...Thank you for the email about mango booster. My mango tree has never
fruited so I bought it. Attached is picture from today. So excited. Used it
on lychee as well - same result. Very happy!..
Q: More of a question than a review, but a review regarding
your catalog, it would be easier for us buyers, if we could search for plants
that produce fruit in 2 years or less, I don't have the patience to wait
longer than that for fruit. I'm trying to buy for a fairly good sized garden but
want some fast growers and fruit produced in 2 yrs. Can you help me out?
A: Fruiting time depends on many factors (established size,
growing conditions, fertilizing, and even specific variety), this is why we can
not just put a simple icon "will fruit within 2 years".
However, most grafted and air-layered fruit trees, including all Mango, Avocado, Loquat, Sapote, Sapodilla, Lychee/Longan, Peaches and Nectarines - will fruit right away. If you see in our store
"grafted" or "air-layered" in plant description - these trees will fruit
soon. Some of them already flowering and fruiting.
Some non-grafted trees or seedlings like Annona, Artocarpus (Jackfruit), Eugenia, Guava, Banana, Dragon fruit, Mulberry, Blackberry/Raspberry - will fruit within 3-4 years from seed or even
sooner (Banana, Mulberry, Dragon fruit, Blackberry-Raspberry - within a year).
Usually it says in description that this plant can produce fruit soon.
Bigger size plants are more established and have more energy to produce, so
try to get larger size plants if your budget permits, and especially if you can
pick up bigger plants rather than shipping them - obviously, shipping has size
limitations.
In addition, all spice trees like Bay Leaf, Bay Rum, Allspice and many more - they will
produce spice for you right away, so you don't need to wait at all!
If you have questions about fruiting time on any specific plant you put
your eye on, don't hesitate to ask!
Photo: Mr Barcy meditating before planting Nutmeg
seeds
Q: I planted an avocado seed and it sprouted quickly, it has been
only a couple months and I already have a small plant. How soon will it
produce fruit? Can I grow other tropical fruit from seed?
A: Unfortunately, some fruit trees, including varieties of
avocado, mango, lychee, as well as apples and peaches - must be either grafted or
air-layered in order to produce, for 2 main reasons:
- seedlings may take a very long time until fruiting, up to 10-15 years
- seedling gives no guarantee on the quality of the fruit or variety
These fruit trees should be propagated as "clones" - both grafted
material or cuttings are actually copies of the mother plant and will keep the
same fruit qualities. Grafted trees usually start producing immediately.
However there is a number of fruit trees that come true from seed, and
take a very short time to start flowering. Jackfruit, Annonas (Sugar Apple, Guanabana, etc), Papaya, Icecream Bean, Eugenias start producing at a young age (3-4 years from seed).
A word from the owner... ...When I first started growing tropical fruit trees, I noticed that
Lychee just can't be grown from seed, period. The seed germinates readily, a
little happy seedling grows like crazy... but only for the first couple weeks.
Then it stops. Then it shrinks. Then it dies.
My teacher, tropical fruit tree expert Murray Corman (Garden of Delights), made fun of me for growing Lychee
from seed, and explained his sarcasm with two words - "Need Mycorrhiza!" It
appears that in Nature, Lychee seedlings can only grow around its mother plant
which has this magic plant-friendly fungus around its roots! The only way to
succeed with some seedlings is using this amazing Nature symbiosis... Check
out Mycorrhiza - and try it, works 100% in all stubborn cases!
Myco Mix is an amazing underground secret to a better garden! This
professional growing medium with Mycorrhiza is a must for establishing plants,
recovering weak plants, and for transplanting applications, including seedlings and
cuttings...Learn more...
Avocado, Lychee and Mango setting
fruit... give them some FOOD!
Q:
Do I need to fertilize tropical fruit when they set fruit?
A:
It is traditionally believed that mango and other tropical
fruit shouldn't be fertilized during fruiting period. It
is true to an extent: you don't want fruit to burst from
fast excessive growing. Instead, try to feed fruit trees
wisely, because they still need proper nutrition to
produce flowers and fruit.
Our spring specials of Lychee, Avocado and Mango are full of buds and
some already set tiny fruit (see examples on the photo).
Here is the feeding plan for these plants once you receive
your mail order:
Once received the plant, pot it into container size of
the root ball and let establish for couple weeks. Use SUNSHINE-E to help the plant
recover from shipping stress and establish root system.
Apply SUNSHINE-Honey right before
flowering, and next time at setting fruit, to provide
sweeter and bigger fruit, eliminate fruit cracks and help
resist fungus and other fruit diseases.
Use balanced granulated fertilizer,
1 tsp per each gallon of soil. Apply once a month during
Spring-Summer season. This gives the plant balanced
macro-elements (NPK) necessary for overall plant health.
Do not use on fruit trees fertilizers with high Nitrogen
content.
Apply SUNSHINE SuperFood
micro-element booster to keep fruit trees vigorous,
develop strong root system and avoid deficiencies.
In case of signs of chlorosis (yellowing leaves with
darker veins), give the tree SUNSHINE-GreenLeaf and watch
the leaves turning green quickly.
After harvesting, don't forget to make another treatment
of SUNSHINE-Honey as a
preparation for the next year flowering and fruiting
season.
Plants as homeopathic remedies and happiness boosters. Many people know about health benefits of vitamin C which improves and boosts our immune system similar to SUNSHINE plant booster stimulating growth of plants. But not everybody realizes that this vitamin is responsible for overall happiness of our body, it brings many systems in balance. A number of tropical plants used in salads, as well as fruit with high content of vitamin C can play dual role in your life. You can use them as food, as well as enjoy their beautiful tropical appearance. Such plants will help you feel interest and joy in life when you feel apathetic and resigned to the situation you are in. Just to name a few:
Leo - 7/23-8/22. Naturally, Leo is a FIRE sign ruled by the brilliant Sun. Leo's plants are usually large and gold or orange in color, have heart-shaped leaves or a radiating shape, or have association with victory (like the Bay Leaf). Leo loves this colorful and special spice, which is known for amplifying prosperity and abundance.
The part of the body ruled by Leo the Lion is the heart. Plants related to Leo are primarily associated with the cardiac system, but also with the spine, the thymus gland, and the eyes. They strengthen and tone the heart, regulate blood pressure, raise the spirits and have an uplifting effect. Keep in mind that all cardio-active medicinal herbs should be used only in consultation with a qualified professional.