👍 How Avocado trees set fruit

• 🥑 Similar to Mango trees we mentioned earlier, Avocado trees start flowering from late Winter to Spring, depending on variety. During this time, avocado trees produce small, yellow-green flowers in clusters, and the pollination process is crucial for fruit set. Avocados have both male and female flower parts, but they open at different times, requiring cross-pollination between flowers for successful fruit production. During flowering, avocado trees need warm temperatures and plenty of sunlight to encourage pollination.
• 🥑 There are numerous hybrids in cultivation, and once you plant your first tree and taste the REAL fruit (not from the grocery store), you'll be eager to explore other varieties. It's a guarantee! While it's true that avocado fruit can vary in "butter" content, most superior varieties are equally delicious.

📚 For more information on Avocado varieties, including fruit color and size, tree habit, season, and much more - check out our interactive Avocado Variety Guide. It will helps to choose the right variety for you. With its interactive tool, you can sort cultivars by fruit shape and quality, cold hardiness, origin, crop season, flower type A or B, tree habit and more.

🎥 This tiny avocado tree is covered with hundreds of flowers soon to become lots of fruit

🛍 Shop Avocado Varieties

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🔥 When does Sapodilla start fruiting and what is the best variety

• 🥨 Sapodilla or Brown Sugar fruit, is one of the most favorite tropical fruit trees. It produces juicy, brown-sugar-sweet fruit. The tree is compact, easy in cultivation and starts producing in small size.

Grafted and air-layered trees start fruiting right away.
• 🥨 Hasya - extra large, football-shaped fruit native to Mexico where it is the number one commercial cultivar grown. The fruit has a reddish hue throughout the pulp. The tree is a large upright grower, and it is a prolific producer.

Ripens from November to June.
• 🥨 Makok - the best producer, the fruit is long, pointed, and one of the best tasting in the world. It is native to Thailand. The tree is a small compact grower, perfect for limited spaces.

Ripens from May to November.
• 🥨 Molix is a football shaped large fruit native to Mexico. Similar to Hasya, darker brown, the tree has curly leaves. The pulp is exceptionally sweet with a fine pear texture.

Ripens from February to May.
• 🥨 Oxkutzcab (or Ox) - "gigantic sapodilla" - is originally from Oxkutzcab (Yucatan). Extremely large (up to 28 oz), roundish fruit with speckled, light-colored skin. Heavily productive tree.

Ripens from May to September.
• 🥨 Silas Woods is an outstanding variety with dwarf growth habit and adapts well to a container. Highly productive, producing year round, providing bright light and warmth. The branches often require support as they get very heavy loaded with fruits. The best variety for small yards and container culture.
• 🥨 Thai Browny that we mentioned in earlier post, was brought by TopTropicals from Thailand in 2005. Fruit is oval, medium size, and very sweet. The tree is a heavy producer.

🛍 Shop Sapodilla varieties

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🍇 If you are missing Northern fruit that don't tolerate hot climate, plant this

🇮🇳 Tropical Raspberry Mysore (Rubus albescens x niveus) is from India. It thrives in heat!

• 🔹 Unlike common raspberries from up North that can not tolerate heat, Mysore Raspberry grows very well in hot humid climates.
• 🔹 Grows very fast into a scrambling shrub with flexible stems.
• 🔹 Blooms and fruits throughout the year.
• 🔹 The fruit turns purple black when ripe, it is very juicy and sweet.
• 🔹 One cluster may contain as many as couple dozen fruit.
• 🔹 Great for large containers and will produce large amounts of fruit.
• 🔹 Cold hardy to upper 20s F.

🛍 OrderTropical Raspberry

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🐰 What cactus vine produces gooseberries? Barbados Gooseberry!

