========================================== Rare Fruit News Online - All Year for 2005 ========================================== Rare Fruit News Online - January 1, 2005 - AKA RFN200501A.txt _____________________________________________________________ <><><><> Notes In Passing - Leo <><><><> How about writing an occasional letter to Rare Fruit News Online? As you can see by this issue, there hasn't been much mail. I wouldn't say that the newsletter is yet irrelevant, and I hope it doesn't happen. California is having frequent and relatively heavy rains lately. The major effect is to cause the remaining mangoes to split. Have you had problems caused by the rain? <><><><><><><><><> Table Of Contents <><><><><><><><><> -> -> -> Messages follow the Table Of Contents <- <- <- <><><> New Subscribers <><><> None this time <><><> Readers Write <><><> RE: Keitt Mango - Ripen On/Off The Tree? Edward Lin How To Succeed With Allspice? Edward & Althia Musgrave San Diego Orchards Doug Young minna@earthlink.net San Diegans Visiting Florida And Need Your Suggestions "R Snow Sr." <><><><><> Growing Rare Fruit In Containers <><><><><> None, this time <><><> Announcements and / or Web Sites To Consider <><><> http://www.crfgsandiego.org For *San Diego Chapter* CRFG Information http://www.crfg.org/chapters.html For information about ALL CRFG chapters. <><><> Zingiber List (Bananas, Gingers) <><><> None, this time <><><> NAFEX List <><><> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/nafex Archives at http://lists.ibiblio.org/pipermail/nafex None, this time <><><> From "rarefruit list" - rarefruit@yahoogroups.com <><><> Re: URL of Fairchild Tropical Garden james singer Re: POMEGRANATE luc vleeracker Re: POMEGRANATE Thaumaturgist <> Agricultural Research Service (ARS) mailto:ars>news@arsgrin.gov <> http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/thelatest.htm Turkish Plant Oils Lethal to Crop Pest ARS News Service Foreign Fruit Fly Suppression Program Grows in Hawaii ARS News Service Unique Pistachio Trees Preserved in California Collection ARS News Service <><><><><><><><> New Subscribers <><><><><><><><><> None this time <><><><><><><><><> Readers Write<><><><><><><><><><> Subject: RE: Keitt Mango - Ripen On/Off The Tree? Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 22:55:19 -0500 From: Edward Lin Dear Leo, Hope you are continuing to improve healthwise. Keitt is a very large mango with a very long harvest season. Once mature size is attained, you can begin to harvest a few, allow to soften at room temp and then enjoy. The taste will be more lemony with a significant (perhaps even prominent) tartness. Later in the season as the peel assumes a reddish coloration, the flesh will be sweeter and adopt a more classic mango flavor. Best wishes for a joyous holiday season. Ed mailto:elin@ingenious.com -----Original Message----- From: Leo Manuel [mailto:rarefruit@san.rr.com] Sent: Wednesday, December 15, 2004 7:59 PM Subject: Keitt Mango - Ripen On/Off The Tree? Keitt Mango - Do you let them ripen on the tree? For years I would let them ripen on the tree, until I was told by a Florida grower that it's best to pick them before being quite ripe, and let them ripen off the tree. I've been disappointed by the lack of color of the peel when ripened off the tree, but the taste is still quite good. ------------------------------------------------ Subject: How To Succeed With Allspice? Date: Thu, 16 Dec 2004 08:16:41 -0500 From: Edward & Althia Musgrave Hi Leo I am having problems with an Allspice tree I have lost 2. I don't know what I am doing wrong . Is there anyone there that has information on what is the best way to grow them ? I don't want to give up on them. Ed Brandon FL mailto:eamusg@quixnet.net ------------------------------------------------ Subject: San Diego Orchards Date: Thu, 16 Dec 2004 11:04:49 -0800 (PST) From: Doug Young To: minna@earthlink.net Minna, I, too, have a young orchard. Only 1.5 years on the property. I don't know of anywhere to pick the specialized, local fruit you mention. I'll keep my eyes open here in East County. If you find anything up your way, please let me know! Doug Young mailto:minna@earthlink.net Crest/El Cajon ------------------------------------------------ Subject: San Diegans Visiting Florida And Need Your Suggestions Date: Sat, 18 Dec 2004 17:48:57 -0800 From: "R Snow Sr." We are going to be in Florida the middle of this coming April. We are to leave from Miami on April 16 for a Panama Canal cruise. We plan on getting there maybe three days earlier to visit some of the tropical gardens there. I also would like to visit the Keys, never having been there. Do you have any suggestions of places to visit during our brief stay? Or possibly, places to avoid? My question to one of the locals (Miami area) is "what part of town, if any, should we NOT to stay in? Also of course, are there any astounding plant places to see there. Any info they may have about the Keys in aftermath of the hurricanes would be invited also." We live near San Diego, and are friends to Leo and Betty Manuel. Love to hear from you. Dick and Alice Snow mailto:rhsnowsr@cox.net <><> Mailbag of Sainarong Rasananda mailto:sainaron@loxinfo.co.th <><> None, this time <><><><><> Growing Rare Fruit In Containers <><><><><> None, this time <><><><> Announcements And Web Pages To Consider <><><><> San Diego Chapter California Rare Fruit Growers Meeting: Where: Casa del Prado Building Room 101, Balboa Park When: Fourth Thursday Of Each Month (Except December) See: http://www.crfgsandiego.org http://www.crfg.org/chapters.html For information about all CRFG chapters. <><><><><><><><> Zingiber List (Bananas, Gingers) <><><><><><><><> None this time <><><> NAFEX List From: nafex-request@lists.ibiblio.org <><><> None this time <><> [rarefruit] List - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rarefruit <><> Date: Mon, 20 Dec 2004 17:00:46 -0500 From: james singer Subject: Re: URL of Fairchild Tropical Garden I've found this site useful when trying to locate the URLs of botanic gardens http://www.aabga.org/ Many are listed under "Public Gardens" and there is search capability. mailto:jsinger@igc.org On Monday, December 20, 2004, at 06:44 AM, Thaumaturgist wrote: > > The Garden is at > > http://www.ftg.org/ > > Asit Island Jim Southwest Florida 27.0 N, 82.4 W Zone 10a Minimum 30 F [-1 C] ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Date: Mon, 20 Dec 2004 21:41:53 -0800 (PST) From: Thaumaturgist Subject: POMEGRANATE The Pomegranate (Punica granatum) is one of the earliest cultivated fruits in the world. Although Pomegranates grew in the wild before the dawn of agriculture, they were one of the first five (5) domesticated crops along with Olives, Grapes, Figs and Dates. Believed to be first domesticated somewhere in northern Iran or Turkey, Pomegranates still occur in the wild. However, the first archeological evidence of domesticated Pomegranates isnÕt until around 3000 B.C. at Jericho. Soon after their appearance at Jericho, they turned up in Mesopotamia and Egypt. Pomegranate first appeared possibly in Persia and then slowly migrated to India, Northern Africa, China, Europe and the Americas. Of CaliforniaÕs three (3) main varieties, "Wonderful" is the leading commercial variety which originated in Florida and was first propagated in California in 1896. "Wonderful" Pomegranates produce the largest, deep purple-red fruit with the most vibrant color and the sweetest taste. The deep crimson color flesh is juicy with a delicious vinous flavor. With softer seeds, they are better for juicing than for eating out of hand. Plant is vigorous and productive. The juice from pomegranates is one of natureÕs most powerful antioxidants. Pomegranate Juice has more polyphenol antioxidants than any other drink; more than red wine, green tea, blueberry juice, cranberry juice and orange juice. Here are 2 photos at, http://2ndlight.com/forum42ndlight/messageview.cfm?catid=8&threadid=21607 ====================================================================== Asit mailto:asitkghosh@yahoo.com ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Date: Tue, 21 Dec 2004 10:42:10 -0800 (PST) From: luc vleeracker Subject: Re: POMEGRANATE Hi Asit, do you know the name of the yellow variety ? Luc mailto:lucvleeracker@yahoo.com Mexico ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Date: Tue, 21 Dec 2004 11:47:15 -0800 (PST) From: Thaumaturgist Subject: Re: POMEGRANATE Luc One yellow variety is called "TOYOSHO". Asit mailto:asitkghosh@yahoo.com <> Agricultural Research Service (ARS) mailto:ars http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/thelatest.htm. Subject: Turkish Plant Oils Lethal to Crop Pest Date: Mon, 20 Dec 2004 08:53:55 -0500 From: ARS News Service Turnip aphids beware! Scientists at the Agricultural Research Service and at Anadolu University in Eskisehir, Turkey, have found that oils from many Turkish medicinal herbs are deadlier to the aphid pests than those currently used in biological pesticides. Studies at two ARS laboratories in Mississippi--the Natural Products Utilization Laboratory in Oxford and the Small Fruit Research Station in Poplarville--found that essential oils from 17 plant species are more toxic to turnip aphids (Lipaphis pseudobrassicae) than oils of peppermint (Mentha piperita) and rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), which are used in the United States as organic pesticides and in broad-spectrum insecticides. The researchers evaluated essential oils from 25 plant species for toxicity to turnip aphids, which attack collards, mustard, broccoli, cabbage, radish, tomato and zucchini, among other vegetable crops throughout the southeastern United States. The aromatic essential oils help plants attract or repel insects and fend off heat, cold and bacteria. Obtained from air-dried flowering plants, the oils are used in the pharmaceutical, agrochemical, cosmetics and food industries. Because their bioactive compounds are potentially toxic to insects and mites but relatively safe to humans and wildlife, they've recently become the focus of developers of ecologically safe pesticides. Plant pathologist David Wedge at Oxford and horticulturist James Spiers and entomologist Blair Sampson at Poplarville, along with Turkish colleagues led by chemist Nurhayat Tabanca, identified essential oils--many from wild plants--that achieve 100-percent kill rates at much lower concentrations than peppermint and rosemary oil. The researchers found that species of Bifora, Satureja and Salvia are the more promising botanical sources of compounds for new pesticides targeting aphids. The scientists were most impressed by the wild bishop plant, Bifora radians. It yielded the least essential oil, but that oil was by far the most toxic to the aphids. According to Wedge, future efforts may include collaborations with other universities in Turkey and technology transfer of advanced bioassay techniques for agrochemical research. ARS is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief scientific research agency. ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Foreign Fruit Fly Suppression Program Grows in Hawaii Date: Wed, 22 Dec 2004 09:50:45 -0500 From: ARS News Service Fruit grower Hugo Butler of Kula, Maui, used to feed most of his peaches, loquats and persimmons to the hogs because the fruit was too fly-damaged to sell. But that changed once he joined the Agricultural Research Service (ARS)-funded Hawaii Area- Wide Fruit Fly Integrated Pest Management (HAW-FLYPM) Program. Today, Butler has a 96-percent improvement in his persimmon crop and reports raising amazing amounts of loquats and peaches. He is even growing perfect guavas for the first time--all without resorting to weekly pesticide spraying. Before ARS, the Hawaii Department of Agriculture and the University of Hawaii Cooperative Extension Service partnered to develop this fruit fly suppression program to curb a quartet of exotic pests--Mediterranean, oriental, Malaysian and melon fruit flies. Together, they used to turn more than 400 fruits and vegetables in Hawaii into maggot-infested, inedible mush unless farmers and gardeners relied on intense applications of organophosphate pesticides. Now, five years after the HAW-FLYPM program began being demonstrated to the first few farmers on the big island of Hawaii, Butler is just one of more than 300 small and large growers across the islands who have reduced fruit fly infestation to less than 5 percent while cutting pesticide use by 75-90 percent. Areawide pest control programs are most successful when many growers in an area participate, leaving few reservoirs from which the pest population can rebuild. With the program successfully established, HAW-FLYPM is now beginning its final step. Its long-term management is being shifted from researchers to the growers themselves. ARS will continue to research new technologies for improving fruit fly control. The Entomological Society of America recently honored the program with its Dow AgroSciences Integrated Pest Management Team Award, presented by the Entomological Foundation. The award recognizes a collaborative team effort--involving industry and academic scientists--to control an insect pest. ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Unique Pistachio Trees Preserved in California Collection Date: Tue, 28 Dec 2004 08:24:08 -0500 From: ARS News Service Pistachio trees from around the world thrive in America's official pistachio collection managed by the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) in Davis, Calif. This "living botanical library" safeguards more than 750 pistachio trees. For instance, Kerman pistachio trees, which bear the rich, crunchy nuts that make it this country's most popular commercial pistachio, share orchard space with wild, rare and uncultivated relatives. In all, 10 pistachio species and various hybrids make up this unique collection. Some trees are native to North America; others are from Afghanistan, China, Greece, India, Iran, Israel, Italy, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Syria, Turkey, Turkmenistan or Tunisia. Certain pistachio varieties in the orchard bear nuts that are as large as--if not larger than--Kerman pistachios. But these varieties aren't as well suited as Kerman for growing in California, where most of America's 300-million-pound pistachio harvest is produced. Many kinds of pistachio trees aren't cultivated for their nuts, but instead are used as rootstocks to which the upper, nut-bearing portion of the tree, or scion, is grafted. Or, these species are planted as street trees, especially those like Pistacia chinensis, which has spectacular red and orange foliage in fall. Besides being fun to eat, pistachio nuts provide fiber, vitamins B1 and B6, thiamin, magnesium, phosphorus and copper, plus smaller amounts of other nutrients. The California research orchard, formally known as the ARS National Clonal Germplasm Repository for Fruit and Nut Crops, is part of a nationwide network of preserves. ARS, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief scientific research agency, operates the network to protect the natural genetic diversity, or gene pool, of crop plants. Plant breeders, researchers and others use these collections to develop new varieties or to discover more about the lineage of existing ones. That's according to Ed W. Stover, ARS research leader and curator at the Davis repository. <><><><><><><><><> End of RFN200501A.txt <><><><><><><><><><> Rare Fruit News Online - January 15, 2005 - AKA RFN200501B.txt ______________________________________________________________ <><><><> Notes In Passing - Leo <><><><> The San Diego Chapter Scion Exchange is the fourth Thursday. January 27th, 2005 (Deciduous Fruit Trees; Others Later.) More Surgery - Knee Replacement This Time. If you have had Bilateral Simultaneous knee replacement surgery, I'd like your opinion of doing both knees at the same time as opposed to doing them sequentially. Tentative date is February 17. I'm hoping that I'll be able to get more work done around the yard as well as exercise after it's over. <><><><><><><><><> Table Of Contents <><><><><><><><><> -> -> -> Messages follow the Table Of Contents <- <- <- <><><> New Subscribers <><><> New Subscriber, Alabama "Dr. Ahmed/ER" New Subscriber, San Diego County Myshkin Miller <><><> Readers Write <><><> Allspice trees.. marionbrodie3@webtv.net (Marion Brodie) eamusg@quixnet.net Allspice trees William Butler Rare fruit I had while living in Puerto Rico in 1996 Bob Sorenson Re: Puerto Rican Fruit - Human Heart-shaped - Know of it? Bruce McGiverin Re: Puerto Rican Fruit - Human Heart-shaped - Know of it? Bryan Brunner RE: Puerto Rican Fruit - Human Heart-shaped - Know of it? Gerardo Garcia Pistachios - Produce In San Diego Area? Cheryl Noble Questions: Fuyu Seedling; Cochineal Scale Control James Freedner How To Prune Pomegranates? Marvelous Gardens Looking For South African Contacts Growing Dragon Fruit "Lee Naidoo (BPO)" Dragon Fruit On Coast Near Santa Barbara - Possible? Jim Ptaszenski Cherries In San Diego? Royal Ranier, Lapins, Nanking "Mark Renshaw" Mark Renshaw ISO Jellies, Jams and Dried fruit by Wilber G. Woods "JW Freadhoff Jnr." Protect Pineapple & Pitahayas From Rain? "Peruzan Dadbeh" "david.crfg-sd" Re: Protect Pineapple & Pitahayas From Rain? "david.crfg-sd" Peruzan Dadbeh Blooms But No Fruit On My Dragon Fruit. Why? Viet I Discover Dragon fruit in Brazil. My Questions... Graziela Volpiano <><><><><> Growing Rare Fruit In Containers <><><><><> None, this time <><><> Announcements and / or Web Sites To Consider <><><> Mango - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mango http://www.crfgsandiego.org For *San Diego Chapter* CRFG Information http://www.crfg.org/chapters.html For information about ALL CRFG chapters. <><><> Zingiber List (Bananas, Gingers) <><><> None, this time <><><> NAFEX List <><><> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/nafex Archives at http://lists.ibiblio.org/pipermail/nafex None, this time <><><> From "rarefruit list" - rarefruit@yahoogroups.com <><><> None, this time <> Agricultural Research Service (ARS) mailto:ars>news@arsgrin.gov <> http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/thelatest.htm Little-Known Fruits Getting More Attention ARS News Service New Peaches for the Sweet-Loving Palate ARS News Service <><><><><><><><> New Subscribers <><><><><><><><><> Subject: New Subscriber, Alabama Date: Sun, 02 Jan 2005 11:28:38 -0600 From: "Dr. Ahmed/ER" My name Mohamed Ahmed I live in Madison, Alabama e mail mahmed4067@aol would like to be a member ------------------------------------------------ Subject: New Subscriber, San Diego County Date: Tue, 04 Jan 2005 13:21:27 -0800 From: Myshkin Miller My name is Myshkin Miller. I live in rural Northeastern Oregon. I have recently relocated from San Diego County. I was introduced to the Rare Fruit News at a garden exhibit at the Del Mar Fair in 2001. On my former property in Ramona, I grew pomegranates, apricots, apples, peaches, lemons, grapefruit, tangerines, and grapes. Nothing especially rare or unusual, but the experience in Ramona was good training for branching out into more exotic fruits. My new property here in Oregon (zone 5) is currently void of any trees except a gnarled old Gravenstein apple tree; but in the next few years I am looking forward to trying the following fruit crops: blueberries, blackberries, American and Ukrainian persimmon, sea berry, honeyberry, and hardy kiwi. I would also like to experiment with growing bananas, pineapples, dragon fruit, and other warmer-climate fruits indoors. Thank you Myshkin Miller <><><><><><><><><> Readers Write<><><><><><><><><><> Subject: Allspice trees.. Date: Sat, 01 Jan 2005 14:16:13 -0800 From: marionbrodie3@webtv.net (Marion Brodie) To: eamusg@quixnet.net Hi Ed, We have had two Allspice trees for the past 10 years, and never do anything to them, which includes no fertilising at all.. We live in east county [San Diego] our soil out here has been amended with mulch over the years, but it is dry...The trees get very little water [only when the leaves look a little stressed] but are very healthy, tho' slow growing.. My health has not been good so they have been somewhat neglected, however this year the garden will be getting a little more TLC.. They have thrived on neglect..they also fruit fairly well, one tree is more vigorous than the other..but are fairly close together so getting the same attention [ or lack]... We have hot dry summers out here, and colder winters than San Diego.. Marion B Blessings ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Allspice trees Date: Sun, 09 Jan 2005 10:55:21 -0800 (PST) From: William Butler Hi Ed I have tried growing allspice trees a couple of times at different homes I've lived at. Since I live in Californias central valley where it gets hot during the summer and cold in the winter I usually look for a more protected place to plant them. At my first home I had one on the N.E. corner of my house under the eve somewhat and it seemed to do very well there. It would get morning sun afternoon shade in this spot. I used peters 20-20-20 to feed it with about once or twice a month. During cold snaps in winter I'd toss a sheet over it and that seemed to be enough to protect it. I ended up moving from that house so I'm not sure what ever became of it. I imagine the new owners probably didnt know what it was or how to care for it. I have read where their cold tolerant to 26F. The second time of trial with it is in the current house I'm living in. I have one in the back yard next to the fence under the canopy of a large privet tree. This privet makes a unique micro climate and I have noticed that I can overwinter many tender plants under it without any more protection. It was a small tree this past spring when I planted it maybe 6 inches tall? It has more than tripled in height and is beginning to branch some. The soil under the tree is fairly good after years of decaying leaf material has accumulated. I havent fertilized this one more than twice as it was making pretty good growth with the good soil. I did add a drip system to all my plants and started watering them deeply once a week during the hottest months of summer and I have seen the difference this has made. I used 2 gph emitters and will probably change these to fan jets as the trees grow. I expect it to continue growing at a good pace this next spring and summer. This spring ! I am going to be mulching all my trees with a couple inches of good compost followed up with a layer of mulch on top of the compost. I'd like to have it a few inches thick to keep the weeds down and the roots happy and healthy. Hope this helps you some in your growing efforts. William Visalia Ca ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Mangoes I had while living in Puerto Rico in 1996 Date: Sat, 01 Jan 2005 11:25:57 -0800 From: Bob Sorenson My name is Bob Sorenson and I live in Washington state not far from the coast on an island in the Columbia river - I would like to know the correct name for the following type of fruit - It is shaped like a human heart and actually looks like one right down to the veins on the outside - The only ones I have ever seen were from 3 to 4 inches long, red in color and very very sugary - I have looked through the tropical fruits and do not find one listed - The local people that gave these to me let it be known that I was one of the lucky few to get them because not many form on a tree and they are highly prized. Hope you can help me out, I would like to show a picture of this unusual fruit to my wife who was not with me at that time - The same person that gave me this heart shaped fruit also brought me a Toro (the bull) mango with a very sweet flavor and about 9 inches long and big in diameter from his grandmas tree - I believe this is a rare type of mango that stores never see Hoping to hear from you Bob Sorenson [I wonder if the Toro Mango is the same as one called huevos de toro, generally translated as "bull's testicles", from the shape and size. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mango -Leo] ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: Puerto Rican Fruit - Human Heart-shaped - Know of it? Date: Sat, 01 Jan 2005 18:22:33 -0800 From: Bruce McGiverin Sounds like it might be Annona reticulata, known in Puerto Rico as "corazon" (ie, heart), and elsewhere as the custard apple. Regards, Bruce, Cidra, PR ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: Puerto Rican Fruit - Human Heart-shaped - Know of it? Date: Sat, 01 Jan 2005 18:31:41 -0800 (PST) From: Bryan Brunner Hi Leo, Nice to hear from you. The fruit you are referring to is Annona reticulata, locally called "coraz—n", or bullock's heart in English. It is native to drier areas of the Antilles and Central America. Unfortunately I don't have a picture of one at the moment. Hopefully I can get a photo sometime. It isn't very common, and tends to get anthracnose a lot, which is why yields aren't high. I have never heard of the 'Toro' mango, and suspect it may just be a seedling variety growing in someone's yard. I hope that helps... please let me know if you need any more information. Bryan ------------------------------------------------ Subject: RE: Puerto Rican Fruit - Human Heart-shaped - Know of it? Date: Sun, 02 Jan 2005 09:36:58 -0500 From: Gerardo Garcia Sure, it's the coraz—n - literally, heart, Annona reticulata. There are both red and green varieties. Great-tasting ones are unusual though, since they are often attacked by fungi or are otherwise grainy. The mango he mentions I believe is from the western part of the Island, but I have not personally tasted it. Will try to get more info. Gerardo ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Pistachios - Produce In San Diego Area? Date: Sat, 01 Jan 2005 20:52:47 -0800 (PST) From: Cheryl Noble I was told pistachios don't do well in San Diego where I live. Does that include the Kermin type mentioned in RF News? Also, my neighbor grows a pomegranite tree that supplies me on my side of the fence with enough fruit that I don't have to grow them. (Possession is 9/10's of the law). Is there a good way to extract the seeds or juice without the mess (colored juice that stains)? Lastly, we are doing torential rains again at avocado blooming time. Any suggestions to keep the blossoms from being blasted off? Thanks Leo for my trees that I bought from you last year. They are all doing well (but no fruit just yet) Cheryl Noble ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Questions: Fuyu Seedling; Cochineal Scale Control Date: Sun, 02 Jan 2005 20:16:48 -0800 From: James Freedner Leo, I wish you a very happy and healthy New Year and lots of good fruits, too!! Hey, I stuck a Fuyu (Japanese persimmon) pit in a flower pot in my living room here, and it has sprouted. NOW what do I do?! Problems with rain: Not sure if it's related to wet or dry weather, but cochineal scale has invaded my giant prickly pear cactus again! Stems are just covered with the white bugs. I figured cold winter weather would stop them for awhile, but not so. Can't spray with malathion just yet because of our continuing rains. Tried squishing the bugs by hand and my reward was about 7 cactus thorns in my left index finger. Some of which I am still trying to dig out. Squishing scale insects does not spread them around (by their eggs), does it? James Eric Freedner Sun Valley, CA ------------------------------------------------ Subject: How To Prune Pomegranates? Date: Sun, 02 Jan 2005 21:30:46 -0800 From: Marvelous Gardens I just purchased a 1 gallon 'Wonderful' Pomegranate. It said grows to 8' tall. Anything else I've read says they grow 20' - 25' tall. Which is too large for my yard. If this tree starts to run away in height, what kind of pruning can I do to keep it smaller, yet still be shaped right. I don't like pollarded trees. Thanks, Amy mailto:marvelousgardens@earthlink.net ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Looking For South African Contacts Growing Dragon Fruit Date: Mon, 03 Jan 2005 08:17:02 +0200 From: "Lee Naidoo (BPO)" Hi Leo, Thank you very much for the reminder to write. I am one of those curious people who find your newsletter useful only as info of interest and that is a fundamental selfishness which I must overcome. I have just bought a 7 acre plot and am concentrating on growing our indigenous trees and shrubs to attract the dwindling indigenous insect and animal life back. I would like to make contact with people in my country cultivating the 'Dragon Fruit" I also would like to wish you and your family a happy 2005. Lee Naidoo Durban. South Africa. ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Dragon Fruit On Coast Near Santa Barbara - Possible? Date: Wed, 05 Jan 2005 06:17:45 -0800 (PST) From: Jim Ptaszenski Leo, Happy New Year! I look forward and appreciate your newsletters. I am wondering if you or anyone would be able to help me with a few questions regarding Dragon Fruit (aka Pitaya). I have a very good friend of mine that lives a little north of Santa Barbara (along the coast) that grows Avocados. He has offered me a small piece of land to grow whatever I want. I am very interested in Dragon Fruit and need to know if in fact they will grow and any particulars that might be involved. As I am sure you are aware I am not or have ever been a grower but am very interested in learning. Thanks for your anticipated help. Regards, Jim ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Cherries In San Diego? Royal Ranier, Lapins, Nanking From: "Mark Renshaw" To: Mark Renshaw I know of a couple of members who grow them, but they do not do very well in areas from the coast to El Cajon. Possibly higher up like Alpine and points east, they can get enough chill, but El Cajon is the farthest east ones I know of. They grow okay but produce very little in colder years down here, none or almost none in warmer years. I'm sorry I don't know much about the Nanking cherry. I know that they are very cold hardy, down to zone 5 or so. But I don't know how much chill they need to bloom. Around here people who want to grow cherry like fruit do much better with surinam cherries, capulin cherries, and cherry of the rio grande. These are not true cherries, but depending on your individual tastes, they can produce good cherry like fruit. I'm copying someone who has more knowledge on the cherry question. One of these is a rare fruit bulletin board, the other is the crfg prunus expert. Check in at rarefruit.com and subscribe to the email newsletter there if you'd like to see some further answers to your questions. Happy fruit gardening. David ------------------------------------------------ Subject: ISO Jellies, Jams and Dried fruit by Wilber G. Woods Date: Fri, 07 Jan 2005 12:49:04 -0600 From: "JW Freadhoff Jnr." Hello from North Dakota; Sorry to bother you. I am searching for the following book: Jellies, Jams and Dried fruit by Wilber G. Woods. It has a Pitaya jam recipe on page 107. No luck and all websearchs lead me to the California Rare Fruits Organization. No response to email and no answer on the phone. Would you have an idea where I could get a copy of the book or at least a photocopy of page 107? I will be in Belize from the 24th Jan - 28th February. Will be working on this year's marketing plan and looking at our next expansion. Again, Sorry to bother you, but am a little desperate. John W. Freadhoff Jnr. 3N Pitaya, Los Tambos, Belize ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Protect Pineapple & Pitahayas From Rain? From: "Peruzan Dadbeh" To: "david.crfg-sd" Date: Friday, January 07, 2005 10:54 AM Hi I was looking in the recent CRFG magazine and did not see the January meeting listed... I just wanted to verify that it is the third Thursday at 7. Also, in the scion exchange, I was thinking of bringing some, but was uncertain of what to take, the size, and which kind of plant (ex can you take cuttings from star fruit, jaboticaba). Finally, as I write this and it started raining, I was wondering if you know of any information/web-sites on possible protective measures that should be taken for some of tropicals in terms of cold or water logging (such as for pineapples or pitahayas). Thanks, Peruzan Dadbeh ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: Protect Pineapple & Pitahayas From Rain? Date: Fri, 07 Jan 2005 13:35:08 -0800 From: "david.crfg-sd" To: Peruzan Dadbeh Hi, Peruzan, The San Diego Chapter Scion Exchange is the fourth thursday. January 27th. All meetings except November and December are on the fourth thursday. Details on scion exchange will be in the newsletter. But basically pencil thickness and 6 to 10 inches or at least two or three nodes. Cut the "up" end at an angle so people know which way is up. Also, it is really only deciduous fruit. More tropical stuff like star fruit and jaboticaba are not very easy to propagate from cuttings and it is too early to graft them. I'd also wait on cherimoya. We really need to have a series of scion exchanges. I am not sure what to do for the plants in all this cold rain. It is nice for the in ground deciduois trees including the figs and the pomegranates. But the tropicals and the potted stock may be suffering. I am going to put some of my more sensitive potted stuff like the australian pomegranates and cactuses and pineapples under a cold frame I made from PVC Pipe last year. I'll cover the frame with plastic sheeting and maybe put the bottom heat pad under the pots. Here is a picture of the cold frame, not too elegant, but the next one will be better. I'm copying Leo Manuel, so that he can put your question about the rain into his email newsletter. If you don't subscribe to it, I recomend that you go to rarefruit.com, and sign up. David ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Blooms But No Fruit On My Dragon Fruit. Why? Date: Tue, 11 Jan 2005 17:25:12 +1030 From: Viet To: leom@rarefruit.com, rarefruit@abac.com Hello Leo, My name Is Viet, I live In australia, I've been growing dragon fruit for 2 years but it not giving out any fruit. There are plenty of flowers at the moment but the flowers all drop off after 7 days, just the same as the 1st year. I look after it very well, giving it more water ... And currently it is summer In Australia , sunrise Is 6.00 Am and set at 830 pm, I think there are plenty light for It. Do you have this problems like this before? If you do please help me. Thanks so much. Sorry my English is terrible. ------------------------------------------------ Subject: I Discover Dragon fruit in Brazil. My Questions.... Date: Tue, 11 Jan 2005 10:44:41 -0600 From: Graziela Volpiano Hi there! I came across Dragon fruit yesterday for the first time at S‹o Paulo«s central market. As a pastry chef I was really curious to see what this fruit was like and how I could possible incorporate it to my desserts. After cutting it to my surprise the inside part had a pinkish-red beet like color. All information I«ve found about the fruit states that its supposed to have a white color. The fruit was totally flavourless. Are there different varieties of dragon fruit?? Was the fruit too ripe?? If you«re interested, I«d be more than willing to send a few pics that you could maybe use for your web site. Thanks for your time, Graziela Volpiano <><><><><> Growing Rare Fruit In Containers <><><><><> None, this time <><><><> Announcements And Web Pages To Consider <><><><> Subject: Mango - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mango The mango (Mangifera spp.; plural mangos or mangoes) is a genus of about 35 species of tropical fruiting trees in the flowering plant family Anacardiaceae, native to India and Indo-China, of which the Indian Mango M. indica is by far the most important commercially. Reference to mangos as the "food of the gods" can be found in the Hindu Vedas, written in about 4000 B.C. The name of the fruit comes from the Tamil word man-kay, which was corrupted to manga by the Portuguese when they explored western India. The mango also features as a common motif, known as the paisley, in Indian textiles. The mango is now widely cultivated as a fruit tree in frost-free tropical and subtropical climates in North, South and Central America, the Caribbean, South and Central Africa, the Philippines and Australia. It is easily cultivated and now there are more than 1,000 cultivars, ranging from the turpentine mango (from the strong taste) to the huevos de toro, generally translated as "bull's testicles", from the shape and size. The mango is reputed to be the most commonly eaten fresh fruit worldwide. Mangos also readily naturalize in tropical climates. Some lowland forests in the Hawaiian Islands are dominated by introduced mangos. Mango From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. This article is about the fruit. For other meanings of the word, please see Mango (disambiguation). Mango Scientific classification Kingdom: Plantaeia Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Sapindales Family: Anacardiaceae Genus: Mangifera Species M. altissima M. caesia M. camptosperma M. casturi M. domestica M. foetida M. indica M. kemanga M. longipes M. macrocarpa M. odorata M. oppositifolia M. pajang M. pentandra M. persiciformis M. pinnata M. siamensis M. verticillata Ref: Mangifera species (http://gmr.landfood.unimelb.edu.au/Plantnames/Sorting/Mangifera.html) as of 2002-08-04 The mango (Mangifera spp.; plural mangos or mangoes) is a genus of about 35 species of tropical fruiting trees in the flowering plant family Anacardiaceae, native to India and Indo-China, of which the Indian Mango M. indica is by far the most important commercially. Reference to mangos as the "food of the gods" can be found in the Hindu Vedas, written in about 4000 B.C. The name of the fruit comes from the Tamil word man-kay, which was corrupted to manga by the Portuguese when they explored western India. The mango also features as a common motif, known as the paisley, in Indian textiles. The mango is now widely cultivated as a fruit tree in frost-free tropical and subtropical climates in North, South and Central America, the Caribbean, South and Central Africa, the Philippines and Australia. It is easily cultivated and now there are more than 1,000 cultivars, ranging from the turpentine mango (from the strong taste) to the huevos de toro, generally translated as "bull's testicles", from the shape and size. The mango is reputed to be the most commonly eaten fresh fruit worldwide. Mangos also readily naturalize in tropical climates. Some lowland forests in the Hawaiian Islands are dominated by introduced mangos. Contents 1 Description 2 Methods of eating a mango fruit 2.1 Mango in other forms and dishes 3 Important Mango cultivars 4 Fair trade 5 External links Description Mangos become very large trees. In height a mango