The Tropical Fruit Forum

I would like to get a discussion going and create an archive of lessons learned using the My4Sons sprayer.  Some of the questions will be specific to the equipment to et the best value from it but some may be just about spraying with any other sprayer.

Here are some areas I hope people will share insights and suggestions about.

1) Which is the best nozzle to get a fine spray and minimize volume of mix used when spraying mango for PM)
2) How to maximize the battery life / charge when spraying - should I use the agitator intermittently or run it continuously?
3) When spraying mango canopy, is it desirable to spray from above (using a long wand) and let the spray fall on the panicle and leaves or spray upwards (from below).  I know with a mister you want the spray form a mist that adheres to the underside and top side of the leaves.  With a liquid spray, especially for PM, what is the objective?

Here are some generic spraying question examples?
1) When spraying for PM management, do you want to spray the entire canopy or the part of the canopy with panicles?  Are you trying to spray the panicles or is the intent to spray the leaves?
2) Will PM transfer from unsprayed parts of the tree to sprayed parts?
3) Is it best to spray 1st thing in the morning with dew on the trees or wait till things are a little dryer, or perhaps spray at dusk

Here are some possibilities on what to spray
1) For mango and for PM control, is there value in alternating what is sprayed (avoiding resistance)
2) What can be alternated with sulfur, safely.  What have you used, what was your your experience like?
3) When you alternate products, do you keep a spray cycle of 6 to 10 days still ?
4) If you have spray left over, do you throw it out or continue to apply spray until the tank is empty (past runoff on the tree)

I recall there used to be, very passionate discussions actually between people who cared and people who didn't.
Came close to fisticuffs if I remember right.  Perhaps folks want a little peace and quiet.

Not sure what to search for to pull up some of the threads but it started from discussions about use of chemical fertilizers vs organic with soil management and improvement.

Its been a while and perhaps I am mixing forums, but some old timer here may be able to confirm.

Merry Christmas to you too, and thanks.

Not sure what to name it

Quote from: Orkine on April 03, 2024, 10:12:53 PM

I think I have a couple of fruits but I am not sure and here is why.

I planted one in an area where I had some control over its growth and it is OK.  I placed a second against a tall pine tree and placed another vine, also in a pot there as well. Both loved it, jumped on the tree and reached for the sky.  Now there are at least 4 or more fruits way high up the tree (two have already dropped to the ground but well past being edible)  The reason it is a maybe is I don't know which of the vines made the fruit.  I never saw the flower either. 

Not saying this for the competition but if anyone has a picture of the fruit, I will like to see it and compare to the drops.  I hope the one I planted in a nice spot fruits soon.  The fruit will be well within reach by hand or with a short picker.

By the way, I intend to leave the two under the pine tree but plan on chopping then down to about 10 feet tall in the spring once it gets wet.  I will try to train then onto a low branch on the tree in the hope that if they fruit again I can reach them.

May add a ew pictures when I am back in town.

One of several fruits dropped to the ground.
Easily from 30 feet in the tree and is still intact though bruised.  Will add pictures in a few minutes.

   


If you look closely at the two pictures below, you will see clusters of fruit at the top of the pine tree where the vines climbed up to.  I planted two vines so I cant tell which is which but I have had two different types of fruit so I am sure I have fruited each.  Just don't know which is the subject of the challenge.

I could do an image search.  Or wait till I get a fruit lower on the vine where I can tell which plant it grew from.
I am considering truncating the vine at a branch I can reach with a larder and training it along that branch.

   


I cut it open, it tastes nice and lots of pulp/juice.

There is a new and different fruit.  Again the fruit is very high on the tree where the vine has most of its growth.  I am attaching some pictures.  There is just one fruit and it is huge.  Must be the size of a foosball.

Not sure which of the vines it grew on but it can only be one of two and since it looks different from the Cionosicyos macranthus, it must be the PQ?  thoughts?
 
The single fruit is visible in the first 5 pictures, the sixth is to show the tree.

   

   

   

Quote from: JR561 on December 16, 2024, 02:52:21 PM

Just tried mine out and I definitely like this sprayer. Its perfect for my needs.

Santa has a side job.

Hope you are spraying water, else I will be asking you for your PPE.

At least this number


Have a safe and happy 2025

For those working on powdery mildew prevention, my Dad has been using Microthiol Dispersss (micronized sulfur) with a spreader sticker in the lychee grove. He says that there is a huge difference between that and the generic "wettable sulfur" he started with. The spreader sticker (not sure what brand--generic is probably fine) helps give better coverage and makes it harder for rain to wash the sulfur off. Sulfur is also an acaricide (it kills mites) if that fact interests anyone.

Where can one get Microthiol Disperss in South Florida?

Earlier in the thread, a different product was suggested by Pneuma.  The advantage was that it atomized the spray (mist) and would use less product.

Has anyone compared product use per unit area for this sprayer against a fodder/mister which atomizes the spray?

Thank you all for the feedback, I am in for one and am happy with the decision.
My first engagement with the company was positive customer service on an error in my order + plus a recommended upgrade I had not considered).

I will share if the product works well for me.

Continue to share your experience with this sprayer and any best practices or hacks you have learned for making sure it lasts and getting the most value out of it.

Perhaps the lakes around Leesburg are helping mitigating the temperatures.

Perhaps.

I have access to several Pond Apple trees at work, perhaps these could be a different enough type if you want to start more seeds.

Do you know if these are clones or if one is from a zygotic embryo?  You may be dealing with two varieties in your cluster.  If you chose to separate them and they survive, take a Scion from one and graft to the others, that way you are sure to have  at least a branch of your target variety.

If you are keeping all the separated trees, then no worries since you will certainly have one or more clones of your target variety

Get some scions to people near you and get scions from then when your rootstock is ready.

The projections are for a very large spatially large) storm. 
For its size (across not strength) it is in the 90th plus percentile for storms coming out of the Caribbean.

I suggest that in addition to the track, you look at the extent of tropical force winds.

That said, I believe for most of SE FL we will have a wet storm close to the coast and slightly inland, the south west coast will see rain and surge, the inland area not so sure.  There may be enough wind to do some damage to trees but hopefully not a sustained, prolonged high wind event for us.