Author Topic: What's eating my Suriname Cherries?  (Read 1457 times)

fliptop

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What's eating my Suriname Cherries?
« on: April 27, 2021, 05:42:59 PM »
My Zill Dark Suriname Cherries have been great this year. They seem a little bit milder but with nearly no gasoline taste and with melting flesh. We were gonna maybe make a pie outta them, but so far I can't stop eating them fresh off the tree.

But, alas, many of the ones nearing ripeness are afflicted by damage. I can't tell if it's bird, bug, or beast. Any ideas? Any idea what I could do to protect them? I'm eating what I can of the damaged ones.

Thanks!




FV Fruit Freak

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Re: What's eating my Suriname Cherries?
« Reply #1 on: April 27, 2021, 06:25:12 PM »
My guess is birds but I’m not too familiar with all the critters y’all have out there...I’d throw some bird netting over it and see if that works. If it does feel free to send me some of those delicious looking fruit for the advice ;) My Zill’s dark keeps dropping flowers, ughhhh :(
Nate

Dangermouse01

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Re: What's eating my Suriname Cherries?
« Reply #2 on: April 27, 2021, 06:27:38 PM »
Birds.
Usual suspects at my place would be the cardinals, catbirds and maybe mockingbirds.
They also enjoy the grimichama and jabos in addition to the suriname cherries.

bovine421

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Re: What's eating my Suriname Cherries?
« Reply #3 on: April 27, 2021, 06:34:02 PM »
I'll take roof rats for a hundred Alex

They love Barbados cherries along with their friends the squirrels
« Last Edit: April 27, 2021, 06:35:53 PM by bovine421 »
Tete Nene Julie Juliet Carrie Ice Cream Coconut Cream Little Gem  Dot  Mallika PPK  OS  Pina Colada Cotton Candy Buxton Spice Karen Michelle M-4 Beverly Marc Anthony White Pirie Lychee Cherilata Plantain Barbados Cherry

fliptop

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Re: What's eating my Suriname Cherries?
« Reply #4 on: April 27, 2021, 06:48:38 PM »
Thanks for the replies. I did catch a cardinal eating one last year, and recently saw a mockingbird eating a natal plum in the neighborhood. So I think you're right, FV Fruit Freak and Dangermouse01. Plus, I can stomach eating off a fruit a bird bit out of as opposed to a rat😜 I can't imagine these would ship well--they ripen so fast. If it's any consolation, FV Fruit Freak, last year I got very little fruit set. This year has been fantastic--it just fruited and is flowering again while fruit are ripening.



bovine421

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Re: What's eating my Suriname Cherries?
« Reply #5 on: April 27, 2021, 06:56:01 PM »
Thanks for the replies. I did catch a cardinal eating one last year, and recently saw a mockingbird eating a natal plum in the neighborhood. So I think you're right, FV Fruit Freak and Dangermouse01. Plus, I can stomach eating off a fruit a bird bit out of as opposed to a rat😜 I can't imagine these would ship well--they ripen so fast. If it's any consolation, FV Fruit Freak, last year I got very little fruit set. This year has been fantastic--it just fruited and is flowering again while fruit are ripening.


I would say most likely it's the Mockingbird but at least they sing for their food

Tete Nene Julie Juliet Carrie Ice Cream Coconut Cream Little Gem  Dot  Mallika PPK  OS  Pina Colada Cotton Candy Buxton Spice Karen Michelle M-4 Beverly Marc Anthony White Pirie Lychee Cherilata Plantain Barbados Cherry

roblack

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Re: What's eating my Suriname Cherries?
« Reply #6 on: April 27, 2021, 07:17:09 PM »
yep, looks to be the work of birds

they love Barbados cherry even more

help with the mulberries as well

CarolinaZone

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Re: What's eating my Suriname Cherries?
« Reply #7 on: April 27, 2021, 07:38:30 PM »
Birds. There are some nasty wrens in my area that have eaten nearly all mine. Where can I get some of those Zill's sweet? I have been looking all over for them. I am also about to go super hard on Barbados cherries since almost all of mine died this winter in the unheated greenhouse experiment.

bsbullie

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Re: What's eating my Suriname Cherries?
« Reply #8 on: April 27, 2021, 08:26:26 PM »
The birds have it...
- Rob

fliptop

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Re: What's eating my Suriname Cherries?
« Reply #9 on: April 27, 2021, 09:07:24 PM »
CarolinaZone, I got my grafted Zill Dark trees from Crowley's Nursery in Sarasota about 3 years ago.