tree may reach 35-40 meters (130 feet) with a span of 10 meters (33 feet) at the top. New leaves are almost a salmon color that rapidly changes to a dark glossy red, then dark green as they mature. When the small white flowers emerge they give off a mild sweet odour suggestive of lily of the valley. After the flowers fall off, the fruits may take from three to six months to ripen. The mango fruit, when fully mature, hangs from the tree on long stems. They are variable in size, from 10-25 cm long and 7-12 cm diameter, and may weigh up to 2.5 kg. The fruits come in a variety of colors: green, yellow, red, or various combinations of these colors. When ripe, the unpeeled fruit gives off a distinctive, slightly sweet smell. In the center of the fruit (a drupe) is a single flat, oblong stone that can be fibrous or hairless on the surface, depending on variety. Inside the shell, which is 1-2 mm thick, is a paper-thin lining covering a single seed, 4-7 cm long, 3-4 cm wide, 1 cm thick. The fruit flesh of a ripe mango contains about 15% sugar, up to 1% protein, and significant amounts of vitamins A, B and C. The taste of the fruit is very sweet, with some varieties having a slight acidic tang. The texture of the flesh varies markedly between different cultivars, some have quite a soft and pulpy texture similar to an over-ripe plum, others have a firmer flesh much like that of a cantaloupe or avacado, and in some cultivars the flesh can contain fibrous material. Mangoes are a very juicy fruit; the sweet taste and high water content make them refreshing to eat, however the juice can make eating them quite a messy affair. The mango is in the same family as poison ivy and contains urushiol, though much less than poison ivy. Some people get dermatitis from touching mango peel or sap. Persons showing an allergic reaction after handling a mango can usually enjoy the fruit if someone else first removes the skin. The leaves are also toxic to cattle. It is reputed that mangos soothe the intestines, which makes them easy to digest. In India, mangos are used to stop bleeding, to strengthen the heart, and to benefit the brain. Their high levels of iron make them useful in treating anemia. Methods of eating a mango fruit Some people claim that the safest way to eat a mango is in the bathtub, or sitting naked on a deserted beach, or even on top of a mango tree itself. Generally, once ripe, they are quite juicy and can be very messy to eat. However, those exported to temperate regions are, like much tropical fruit, picked under-ripe. Although they are ethylene producers and ripen in transit, they rarely have the same juiceness or flavour as the fresh fruit. A ripe mango will have an orange/yellow or reddish skin. To allow a mango to continue to ripen after purchase, store in a cool, dark place, but not your refigerator. Refrigeration will slow the ripening process. The small varieties, usually somewhat yellow in color, can be rolled on a flat surface in the same way a lemon is rolled before extracting the juice. It is ready for eating when the big stone can be rotated without breaking the skin. With the teeth rip off a piece of skin at the top of the mango and place your mouth over the hole. Squeeze the fruit from the bottom up, as if squeezing toothpaste from the bottom of the tube. With any of the larger varieties of mango, the operation is less hazardous: place the fruit lengthwise on a table and feel for the rather flat stone (containing the seed), which should lie horizontally inside the skin about midway through the fruit. Slice the mango so that the knife just passes over the flat surface of the stone. Turn the mango over and repeat the process, cutting across the other flat surface. With each big slice that has been removed, cut hatch marks through the flesh just down to the skin. Then, holding the piece flesh side up, press the thumb on the skin side underneath as if turning the piece inside out. Many bite-sized pieces of flesh will pop up and can be cut out to put into a fruit salad or other preparation. This technique is sometimes called the hedgehog method because of the appearance of the prepared fruit. An alternative to the hedgehog method is to use a spoon to scoop out pieces of the fruit from the exposed "cheeks". A simple way to eat a large mango 'as is' involves using a knife. Start by removing part of the skin and then slice out bite-sized pieces with the knife. Remove more skin to expose more flesh. Expect to get juicy hands when eating the last part, when there is no skin to hold with your hand. Mango in other forms and dishes Ripe mangoes are extremely popular throughout Latin America. In Mexico, sliced mango is eaten with chili powder and/or salt. In Guatemala, Ecuador and Honduras, small, green mangoes are popular; they have a sharp, brisk flavor like a Granny Smith apple. Vendors sell slices of peeled green mango on the streets of these countries, often served with salt. In Hawai'i it is common to pickle green mango slices. Mangoes are widely used in chutney, which in the West is often very sweet, but in the Indian subcontinent is usually sharpened with hot chilis or limes. In India, mango is often made into a pulp and sold as bars like chocolate, and unripe mango is eaten with chili powder and/or salt. In the Philippines, unripe mango is eaten with bagoong, a salty paste made from fermented fish or shrimp. Mango is also used to make juices, both in ripe and unripe form. Pieces of fruit can be mashed and used in ice cream; they can be substituted for peaches in a peach (now mango) pie; or put in a blender with milk, a little sugar, and crushed ice for a refreshing beverage. A more traditional Indian drink is mango lassi, which is similar, but uses a mixture of yoghurt and milk as the base, and is sometimes flavoured with salt or cardamom. Important Mango cultivars Many hundred named mango cultivars exist. In mango orchards, several cultivars are always grown intermixed to improve cross-pollination. In India, the commonest cultivar is 'Alphonso', known as the King of Mangoes. The best 'Alphonso' mangos are reputed to come from the town of Ratnagiri in Maharashtra. About 80% of mangos in UK supermarkets are of the single cultivar 'Tommy Atkins', which dominates the world export trade. It travels well and has a good shelf-life, but does not have the same flavour as some less common varieties obtained from Asian shops. The following are among the more widely grown, listed by the country in which they were selected or are most extensively cultivated: Cambodia 'Cambodiana' Cameroon 'AmŽliorŽe du Cameroun' India 'Alphonso' (also called 'Hapoos'), 'Amrapali', 'Bangalora', 'Banganapalli', 'Bombay', 'Bombay Green','Chausa', 'Dashaheri' ('Daseri'), 'Fazli', 'Fernandian','Gulabkhas','Himsagar', 'Kesar', 'Kishen Bhog', 'Lalbaug', 'Langda' ('Langra'), 'Mallika', 'Mankurad', 'Mulgoa', 'Neelam', 'Pairi', 'Rajapuri', 'Safeda', 'Suvarnarekha','Totapuri', 'Vanraj', 'Zardalu' Indonesia 'Arumanis', 'Golek' Pakistan 'Chaunsa', 'Langra', 'Anwar Ratol', 'Sindhri', 'Dasehri', 'Fazli' Philippines 'Carabao' USA: Florida 'Haden', 'Irwin', 'Keitt', 'Kent', 'Tommy Atkins', 'Zill' USA: Hawaii 'Momi K', 'Pope' West Indies 'AmŽlie', 'Julie' A good list of additional leading cultivars can be found at the cultivar list link in the External links below (although this list omits 'Julie' of the West Indies). Fair trade Mangoes are a popular fruit with consumers around the world. However, many mango farmers receive a low price for their produce. This has led to mangoes being available as a 'fair trade' item in some countries. External links Mango Fruit Facts (http://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/mango.html) Mango cultivar list (http://www.rajans.com/cultivars.htm) McGregor on Mango Pollination (http://bee.airoot.com/beeculture/book/chap5/mango.html) Mango Post Harvest (http://www.fao.org/inpho/compend/text/Ch20sec1.htm#) Health and Mangoes (http://www.nationalpak.com/healthmangoes.asp) ------------------------------------------------ San Diego Chapter California Rare Fruit Growers Meeting: Where: Casa del Prado Building Room 101, Balboa Park When: Fourth Thursday Of Each Month (Except December) See: http://www.crfgsandiego.org ------------------------------------------------ http://www.crfg.org/chapters.html For information about all CRFG chapters. <><><><><><><><> Zingiber List (Bananas, Gingers) <><><><><><><><> None this time <><><> NAFEX List From: nafex-request@lists.ibiblio.org <><><> None this time <><> [rarefruit] List - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rarefruit <><> None this time <> Agricultural Research Service (ARS) mailto:ars http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/thelatest.htm. Subject: Little-Known Fruits Getting More Attention Date: Wed, 05 Jan 2005 08:26:19 -0500 From: ARS News Service Have you ever tasted an elderberry or lingonberry? How about an aronia berry? These three lesser-known fruit crops are being studied by Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists who hope to make these fruits more popular with consumers. At the ARS National Clonal Germplasm Repository in Corvallis, Ore., research leader Kim E. Hummer and her staff are studying what are called "minor crops"--fruits that may be popular in other countries--to see if they can successfully grow them here. Another example is the edible-fruited honeysuckle, which looks somewhat like a blueberry and has its own unique flavor, very different from the more popular ornamental honeysuckles with orange fruit. There are more than 600 minor crops in the United States. While any crop that's grown on fewer than 300,000 acres nationally is considered a minor crop, many of the crops studied in Corvallis are grown on only a few hundred acres. In some cases, such as with kiwifruit, the fruit may start off as a minor crop but eventually become a market staple. The scientists also are studying hardy kiwifruit, which is related to the fuzzy kiwifruit found in supermarket produce sections. The hardy kiwifruit has a smooth skin and is the size of a large grape, but has green flesh and black seeds similar to the traditional kiwi. Two problems with the current hardy kiwifruit cultivars are that they are smaller than desired and only ripen during a three-week window, meaning they can only be sold for a few weeks a year. Geneticist Chad E. Finn at the ARS Horticultural Crops Research Laboratory, also in Corvallis, is trying to identify new cultivars from populations of wild hardy kiwifruit collected in China that have larger fruit and ripen at different times in the season than current cultivars. Read more about the repository and the fruit research in the January issue of Agricultural Research magazine, available online at: http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/jan05/fruits0105.htm ------------------------------------------------ Subject: New Peaches for the Sweet-Loving Palate Date: Tue, 11 Jan 2005 16:10:30 -0500 From: ARS News Service Two new peach varieties developed by Agricultural Research Service scientists will be available to consumers in limited quantities in the summer of 2005. The new varieties, Gulfking and Gulfcrest, were made available to growers in 2003. They were developed by Thomas Beckman at the ARS Southeastern Fruit and Tree Nut Research Laboratory in Byron, Ga., and colleagues from the University of Georgia and the University of Florida. Both varieties--known as "nonmelting" peaches--resist bruising and remain firm longer while ripening on the tree and after canning. Gulfking typically ripens in early May. When ripe, its skin is mostly red on a deep-yellow to orange background. The flesh is firm and sweet and does not turn brown readily when bruised or cut. Gulfcrest ripens from early to mid-May, extending the harvest period. The fruit is medium to large and also has a mostly red skin on a deep-yellow to orange background. The flesh is firm, with good sweetness, and contains some red flecks in the outer flesh on the sun-exposed side of the fruit. Like Gulfking, this peach doesn't brown readily when bruised or cut. In test plantings, both varieties appeared to be resistant to bacterial spot on the leaves and fruit. Read more about these new peaches in the January 2005 issue of Agricultural Research magazine, available online at: http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/jan05/peaches0105.htm <><><><><><><><><> End of RFN200501B.txt <><><><><><><><><><> Rare Fruit News Online - February 1, 2005 - RFN200502A.txt __________________________________________________________ <><><><> Notes In Passing - Leo <><><><> Yahoo News Group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rfno/ I want to remind you that this Yahoo News Group was established so that you could share photographs with other readers of Rare Fruit News Online. PSM (Pen Sen Mun) Mango - Does it bear for you? I ask because mine has been blooming all winter but has not set any fruit, here