The Tropical Fruit Forum

Quote from: K-Rimes on March 12, 2026, 09:07:42 PM

You left too much of a window between the scion and rootstock. It should be matched up with as little "window" showing as possible. Good learning lesson, I failed many many times before I had success and I still fail on jabos of that size frequently. They just aren't really growing that robustly, so it's 5050 on takes.

Agreed.  Honestly when I removed the outer layer of tape to check the grafts I was shocked by how much of a window I left here.  I think over the past year I've done a lot more grafting and my technique is slowly improving now.  With Scions that match up size wise as well as these I now prefer whip and tongue.

Whip and Tongue is my favorite graft at this point. Got 4 of 6 jabo grafts to take on lat time around with whip and Tongue.

Quote from: K-Rimes on March 12, 2026, 09:07:42 PM

You left too much of a window between the scion and rootstock. It should be matched up with as little "window" showing as possible. Good learning lesson, I failed many many times before I had success and I still fail on jabos of that size frequently. They just aren't really growing that robustly, so it's 5050 on takes.

Can you explain what you mean by "window" here?  The (extremely thin) air gap between the scion and rootstock?

The "window" on a cleft graft is the little arch shaped area of exposed wood on the scion just above the top rootstock. When the scion is pushed deeper into the rootstock, that area gets smaller and the graft has less healing to do giving you a better chance of success.

I was talking with someone today about the Root Quencher Irrigation heads. They are pretty expensive, but apparently people who have used them say that they really work well. Basically, it is an underground irrigation head that includes a basket that allows you to add liquid fertilizer for direct feeding to the root zone. Sounds like most people sleeve the perforated head with a paint strainer bag to keep sand from filling it up. I have been around irrigation for over 30 years and have never seen anything like this. Thought it might be an interesting concept for some of the more intensive growers. Based on what the gentleman told me, these are starting to catch on in pecan groves in Georgia.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.rootquencher.com/%3Fsrsltid%3DAfmBOopy0uNoOUwzNaK6PF_cQPResO38ZlyNd-3Ocm6K8ezd_Qzrw_oo&ved=2ahUKEwjfspfqypuTAxWTkyYFHZGiOVYQFnoECB8QAQ&usg=AOvVaw3sWg-b1Wr-oObFzZVeiFoe

Kaz pricked my interest Youpancui. The Internet says that it is a budsport of Dongzao (which is apparently one of the top quality fresh fruit jujubes in China). Looking at the region of origin in China, I don't think it will fruit well here in Florida. Based on the reports that I am reading, I wonder if it is more an issue of high emperature when they bloom than a chill issue. Parthenocarpic varieties like Tiger tooth are some of the only ones reported to fruit consistently but IFAS outside of North Florida.

I think he has a jatropha that is free of the usual toxin that is commonly called Florida pistachio.

I have not grown tea specifically, but most camelias need shade to grow well in central Florida.

Great job, Kevin! Like other camelias if they are grown from seed, they will have a tap root and will be quite drought tolerant.

Galatians the race is on😀
Planted January 1st Triton Ambrosia and Athens
Triton and Ambrosia really have surpassed Athens through this cooler weather. I almost didn't plant Triton this season because last season it didn't thrive well. I think it was because of My use of growth bags. Nursery pots are much better. Anywho Triton is in the lead the first one to reach the first rung of the ladder.😅



Wonderful Choice bovine
Triton great-tasting Eastern shipper.
A delicious cantaloupe that withstands the rigors of storage and handling. With excellent crack tolerance, disease resistance, and good shelf life, Triton is comparable to Athena but has improved flavor, a smaller seed cavity, slightly smaller fruit (avg. 4–5 1/2 lb.), and earlier maturity (up to 3 days). Harvest at full-slip or when background color is tan.
Disease Resistance:
Fusarium Wilt races 0–2 (High)
Powdery Mildew (Intermediate

I believe so Sudanese🙂

My watermelons jus sprouted. So we will see who gets to the finish line first. 😆

I don't know exactly how he did it, but Wayne Clifton had one that was a multi graft tree with at least 4 varieties that was waist high and holding over a dozen fruits when I visited him once.

I grew this for a couple years and was super excited about it--particularly because P. peruviana is very nematode resistant. I thought the flavor was excellent--definitely high on the fruit flavors and not tomatoey at all in my opinion. Plants would get over 6' tall, but this variety (or species?) was much more attractive to Three Lined Potato Beetles than the P. pruinosa varieties like New Hannover. So, I lost interest. It should be fantastic where the potato beetles are not a problem or if you put in the work to manage them.

Quote from: Julian R on March 05, 2026, 08:49:26 AM

Quote from: pineflatwoods on March 04, 2026, 09:57:04 PM

Will beetles colonize dead cut wood laying on the ground? I would like to burn it, but my county will give me the death penalty if I do.

Wonder if mulching the dead wood would prevent them from utilizing it?

I'd like to burn ideally, because of fungus also.

Some more good news- I'm seeing sprouts on more mango trees. Cecilove, Crystal, Juliette, Karen Michelle, and Gopher

Earlygold has life, but below the graft. That ones a goner.

Mamey seedlings and Sapodillas still toast, banana continues to recover- My Gigantea might have some life in it.

WI Russell Avocado potted ok, Loreta, Beta, Victoria all fine as well. Russell took a little damage, but is sprouting axillaries beneath the damaged terminals

Mulching would probably work if it was chipped small. I don't think the fungus will bother the tree if it does not contact the cambium.

I've got a 3 gal Redlands, and I'm hopeful someone can tell me it is manageable under 12ft in ground, but I am thinking that is not a reality.

Please help, been wanting one for so long that I got it despite really not having the space, what are my options?  Thanks in advance!

My Dad has a ~20 year old Redlands tree that is approximately that size. I believe that it is very doable. Rootstock may impact the ultimate size, but my Dad's is just in the standard rootstock from Pine Island Nursery.

At least in my yard, the ambrosia beetles appeared at the junction of living and dead wood. So if you cut proximal to where the beetles are to the live wood, you should be eliminating the problem (and risk of fungal spread), no?

We have had success "cutting ahead" of the beetle damage to save the tree. In my experience it's better to err on the side of caution. I'd rather cut 6" below where the damage ends than cut 1/4" above it. If you cut the 6" lower the tree will grow that back in a couple months. If you leave infected wood, the best scenario is another hard cut back way below were you would have cut the first time (the other option is a dead tree). The only exception would be if you are getting close to the graft union. May have to take a little risk in that case. Be sure to sterilize between cuts--particularly if you cut into infected wood. Pruners will spread the disease as easily as a beetle.