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Messages - palmcity

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1
I tried freezing a bunch of mangos, and all I got was mush when I defrosted them -- flavor was ok but the texture was very off-putting.  Any better way to preserve them by freezing?

Expect to get messy if eating them whole frozen.

They thaw fast from the freezer so I'm guessing no more than 20 minutes on the counter if you still want ice crystals and a firmer experience. I prefer melted as taste buds are not able to taste as good with ice crystals.

The inside of the skin usually holds more flavor just as when fresh. The peelings however are usually bland/leatherly and I don't eat.

Frozen without the skins and cut up is also an option and much easier to eat but the skins sometimes adds flavor.

2
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: So much for chilling hours
« on: March 19, 2024, 08:17:14 PM »
Since 1977 this has been one of the least chilly winters here.

Even so my sweetheart lychee has exploded in blooms, it looks like the top has a chia pet on it.

Bees which have been absent for years are all over the chia :-) I have waited 14 years to see a bloom like this, but since they are so high I'll have to build a scaffold to get them.

Anyone else have a strong lychee bloom going?

I have a few lychee trees and they are all blooming. Do you think the "chia" may be the reason? If the chia is red underneath the leaves.... , It may possibly be a stressor on the tree to initiate bloom....  Just a guess as that would indicate a mite infection which should stress the tree. Some of my trees have the mites but all of the trees are blooming. I pick off the leaves if low enough to reach them and leave the bloom shoots.

My plan for my trees (yours may be clean and zero mites), is to wait till at least all the bloom and setting of fruit has passed before spraying with sulfur... I have not looked up UF etc. wisdom so feel free to put it on the post if desired. I'm hoping my trees make a few lychee this year, especially with more work required now in getting the mite count reduced (that's about all we can do). Yep, getting as bad as a few varieties of fungus prone mango trees, just too needy LOL... But I'm happy with the production that comes from all.



3
Thunderstorms do supply N but not enough. In the NT where there are 80 to 90 thunderstorms a year, the fertilzer guide for mangoes is pretty sophisticated and draws on N % in foliage in which optimal range varies between varieties but also canopy area.the amount of N available in the soil in plantations also is known and influences application rates of N. Keitt by the way has lower requirements than the more glamorous and prized honey gold.It advises that N is the most important nutrient for fruit volume and quality and that excess or deficient application strongly influences the crop. It is lost from the system relatively faster than other macros and is in the soil in a few forms.
The pre-flowering dormancy is needed as is the pre harvest root flushing but vegetative flushing during flowering isn't. So what does that all mean? Most people have no idea how much N is needed in any season but it is pretty volatile. Anyway fertliser application around harvest time and a second period around flowering and fruit set is recommended for the best crop. Nearly always dominates other nutrients in terms of volume applied but is reduced in some seasons and years when the soil has plenty and leaf concentrations are over about 1.4% N.

A great thought provoking piece Mike T.

For those that love biology & theories,  "Nitrogen storage and remobilization by trees: ecophysiological relevance in a changing world"  I'm really enjoying the first few minutes of reading.
https://academic.oup.com/treephys/article/30/9/1083/1640876



I've already decided to try extra nitrogen on a particular tree that may be lacking as it is not carrying on the process of abscission properly IMO...


4
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: 2024 FL Mango Season
« on: March 17, 2024, 03:21:51 PM »
I'm with you GG! Never have sprayed, and don't want to, but going to try on SL and 1 or 2 others. If PM hammers them again, puggin' and graftin' time.


My Sugarloaf got wrecked so hard I yanked it out. Im done with that low fruitset variety.

I hear ya! I'm giving Sugar Loaf 1 more year, with spraying next season. If it doesn't make me happy, puggin' n graftin'.


LOL

Looks like bashing E4 time LOL... I'll join the party... It's my ugliest messy tree at this time of year with dead clumps of flowers/powdery mildew/anthracnose/ & probably road tar as it LOL as it just looks narly messy LOL... It surpassed my Phoenix to get the worst looking tree in my yard/field award at this time of the year.... Also the dead crap doesn't fall off the E4 (lol not to me sugar but maybe a loafer LOL), you have to pull off the messy crap from the E4 as it hangs on tight as an ugly mess... It will not wipe it's own behind like most other fruit trees dropping their mess;. A real pain in the butt tree LOL...

