The Tropical Fruit Forum

Very welcome news

https://www.gainesville.com/story/news/2025/01/09/university-of-floridas-ifas-works-to-combat-citrus-greening/77551490007/

It's been close to 90 days since my banana tree flowered. This is my first exp with a fruiting banana tree. This is what they look like today.

Do I need to add anything to the planting hole. Thanks

6 yrs ago I planted 2 Lapins cherry trees. I have taken very good care of them. They have not produced any fruit buds. On March 1 I planted a bare-root Montmorency Pie Cherry Tree I ordered online from Home Depot. To my surprise it produced 2 flowers. The flowers did not produce fruit.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Online-Orchards-3-ft-4-ft-Tall-Bare-Root-Montmorency-Pie-Cherry-Tree-FTCH008/310612751#overlay

Ive never been able to get ground cherries to sprout from seed. Gave up trying.

How old is that tree

Looking for nice landscape Crabapple to plant in my front yard.

The only one I have head of in the US is Thai Soldier from Baker Creek.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.rareseeds.com/thai-soldier-long-bean&ved=2ahUKEwjOg8Wj9qz8AhWpRzABHaHdAxsQFnoECCcQAQ&usg=AOvVaw3b9Ijk9w1BsLP8MzcaQu8-

Its probably best not give it too much nitrogen or it will start vining. That is what happens with some of my more vigorous bush bean varieties.

Thanks.

I’m also in zone 8b. You may want to try taking a 9 or 12 inch saw blade and cutting out the root ball of the bananas and storing the entire stalk in your garage to replant come spring. It takes me only a few mins to pop out. That way a freeze won’t make the bananas start from the ground again

That sounds like a good idea. Thanks for the tip.

I purchased a 9 x 4 portable greenhouse for cold protection around 2 goldfinger bananas, also wrapped with burlap and added a small space heater.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08CRQZJNB?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1

Barbados cherry- Frost blanket with 4 poles. Xmas lights inside.
Sweet almond- Blankets and hay
Cold sensitive citrus - Burlap wraps around trunk. Frost blankets with 4 poles
Cherry of Rio Grande. Frost blanket, xmas lights

I put cold sensitive plants in shed

My older citrus I only put hay around trunk and watered all cold sensitive trees well. Not much else I can do.

I live near Gainesville Fl and im preparing for the coming cold that's coming this friday (22), sat (23), sun (25), mon (31). I've put hay around the base of my cold sensitive citrus and sweet almond trees. Also plan on wrapping with burlap and placing frost blankets as well. My Barbados cherry going to put xmas lights and a frost blanket. Should I remove the fruit from my citrus trees. I don't want to leave them on if the cold ruins them.

I recently ordered a Page mandarin citrus tree because of its reputation as being one of the best tasting mandarin varieties. We shall see.

Orlando tangelo is my favorite citrus. Very sweet and tangy and juicy.  The juice from the Orlando is incredible. My coworkers would fight over the juice I took to work.