The Tropical Fruit Forum

Could rebar be used or possibly metal conduit like that gotten from Home Depot?

Or would the dragon fruit 'vines' reject those metal materials?

Paul M.
==

Dear Daintree,

I got a 'double mahoi' start from my nieghbor about four years ago.  After several seasons he and I both decided that it was NOT 'double mahoi' but more possibly something like 'dwarf brazilian.'  (Anyway it was obviously NOT 'double mahoi'!)

Mine bloomed several times and produced a couple good-sized racks of bananas and although the fruits were small to medium sized there were lots of them, some four or five dozen.  They were tasty but some had a fibrous string along the midrib of the fruit.  That seemed to be due to not receiving enough fertilizer during the time that the fruits were maturing and ripening.  (The rack ripened off the plant: I cut the mature rack and hung it under the porch eaves, out of the sun.)

The fruits were tasty (save for the string in some of them) and I ate on that rack for about three weeks when the balance of them all began to ripen at once.  Then the neighbors were gifted what I couldn't eat before they would've gone bad.

This clone will prolly never produce a double spike but eventually the mat had producerd and matured about a dozen suckers.  So late this past spring I had my lawn man cut 'em all down but one.  And now four months later there are five new swords maturing.  Gotta get out the machete and cut 'em back again.

So Daintree, my advice to  you with this uncertain cultivar in your greenhouse is to feed-feed-feed it.  Each year I gave mine lots of 10-10-10 all summer long about every six weeks.  That helped it go ahead and make a flower spike and set fruit.

Keep your plant watered.  This year's stalk of fruit dried up on me before maturing the fruit during our west central Florida drought time this past summer.  If I'd watered it I might've gotten another big stalk of bananas to mature instead of them drying up on the plant.

OK — HTH  & Good Luck!

Paul M.
==

Mexicola and Mexicola Grande are rated as very cold tolerant and can take down to 17ºF. I'm told.

I would guess though that it might be wise to keep them on the more dry side during the coldest time of winter.

OK – HTH

Paul M.
==

The leaves and fruit that you posted look suspiciously very much like Couepia polyandra, aka olo sapo.

Do the leaves, when they first expand, have a cottony white bloom on them along the upper midrib which can be easily wiped off with a finger?  If so that it is almost certainly olo sapo. (Yours has leaves that look just like those on my two plants of this species.)

OK — HTH

Paul M.
==

I recently read somewhere that a place up in Michigan (maybe) is buying up crops of pawpaws and making (and selling) ice cream out of them. 

If they would/could maybe ship the stuff FedEx overnight and packed with dry ice then that could be one way to go to get a taste of pawpaw, but a pricey way, fer sure!

Just mulling ideas here . . . .

Cheers!

Paul M.
==

Nick,

Is it known wheter this species is self-fertile or . . . ?

I'm sure it's unlikely, but is there any sense of this species' cold tolerance?

And lastly, what does it taste like?

Trying to decide if I want to try one of these.

Paul M.
==

[Sorry I should have posted this on the Buy, Sell, Trade forum –PM]

Pawpaw season is starting up and I'm wondering whether there are others who have or
will have pawpaws to sell, besides the one or two TFF members who earlier on here
mentioned that they have pawpaw fruits for sale to ship.

I'd like to try some of the different named varieties of pawpaw since it is unlikely that I
could ever grow Asimina triloba here in Tampa (9b) and get it to set fruit.

Cheers!

Paul M.
==

Craigslist Tampa is your friend if you don't mind driving to Plant City or Pinellas County.

Calusa, I'm not at all a fan of Craig's List so if possible could you maybe be a little more specific about
who or where in Plant City or Pinellas County your reply suggests?

Cheers!

Paul M.
==

Wish that I'd known.  Mine at six feet tall shot out three flower/fruit inflorescences about two months ago.

I didn't have any use for them so just cut them off and discarded.

If it fruits again I'll post on here to advise.

Cheers!

Paul M.
==

Cassia cinnamon is the problem one because it contains a significant amount of coumarin so that anyone taking blood thinners like Warfarin should not use a lot of cassia cinnamon.

Ceylon (or True) Cinnamon OTOH, has a negligible amount of coumarin so it is safe to use in such cases.  Ceylon cinnamon also has a slightly sweeter taste than cassia cinnamon.

OK — HTH

Paul M.
==

Also received the 'Betty #1' cuttings today, and in fine shape.

Now one of those 'stupid questions' although not so much stupid for me or for any other novice wanting to start a fig from cuttings:

I notice that these cutting arrived wrapped.  Should that wrap be left on or removed (partially or completely) before planting the cuttings?

I've snooped around online and am guessing that any good commercial potting mix should be suitable.

I'm wanting to be successful in helping out with this fig trial.

Suggestions for starting these cuttings the best way would be welcomed.

Cheers!

Paul M.
==

Put up a prominent sign that reads 'Pesticides In Use' or something of the like. [snip]

How about a big notice that reads:  SNAKE SANCTUARY

Just sayin' . . .

Paul M.
==