The Tropical Fruit Forum
Tropical Fruit => Tropical Fruit Discussion => Topic started by: carolstropicals on July 21, 2022, 11:19:32 AM
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Writing about my Makok sapodilla tree which has much new growth. I would like to keep this tree small & cut off the ends.
Concerned that this would affect new fruit.
I can't seem to find information on whether this tree is like citrus and I am not supposed to cut ends or if this sapodilla fruits
anyway.
Guess I need an explanation as the videos I've seen do not show this.
Thanks for everyone on this forum.
Carol in Houston
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Hope Someone knows about sapodilla pruning. thanks
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Sapodillas are slow growers in general, and Makok is a dwarf variety. Go easy on the pruning and prune only when necessary.
This variety ripens a few fruit almost every month of the year for me. I have a tree about 6 years old that is only 5 feet tall and wide. The only pruning has been on branches that are dragged onto the ground by fruit. Fruit quality and size has improved every year, the first couple harvests the fruit had a greenish cast and grassy taste that went away in later years. Now quality is much improved with a more caramel colored internal appearance than before. I would think it is a good choice for your climate zone to keep in a pot or in ground in a greenhouse.
(https://i.postimg.cc/kVH4QT5d/IMG-20220721-132729312.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/kVH4QT5d)
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Thank you for the advice. It is already in the ground.
We had no rain. I watered well and the makok grew about 8" all around.
I've had it for some time, but moved it so many times that really only 1 fruit that disappeared.
Think I will feed it even though it is hot.
Will also try to hand pollinate when it flowers.
Just don't know if it is like citrus or blooms on old growth.
Don't guess people have many of these growing.
The owner of the nursery where I bought the tree said she had so many on her tree.
It was in a pot
Thanks for your help. Carol
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I have a makok in the ground at my house.
It has barely grown since I put it in the ground.
It fruits prolifically every year and I have to thin the fruit
to avoid branches breaking. I put it on the South side of my house
in a protected area and this past year when we were under 32F for
over 5 hours it was the only tree that lived. I lost a Morena, Silas Wood,
and Haysa
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Makok is self pollinating and sets heavy crops. You will probably need to thin fruit. Give some weak liquid fertilizer often to try to push growth. Sapodillas don't like to be heavily pruned. I have lost a few by both pruning too hard and by digging up and moving them. I also lost one transplanting when the lower third of root system fell off when removing from pot. They can be very sensitive to root disturbance.
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Surrounding a small tree with wire fencing and burying it with straw for a few days during a really bad freeze can save it. I learned that trick to fruit bananas near Charleston,SC when I lived there.
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My trees are strung with christmas lights. Mango, avocados, etc. The makok also, but is in the back yard where it doesn't get as cold. Even the joey avocado was save with christmas lights in the front yard. No cover. We leave these light on the tree all year.
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My Makok was a slow grower until this last year - now wondering if I should prune. But no fruit to speak of. I'll feed it with garden tone. Also have sleeves now to protect fruit.
thanks to everyone for Makok advice. If mine keeps growing I'll have to prune as we just don't have room.
Also the branches break so easily.