• 
  🙂 Perescia aculeata - Barbados Gooseberry - unique cactus with edible leaves and edible fruit, fast-growing vine. It is a tropical treasure that combines beauty with edible delights.
• 
  🙂 The fruit is yellow with a juicy, subacid pulp, and has a flavor that closely resembles a gooseberry. The fruits can be enjoyed fresh, stewed, or made into jams and jellies.
• 
  🙂 The young leaves are also edible, making them a nutritious addition to your meals.
• 
  🙂 A fast growing vining cactus, the Barbados Gooseberry prefers good drainage but likes its soil to remain moist during the summer, while being kept drier in the winter.
• 
  🙂 Can be grown in container on a trellis.

📚 Learn more from previous posts:
What is Barbados Gooseberry?
A vine, a cactus, a tasty fruit, and a pretty flower

🛍 Plant Barbados Gooseberry

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🐰 What cactus vine produces gooseberries? Barbados Gooseberry!

• 🙂 Perescia aculeata - Barbados Gooseberry - unique cactus with edible leaves and edible fruit, fast-growing vine. It is a tropical treasure that combines beauty with edible delights.
• 🙂 The fruit is yellow with a juicy, subacid pulp, and has a flavor that closely resembles a gooseberry. The fruits can be enjoyed fresh, stewed, or made into jams and jellies.
• 🙂 The young leaves are also edible, making them a nutritious addition to your meals.
• 🙂 A fast growing vining cactus, the Barbados Gooseberry prefers good drainage but likes its soil to remain moist during the summer, while being kept drier in the winter.
• 🙂 Can be grown in container on a trellis.

📚 Learn more from previous posts:
What is Barbados Gooseberry?
A vine, a cactus, a tasty fruit, and a pretty flower

🛍 Plant Barbados Gooseberry

#Food_Forest #Hedges_with_benefits

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🥑 Avocado variety everyone should have: how big does a dwarf Condo Avocado grows?

• 🌳 Several dwarf avocado varieties, also known as Condo Avocados, are ideal for container gardening and small spaces.
• 🌳 One popular variety is Fuerte, which begins to fruit when it's just 3-4 feet tall and remains under 15 feet, even after 10 years of growth.
• 🌳 The fruit is of high quality, medium-sized, and rich in buttery content.

📚Learn more from previous posts:
What is the best Avocado variety? Five most popular Avocado cultivars.
Ten best fruit trees to grow in Florida and Southern landscapes. # 2: Avocado Tree
More posts on #Avocado

✔️ Check out Avocado Variety Guide interactive char. Sort them by flower type A or B, tree habit, fruit shape and quality, cold hardiness, origin, season and more!

🛒 Shop Avocado varieties

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🍉 How to grow a Guava Tree: Practical Guide to Growing Guava

• 🍑 Guava Trees (Psidium sp.) are beloved for their flavorful fruit and easy-growing nature. These fast-growing trees are reliable producers and can thrive in a variety of climates, making them a favorite among home gardeners. Guavas are compact and can be grown in containers, making them suitable for small spaces and urban gardens.
• 🍑 Light and Soil

Guava trees thrive in full sun, requiring at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily to produce the best fruit. They prefer well-draining soils rich in organic matter but are adaptable to a range of soil types, including sandy or loamy soils. Slightly acidic to neutral soil is ideal. While guavas tolerate poor soils, enriching the soil with compost or manure will improve growth and yield.
• 🍑 Pruning tips

Pruning is essential for maintaining the shape, size, and productivity of guava trees.

· Frequency: Prune guavas annually, ideally after the fruiting season, to encourage new growth and improve airflow.

• · Remove dead, diseased, or crossing branches to maintain tree health.
• · Shape the tree to allow sunlight to penetrate the canopy, which enhances fruit production.
• · For container-grown guavas, keep the tree compact by trimming back vigorous shoots regularly.

• 🍑 Guava in containers

Guavas are well-suited to container growing. Compact varieties like the "Nana" guava are ideal for pots. Use a large container (at least 15-20 gallons) with good drainage. Fill it with a high-quality potting mix enriched with organic matter. Place the container in a sunny location and water consistently. Regular pruning helps maintain a manageable size and promotes fruiting in container-grown guavas.
• 🍑 Watering

· Guava trees require consistent watering, especially during dry periods and the fruiting season. While they can tolerate short periods of flooding, ensure the soil is not waterlogged. Water deeply once or twice a week, depending on your climate.