in San Diego <><><><><><><><><> Table Of Contents <><><><><><><><><> -> -> -> Messages follow the Table Of Contents <- <- <- <><><> New Subscribers <><><> Please add me to your mailing list LindaLou New Subscriber, Brisbane - Queensland, Australia Sally French New Subscriber - Ventura, CA Intern Channel Islands New Subscriber, - San Diego, CA harve stewart <><><> Readers Write <><><> Rain Caused My Guava To Bear EZaragosa@cs.com Opuntia book gerardo garcia Lee.Naidoo@bidports.co.za Dragon Fruit Alan Schroeder tazskii@sbcglobal.net FW: Rare Fruit News Online - January 15, 2005 - 2 Bill Burson Noni Planted - Now What? Bob & Carmel Dragon Fruit Margaret Quinn Lee.Naidoo@bidports.co.za knee operation bert dunn Chill Requirements - Florida Peaches & Nectarines Michael Zarky Durian and Raw Fooders Richard Sar Trees that I'm trying to grow Marcia Wildner Re: Puerto Rican Fruit - Human Heart-shaped - Know of it? Spedyana@aol.com Re: Rare Fruit News and Weather Forecast Wilbur Shigehara Joe Sabol , rarefruit@san.rr.com Rare Fruit News and Weather Forecast Will Pistachio Produce In San Diego Area? Ben Pierce noble.c@sbcglobal.net FW: Re: Will Pistachio Produce In San Diego Area? Ben Pierce Sapodilla Fruit Todd Abel RE: Growing tropical fruit from seed questions Niki Wessels Charles Novak Contorted jujube Dmshuck@aol.com Fw: Fw: Fw: Citrus Question(s) What is this? "david.crfg-sd" Leo Manuel Re: Fw: Citrus Question(s) What is this? Rare Fruit Intern Channel Islands <><><><><> Growing Rare Fruit In Containers <><><><><> None, this time <><><> Announcements and / or Web Sites To Consider <><><> Florida Keys Tropical Fruit Fiesta Event LWishe@ifas.ufl.edu San Diego Chapter California Rare Fruit Growers Meeting: Where: Casa del Prado Building Room 101, Balboa Park When: Fourth Thursday Of Each Month (Except December) See: http://www.crfgsandiego.org Also, http://www.crfg.org/chapters.html For information about all CRFG chapters. <><>Bot-Linx List <> From: "Scott D. Russell" SBLD - Home Orchard Society "Scott D. Russell" SBLD - North American Fruit Explorers (NAFEX) North American Fruit Explorers (NAFEX) http://www.nafex.org/ SBLD - Seed Savers Exchange Seed Savers Exchange http://www.seedsavers.org/ SBLD - Cal's Plant-of-the-Week Calendars Cal's Plant-of-the-Week Calendars http://www.plantoftheweek.org/calendars/ SBLD - Cactaceae.Net Cactaceae.Net http://www.thater.net/cactaceae/ <><><> NAFEX List <><><> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/nafex Archives at http://lists.ibiblio.org/pipermail/nafex None, this time <><><> From "rarefruit list" - rarefruit@yahoogroups.com <><><> None, this time <> Agricultural Research Service (ARS) mailto:ars>news@arsgrin.gov <> http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/thelatest.htm Rising CO2 and Nitrogen ARS News Service Plastic Cover Aids Fumigant Alternative ARS News Service <><><><><><><><> New Subscribers <><><><><><><><><> Subject: Please add me to your mailing list Date: Sat, 15 Jan 2005 23:42:02 -0500 From: LindaLou My name is Linda and I live in east central Florida (Titusville). IÕm currently growing bananas, pineapples and citrus. I also have 1 litchie tree, 1 avocado tree and 1 mango tree Ð all in pots so I can move them when itÕs going to be too cold. All my pineapples are in pots too. IÕm looking forward to reading about more edible growing Òopportunities.Ó Thank you! Linda mailto:lindalou@cfl.rr.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: New Subscriber, Brisbane - Queensland, Australia Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2005 12:01:45 +1000 From: Sally French Hi, My name is Sal, and IÕm living in Brisbane, Queensland in Australia. ItÕs subtropical here, and Brisbane is nearly on the coast, about halfway down the east coast of Australia. IÕm living in a rental house in one of the older suburbs of Brisbane, and one of the features of West End is that it was originally home to the Greek and Italian and Cypriot immigrant communities. So thanks to them I get to see some lovely fruit trees (lots of mangoes and avocadoes in season right now) in yards around my suburb. At the moment I have a macadamia nut (also known in Australia as the Queensland nut) in my back yard, but being a native tree, it is keeping a lot of native insects well fed Ð they like to bore into the nut long before I get to them. There is also a very young papaya, which IÕm hoping will start to bear in a few months. If you ever get the chance to try a jaboticaba, do so Ð it is very popular on the first taste with all who try it. The jaboticaba is a slow growing relative of guava, with a tough but fairly thin purple black skin, and the flesh is translucent white like a lychee, sometimes streaked with pink. The flavour is like a delicious rich juicy grape Ð but donÕt chew the skin or seed. And the fruit come off the trunk (cauliforus) which looks distinctly weird. They are about the size of a large grape, and to eat you hold it close to your mouth, and split it with your teeth and it pops in. I believe itÕs native to Brazil. I have a question Ð another relative to the guava, the Pitomba, is supposedly similar to an apricot, with a rose scent. Has anyone tried one of these? Sally French mailto:s.french@slq.qld.gov.au ------------------------------------------------ Subject: New Subscriber - Ventura, CA Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2005 20:33:14 +0000 From: Intern Channel Islands Dear Rare Fruit Folks, Hello, My Name is Brian Dykstra in Ventura, CA. I recently moved to California from Oregon (OR), where I grew Paw Paw trees, Golden Plum trees, Purple Plums, and Quince. I am still interested in fruits that can survive in colder areas. I am interested in Abronia, Akebia, Medlars, Mulberries, Persimmons and more.Also, I am interested in purchasing seeds and growing rare, unique, under utilized, and cold-hardy edible natives and exotics (Zones 3-8) purchase. I have experience growing paw paws, plums, and quince. I would like to assist/expand permaculture and edible landscaping efforts in the northern hemisphere. Has anyone heard of high-yielding Akebia varieties? Can anyone share with me book titles of interest? Ex: How to grow Persimmons, Paw Paws, Quince and other cold-hardy fruiting trees/shrubs/vines. Thank you for contacting me. May the populus become more involved in raising fruits. I do see much potential for growing many more varieties of fruit trees, shrubs, and vines in colder climates as well as beautiful areas like southern California. Can anyone share with me BOOK TITLES that may be of interest? Ex: How to grow Persimmons, Paw Paws, and Quince especially. (Colder climate varieites). My friends educate each other about native fruits and sustainable living. I hope FRUITS and their TREES, SHRUBS, and VINES become a greater part of everyones life around the world. Thank you for listening. Brian mailto:archintern7@hotmail.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: New Subscriber, - San Diego, CA Date: Wed, 26 Jan 2005 23:10:14 -0800 From: harve stewart I am Harve stewart, in College area, San Diego. I am growing Logan, quince, jujube, pommelo, suriname cherry, white sapote, cherimoya, grumichama, Mango and Wampee I would like to grow Jak fruit, pitomba, black sapote, native american paw-paw, starfruit, gooseberry. Comments: growing things that should be north of our climate zone or south of it- that is what fascinates me I just lost my cocos nucifera that wintered outside in San Diego's college area since 1998 to crown rot due to the rains- anyone else have better success with coconuts in San Diego? harve stewart mailto:sandiegodude@cox.net <><><><><><><><><> Readers Write<><><><><><><><><><> Subject: Rain Caused My Guava To Bear Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2005 10:50:35 -0500 (EST) From: EZaragosa@cs.com The only effect I have seen from the rain is that my Guava (Lua Ranch) tree has finally developed fruit. This plant was a fairly mature boxed specimen (10 feet) that was planted a year and a half ago. The fruit is small but maturing! Richard Rothschild mailto:ezaragosa@cs.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Opuntia book Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2005 15:54:38 -0500 From: gerardo garcia To: Lee.Naidoo@bidports.co.za Saw your letter in Leo's newsletter, you might be interested in obtaining the South African book: Spineless Prickly Pears A.B. Wessels Perskor Publishers, Johannesburg, Cape Town 1988 translated by John G. Saunders (apparently the original was in Afrikaans) ISBN 0 628 0329 0 It mentions research carried out at the Research Institute at Grootfontein, Middelburg in Cape Province, the University of Port Hare and by the author at the University of Pretoria. I bought my copy years ago from Granny Smith's Bookstore in Perth, Australia. Unfortunately, I can find no online sources for the book, but perhaps you might find it locally at used book shops. Hope this helps. Good luck. Gerardo Garc’a Ramis mailto:manilkara@hotmail.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Dragon Fruit Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2005 14:29:03 -0800 From: Alan Schroeder To: tazskii@sbcglobal.net Dear Jim: Dragonfruit do well in the Santa Barbara area. There are already two small commercial plantings I know of. In my yard and the yards of other CRFG members they have grown and fruited. I have had slow to no growth with some species eg. H. ocamponis and excellant growth with selected cultivars as for example a Vietnamese. Alan Schroeder mailto:arschroeder@cox.net ------------------------------------------------ Subject: What fruit plants can be propagated by cuttings? Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2005 16:47:23 -0600 From: Bill Burson I am looking for any fruiting plants that can be are usually (easily) propagated by cuttings Bill Burson mailto:powaybill@mchsi.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Noni Planted - Now What? Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2005 22:02:59 +1000 From: Bob & Carmel G'Day, My name is Bob O'Connor I live on the Gold Coast in QLD in Australia I have just put in 20 noni trees and would be very grateful for any information on how to grow and when to pick, how to juice and when etc., what to do with the leaves and roots are also used is this true? Thanks for any help Bob mailto:racao@optusnet.com.au ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Dragon Fruit Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2005 19:28:00 +0200 From: Margaret Quinn To: Lee.Naidoo@bidports.co.za Lee, I have recently built a greenhouse with the hope of obtaiting Dragon Fruit seed to cultivate. As of yet I am unable to obtain any in SA. I am trying my Israeli contacts and hoping that brings results. What is your interest in this fruit, apart from attracting Birds? You're welcome to contact me, 082 8515444. Regards, Margaret Quinn Margaret Quinn mailto:maranatha_kidspc@lando.co.za ------------------------------------------------ Subject: knee operation Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2005 14:16:06 -0500 From: bert dunn Hello Leo I am not speaking from personal experience, however my wife has lived through a lot. Since 1978 Helga has had 4 hip operations. Damage resulted from way over prescription of steroids. Nov, 2003 she had her first knee done. She is scheduled for her 2nd knee in Apr 2004. Now I asked her about doing both at the same time. She said while in rehab in Nov 2003 there were two other persons who had both done at the same time. They were still in the work force and had no problems with getting both done. Helga she said you should discuss with you doctor and get his approval to having both done at the same time. The final recovery time is basically the same with one or two knees. Of course initially you'll be less mobile if 2 are done at the same time. Helga said initial recovery for her was 3 months and final recovery 6 months. She now charges up & down stairs, shops 'til she drops, dances etc, etc. in spite of her pending other knee. Most important in Helga's mind. She does exercises every a.m. - (that means every a.m.). And you probably have heard that old adage "no pain --no gain" Even when uncomfortable with the knee to go-she exercises. All the very best Bert mailto:helbert@idirect.com www.hardygrapes.tottenham.on.ca www.littlefatwino.com/bertslist.html ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Chill Requirements - Florida Peaches & Nectarines Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2005 18:36:06 -0800 From: Michael Zarky Dear Leo, With regard to the ARS article about the new peach varieties, I was curious about the chill requirement. Here is something I came up with through Google. ... A peach and nectarine breeding program was initiated at the University of Florida in the early 1950s with the objective to produce early ripening, low chill, high quality fruit cultivars adapted to Florida. Peach and