E4 had only I think 2 bits of fruit last year with various fungus on the E4 and the fruit this year looks similar so far but heat might change something soon.

The phoenix has at least 2 fruit looking clean so far but we will see as a long time to go.

I'll keep them only because I have plenty of room but if only a few trees, these would not exist in my yard LOL....

5
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: 2024 FL Mango Season
« on: March 12, 2024, 10:52:16 PM »
IMO :::

If your mango tree is healthy green etc. and has tried at least once to set fruit but failed due to fungus or little female flowers.... Expect it to want to try again & IMO a good chance yet for another bloom attempt.

Regardless of weather IMO if already has tried.

So, IMO hope for heat 85 F and sunshine if your not into spraying for powdery mildew.

And yes your tree is already stressed IMO as it did not set enough fruit... So IMO expect it to try again regardless of temperatures.

Now if your tree has not tried to flower/fruit yet and has not failed to set fruit this year... IMO there may be other reasons nutrient levels etc. and it might skip a year... Just IMO....  Still there are a few trees like some of my Mahas and a few of my sweet tarts that are late and just starting to send buds up.

I expect Most of my fruit set that is expected to last to maturity to occur in March guessing 55% and probably 25% in April and 9% in May, 2% in June thus only 9% fruit set that I think will last to maturity at my location during  Dec., Jan., Feb., common for me when I do little or no fungal spraying often during the winter months.

Now I could say if you rub your tummy, touch your toes, and jump up in the air... You will have more fruit set to last to maturity over the next 30 days if trees are blooming....  But... I know the real reason regardless of your efforts... More sunshine and warmer temperatures should lessen fungal activity (especially powdery mildew).  But, fungal spraying is proven to decrease fungal growth & increase fruiting so do not ignore it unless you have a lot of trees and know you will get plenty of fruit without spraying.


Just had to give some hope/good news to some of you guys...

6
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: keitt mango taste
« on: February 14, 2024, 06:33:26 PM »
I have eaten over 80, maybe over 100 and never a chemical taste.

You need to give us some information like : 1. Was it hard and not ripe? If so maybe picked early.
2. Was it store bought? If so, no telling what was done to it. 
3. Was this your first year your tree produced? Often young trees of all species just starting to produce fruit will barely have enough sugars etc. to make it sweet and good. If so, try some from mature older trees.

Keitt are a late season mango. They get better tasting if left on the tree till they almost fall off or fall from the tree. If it was not sweet enough, let it sit on counter a few days and perhaps it will get sweeter.

7
If going to Key West, a lot of places to visit along the way. If you have a dive mask, snorkel, also get a small divers down flag to prevent a ticket and go snorkeling at many bridges. Beautiful small aquarium looking colorful fish are around the rocks at the shoreline but you can not usually see them unless you enter the water as the light reflection blocks your vision.

I did a lot of free diving over the years so the manatee swim was pretty boring to me as the manatee are sea cows and slow; also the water in the springs is colder and the bottom was not as pretty as reefs. I enjoyed swimming under bridges in the keys with tarpon but I carried a spear gun as I do not trust sharks or any wild animal.  Tarpon usually swim in packs pretty slow for most fish until wanting to eat some fish (still much faster than manatee). They  can rival manatee in size. Sharks like to swim near them usually also along with other big fish.

I always had a small boat but if I did not, I would probably go on a group daily boat trip snokeling instead of the manatee trip. They go out to the reefs and you will always see something. Many small colorful fish and you might see some larger ones like dolphin, grouper, etc but they usually hide with a lot of people in the water. Many places in key Largo, Looe Key, etc.

Here's some tarpon pictures but I never fed them at this place:::  https://www.robbies.com/



8
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: 2024 FL Mango Season
« on: February 03, 2024, 01:24:39 PM »
mcoambassador:::
Last summer I grafted a branch of Mahachanok onto my Pickering. The Maha branch (two tips) started to bloom this week before the rest of the tree. I thought it was interesting since Pickering is considered the earlier season mango.