• · Fertilize guavas 3-4 times a year during the growing season with a balanced fertilizer rich in potassium and phosphorus to promote flowering and fruiting. Adding organic matter like compost or manure annually boosts soil fertility and improves yields.

• 🍑 Harvesting

· Guava trees are quick to fruit, often producing their first harvest within a year of planting. For container-grown trees, fruiting can start in even smaller pots, such as 1-gallon containers.

• · Signs of ripe guava fruit include:

- A change in color from green to yellow (depending on the variety).
- A sweet, fruity aroma.
- Slight softness when gently pressed.
• · Harvest ripe guavas by hand or with pruning shears. Consume fresh or use them to make juices, jams, or desserts.

• 🍑 Health Benefits of Guava

· Guava is a nutrient powerhouse, offering numerous health benefits:

• · Vitamin C: Boosts the immune system and helps protect against colds and infections.
• · Potassium: Supports healthy blood pressure levels.
• · Antioxidants: Contribute to glowing skin and may reduce the risk of cancer.
• · Fiber: Aids digestion and helps regulate blood sugar levels.

• 🍑 Popular Varieties of Guava

· Tropical Guava (Psidium guajava): Sweet and aromatic, suitable for warmer climates.

• · Cattley Guava (Psidium littorale): Cold-hardy with a slightly tart flavor.
• · Cas Guava (Psidium friedrichsthalianum): Known for its sour taste, perfect for juices like Costa Rica’s traditional "Agua de Cas." Cold hardy, disease resistant and vigorous, productive variety.
• · Pineapple Guava (Feijoa sellowiana): Fruity and floral, thriving in cooler climates.

🍑 Additional Tips

• · Guava trees are relatively pest-resistant but may require monitoring in humid climates for mealybugs. Use neem oil if needed.
• · Planting multiple guava varieties ensures a continuous supply of fruit.
• · With their fast growth, compact size, and delicious fruit, guava trees are a fantastic addition to tropical garden, greenhouse or patio.

📚 More from previous posts about #Guava

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⭐️ When you have a big crop of Star Fruit: sweet and Spicy Carambola Salsa recipe

😁 Ingredients:

• · 2 ripe Carambola (starfruit), finely diced
• · 1 small red bell pepper, diced
• · 1 small red onion, finely chopped
• · 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
• · 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
• · Juice of 1 lime
• · 1 tablespoon honey or agave syrup
• · Pinch of salt

📞 Instructions:

• · Combine the diced carambola, red bell pepper, red onion, jalapeño, and cilantro in a bowl.
• · Add lime juice, honey, and a pinch of salt. Mix well.
• · Chill in the fridge for 15–30 minutes to let the flavors meld.
• · Serve with tortilla chips, grilled fish, or as a topping for tacos.

🎁 This recipe balances carambola's sweet-tart flavor with a spicy kick! 😏

🛒 Plant your own Carambola Tree

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🌈 Mango Rainbow tasting table: varieties you should try

• 🥭 Kent Mango variety is native to Florida. It is originated in Coconut Grove, in 1945 from a Haden seed.
• 🥭 Kent has an excellent flavor, large size, and very little fiber. Considered by many to be one of the best tasting Florida mangoes and one of the most beautiful, truly rainbow colored fruit!
• 🥭 Eat before fruit gets too ripe.
• 🥭 The most rewarding attribute is a bountiful late season crop.

❔ What Mango varieties do you have in your garden?
Share in comments 👇

📚 Previous Mango Rainbow Tasting Table: 1 • 2 • 3 • 

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💝 Can you grow plums in Florida?

💕 Yes, absolutely! This year, starting end of January, we are harvesting our first Plums... Sweet! 🥰

🎥 Scarlet Beauty Plum. Hypoluxo variety just started flowering, fruit coming soon!

📚 Learn more from previous post:
The most rewarding hardy fruit tree suitable for hot climate: peaches, nectarines, apricots and plums

🛒 Shop Low Chill Peaches, Nectsrunes, and Plums

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