CarolinaZone

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Re: What's eating my Suriname Cherries?
« Reply #10 on: April 29, 2021, 02:02:44 PM »
Thanks for the heads up. Next time I am in that part of Florida I will call and see if she has any.


Odenwald

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Re: What's eating my Suriname Cherries?
« Reply #11 on: April 29, 2021, 03:22:16 PM »
Insects don't normally bother will them, but will suck on extra ripe ones, when the sugars are highest.

fliptop

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Re: What's eating my Suriname Cherries?
« Reply #12 on: April 29, 2021, 05:47:57 PM »
I think you just called me an insect, Odenwald?
I'm really digging these fruits



wonderfruit

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Re: What's eating my Suriname Cherries?
« Reply #13 on: April 29, 2021, 11:03:38 PM »
Yes when they are ripe I compete w ants. I came back home 2 AM two days ago and I found a big raccoon eating them from the soil
Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

bsbullie

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Re: What's eating my Suriname Cherries?
« Reply #14 on: April 29, 2021, 11:17:21 PM »
Yes when they are ripe I compete w ants. I came back home 2 AM two days ago and I found a big raccoon eating them from the soil

Eating the ants or fruit?
- Rob

bsbullie

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Re: What's eating my Suriname Cherries?
« Reply #15 on: April 29, 2021, 11:19:29 PM »
I think you just called me an insect, Odenwald?
I'm really digging these fruits



I know you are battling vermin but if they are true Zill Darks, they will get purpke black in color.  When they do, the taste us amazing.
- Rob

fliptop

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Re: What's eating my Suriname Cherries?
« Reply #16 on: April 30, 2021, 11:28:29 AM »
Yes, I agree--I'm picking them early on account of the birds, but also because they ripen so fast, I'm afraid I'll not be able to get to them before they really ripen and maybe drop. I can only take it on faith this is indeed a ZDSC, as that's what the tag said. On this one I can see the graft.

On the other tree I got at the same time I can't see a graft line. Last year I got dark fruit off it. So far I've not seen dark fruit, but it's a bushier plant more amenable to birds.

Here's a pic of a fruit from last year showing how dark these fruits got.

I have to say, these have gone from just another fruit tree to have in the yard to something I'm really enjoying.

bsbullie

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Re: What's eating my Suriname Cherries?
« Reply #17 on: April 30, 2021, 02:06:18 PM »
Yes, I agree--I'm picking them early on account of the birds, but also because they ripen so fast, I'm afraid I'll not be able to get to them before they really ripen and maybe drop. I can only take it on faith this is indeed a ZDSC, as that's what the tag said. On this one I can see the graft.

On the other tree I got at the same time I can't see a graft line. Last year I got dark fruit off it. So far I've not seen dark fruit, but it's a bushier plant more amenable to birds.

Here's a pic of a fruit from last year showing how dark these fruits got.

I have to say, these have gone from just another fruit tree to have in the yard to something I'm really enjoying.

That looks like the real deal.

Just for some depressing info, I bought 3 grafted Zill Darks from ZHPP and they all turned out to be rwd.  Fruit is very good but not as good as the Zill Dark.
- Rob

Odenwald

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Re: What's eating my Suriname Cherries?
« Reply #18 on: June 22, 2021, 12:32:52 PM »
I grow lots of red ones from seed.  I love them, but my wife hates them.  I did the old planting a black seed and of course it reverted to red.  I also bought a black tree, which is sweeter than the others, but is not black.  Recently I bought another grafted black Surinam Cherry and it has fruit developing, so fingers crossed this will be the real deal.

fliptop

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Re: What's eating my Suriname Cherries?
« Reply #19 on: June 22, 2021, 09:14:18 PM »
Rob, I discovered recently that one of the two trees I bought as Zill's Dark was actually red and the taste sucked. The tree is gone now. The true dark put out another batch. I chased off a blue jay chowing down on them GRRR

Odenwald, did you buy a Zill's Dark or another type?