Healthy Plants: Q&A from Mr Booster

Why my Avocado is not flowering?

Q: I have 5 avocados. Three of your cold hardy varieties and two others that have all flowered and set fruit in the past. The last two years including this year, not a single one of them has put out any flowers. I am getting lots of new growth like one would expect on a tree too young to flower. The last two years have been very mild with out any damaging frost where in previous years they lost all their leaves due to frost yet started putting out flowers once winter was over. I am confused because they have all flowered and set fruit previous years. Any ideas would be appreciated.

A: From information you provided, and considering the trees get lots of full sun and cold was not an issue, the only explanation is - lack of nutrients. Here is an example.
Very common situation: you get a small 2-3 ft Avocado or Mango tree in 3 gal pot (or even smaller) from a nursery, full of flowers, and sometimes even a small fruit. You bring it home, plant it in the ground or a bigger pot, it looks happy and grows like crazy. Then next year - oops, no fruit, sometimes not even flowers. What happened?
When the tree lived in a nursery, it was provided with all necessary nutrients through the injector systems (continuous feed); or some nurseries may use top dress smart release on regular schedule. Regardless of fertilizer type, professional grower's set up delivers plant food non-stop, on regular basis, with balanced formulas. Plants are not only growing fast but also ready to produce, since nutrients are always available for a full growth cycle.
When you plant a tree in the ground (or larger pot), conditions change. They may be beneficial for the plant: lots of room for roots to establish, hence lots of vegetative growth. Even if you planted it using good quality fertile soil, this soil may contain mostly nutrients responsible for vegetative growth (branches and leaves). Chances are, your soil may be rich in Nitrogen (good for green growth), but poor in other elements responsible for flowering and fruiting (Phosphorous, Potassium, and many important micro-elements such as Molybdenum, Boron, Iron, etc.). Besides, existing soil gets exhausted quickly, and within a year a two, if you don't add fertilizer, flowering and fruiting may be reduced or even stopped. This is why fertilizing program is very important for fruit trees that are expected to bring a crop soon.

We recommend:

- SUNSHINE C-Cibus - Crop Nutrition Booster - balanced food for fruit trees
- SUNSHINE-Honey - sugar booster - promotes more efficient blossoming and pollination, makes flowers bigger and reduces bud drop
- SUNSHINE SuperFood - for improving fruit trees production

Also keep in mind that some fruit trees have a habit of "skipping" a year and may either produce less or not produce at all every other year. In any case, balanced nutrition program can help to fix this "bad habit".

Healthy Plant Food

Plant food for a Star Fruit

Q: I have 2 Starfruit plants from you. One on the left is B10 has a lot of flowers but no fruit is developing. On the rite is Kenjeng. This one has no flowers at all. Both plants are growing very well. Plenty of sun and water. I am located in Boynton Beach Florida. So what to do?

A: Your trees on the pictures look very healthy, congratulations with a great care!
Starfruit, as well as other grafted fruit trees (like mango, avocado, etc) usually flower/fruit easily and readily while in pots in the nursery. Sometimes, once planted in the ground, they may reduce flowering or even stop flowering. What happened?
The answer is simple. In pots, we fertilize them on regular basis. In our nursery, we have fertilizer injector inline with irrigation system that dozes plant food with EVERY watering. In other nurseries, they may also use slow-release fertilizers, but it is still a regular routine to provide plant food to potted plants.
In the ground, especially in Florida poor soils, fruit trees may stop flowering or delay fruiting due to lack of nutrients, or dis-balance of elements in the ground. Without fertilizer, a tree may take extra time to develop bigger root system to reach out for necessary elements, and eventually will start fruiting anyway.
But we want it to fruit soon! The only way to fix the problem is to provide fertilizer on regular basis for a young tree. It is especially important during hot summer months when plant metabolism is fast due to high temperatures, plus nutrients may get washed away with frequent summer rains (like we have in Florida) even if you've added some fertilizer at time of planting.

You can use smart release fertilizer once a month during hot season, this one or similar:
Mango-Food - Smart Release Fruit Tree Booster.

But the most effective way to get a tropical tree to flowering and fruiting, is frequent applications of liquid fertilizer. We use Sunshine Boosters with every watering on our plants. They work great even on hard cases and weak plants, and you see the difference in a matter of weeks, sometimes even days.
We recommend the following fertilizer that contains all necessary elements for young fruit trees: SUNSHINE C-Cibus - Crop Nutrition Booster

Triple Sec Mango

By Onika Amell, tropical plant specialist

Q: I live in Mesa, Arizona. I am considering purchasing two of you Triple Sec Mango trees. Can you please give me some information on this variety and how to grow it successfully here in hot and arid Arizona, if at all?

A: Triple Sec Mango is a new name for the superior variety Seacrest. The aroma of this fruit resembles Triple Sec - an orange liqueur. It's a juicy, mid-season variety that has good disease resistance.
Mango has pretty good heat and drought tolerance. It loves sun, but there are a lot of factors to consider when growing Mango in your area.
Check your soil. Soil quality is always first and foremost: when you live in an area of Arizona with hardpan (extremely compacted desert soil) or caliche (layers of soil cemented by calcium carbonate) you will have to learn how to deal with such soil types. Amend the soil as needed.
The best time to plant is spring or fall to give your Mango a chance to get established before the really intense Summer heat starts. Alternatively, protect the tree with a shade cloth. Tender, new growth will not stand a chance unprotected, especially newly planted and/or young trees.
Mangoes are tropical and sensitive to frost and freeze damage. Young trees especially will also need winter protection when temperatures go near or below freezing. Always plant trees in a location where they will be protected from cold wind. Consider staking your newly planted Mango trees for the first year. It's never a bad idea to even stake during periods of high winds.
Make sure your planting site has very good drainage. Always use a good quality mulch around your tree as it helps to trap moisture, keeping the ground and the roots beneath it cool. Keep mulch a couple of inches from the trunk of the tree. Avoid a location that gets full day sun. Morning sun, afternoon shade is ideal. Give regular watering until the tree is established. Once established, water only when the soil feels dry.
Fertilizer with a Mango-Food. A foliar spray of micronutrient solution is always recommended during the active growing period. Use plant stimulants and microelements to improve cold hardiness and vigor.

See more info on growing mango in hot climate and container grown mangoes in Arizona.