6AOwQwg8oAHoECAUQIA&adurl=

We have had to continue spraying. Maybe the pressure will let up eventually when the trees that are not being maintained finally die. Lychees are going to be a lot more expensive going forward in any case. SweetHeart in particular seems to be susceptible. I have seen less damage on Brewster for some reason??? I also believe that dry weather favors the mite.

So,
I had a dream of getting land down in FL. Just right now, the funds for getting several acres in prime location is just not available to someone like me lol.
So, thing is, is it plausible to find a decent land (1/4 acre) for under 10k?
I found a few places I like, but what is everyone's thoughts on that? It would be bare minimum with no water, electricity, etc.
It seems like inland FL is really cheap. Anything by the coast is too expensive.
Lake Placid seems pretty cool, area looked cheap, and it looks like I could exploit the microclimate of the lakes in the area to be able to grow some stuff (mangoes, bananas, lychee, jabos...)
https://www.landsearch.com/properties/792-amour-dr-lake-placid-fl-33852/2590886
Something like this?
So, can someone tell me am I just going crazy, or is this something plausible? Good idea or super stupid?
What else do I need to consider?

I am very familiar with Lake Placid. It does have a micro-climate, but anything near enough to a lake to get a significant lake effect will be way more expensive than what you mentioned. I looked at the lot you linked. That is in an old subdivision that never had roads built. The state has bought most of the lots around that property because the native scrub habitat has a lot of endangered plants and wild life (gopher tortoise and sand skink). So, access is limited and you may never be able to build on it (if that is important to you). Technically, there is a platted road there, but I don't know if they would let you clear it without mitigating (buying conservation land for the state in exchange for building rights). You might look at it on the Highlands County Property Appraiser's Office website or better yet, call them and talk to them about it--they usually have a good feel for what things are worth (as much as I hate to admitt that when my tax bill comes, lol!).

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.hcpao.org/&ved=2ahUKEwi084XyqJv_AhWCRTABHRtXDfQQFnoECBkQAQ&usg=AOvVaw3uuHkzFXvISwMzw-BJTHXc

In any case, my advice with Real estate is to never buy anything that you have not seen in person--especially in Florida. I know of a guy who bought 2.4 acres at an auction for just a couple grand. It turned out to be a 30' wide drainage easment with a ditch down the middle. 

So, I grew two kinds of Physalis this year: New Hannover Ground Cherry (Physalis pruinosa) from Baker Creek and Ayacucho Giant Cape Gooseberry (Physalis peruviana) from Trade Winds. The ground cherry I planted in November and the Cape Gooseberry I planted in January. I can see why they are different species because the plants are totally different. The ground cherry grows low to the ground (~12") and likes cool but not freezing temps. The Cape Gooseberry has leaves that are almost 10 times the size of the ground cherry and makes a bush 4-5' tall! Both were less trouble to grow than most tomatoes (Everglades being the exception) with the Cape Gooseberry being the easier of the two in Florida conditions. Berries on the New Hannover run from 1/4" - 5/8" with the average being slightly less than 1/2". Berries on the Cape Gooseberry run from 5/8" to over an 1". I have not picked as many yet, but the average seems to be between 3/4" and 7/8." This may not sound like much but it makes a huge difference in how long it takes to fill a bucket. For flavor I like the Cape Gooseberry better. They have a fruity, perfumy, sweet and sour taste that is hard to describe. The New Hanover (a taste test winner apparently) had more of a 1 dimensional flavor to me. It was good, but you had to eat half a dozen to get the full flavor because of the small size. Plus, it had the bad habbit of dropping fruit before it was fully ripe and unlike a tomato they will not ripen off the bush unless they have already started the color break on the plant--very frustrating. Based on this one season I think the Cape Gooseberry (called Poha) in Hawaii is a better choice for most Florida gardens--bigger fruit, stonger flavor, and tougher plant. The ground cherry excells in two areas, though. It is much easier to cover in the frost (just throw a blanket over the top) and it is not smashed by high winds (staking or caging may have helped with that on the Cape Gooseberry). I think I will continue to grow both--at least for a couple seasons.

Please let me know your thoughts on this or experiences with other Physalis.

Quote from: bovine421 on May 28, 2023, 09:28:55 AM

A compadre sent me this. Kiddo lives over there by McDill

Not many mango varieties and lemon zest is listed twice! I still might go lol.

That is because Lemon Zest is twice as important as the other varieties. Or maybe they have twice as many lemon zest? 

I’ve been trying to upload an image but this site will never let me. I do think the storm drains being clogged could be the culprit now because the water accumulation is areas of the street where there are storm drains and they are draining very slowly. Is there someone I should contact to report this issue? I don’t live in a HOA community. Yes sadly people do throw trash on my street

Yes, call the local Public Works. Even my small county has a road and bridge department that could clean the drain and an engineering department that could verify that the drains were the right size. Good luck! 

Okay went down today to take a pic of the fruit you are talking about palmtreeluke still hanging on that tree.I don't know what it is going to be like as it the first fruit on the tree.

Wow! Color is amazing!

Thank you for the sketch, now I understand what you were talking about. Even looking at pictures didn't make sense because you see what your brain is used to seeing. I have never seen one split that way.