The Tropical Fruit Forum

Interested. How tall are the ones you've made?

Most of the growers in this forum are in Florida, and many don't care about organic growing

Last week I was talking to an older master gardener, who said people have quit asking "how do I kill this bug" and instead ask "how bad is this pesticide". Even Florida is making progress.

Yeah, serrated knife is the way to go. Love my tomato knife. Batch it by cutting a bunch then scoop a bunch. If you're stuck removing the seeds with a strainer/food mill it helps to put the pulp in the blender at low speed first. The pulp separates when cooked (if you're canning)

Better Boy was my reliable slicer in California. It did fine in FL for me last season, producing tomatoes till June, but I'm further north. It is somewhat susceptible to fruit flies, so there are probably better varieties out there.

Treasure Coast RFC had a speaker this month who was involved in the composting sargassum study (Dr. Vincent Encomio). His slides aren't available, but he emphasized that no, sargassum is not safe to use on food crops (or as livestock feed) due to the arsenic content. The level of arsenic drops after composting but they don't know it if simply leaches into the ground.

You aren't going to find good mangoes year round.

Starting in June, look for Kent mangoes specifically from Mexico in the grocery stores. If you are careful about selecting the ripest ones, most of them are actually pretty good. If there's a food 4 less near you that's a good store to check.

Wow! Yeah, I think I see buds on my Biqi - the biggest tree I received.

I thought Hachiya could be treated with CO2 to remove astringency. Are those at publix? I need to go grab a bag. I have some ripening on the counter but they're taking weeks.

https://growingfruit.org/t/processing-astringent-american-persimmons/39796/9

My coturnix took a couple bites out of an epiphyllum I was rooting, but it was the only plant within reach. With that size greenhouse I doubt they'll damage anything mature, or they might peck some things out of curiosity then quit. If you ever grow veggies in there, they will eat any leaves close to the ground.

If they're coturnix they will appreciate some little boxes to hide in (cardboard is fine), but no coop or perch.

FWIW

The main export is the Semil 34 type, which is harvested from October to January; Hass, which is the most demanded avocado in the world and is produced in the Dominican Republic all year long (whose main destination is the United States); Popenoe, which is harvested from May to July; Simmonds, Pollock and Doctor Dupoi, which have a great acceptance in international markets. The country also grows the Carla variety, which is harvested between March and April.

https://specialtyproduce.com/produce/Dominican_Avocados_22295.php

I have a few pups that I can't plant due to surgery. I picked them on Monday 7/25 then had a surgical procedure on 7/26 that prevents me from potting them for at least a week or more.  Didn't know i would be out of commission. What is the longest time frame I can go before they die? It may be 10 to 14 days before I can pot them up.

Pups meaning no roots? 2-3 weeks should be fine as long as they aren't sitting in the sun. You can start them in water, too, keep the water level just below the plant.

Turns out I have a mango tree in my yard already too.. but it's pretty shaded by oaks. Need to ask my neighbor if it's ever set fruit.