nectarine production in Florida has good potential because of an excellent market window for early fruit production in the United States. All recent University of Florida cultivars have a low chilling requirement (100-500), a short fruit development period (60-110 days), good firmness, taste, attractiveness and resistance to bacterial spot. These fruit ripen from mid-April to June. The period of fruit production (March to June) is usually a dry period that enhances sugar accumulation and the development of red color, while suppressing high humidity or wet weather diseases. During the last 5-10 years there has been a shift in emphasis toward a non melting flesh (Apricot-like) character so that peaches can be shipped at physiological maturity to distant markets since the flesh resists bruising. Non melting flesh peaches begin with the prefix UF and include: ÔUF GoldÕ, ÔUF 2000Õ, ÔUF OÕ, and ÔGulfprinceÕ. ÔUF QueenÕ is the first non-melting flesh nectarine. All of the above cultivars are adapted to north central Florida and have a chilling requirement of 200-325; with the exception of ÔGulfprinceÕ which is adapted to north Florida (400 chilling units). The peach cultivars suitable for trial are as follows: central Florida -ÔFlordastarÕ, ÔFlordaprinceÕ, ÔFlordagloÕ, ÔTropic SweetÕ, ÔTropic BeautyÕ and ÔTropic SnowÕ (all 100-250 chilling units). The list for north central Florida is ÔFlordadawnÕ, ÔFlordakingÕ, ÔFlordacrestÕ, ÔUF GoldÕ, ÔUF 2000Õ, and ÔUF OÕ (all 200-400 chilling units). The list for north Florida includes ÔFlordadawnÕ, ÔFlordakingÕ, ÔFlordacrestÕ and ÔGulfprinceÕ (all 300-400 chilling units). Two very new non melting flesh cultivars for north Florida are ÔGulfkingÕ and ÔGulfcrestÕ (650 chilling units), but they will not be available until 2004 or 2005. ÔSunbestÕ and ÔUF QueenÕ (200-275 chilling units) are suitable for trial in north central Florida, while ÔSuncoastÕ (375 chilling units) is suitable for trial in north Florida. On the other hand, readers can go to a nursery list and find different (lower) numbers for these varieties, which make them sound more viable for medium-chill areas. http://www.tnnursery.com/VaughnNursery/peaches.htm Michael Zarky mailto:mzarky@earthlink.net ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Durian and Raw Fooders Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2005 19:38:51 -0800 (PST) From: Richard Sar Hi Leo, I hope you and other newsletter members find this interesting. While online about a month ago, I stumbled upon these groups of dieters. What had first intrigued me about them was that not only were they familiar with the durian fruit but they held durian parties. Durian parties you ask? Well, durian parties are simply when everyone gets together to eat fresh durians. ItÕs hard enough to even find a fruit lover that is familiar with the durian but many raw fooders seems to eat a durian as often as the opportunity would allow them. Some even enjoy the smell of a fresh durian. Now anyone who loves the durian is good with me in my book. This made me look more into raw foodism(..is that! a word). What is a raw fooder? I am not quite sure there is a completely right answer for that but I will give an opinion of what raw fooders are with what little information I have learned so far. There seems to be variations of diet between different groups. For instance dairy may be accepted by some and not by others. But I believe the core of it is eating a diet consisting mostly of uncooked vegetables and fruits. Many raw fooders are even familiar with fruits such as lychees, jackfruits, cherimoyas, etc. While most of the public never even heard of these fruits, they appear to more than open to different fruits. No I am not here to ! sell a diet and I would suggest for anyone looking for such a big change in their diet to consult with their own personal physician. However, I find our commonalities very thrilling. Now, here comes the good part. If any of you have ever wanted to eat fresh durians but were never able to find any I suggest getting a hold of this group of dieters in your area. Being a raw fooder isnÕt a prerequisite to join in on these durian parties. The following is information from one raw fooderÕs site, http://www.thepurefoodnetwork.org They ship fresh durians within the United States. I warned you the price isnÕt cheap but I have heard great things about the quality and it is also shipped with only the segments, no husks. Regards, Richard mailto:richardsar01@yahoo.com The Purefood Network Web: http://www.thepurefoodnetwork.org Email: info@thepurefoodnetwork.org ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Fruit trees that I'm trying to grow Date: Tue, 18 Jan 2005 13:09:42 -0800 (PST) From: Marcia Wildner Hi, my name is Marcia and we live in Florida. Recently we bought the following trees: Black Sapote, Black Gold Jacktree, Passion fruit, Lychee, Mango, Guanavana I hope they will make. I'm originally from Brazil and I love all these fruits. I want to plant many more.. I got a little scare this week. my Jackfruit lost all its leaves. I didn't plant it yet. is that commom that Jackfruit loose its leaves?? Please advise, Thanks, Marcia mailto:marciasenesac@yahoo.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: Puerto Rican Fruit - Human Heart-shaped - Know of it? Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2005 18:02:54 -0500 (EST) From: Spedyana@aol.com The name is "Corazon" meaning hard in English mailto:Spedyana@aol.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: Rare Fruit News and Weather Forecast Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2005 16:09:13 -0800 From: Wilbur Shigehara To: Joe Sabol Joe, the rain forecast still looks good for rain in San Luis next Wednesday night and Thursday for San Diego. How would you like another half to one inch with a few more showers the last weekend of the month. I don't know how hot you got today, but it was too hot for me and my apple buds are beginning to swell. Ouch!!! Sorry to hear of your double knee surgery Leo. Wilbur Shigehara is predicting that we have a few weeks in January without rain so better get outside and get those jobs done before the surgery and the February rains!!! Joe Sabol mailto:jsabol@calpoly.edu San Luis Obispo, CA ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Will Pistachio Produce In San Diego Area? Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2005 18:47:31 -0800 From: Ben Pierce To: noble.c@sbcglobal.net I've always been told no. However, The pistachio trees at California Adventure in Anaheim had them on the tree one time when I was there. It could be the trees were moved from a colder area recently and they had enough chill hours to do this. Or maybe the trees can produce here just not in commercial amounts. Anyways, I live in North San Diego county and have wanted to try for awhile now. Its very hard to find trees. Ive searched all over and if you do find them they are very expensive. El Plantio nursery in Escondido had them for 80.00. You have to plant male and female trees so we are talking 160.00 out the door. I frequently travel in the San Joaquin valley and plan to stop into a few nurseries up there one day to see if they have them. Cheryl mailto:noble.c@sbcglobal.net ------------------------------------------------ Subject: FW: Re: Will Pistachio Produce In San Diego Area? Date: Sun, 23 Jan 2005 16:47:53 -0800 From: Ben Pierce >From: Cheryl Noble >To: Ben Pierce >Subject: Re: Will Pistachio Produce In San Diego Area? >Date: Sat, 22 Jan 2005 15:56:40 -0800 (PST) > >Thanks for your reply. Pacific Tree in Bonita had a pistachio but gave the >400 chill hour argument and talked me out of it. They certainly weren't >$80. (much less I think). I appreciate the site too. Now I'm really >confused seems they grow in places like Syria that I'm sure doesn't get >that cold. Ben Pierce mailto:mariposafamily@hotmail.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Sapodilla Fruit Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2005 18:56:51 -0800 From: Todd Abel Leo, Sapodilla has over 20 fruit still hanging in there. The tree is about 4yrs in the ground, and is a grafted Alano variety. I took the male part of a flower and rubbed a bunch of other flowers, and it seemed to help fruit set quite a bit. The tree also liked all the rain we had. Other trees that seemed to actually like all that rain were; Ice Cream Bean, Longan (big time, Loquat, still flowering Sweet Lemon, still flowering Bangok Guava, Strawberry Guava, Capulin Cherry, White Sapote, and Rose Apple. It was very surprising to me that the Dragonfruit also liked the rain. Trees that did not like all the rain; Mangoes, Papayas, all Bananas, most Citrus, and Nopales. Hope the knee goes well. Todd Abel mailto:table@socal.rr.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: RE: Growing tropical fruit from seed questions Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2005 13:16:53 +0200 From: Niki Wessels To: Charles Novak Dear Charles Unfortunately the Cape holly does not seem to grow in the area where I live, but Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens in Cape Town (contact details below) may be able to provide you with seeds. As the berries ripen in autumn, they are probably only likely to become available around March to April. If they cannot help you, my brother-in-law who lives near Cape Town might possible be able to obtain berries from the wild. Please have a look at the SANBI (including Kirstenbosch) website, which is an excellent source of information about South African plants as well as plants offered for sale. The alphabetical section on plants contains a very good page on the Cape holly. Thanks for the link to your website. Is there any way I could join, and if so, what are the costs involved? Regards Niki mailto:mynah@mweb.co.za SANBI information: See http://www.nbi.ac.za/ South African National Biodiversity Institute Seeds and plants email: seedroom@nbi.ac.za. -----Original Message----- From: Charles Novak [mailto:c.novak@worldnet.att.net] Sent: 16 January 2005 12:24 AM To: mynah@mweb.co.za Subject: Growing tropical fruit from seed questions Dear Niki, > I hope you can help. I need you help with some seeds from > Africa. > > I have been looking for Cape holly (Ilex mitis) seeds for a > very long time. > > If you can help with seeds, please let us know, and, if not, > a name and address of someone who may be able to help. > > I will pay for the seeds and mailing cost or trade seeds. > > Please check the following website ( > http://www.rarefruit.org/RFCISeeds.html ) for seeds I > currently have available. > > Thank you very much! > > Best Regards, > > Charles Novak ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Contorted jujube Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2005 12:55:39 -0500 (EST) From: Dmshuck@aol.com Hi Leo, I found a contorted Jujube bareroot at Walter Anderson's yesterday. I wasn't looking for one but it looked so unusual I just had to get it. Richard is the person that orders the fruit trees at Walter Anderson in Poway and is a member of CRFG. He does a great job and is always fun to talk with. Hope you are doing well. Denise mailto:Dmshuck@aol.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Fw: Fw: Fw: Citrus Question(s) What is this? Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2005 22:59:45 -0800 From: "david.crfg-sd" Hi David, Thank you for your help. I would like to attend the North county meeting on the 21st since I have a conflict on the 27th. I don't know the exact location of the meeting. Could you help me find out what building and room it is in at the Mira Costa College? I tried to find the North county web site without luck. One of my brothers and I are planning on replanting the yard at our mother's house with different kinds of fruit trees so it will be great fun to learn from your group. Also, while it is nice to know that the tangerine I was trying to identify is a Satsuma Mandarin (Citrus reticulata) there are many kinds of Satsumas, so I still have not found the answer I would like. I will try to bring one of the fruit in to the meeting. I would like to try to graft some of this tree on to some root stock. Here is the web site where I learned about the large variety of satsumas. http://www.floridata.com/main_fr.cfm?state=ref_contents&viewsrc=lists/contents.cfm Thank you again for your help. Bill Hagey (858) 459-8554 ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: Fw: Satsuma Citrus Question(s) What is this? David: From the appearance in the photo, the fact that it is seedless, and its age, it is quite likely that it is a Satsuma Mandarin (Citrus reticulata). The varieties the Citrus species, reticulata. are generally called 'mandarins' if they were brought directly from the Orient, while they are called 'tangerines' if they got here via the Mediterranean area. You can attend the January meeting of the North County Chapter at Mira Costa College in Oceanside on the 21st or the S.D. Chapter at Balboa Park on the 27th.. George Fallbrook, (760) 728-3281 > Subject: Question(s) What is this? > > Hi, > > I found your web site and hope to come to your meeting in January. I > have a fruit tree and love the fruit, but can't tell what kind of > tangerine tree it is. > Attached is a picture of some of the fruit and here is what I can say > about the fruit: > > These tangerines are the best I have ever had and I can't seem to find > more like them. They are seedless, easy to peal, very very sweet, the > top of the fruit pulls off when picked most of the time, they ripen in > November to January, they would be difficult to package and ship because > they are easy to crush and don't last long after being picked. I have > never seen them in stores. It may not show too well in the photo, but > they are more disk like than round and they are small - about 2" around > the equator. > > I can't imagine they are too exotic since they come from a back yard > tree in my parents house. The tree was planted in the early 60s and I > would like to graft it on to some new root stock to make sure it does > not die and we loose these great fruit. > > Thank you, and hope to meet you in January, > > Bill Hagey <><><><><> Growing Rare Fruit In Containers <><><><><> None, this time <><><><> Announcements And Web Pages To Consider <><><><> Subject: Florida Keys Tropical Fruit Fiesta Event Date: Fri, 21 Jan 2005 14:36:20 -0500 From: LWishe@ifas.ufl.edu Hello Tropical Fruit Fiesta Supporters! Just a note to let you know the University of Florida/Monroe County Extension office is holding the 7th Annual Tropical Fruit Fiesta on Saturday, June 25th, 2005 at Bayview Park in Key West. Hours from 9am to 2pm. There will be fruit tree sales, expert speakers, vendors, fruit displays, children's activities and more! For more information contact : University of Florida/Monroe County Extension, 1100 Simonton Street, #2-260, Key West, FL 33040. Telephone: 305-292-4501, Email: monroe@ifas.ufl.edu or visit our website (click on Annual Florida Keys Tropical Fruit Fiesta) http://monroe.ifas.ufl.edu ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lisa Wishe mailto:lwishe@ifas.ufl.edu Extension Coordinator 305-292-4501 http://monroe.ifas.ufl.edu ------------------------------------------------ San Diego Chapter California Rare Fruit Growers Meeting: Where: Casa del Prado Building Room 101, Balboa Park When: Fourth Thursday Of Each Month (Except December) See: http://www.crfgsandiego.org Also, http://www.crfg.org/chapters.html For information about all CRFG chapters. <><>Bot-Linx List <> From: "Scott D. Russell" Subject: SBLD - Home Orchard Society Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2005 23:23:16 -0600 Home Orchard Society http://www.homeorchardsociety.org/ The Home Orchard Society is dedicated to "Growing Good Fruit at Home" and this website offers a wide variety of information, including articles, the newsletter "Pome News", tips (particularly useful ones for propagation), active discussion forums & news for principally hobby fruit growers. There are a few commercial links (not many), but everyone needs bees and garden supplies. The uncluttered home page is remarkably information rich and the calendar is great for those who lose track of gardening seasons. (****)-SR ------------------------------------------------ Subject: SBLD - North American Fruit Explorers (NAFEX) Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2005 19:33:55 -0600 North American Fruit Explorers (NAFEX) http://www.nafex.org/ North American Fruit Explorers is a 3000+ member organization devoted to "aid and encourage fruit exploration in its broadest context," with annual meetings, Pomona (a quarterly journal, sadly only the TOC is currently online). Hidden in a link called "NAFEX Fruit and Nut Interest Groups" is reasonably extensive information on figs and kiwi, less on a handful of other fruits. Membership is remarkably cheap ($13) and it includes the journal. The society takes off where yesterday's Home Orchard Society leaves off, but alas the web site does not (I will revise this if they do in the future!). (**1/2) ------------------------------------------------ Subject: SBLD - Seed Savers Exchange Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2005 23:22:52 -0600 January 19, 2005 Seed Savers Exchange http://www.seedsavers.org/ According to their website, "Seed Savers Exchange is a nonprofit organization that saves and shares the heirloom seeds of our garden heritage, forming a living legacy that can be passed down through generations." Links on the site include an Online Seed Catalog of Vegetables, Herbs, Flowers, Transplants, Books & Gifts. Their vision of retaining genetic diversity is brought into fruition at Heritage Farm, an 890-acre living museum near Decorah, Iowa. Seeds are available there, through the mail and at their Madison, Wisconsin store. It is an important concept in a world where diversity decreases everyday. (***1/2) -SR ------------------------------------------------ Subject: SBLD - Cal's Plant-of-the-Week Calendars Date: Fri, 21 Jan 2005 17:22:27 -0600 Cal's Plant-of-the-Week Calendars http://www.plantoftheweek.org/calendars/ Some of you may be familiar with Cal's Plant of the Week site, which I have featured before (October 18, 2002, see URL: http://www.ou.edu/cas/botany-micro/bot-linx/oct02.shtml#Oct18). As part of the project, I developed some calendars that I thought some viewers of SBLD may appreciate. These are PDF files and will require the free Adobe Acrobat Reader. Their printed quality relies largely on the quality of the paper selected, but otherwise the calendar is free. I hope you enjoy it. -SR ------------------------------------------------ Subject: SBLD - Cactaceae.Net Date: Wed, 26 Jan 2005 19:19:37 -0600 Cactaceae.Net http://www.thater.net/cactaceae/ At the center of Cactaceae.Net is a database with 7932 pictures, 254 genera, 246 registered users, and 600 multi-lingual synonyms. Entries emphasize the Cactaceae, but extend to succulent plants in other families, as well. Numerous thumbnail images make viewing pages of images easy. Images excel in botanical and artistic detail with about 100 new images added each month and information on each species. The site also has a forum, email notification and RSS feeds! Site by Guido Thater. (****) -SR <><><> NAFEX List From: nafex-request@lists.ibiblio.org <><><> None this time <><> [rarefruit] List - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rarefruit <><> None this time <> Agricultural Research Service (ARS) mailto:ars http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/thelatest.htm. Subject: Rising CO2 and Nitrogen Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2005 08:45:39 -0500 From: ARS News Service Wheat grown under elevated levels of carbon dioxide over the next half-century will need slightly more nitrogen to grow, but not as much as previously predicted, according to a two-year study by Agricultural Research Service scientists and cooperators. Atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) levels are projected to increase 43 percent by 2050. The increased CO2 makes plants like wheat grow larger. But a bigger plant needs more nutrients such as nitrogen, at least in theory, according to ARS soil scientist Floyd J. Adamsen, who works at the agency's U.S. Water Conservation Laboratory in Phoenix, Ariz. So the ARS scientists have been trying to determine whether higher CO2 levels will increase the amount of nitrogen that wheat and other crops need to grow. They reported their findings on the interaction between carbon dioxide and nitrogen in the January-February 2005 issue of Agronomy Journal. At the Maricopa Agricultural Center near Phoenix, the team compared wheat grown under current levels of CO2 to wheat grown with the CO2 levels expected by 2050. A series of tubes injected CO2 into circular, open-air field plots to increase the CO2 concentration in the air during the two-year experiment. The plants grown with higher CO2 levels only used about 3 to 4 percent more nitrogen than the plants grown at current CO2 levels. The researchers applied fertilizer four times, which spread out the uptake of the nutrients. Based on the study's findings, farmers in the future may need to apply fertilizer four times on wheat, instead of the traditional one or two applications. The scientists believe growers need to understand how rising levels of CO2 may affect their crops. Accordingly, farmers may have to adapt their farming practices--such as altering the timing and amounts of nitrogen fertilizer--to produce crops in the changing environmental conditions of the future. ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Plastic Cover Aids Fumigant Alternative Date: Fri, 21 Jan 2005 08:52:17 -0500 From: ARS News Service A new type of plastic cover that helps stop chemical soil fumigants from escaping into the atmosphere could provide a timely alternative for farmers facing a ban on methyl bromide, according to Agricultural Research Service scientists. ARS scientists in Gainesville, Fla., are studying plastic covers placed over raised beds where vegetables and strawberries are grown. Fumigants applied to the soil are trapped underground by the plastic, controlling pests under the soil surface. One type of plastic cover, called virtually impermeable film (VIF), contains a central, gas-impermeable layer designed to curb soil fumigant from escaping into the atmosphere. ARS is studying environmentally safe alternatives to methyl bromide as a soil fumigant for crop protection. VIF alone isn't intended to serve as a replacement for methyl bromide, according to researchers, but would allow growers to use lower levels of fumigants that are more environmentally friendly than methyl bromide. Hartwell Allen, a soil scientist at the ARS Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology's Crop Genetics and Environmental Research Unit in Gainesville, and collaborators at the University of Florida showed that VIF can retain alternative soil fumigants at higher concentrations for longer periods in soil than standard high-density polyethylene film now used in vegetable and strawberry production. One alternative fumigant the researchers tested was 1,3-dichloropropene (1,3-D). Allen and Joseph Vu, an ARS plant physiologist, and university researchers John Thomas, Li-Tse Ou and Donald Dickson conducted several field trials in sandy soils at Gainesville to compare VIF polyethylene film on raised beds. They found that VIF retained more active compounds in the fumigants for a longer period of time, provided more uniform distribution of 1,3-D, and slowed surface emissions of the fumigant more effectively. Further development of VIF technology is needed, however, to improve the speed and reliability of its application. Use of methyl bromide is due to be phased out in developed nations because it was found to deplete the Earth's ozone layer. <><><><><><><><><> End of RFN200502A.txt <><><><><><><><><><> Rare Fruit News Online - February 15, 2005 - AKA RFN200502B.txt _______________________________________________________________ <><><><> Notes In Passing - Leo <><><><> Thursday (2/17) I go in for my first knee replacement surgery. I'm expecting to be in the hospital for about one week, then begin physical therapy. <><><><><><><><><> Table Of Contents <><><><><><><><><> -> -> -> Messages follow the Table Of Contents <- <- <- <><><> New Subscribers <><><> New Subscriber, Saudi Arabia "Abosabaah, Hamed M" New Subscriber - Paso Robles, CA Vic Silveria <><><> Readers Write <><><> Mulberry Question Doug Young Re: Will Pistachio Produce In San Diego Area? Matthew Shugart North County San Diego CRFG Chapter website Ben Pierce RARE FRUIT CONFERENCE 2005 (July 6-10 2005 Homestead, FL) Leo Manuel Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand Fruit and Garden Tour 7/2005 Leo Manuel Tropical Ag Fiesta Weekend - June 11, 12, 2005 Leo Manuel Feb 05 Newsletter of CRFG San Diego Zhenxing Fu <><><> Announcements and / or Web Sites To Consider <><><> http://www.crfgsandiego.org For *San Diego Chapter* CRFG Information http://members.cox.net/ncsdcrfg For North County CRFG Chapter Meeting http://www.crfg.org/chapters.html For information about ALL CRFG chapters. <><>Bot-Linx List <> From: "Scott D. Russell" SBLD - Amazing Plants Website http://www.mansfield.ohio-state.edu/~dkramer/ <><><> NAFEX List <><><> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/nafex Archives at http://lists.ibiblio.org/pipermail/nafex None, this time <><><> From "rarefruit list" - rarefruit@yahoogroups.com <><><> None, this time <> Agricultural Research Service (ARS) mailto:ars>news@arsgrin.gov <> http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/thelatest.htm None, this time <><><><><><><><> New Subscribers <><><><><><><><><> Subject: New Subscriber, Saudi Arabia Date: Tue, 01 Feb 2005 14:11:54 +0300 From: "Abosabaah, Hamed M" Dear Sir Please add me name to your e-mail list, we would like to receive the newsletter regularly. Hamed Abosabaah H. Abosabaah EST. Saudi Arabia Riyadh 11476 P.O. BOX 25732 E-mail hamed.abosabaah@aramco.com.sa Tel. 009661 4614977 Fax 009661 4161603 Thank you Hamed Abosabaah mailto:hamed.abosabaah@aramco.