Palmcity informational reply:::
Google:::
[/quoteThe period of development from flowering to fruit maturity is 100 to 150 days. Anthracnose, powdery mildew, and low temperatures during bloom generally reduce fruit set and are the most limiting factors to mango production in Florida.]"



Some of my Keitt are also budding to flowering but maturity may be far longer than most mango's maturity from bloom and about 5 months for keitt. Some of my mango varieties like ppk that has some bloom buds similar to Keitt in progression, the ppk will reach maturity far quicker than the keitt.

Cool weather also tends to slow maturity of most if not all varieties.

Regardless, varieties tend to vary in length of time from bloom to maturity so it's really hard to know which will reach maturity first unless you have kept good notes from prior years watching the varieties length of time till maturity and also from what month to month as winter months cause much longer maturity times.

9
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: 2024 FL Mango Season
« on: January 27, 2024, 07:35:27 PM »
If a mango sends out blooms in S. Fl. when 2 ft high, suspect it to be under stress...

In 10a unlikely to have temperature stress of cold so far this year that would be greater than the normal primary desire to grow at the 2 ft. stage.

Suspect other stressors like weed wacker, rabbits nibbling on trunk, moles under the tree, soil ph or mineral balance off, water, etc. etc. etc.

10
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Passion Fruit germination tips?
« on: January 25, 2024, 03:13:22 PM »
I'm hoping over 90% of forum members know how deep to plant seeds but regardless it will be good for the onlookers of the forum to know::: Google::: "The rule of thumb is to plant seeds at a depth equal to two or three times their width. It is better to plant seeds too shallow than too deep. Some seeds, such as certain Lettuces or Snapdragon, need light to germinate and should not be covered at all. "

What ever pot I have with a plant in it, especially one that died in the middle. I will drop the seeds around the perimeter. If sandy soil I gently drop or stir a little sand over the approximate location I dropped them  & then water them when ever I water the other surrounding pots with living plants. I also drop them into pots with mango seedling or other plants growing in the center and surround the perimeter with the small seeds Pat into the sand & water the mango as normal.

11
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Store bought Mexican mango seedling
« on: January 14, 2024, 06:02:21 PM »
I assume it will be 4 years until fruit?

I've had a few seedling fruit. The length of time seems to vary by parent variety. A seedling of Okrung I would expect 10 years or more; a seedling from sweet tart I would expect some (your luck will vary) to fruit in 5 to 6 years; I have other seedlings that have fruited but not sure of variety the seed came from but some have produced in 6 yrs for sure. Expect slow growing trees where trunk diameter increases slow to take longer at least in my experience. Once the trunk diameter reaches like 3 to 5 inches try to slow it down to fruit. Just IMO...

12
I have to look this up often so this is for my memory lol....

Google:Ammonia has one nitrogen atom and three hydrogen atoms (NH3), and ammonium has one nitrogen atom and four hydrogen atoms (NH4). This small difference in hydrogen makes a big difference in the compounds. While ammonia has a pungent smell and can be harmful to aquatic organisms, ammonium is both odorless and harmless.:: "

A Good Read:
https://extension.oregonstate.edu/sites/default/files/documents/ec1560.pdf
Go to page 4

UREA:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/urea-fertilizer#:~:text=In%20the%20soil%2C%20urea%20changes,a%20period%20of%20warm%20weather.

https://eupdate.agronomy.ksu.edu/article_new/understanding-the-chemical-reactions-of-urea-in-the-soil-484

https://extension.umn.edu/nitrogen/fertilizer-urea

13
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Merry Christmas
« on: December 25, 2023, 05:46:54 AM »
Eastern Time Zone U.S.A. now celebrating a merry Christmas.

In 1 week Time will be celebrating a happy new year.

As a special thought for matter changing with time (Think Mangos Ripening)::: https://www.gotquestions.org/God-time.html

14
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Mangos in san diego
« on: December 09, 2023, 12:04:30 PM »

I have horrible Powdery Mildew at my place but my Pineapple Pleasure grows fine and fruits fine for me. Last year, I had a bumper crop so this year, I only got a few fruit. The fruit are large and taste excellent. To me, they taste like a giant PinaColada. The Pineapple Pleasure nubbins are smaller, more round and are sugar bombs.

