Ripe sugar apple

[TNAndy]

Two of the fruits on my sugar apple/sweetsop/Annona squamosa have opened up, so I assume they are ripe.  Or overripe?<br /><br /><br /><br />

They were quite sweet and delicious!  The inner sections were smooth--much less fibrous than I expected.  The fruit layer nearest the skin has a flavor and mouth feel very much like pear.

Now I've got around 20 seeds (with more to come when the next fruit ripens).  Two of them floated in water so I assume they aren't any good.  Based strictly on my experience with coffee seeds, I suspect it would not be wise to plant them here in Tennessee with winter on the way.  My sunroom can get down in the 40s F. during the coldest nights.  Young sprouts may not make it.  I've only had this tree at most a couple of years, but already it's one I can recommend for anyone with a greenhouse.  I'm sure it won't tolerate frost, but it's not so tropical it dies at the first breath of cooler air either.  It appears to need a high pH.

Is there anything I need to do to preserve these seeds for planting next spring?  How long do they remain viable?  They have a very waxy outer shell.  Maybe they need to be scarified before they sprout?

[D-Grower]

Not sure about your questions but I wanted to ask about your experience.  Do you only have one tree? Wondering if they are self pollinators.  Also how big a pot did they fruit in or are they in the ground?  I have two seedling sugar apples that I'm still growing out.  North florida is still too cold for them outdoors too all year.

On another note if anyone also knows are soursop and cherimoya self pollinators?  Have a handful of cherimoya seedlings but only one soursop. If they are self fruitful how large a pot do you think they need to be fruitful? 

Sorry not meaning to hijack your thread but figured these are all similar questions to what I asked of your experience with the sugar apple.

[pineislander]

Congratulations on growing tropical fruit in your zone. I like to plant them asap. If you can get them going fast now they will gain some height but mine usually go dormant during winter. Not sure about greenhouse culture.

[Jaboticaba45]

Congrats TNAndy! Sugar apples are a great annona to grow in the northern states. The only struggle I've had with mine is that it will die back if slightly wet during the winter months. As for germinating sugar apple seeds, I left some to germinate last winter in my greenhouse. Didn't go to well as most died probably due to temperatures and humidity. I think it would be better to wait until spring or sprout them indoors.


D-grower, my tree has fruited all by itself with no help of any pollinators. I assume they only need one tree to fruit. I had mine in a pot when it fruited, but now it is a rootmaker pot in ground in my greenhouse.

[TNAndy]

Not sure about your questions but I wanted to ask about your experience.  Do you only have one tree? Wondering if they are self pollinators.  Also how big a pot did they fruit in or are they in the ground?  I have two seedling sugar apples that I'm still growing out.  North florida is still too cold for them outdoors too all year.

On another note if anyone also knows are soursop and cherimoya self pollinators?  Have a handful of cherimoya seedlings but only one soursop. If they are self fruitful how large a pot do you think they need to be fruitful? 

Sorry not meaning to hijack your thread but figured these are all similar questions to what I asked of your experience with the sugar apple.

I have only the one tree.  There were seeds inside the fruit, so I suspect that means it is self fertile.  On the other hand, I saw many, MANY flowers over the summer and only four fruits grew.  I know there are a number of species where if a separate variety is available for cross pollination, there is a marked increase in yield.  Perhaps sweetsop is one.

It is in a 22 inch inner diameter pot.  The pot is about 14 inches high, but the potting mix has settled to about 10 inches deep.  I have seen a video of someone who had one growing in a 5 gallon bucket that had lots more fruit than mine. 

I will say that my sweetsop tree looked pretty pitiful until I spread some lime in the pot.

Ah, well, what's a little thread hijack among friends, huh?

[TNAndy]

Congratulations on growing tropical fruit in your zone. I like to plant them asap. If you can get them going fast now they will gain some height but mine usually go dormant during winter. Not sure about greenhouse culture.

Thanks!

I think part of the problem with greenhouse culture is my plants' roots cool down to whatever the air temperature is, whereas plants in the ground are far better protected.

[TNAndy]

Congrats TNAndy! Sugar apples are a great annona to grow in the northern states. The only struggle I've had with mine is that it will die back if slightly wet during the winter months. As for germinating sugar apple seeds, I left some to germinate last winter in my greenhouse. Didn't go to well as most died probably due to temperatures and humidity. I think it would be better to wait until spring or sprout them indoors.


D-grower, my tree has fruited all by itself with no help of any pollinators. I assume they only need one tree to fruit. I had mine in a pot when it fruited, but now it is a rootmaker pot in ground in my greenhouse.

Thanks!

I'm confused.  You say yours "will die back if slightly wet during the winter".  Does that mean I should let it dry out thoroughly or water it to keep it continually moist (and not merely slightly wet)?

[Jaboticaba45]

Congrats TNAndy! Sugar apples are a great annona to grow in the northern states. The only struggle I've had with mine is that it will die back if slightly wet during the winter months. As for germinating sugar apple seeds, I left some to germinate last winter in my greenhouse. Didn't go to well as most died probably due to temperatures and humidity. I think it would be better to wait until spring or sprout them indoors.


D-grower, my tree has fruited all by itself with no help of any pollinators. I assume they only need one tree to fruit. I had mine in a pot when it fruited, but now it is a rootmaker pot in ground in my greenhouse.

Thanks!

I'm confused.  You say yours "will die back if slightly wet during the winter".  Does that mean I should let it dry out thoroughly or water it to keep it continually moist (and not merely slightly wet)?

Sorry should have clarified more...
my tree dies back when the soil is constantly moist during the winter. I would recommend a well draining soil mix to help combat it (why I moved it to a rootmaker pot). My tree probably dies back because of lower temperatures combined with the tree not using water and water not evaporating quickly enough in a high humidity environment = root rot.

[achetadomestica]

It's nice you have plenty of seeds so you can try a few now and save some for the
Spring. I do better when I start the seeds in the Spring. The new seedlings have a green
flimsy trunk and will dampen off if watered too much. They also go dormant when the daylight
is short. Store the seeds dry in a baggie at room temperature and they remain viable for years.
Also floating seeds sometimes will germinate. It's better to squeeze the seeds between your fingers and if
they collapse they are not viable. I like to germinate the seeds between damp paper towels
in baggies. When they germinate I plant in potting mix and even in the Spring water sparingly.
Here's a picture of 2 custard apple and a Isan Indigo I planted last June. They were from the
previous years seeds. They have nice woody trunks now and will do fine this Winter. I will leave them
outside unless it gets below 40F and water maybe once a month while they are dormant. The Isan's
leaves are turning yellow this late in the season but will flush new leaves next Spring