The Tropical Fruit Forum

Hello to all the greenhouse growers out there. I was wondering how you go about controlling your vapor pressure deficit. I can’t find much on the market for the hobby greenhouse. I have a jimmy rigged system that is based off different 3 different temperature intervals each with their own humidity set points. It works quite well except for when I have to spray things down for pests in the late winter. I was curious what everyone else does.

I have increasing shade in my backyard, I used to be able to grow grapes but now there is only vegetative growth. I transplanted gooseberries against a fence that only gets evening sun. They produced a dozen berries last year but none this year. Should I try something else that is shade tolerant like thimbelberries or black currants (i have both in other parts of my yard) or do u think it’s futile? Note I had the trees thinned last year and I don’t think it did anything.

I had a nectarine in a pot that may have not had enough chill hours this winter. The tree still hasn’t done anything but a scratch test shows it’s still green. Any tricks to forcing it to leaf out or is it just done?

I was wondering if anyone could identify the source of damage of my rambutan leaves? I’ve never seen any bugs on the plant but they are completely full of holes.

Hey everyone, I started a new thread after a comment from Daintree (I think it was Daintree… I went out and enjoyed too many refreshmentz). In people’s experience which tropical fruit trees can and can’t handle root pruning well?

Hey everyone, I’ve been struggling for a while to grow container tangerines in my (tiny)greenhouse. I love tangelos, and have been growing a “Minneloa” for about 5 years. Despite it being very healthy, It struggles to hold fruit, and the fruit that it has produced has been less than impressive. I also picked up a 4’ sugarbelle 18 mo ago, and am currently (almost finished) resolving a chlorosis problem that has probably arisen as it transitioned from synthetic to organic fertilizers over the past year.

For those of you with greener thumbs or better climates, which plant do you prefer in terms of health productivity and taste? We don’t have HLB in canada so that isn’t a factor. Also if a citrus has been unproductive but looks healthy, do you think is worthwhile to graft onto it?

Thanks Al,

Minneola



Sugarbelle

Hey everyone, I have limited space in my greenhouse and just got my first fruit of my baboon lemon. It was a nice size and looked good and was looking forward to making a couple of cocktails for myself and a friend, but was very embarrassed with the amount of juice I got from it, less than a tablespoon.

What do I do? Will it get better as the tree ages, or did it need more water etc. Or do I get rid of it in an attempt to save my reputation as a tropical cocktail connoisseur?

Here is what’s left after I crushed it trying to salvage my cocktail.

Does anyone know the cause of the new tips of Longan growth to dry up and die? I’m
Growing it in a heated greenhouse, rh 60-70, no drafts goo light 65-80F for most of winter. The new rips are so delicate I’m worried about spraying with water if the culprit is spider mites. Any ideas?

I am long time enthusiastic yet relatively ineffective citrus grower in a 4 season cold climate greenhouse. I usually post on the tropical side. I was wondering if anyone has experience with Cryptolaemus montrouzieri for mealey bug and scale control in an enclosed environment? I recently found mealey bugs in my gh for the first time in 6 years (not an infestation) but have been battling soft brown scale from the start (only currently out of control on mango which I clean off 2x/week). The mealy bug destroyers are kinda pricey and was wondering if it would be possible for them to achieve a stable population? Note: I’m not looking to eradicate the mealey and soft scale, just keep their populations down.

I am finally having some success (not killing them within 1 year) with container mangos. I was wondering that if you keep your mango warm during the winter, and it doesn’t get any chill time, will that make it put on extra growth cause it’s not spending energy on flowers?

I’ve had fruiting feijoias in containers in a heated greenhouse for about 3 years now. I have 3 different cultivars and they seem to flower in succession, so the first to flower (nikita) only ever had 2-6 fruit as the other plants would just start to flower after the blooms were ending.

My greenhouse maxes out at around 86f (32c) in the summer, and against the north window (where they sit) goes down to 7-10c during jan/Feb.

I had a friends parents visiting from New Zealand and kinda laughed at me when I showed them my feijoia fruit as compared to theirs back home mine were pretty small and dry. All the people I know from new Zealand (maybe 8 at most) says that back home they are the best fruit ever. I was wondering if anyone has had success growing large volumes of amazing feijoias, and what conditions/cultivars were needed.

I was curious if anyone ha