Hey Brad, I’m glad your mangos are getting established and starting to produce. I remember how difficult it was for you to get them into the ground and to prop them Josh’s they were young. Now that they are established, they should fruit well for you. Our cold weather which is horrible for young trees because it induces early blooms is actually a benefit if your trees are large and established.

Simon
Just curious Simon,
Which month do you prefer your blooms to set & hold fruit till maturity in San Diego area?

Asking out of curiosity as it sounds like your fruit are just now approaching the ripe stage.

Just as an experiment, I have one Keitt left hanging on a tree now in S. Fl and I will let it stay till it falls off or is eaten. At least in S. Fl. for this green mango it ripens very slowly once the temperature drops near 70 and less hours of sunlight occur late in fall. I assume it is the same in California presently. I believe my keitt bloomed and set fruit in March and could be picked Aug.. for primary crop or left to hang if willing to eliminate predators. 

I was surprised that Glen in California was still not ripe for the other poster on this thread as it is not a green skinned mango at maturity. Glen if set fruit in late Feb. to early March are usually ripe in S.Fl. in early June.


15
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Seedless papaya
« on: December 03, 2023, 06:00:06 PM »
I usually bring in papaya without thinking about what plant it was off. I am trying to remember and let you know if one is much better than another per a possible factor.

I just brought in a roundish papaya in almost full sunshine as on south side of a mamey sapote that is not too big. It is sweet and full of seeds. I had previously fertilized it 1 to 2 months ago as this and the extra sunshine is my guess as to why it is sweeter.

I picked 2 papaya today off a tree that fell over during Sept. when raining a lot but has since reestablished and started growing. Unfortunately it fell toward the house and the top I lifted with a brick to see if the papaya would finish maturing. They did but all have been bland and I'm guessing it is due to the house blocking the sun after 1pm on the top leaves. It also was not pollinated and seedless vs. the other roundish papaya about 50 yards away.

A greater amount of sunshine increases chance of a sweeter papaya.

16
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Seedless papaya
« on: November 30, 2023, 08:43:59 PM »
In my yard, I get a lot of variability in papaya taste also.

More often than not, the seeded fruit taste sweeter but they are sometimes bland also as also are the non-pollinated seedless ones. Overall, I usually prefer the seeded papaya.

Remember to fertilize them to increase your odds of having sweet fruit.

The cooler months usually are better odds of sweet fruit than the hottest months.

17
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Shade tolerant Mango Variety
« on: November 26, 2023, 12:48:08 PM »
Once it is living, the next question is will it bear fruit. I will go to that.

Carrie: Thick foliage bears fruit well  in low light when buried within the canopy with black material on the limbs but yet still bearing fruit often unknown to all till they fall from the tree.

18
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Happy Thanksgiving !!!
« on: November 23, 2023, 09:48:09 AM »
Happy and Thankful to God for All His Daily Blessings.



19
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Fuyu Persimmon Tree- Broke In Half
« on: November 20, 2023, 12:36:36 PM »
OK Kaz, what's the total count??

You Solicited forum members to guess a total.... Why don't you follow through and give the total after Soliciting people to guess the number of Fuyu's??????????????????????????


20
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Fuyu Persimmon Tree- Broke In Half
« on: November 19, 2023, 03:48:23 PM »

21
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: 2023 Mango Season
« on: November 16, 2023, 09:46:40 AM »
We'll have to start new topic, "Mango Season 2024."
Per Lee Corso "Not So Fast"

If your able to keep the birds, squirrels, rats, etc. etc. etc. off Keitt Mango... In South Florida, Keitt mango are possible to hang on the tree Late into November as seen today...








Update 12.4.2023..... Yes... Keitt Mango hanging on tree in December in South Florida




22
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Fuyu Persimmon Tree- Broke In Half
« on: November 08, 2023, 10:11:22 PM »
802

23
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Fuyu Persimmon Tree- Broke In Half
« on: November 05, 2023, 01:53:18 PM »
I spent about 4hrs picking all the fruits from this tree yesterday, also thinned some fruits from the one next to it.

