Show Posts

This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.


Messages - slopat

Pages: [1] 2 3 ... 7
1
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Grafting Tape
« on: March 07, 2024, 03:59:04 PM »

I can chime in that Brad's recommendation of us the Presco flagging tape is a super value! For a couple of bucks its crazy cheap and works. I tried the even cheaper Irwin,  Don't,  Irwin flagging tape for ~$1.00 is not worth it.

One.of the many times Brad's posted about it. URL=
https://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?topic=43698.msg427139#msg427139



Quote
I get near perfect take rates using just the flagging tape on the unions.

Brad, what is flagging tape? Is that the green tape sold in garden centers for tying plants?

2
USPS decided to give the scions a tour from San Francisco to City of Industry,  going through Santa Barbara Southbound then northbound the next day before being delivered! Anyways,  they were waiting for me after work today.

They looked great and thanks for the taping and extras. They are now grafted onto Cerifera, Californica, and the seedlings. Just in time as it's raining now :)   The varying diameters worked out perfectly.

If only the rootstocks were big enough to graft onto when the group buys took place! Still sad and strange that the ones from Bill's GB either died slowly or suddenly after more than a good year of growth for me.  I kept them in pots after Simon's RKN warnings and trashed them along with soil when dead. I applied the Monterey nemicide according to instructions too. So who knows. The Californica and Cerifera were tiny plugs growing right next to them and grew big fast, almost 2ft tall.

It'll be nice when the GB varieties become more prevalent.

3

Are these scions from the seedlings that you sold a couple of years ago and just tested for male or female?

Those seedlings have been growing growing solidly by the way!

4
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Problem with 'Sabará' . . . .
« on: January 16, 2024, 02:07:04 PM »
The pots up here needed watering but the clay soil is still moist from the last rain. Go figure,  at least the rain barrels had water :)

At least there's more rain on the way this week! (Not snow and -'F like the midwest and east)

5
Tropical Fruit Buy, Sell & Trade / Re: Sell Shine Muscat cuttings
« on: January 06, 2024, 04:03:41 PM »
Saw these type of grapes at 99 ranch this morning.  Guess it's more than a dessert wine, cost more than a decent bottle. $15/1.3lbs.


6
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Some Brazil Trip Photos 2023
« on: December 20, 2023, 01:00:32 AM »
Nice pictures.

Speaking of collectibles, one of my friends who grew up in Costa Rica said back in the 90s, the orchids selling here in California for $50+ , were everywhere down there growing like weeds.

Come to think of it, what did we spend on Yangmei?  :)


7
Happy Holidays!!!

$20 donated!

8
Cold Hardy Citrus / Re: Ways to protect your citrus trees in ground
« on: December 09, 2023, 01:12:33 AM »


Talk about in ground protection from the weather,  have you heard about Forestiere Underground Gardens? Protection from both heat and somewhat cold, it doesn't snow in Fresno but it does get frosty.

https://www.visitfresnocounty.org/things-to-do/attractions/forestiere-underground-gardens/

Ive heard that the permies use straw as an insulator, straw bale walls for example,  as it's a fairly decent R factor at several inches as long as it remains dry. But it sounds like a lot of inches would be needed if that cold!

9
Hi Kevin,

Going to try rooting them. Since the original mother plants were rooted then hopefully the odds for success will be positive. I'll let you know how it turns out.

10
Tropical Fruit Buy, Sell & Trade / Re: Barbie Pink Guava Cuttings
« on: November 22, 2023, 09:53:50 PM »

The mailman just dropped off the package of cuttings this afternoon and they look great 👍. 

Super happy to have ordered some good stuff to get growing this year :) 

Thanks Kevin!!!

Pat.

11
How are the bitter melon plants doing?  The spring and early summer weather at night has been too cold so it's sadly been bought. Crazy price of ~$2.50 each from Fresno. Seems like it was yesterday that it was $0.49/lb and tritip was $0.99/lb!

Good beef was less expensive!

Beef with bitter melon FTW :)






13
I'll have to try growing this one too, it'll probably be a challenge as the nights cool down most of the time and last year I finally found a variety that finally produced and sized up decently. Not quite sure what to make of this but most of the bittermelon I've seen becomes sweet as they turn overripe orange yellow.  Even my cat used to lick them. So I never knew that term "arils" nor that it was edible so thanks for that. Flesh sliced thin and stir fry with either beef, pork, or chicken in black bean sauce is what I'm used to. Leaves for tea is soso. But arils?

Now I just had a flashback of cubed overripe orange bittermelon steamed with shrimp paste and Chicharrones!



14
Crazy but we are just a day or two shy of the 22 Jan 2022 pickups!

Nice job and many thanks for organizing  successful group buys!

15
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: All this rain in California
« on: January 14, 2023, 05:40:35 PM »
I have some friends who worked at Paramount back in the 90s and they were already aware and working towards minimizing water usage... micro irrigation vs "flooding " etc because the costs back then per acre foot, deep wells and acquaduct, were relatively crazy. Talk about weather stations and all to figure out plant eTo requirements for optimal growth. 

