The Tropical Fruit Forum

I have had one in Central Florida 9b/10a for about 8 years or so. Its roughly 18 feet tall and would be that spread if I didnt cut it back every few years. I have never had any fruit/pods from it. No clue why, it gets plenty of irrigation and hasnt frozen back in a few years.

I didnt know it grew as ground cover. I have mine outdoors climbing up an oak tree. Seems to really like it there and I have had multiple fruit from it. Its been there 5 years or so and it about 8 feet tall. Does not inhibit the oak at all as would be expected.

Because I picked a Balck Sapote up in a nursery going out of business sale a few weeks back, I intend on keeping it in a container for the next few years until its big enough to survive our winters in the ground. What kind of soil mix are you using?

No clue what you are and arent able to source out there. Up above its mentioned that Emperor is a mountainous variety.

I am in far east Orlando not too far from the St John's. We have a vicious variety of nematode that doesnt really care about figs being resistant. I have had LSU Purple and it lasted three years before giving up the ghost. Normal figs make it about two. First year goes well but they go downhill from there. I have some in pots where they cannot contact the soil and have had them 5+ years.

I have a grey sand berm in my back 40 from when they dug the canal behind my property. Are there any fruiting or flowering trees anyone can think of that will grow there? Sand is pretty loose and dry. Gopher tortoises love it and have many burrows in there. But my neighbor across the canal is planning on clearing the woods there(grrr) and I would rather not see his property out my back windows. Something bushy, preferably fruiting, and likes being relatively dry. I have tried various desert and beach type trees like mesquite and sea grape with no success. As Nick from Nick's Edibles likes to say, I live in what was the arctic of 9b, although now its 10a in East Orange County. 

Oh wow, so there is no actual soil or sand?

So after reading this thread, there doesnt seem to be a consensus even for the same types of trees.
I am in Central Florida, using fabric pots, about to put a few mango trees in them. I have access to fox farm soil mix and whatever I can get at home depot or lowes. I have some well aged pine fines as well.

@zwanif- ok you convinced me. I ordered some cuttings of that and a few other oddballs I saw available.

Some trees are especially vulnerable like fig trees and there is NOTHING in Central eastern Florida grey sand that can be done to prevent them. Even resistant varieties will only last slightly longer. Blackberry Jam trees are also vulnerable, not quite as badly as figs but noticably so. In my yard which is loaded with nematodes, I have not noticed any real effect on mango, avocado, citrus, etc. I havent looked but a mention above of grapes has me wondering if thats why my grapes never taken off.

Maybe after 20 years of constant mulching it might make a difference but less than 10 years of mulching and mulch breakdown and you will not notice a difference with nematode pressure. I have tried buying nematode predators and did not see a difference. You can solarize the soil and sure, wipe out everything in it but give it a year and they will be right back.

Havent tried the mustard seed thing. Might be worth a try since it grows pretty well here.

I grow figs in pots on concrete tiles to prevent errant roots from contacting the soil. 

Lucas Nursery is worth visiting if just for wandering around. Its fruit tree prices are horrible, but its a huge nursery with tons of ornamentals including lots of weird stuff, several indoor/shade areas and a butterfly garden experience(never went on it myself).

Wouldnt having plastic dishes under them eventually rot the bottoms of the bags?