=======   FREE PERSIMMON OFFER ============     

If anyone can guess how many fruits I ended up picking after 4hrs of hard labor, you get a free medium box (USPS) of Fuyu persimmons.

You can make your guess here (only 1 guess per member), and I will give the box of free Fuyu fruits to the first 2 people that guess closest to the total amount of fruits picked.

-> You must be a forum member to participate. This contest will end on Weds, 11/8
-> Lower 48 states

Here's a clue ---> It was more than 320 fruits

 ====================================       

Hmmmmm I would guess but regardless of my guess and regardless of the amount of time till the contest ends, I see the winners posted already as per instructions unless you decide to change the above, "I will give the box of free Fuyu fruits to the first 2 people that guess closest to the total amount of fruits picked".

The first 2 posted guesses have won unless rules are revised, regardless of time... They were the first 2 and both guessed already and both were closest per the total set of first 2.

Perhaps the word "first"  should have been omitted. lol

24
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: 2023 Mango Season
« on: November 01, 2023, 03:40:08 PM »
2023 Mango Season is truly winding down as only 2 months left in 2023...

Here's some live Keitt just hanging out today Nov. 1st 2023....

How do I get them to survive this long??? I pick trees far from the house first and wait till the end of the season to pick fruit on trees next to the house/patio. The squirrels/birds/rats/ & rabbits try to stay away from Elmer Fudd's back door...








25
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Florida Natural Farming?
« on: October 28, 2023, 09:39:39 PM »
🐸My goal is to help Florida and humankind🐸
https://youtu.be/m81un5CKUk4?si=lqPaCYk4h36mF-OO
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3202163/

Below the video link there is the first study he lists and thus I assume most important to him but maybe not as I went to read the Discussion section of the reported study of many variables of weight/cholesterol/age/concentration of PFPA and Concentrations of PFOS levels; way too many variables for my liking. But regardless did you read what they wrote in Discussion as I'm not sure you did...

There is a significant Negative association between serum PFOS and a reported diagnosis of osteoarthritis.
That means less arthritis association than expected with highest serum PFOS individuals.

PFOA was reported to have a significant Positive association between PFOA and osteoarthritis.
The positive association of PFOA with osteoarthritis also appeared evident only at serum concentration above the mean of the US general population, suggesting a possible threshold effect for the association.

Soooo, they did find a positive association for osteoarthritis for 1 of the 2 (if serum concentrations were elevated above the mean of the US general population)....

Let's see what else they said clearly has a postive association for osteoarthritis::: 1. Female gender 2. Obesity, 3. Advancing age 4. lower educational level 5. poverty 6.Chronic comorbid conditions....7. Serum Cholesterol 8. Serum Uric Acid levels 9. etc. etc. etc. with many many things that have a positive correlation to osteoarthritis.....

Sooo, how is it that only 1 of the many many many positive associations to osteoarthritis is in your video is the one positive association that you tell us you are trying to get your friend and everyone else to believe is why he has osteoarthritis?

Yes, I see he does not agree with you for the reason he has osteoarthritis and perhaps many of the Eight other listed positive factors he feels is much more likely to be the cause of his osteoarthritis....

I do not recommend taking PFOS to increase serum levels of PFOS as they report a negative association between high serum PFOS and osteoarthritis.... I would suggest weight loss, lower your serum uric acid levels, get more educated, avoid poverty, avoid other chronic comorbid conditions by staying healthy exercising as much as your physician allows and see them regularly. These suggestions would probably be more meaningful to the world & your friend than your suggestion.

Nice pictures in video.... But tell me your opinion once instead of every 5 minutes in video repeating your harping on plastics and forever chemicals as the material cited does not agree with your opinion at least not the first listed....

I also like seeing you attempting more of a natural farming and seeing the native weeds growing with the editable plants.. I'm curious as to how fast they will grow vs. conventional practices and videos are a very nice comparison experience.

I do a lot a recycling plants/wood/etc. and also have an area that is close to but not as thick with natural plants as you.... So I will be looking for more of your farming efforts/ideas.


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