The news is that the next generation farmers are opting to grow either homes or solar now. So much less risk and working every day of the year, sun or rain.

The scary part is that imported foods is more likely going forward.

Yeah, we also had tons if issues here in SLO but nothing compared to the march flooding after the highway 41 fire... for context,  Avila Valley (   https://www.google.com/maps/place/35%C2%B011'14.4%22N+120%C2%B042'40.3%22W/@35.1872342,-120.7108401,18z/data=!4m4!3m3!8m2!3d35.187341!4d-120.711199?force=pwa&source=mlpwa ). The water was flowing the "entire" valley, hillside to hillside to the ocean.

Interesting article:
https://www.worldometers.info/food-agriculture/pesticides-by-country/

16
Citrus General Discussion / Re: kishu is very much worthwhile
« on: January 07, 2023, 03:38:09 AM »
Concur on how tasty Kishus are. Locally good here but the ones I buy at farmer's market, seller from Exeter California,  are a little bit sweeter. CalPoly has enough for Upick and at Von's 'shop local' and farmer's.  I have a 10+ year old pixie that I am really considering top working or approaching with a Kishu. Normally I like to peel the segments but for the Kishu I peel and just take off the white and eat a dozen :) 

My kids like them too and daughter keeps asking why i didn't plant them. 🙃   although Owari Satsuma remains my top favorite, dried rinds for cooking too ;D 

17
Citrus General Discussion / Re: Calamansi pot size and pruning
« on: December 27, 2022, 10:37:39 PM »
There was a post here about trees in "mobile" pots a while ago within the past 2 years. One linking to an article about trees in Europe (France?) And what Kaz does with a large wheeled garbage can! Those posts might help.

18
Under $10 each was the trigger to buy 2 also!  So far after 18+ months, they are a good buy. One in the wife's car so it's available to trim flowers when visiting the cemetery and one to "loan" when someone wants to borrow etc. The Felco's stay safe. :)  Overall though,  the are pretty good deals for certain use cases. Too bad they are unavailable now. Thanks for the info zands, Brian,  and Al!


thanks for pointing this out, zands.  When there's such a large price difference between non-name chinese sellers and renowned quality I always try the cheap stuff first and see how it does.  Often it is just fine, and if not then I try the expensive kind.  I was just thinking I needed more pruners because I keep leaving mine all around the house and my wife uses them too.  It looks like the black color version of the link you posted is now only $8.50... I ordered two.  I'll let you know how they are

https://www.amazon.com/YunChang-Pruning-Shears-Pruner-Scissors/dp/B085T3H4NK
$16.99 & "50% off with promo code U9D4NZKY"

Thanks Brain,

I have a Felco but can't resist a deal buy one get one free.
Thanks for the promo code, I ordered 2 to give it a try. 

Al

19
$20 donated

Thanks and happy holidays!

20
Citrus General Discussion / Re: Citrus Fruits - Ripe in SoCal December
« on: December 14, 2022, 04:56:55 PM »
Not speaking for Teds ideas,  my thoughts would be how they taste? ( at least #11 and #20 would be interesting and different use case?  )

 
"Digital taste comparison"

Do you mean what is the brix readings of all the different fruits?

21
Most items should be consumed in moderation. 

Even drinking too much plain water can be hazardous( lookup radio station water contest Sacramento,  ca). FWIW, I know of at least 5 people who have Parkinson's, tremors,  or ALS who have never knowlingly eaten pawpaws or cherimoyas.

30 lbs is a lot, how would one not suffer from IBS symptoms?

But still,  good to know the repercussions of.

22
Nice!

Btw: I just saw some at farmers market this morning.  Calpoly SLO's horticulture,  $5/lb. The ladies were constantly explaining what they were and uses to people.


23
Temperate Fruit Discussion / Re: source to buy rootstock
« on: September 04, 2022, 06:51:17 PM »
Brad likes Burn Ridge. https://www.burntridgenursery.com/mobile/searchprods.asp?val=11&pagenumber=1&searchstring=Rootstock

I've ordered from one green world and   raintree

https://onegreenworld.com/?s=Rootstoc
https://raintreenursery.com/collections/rootstock

Or get in on a local CRFG group buy, saves on shipping!

24

Former fig paradise.  The fig garden area has been supplanted by homes and other development!

I was visiting some relatives out in Sanger last month, Academy and Shaw/Ashland,  and it's no longer the "boonies" allright. Probably better than west Fresno at least. Just too freaking hot and foggy cold out there for me.

Perhaps calimyrna figs if the wasps are still around?


check out ourfigs.com. you are located in fig paradise.

25
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Anyone making small batch avocado oil?
« on: August 20, 2022, 10:58:18 PM »
That's all there is to it?

Dang, great idea to make our own! Considering it's $10+ a liter at Costco, if there's extra fruit falling off the tree!

Have you noticed variations between say Reed and Mexicola etc?

Pages: [1] 2 3 ... 7