The Tropical Fruit Forum

Doesn't have to get up to the charging phase; having the police show up at their door with pictures of them in the act would be a strong deterrence alone. Local media might also give time to stories like this. Small claims court or a civil theft suit might also be options. If you have clear video of them in the act, you have some options for retribution...

I get that completely but . . . .  Even if this works for a perp you caught on video, and a police visit discourages them from a repeat offense, then there's another poetential perp somewhere in the wings waiting to steal yours or someone else's fruit, alas!  Ahhh... the joys of urban fruit growing!

¡Así es la vida!

Paul M.
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From the above couple replies it sounds possible to grow and fruit Asimina triloba here in the Tampa urban area (9b).  And I know where I can buy selected sapling cultivars, but...

First I would like to sample several varieties of pawpaw before I decide on a cultivar to grow.

That's why I was hoping that there might be others than just a couple TFFers who could ship some fruits in season.

Cheers!

Paul M.
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What cultivars are you guys looking for? There are quite a few available here in Palm Beach.

MadFarm, I've been looking for 'Golden Aromatic' which was mentioned in Wm. Lessard's classic Banana book (wherein he describes that cultivar as having 'so strong an aroma that you can smell it over the next mountain'), and also woud like to find 'Mysore.' 

Also prefer any banana cultivars which are on the shorter side, like eight feet or shorter.

Cheers!

Paul M.
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Also a tough choice, but would have to say that my fave is mango.

Second choice would be maracuyá (or parcha).

Like totally yum!

Paul M.
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Just was looking for a couple banana cultivars on Going Bananas of Homestead's website and noticed that they no longer do any mailouts of product.  Apparently they are only cash & carry now.

So where should one look for a decent selection of banana cultivars here in Florida that do ship?  Or is it mostly a scatter-shot effort?

Ssuggestions welcomed . . . .

Cheers!

Paul M.
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Gentle TFF Members,

Coffee is a tropical crop/product and so of interest to some of us TTF members on here who grow it.  That coffee may soon be going provide us with certain unexpected medical benefits should make this article from the Tico Times, a Costa Rican online newspaper, very interesting to some of our TFF members.  So despite it being not directly on-topic to TFF, I have included it here below for those who may be interested.     –Paul M.
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Beyond the Bean: Costa Rica’s Coffee Antibiotic Breakthrough

Researchers from the University of Costa Rica (UCR) have shed light on an unexpected potential of a coffee by-product, coffee mucilage.

Historically overlooked, this substance has demonstrated significant antimicrobial properties, building on the already known ability of certain coffee components to inhibit bacterial growth.  [ snip ]


[The rest of this Tico Times article is available at the link below for anyone interested in it.]

https://ticotimes.net/2023/09/12/beyond-the-bean-costa-ricas-coffee-antibiotic-breakthrough

Comments, anyone?

Yet another perspective:

There are those who might shoot a fruit thief, but not to kill.

A shotgun loaded with rock-salt could be a memorable reminder to lay off nabbing fruit uninvited.

That actually was a not too uncommon remedy for this sort of thing some decades back.  It seemed to work.

Just sayin'

Paul M.
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How about 'MEXICOLA' (not 'Mexicola Grande') which grows to about 15ft tall?

My 'Mexicola Grande' is about 18ft tall after four years and is supposed to grow up to 25ft.  I do prune it back to about 8ft, but then it jumps back up to 14ft or higher fairly quickly.  It seems more upright than spreading.

A 'Mexicola' with a mature hight of 15ft might be a better sized tree for you unless you are wanting something that stays really really short.  (My 'Mexicola' (not 'Grande') also looks to be going to be more upright than spreading.)

And BTW both of these two are very cold tolerant, and are part of the Mexican race of avocados.

Paul M.
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Kevin,

'Garnet' order arrived in good condtion and promptly!

I have seldom seen so much of two big plants come out of so small a box!  (But hey, that's a good thing!!)

Cheers!

Paul M.
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Found this blurb in the "Tico Times", a Costarrican Online Newspaper and thought that it might be of interest on some level to our TFF members:

The Del Monte Zero pineapple, grown exclusively in Costa Rica by Fresh Del Monte has become a finalist in the New Launch category of the 2023 World Sustainability Awards, to take place this coming October in Amsterdam. This category highlights innovative products or services unveiled in the past year that have an instantaneous positive societal effect.

What makes Del Monte’s Zero unique? “This pineapple is the world’s first to achieve carbon neutral certification,” noted Michael Calderon, a Del Monte spokesman. “The accolade signifies a harmonious equilibrium between emitted greenhouse gases and proactive endeavors, and constant monitoring of our transportation fleet’s emissions to minimize the carbon footprint”. Other areas contributing to the nomination showed the company has curtailed greenhouse gases by a whopping 22.64%, purchased six new fuel-efficient transportation vessels and initiated renewable solar and wind energy installations in California and Costa Rica."

(Source: TicoTimes)

¡Pura Vida!

Paul M.
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Since this guava seems to have been developed in California (and for California) I am wondering, would this cultivar adapt well to our more humid Florida conditions?

If so will it eventually be approved for Florida or is it restricted?

Just wondering.

Paul M.
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Idalia is squeaking past west central Florida except for the Gulf coastline areas of the state which have been evacuated ahead of potential storm surges.

Rght now at about 3am here in Tampa we're inland far enough from the Gulf (and the center oof Idalia) that we are just getting a lot of (needed) rain and intermittently, off-and-on, blustery breezes which are alternating with quiet spells. There's more rain to come, though before daybreak. (I hear some thunder in the distance.)

Keeping fingers X-ed for those folks in the Florida Big Bend area where Idalia tom'w is expected to make landfall WED morning.  Hoping that they all heeded the storm surge warnings and cleared out.

Paul M.
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The only thing I ever heard from my wife is you have too many effing trees.  The place looks like a jungle.  Of course, it never looked like a jungle.  That was the old house.  Now I have to deal with an HOA board that says we don't allow new fruit trees!  (Far worse.)

Mayhap the answer could be –as a way to to thwart the HOA– to plant smaller/dwarf fruiting trees that can be kept trimmed into hedges or topiaries (and still give you fruit) —so the HOA won't realize it, or at least not until it's too late!

OK  —  HTH

Paul M.
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