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: New Subscriber - Paso Robles, CA Date: Tue, 08 Feb 2005 10:15:44 -0800 From: Vic Silveria I'm Victor Silveria Paso Robles California USA. I have a 10 acre parcel with excellent soil and would like to plant Rare fruit trees, nut trees walnut, almond, pecan and pistachio. Vic Silveria mailto:vcsilver@adelphia.net <><><><><><><><><> Readers Write<><><><><><><><><><> Subject: Mulberry Question Date: Mon, 31 Jan 2005 16:05:39 -0800 (PST) From: Doug Young Does anyone know anything about the Sullivan Mulberry? I picked up a cutting at the CRFG-San Diego scion exchange last week and, since I don't have a rootstock for it, I'm trying to root it. What can I expect? Doug Young El Cajon mailto:douglasyo@sbcglobal.net ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: Will Pistachio Produce In San Diego Area? Date: Mon, 31 Jan 2005 16:19:46 -0800 From: Matthew Shugart It is my understanding that the main obstacle to growing pistachios in our area is lack of heat, not lack of chill. Besides, if the chilling requirement is only 400 hours, that would not be an obstacle in most of San Diego (except hilltop areas or coastal areas that are not near a canyon or rivermouth). If they are grown in Syria, that does not mean no chill (many Mediterranean desert areas get relatively cold), but it does mean heat! Same for Central Valley of California, where they are grown commercially. It is the heat that lets them thrive there. One more example. You can find commercial orchards in the desert near Casa Grande, Arizona. I have no idea what the chill might be around there (not very high), but you know they have long hot and rarely overcast spring and summer days. Matthew Shugart Bonsall, CA mailto:mshugart@ucsd.edu ------------------------------------------------ Subject: North County San Diego CRFG Chapter website Date: Tue, 01 Feb 2005 07:16:20 -0800 From: Ben Pierce Leo, I saw the email in RFNO from the gentleman asking about our website. The url for the new website is http://members.cox.net/ncsdcrfg Our meeting information and newsletters are now available on the site. I keep it current and am constantly adding info. Anyone looking for news etc of our chapter activities should check back their often. Also, I will soon be adding a link to your website when I have some time. Ben Pierce mailto:mariposafamily@hotmail.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: RARE FRUIT CONFERENCE 2005 (July 6-10 2005 Homestead, FL) Date: Wed, 02 Feb 2005 10:31:54 -0800 From: Leo Manuel RARE FRUIT CONFERENCE 2005 Sponsored by The Friends of The Fruit & Spice Park Fruit & Spice Park 24801 SW 187 Ave. Homestead, FL 33031 Mr. Chris B. Rollins, Coordinator Telephone: 305-247-5727, FAX: 305-245-3369 Email: fsp@miamidade.gov http://www.fruitandspicepark.org This exciting event brings together tropical fruit enthusiasts and experts from around the world. Activities include garden tours, packing house tours, tropical fruit nursery tours, demonstrations, research station tours and local and international speakers. Participants will be encouraged to bring seeds, cuttings and plants with them to sell, trade or share. For complete information, visit the webpage or send an email request. Early registration is advised Wednesday July 6th Pre-Conference Registration Thursday July 7th Pre-Conference Activities and Registration Friday July 8th Pre-Conference Activities and Registration Saturday July 9th Conference Field Day Sunday July 10th Conference Lecture Series ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand Fruit and Garden Tour 7/2005 Date: Wed, 02 Feb 2005 10:34:43 -0800 From: Leo Manuel Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand Fruit and Garden Tour 7/2005 Join Chris Rollins and explore the exciting markets, farms, gardens of Southeast Asia. Visit Angkor Wat the magnificent temples lost in the jungle for centuries. Immerse yourself in the color, culture and commerce of the bustling Asian market place. Experience the quite grace and tranquility of the Buddhist temple. Explore the exotic tropical farms and see rice, rubber and cocoa plantations. Taste the luscious fruits of Southeast Asia: Mangosteen, Durian, Langsat, Mango, Jackfruit, Salak, Santol, Rambutan, Nipa, Dragon Fruit and many others. July 29, 05 (Saturday) Ð Depart MIA en route to Kuala Lumpur Malaysia (Overnight in KL) Aug 01, 05 (Monday) Ð Day 1: ARRIVE SIEM REAP (L,D) Aug 02, 05 (Tuesday) Ð Day 2: SIEM REAP (B,L,D) Aug 03, 05 (Wednesday) Ð Day 3: SIEM REAP Ð PHNOM PENH (B,L,D) Aug 04, 05 (Thursday) Ð Day 4: PHNOM PENH (B,L,D) Aug 05, 05 (Friday) Ð Day 5: PHNOM PENH Ð HCMC (B,D) Aug 06, 05 (Saturday) Ð Day 6: HCMC Ð MYTHO (B,L) Aug 07, 05 (Sunday) Ð Day 7: MYTHO Ð VINH LONG Ð HCMC (B,L,D) Aug 08, 05 (Monday) Ð Day 8: HCMC (B,D) Aug 09, 05 (Tuesday) Ð Day 9: HCMC (B) Aug 10, 05 (Wednesday) Ð Day 10: HCMC Ð DANANG Ð HOI AN (B,D) Aug 11, 05 (Thursday) Ð Day 11: HOIAN Ð BACH MA Ð HUE (B,D) Aug 12, 05 (Friday) Ð Day 12: HUE (B,D) Aug 13, 05 (Saturday) Ð Day 13: HUE Ð HANOI (B,D) Aug 14, 05 (Sunday) Ð Day 14: HANOI (B,D) Aug 15, 05 (Monday) Ð Day 15: HANOI (B) Aug 16, 05 (Tuesday) Ð Day 16: HANOI Ð BAC NINH Ð HALONG (B) Aug 17, 05 (Wednesday) Ð Day 17: HALONG Ð CATBA (B,L) Aug 18, 05 (Thursday) Ð Day 18: CATBA Ð HANOI (B) Aug 19, 05 (Friday) Ð Day 19: HANOI - BANGKOK - CHIANG MAI (B) Aug 20, 05 (Saturday) Ð Day 20: CHIANG MAI (B) Aug 21, 05 (Sunday) Ð Day 21: CHIANG MAI (B) Aug 22, 05 (Monday) Ð Day 22: CHIANG MAI Ð BANGKOK (B) Aug 23, 05 (Tuesday) Ð Day 23: BANGKOK - RAYONG Ð PATTAYA (B,L) Aug 24, 05 (Wednesday) Ð Day 24: BANGKOK - AYUTHAYA (B,L) Aug 25, 05 (Thursday) Ð Day 25: BANGKOK (B) Aug 26, 05 (Friday) Ð Day 26: BANGKOK (B) Aug 27, 05 (Saturday) Ð Day 27: BANGKOK Aug 28, 05 (Sunday) Ð Day 28:Bangkok ÐDeparture (B) =============================================== Tour prices for land cost for the above program are: $5,500.00, per person, double occupancy (Single supplement available) $500.00 deposit per person needed by March 10th Deposits and payments should be made payable to Travel Now, Inc., and may be given to Chris Rollins or to the Travel Now agency, at 14374 Biscayne Blvd. North Miami Beach FL 33181 Included in land cost are: - Accommodation at hotels as specified - Meals as specified based on meal only. - Transfers and sightseeing by one bus - Entrance fees during sightseeing usual tourist site visit. - Entrance fees for shows as mentioned in the program - Domestic air in Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam - Departure international airport tax ex Bangkok, Siem Reap and Hanoi. Not included in land cost are: - Personal expenses i.e. drinks, laundry, tel/fax etc. - Any optional or optional tours. - Any items not mentioned in itinerary or inclusion. - Travel Insurance. - Any arrangement for a special visit (Mr. Sainarong to arrange all) - Any cost of arrangement for plant shipping. - Any cost of arrangement for Phyto certificate. - Gratuities to local guides and drivers - Extra cost of extra vehicle ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Tropical Ag Fiesta Weekend - June 11, 12, 2005 Date: Wed, 02 Feb 2005 10:36:54 -0800 From: Leo Manuel Tropical Ag Fiesta Weekend - June 11, 12, 2005 10 AM to 5 P FRUIT & SPICE PARK 24801 SW 187TH AVENUE HOMESTEAD, FLORIDA 33031 305-247-5727 or mailto:fsp@miamidade.gov Over 50 vendors and exhibitors of various kinds will be on-hand at the Tropical Ag Fiesta, co-sponsored by Fruit & Spice Park and Tropical Fruit Growers, providing educational information and lots of interesting things to see. The Fiesta, an annual event, spotlights exotic fruits and vegetables grown in the Redland agriculture area and offers advice on how to grow and cook them. This will give visitors the opportunity to taste rare and exotic tropical fruits such as lychee, mango and jackfruit. There will be live entertainment each day, activities for the youngsters, renown chefs from MiamiÕs best restaurants and local folks will be doing cooking demonstrations with exotic fruits and vegetables, crafts, talented local artist exhibits, tree-grafting demonstrations, educational displays and plant vendors will teach participants how to grow tropical plants native to places close as the Caribbean and as far away as Asia. Join in of this fun packed weekend and see how a little known industry of exotic fruits and vegetables has flourished into a booming cultural explosion. ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Feb 05 Newsletter of CRFG San Diego Date: Fri, 11 Feb 2005 17:15:25 -0800 From: Zhenxing Fu CALIFORNIA RARE FRUIT GROWERS - SAN DIEGO CHAPTER FEBRUARY 2005 NEWSLETTER NEXT Meeting: WHERE: Casa del Prado Building Room 101, Balboa Park WHEN: February 24, 2005 MEETING TOPIC: Budding and Grafting THE VIEW FROM THE CHAIR On another subject, IÕve been communicating with a couple of people up at the Germplasm Repository and Dr. Dan Parfitt at the UC Davis Pomology Department. Rather than bore you with details, here is what has come of these conversations. 1. The Pomegranate that we call Pink Ice already has a name: Sin Pepe, or ÒseedlessÓ. ItÕs a boring name, but thatÕs it. Apparently all of the trees in that old row are named varieties. 2. The new research leader at the Germplasm Repository, Ed Stover, is very appreciative of the fruit varieties that CRFG has contributed and will contribute to them, and of the various data compilations I send from time to time. 3. Mr. Stover will take up our loquat project. He will request, on behalf of the Davis Repository, the varieties that I have indicated to him and other varieties to reflect the diversity of the species. The European repository is almost certain to cooperate. And Mr. Stover has written that he will share loquat material with me. Things are definitely looking up Loquat wise. David Silverstein Announcements: DURLING NURSERY TOUR February 26, 2005 MEET AT 8 A.M. AT VETERANS Memorial Car Pool Site or 10 a.m. at Durling Ð 40401 De Luz Road Fallbrook, CA (ThatÕs on De Luz Road a little north of De Luz) 760-728-9572 Got any interesting Mulberry or Loquat scion wood? Call Dave Silverstein if you are willing to donate material to the Germplasm Repository. Our relationship with and support of that institution are important. The California Cherimoya Association will be holding its annual meeting this year on March 5, 2005. South Coast Research & Extension Center 7601 Irvine Blvd., Irvine, CA. 10 AM to around 4PM. Liz Inglese, from Maui Fresh/Calavo and Dr. Gary Bender of the UC Cooperative Extension will speak. There will also be a team of specialists in cherimoyas to answer any of your questions. A delicious Hawaiian barbecue lunch and a raffle are also included in this event. The cost is $20.00 per person-this price includes the $5.00 for REGISTRATION and $15.00 for lunch. *Note: If you wish to attend and have lunch-you need to register now . Please send your check to: Wendy Reisman, 1863 Wilstone Avenue, Leucadia, Ca 92024. If you have any questions you can call 760 942-8464 or email wendyreisman@cox.net . GOT GOOD FRUIT PICTURES? Let Dave Silverstein know. We need to contribute some for our upcoming news story. MERIT MOUNTAIN NURSERY CRFG DISCOUNT Yes friends, it is 25% off on all Fruit Trees. Call Paul Fisher for more information. Don't forget to check our website at www.crfgsandiego.org. For membership, please mail your check for eight dollars to CRFG, San Diego Chapter C/O Paul Fisher 1266 Vista Del Monte Dr. El Cajon, CA 92020 You must be a current member of the parent CRFG organization as well, or send thirty eight dollars to cover both. <><><><> Announcements And Web Pages To Consider <><><><> San Diego Chapter California Rare Fruit Growers Meeting: Where: Casa del Prado Building Room 101, Balboa Park When: Fourth Thursday Of Each Month (Except December) See: http://www.crfgsandiego.org http://members.cox.net/ncsdcrfg For North County CRFG Chapter Meeting http://www.crfg.org/chapters.html For information about ALL CRFG chapters. http://www.crfg.org/chapters.html For information about all CRFG chapters. <><>Bot-Linx List http://www.ou.edu/cas/botany-micro/bot-linx/<><> From: "Scott D. Russell" Bot-Linx List http://www.ou.edu/cas/botany-micro/bot-linx/ Subject: SBLD - Amazing Plants Website Date: Mon, 07 Feb 2005 07:29:35 -0600 http://www.mansfield.ohio-state.edu/~dkramer/ The Amazing Plants website includes three major parts: materials for beginning plant biology courses, Teachers Academy Workshop links and Botany as a Profession. Among the course materials are a nice summary of "Families of Flowering Plants" and "Study Tips for Plant Biology Students", but the most remarkable part is his "Botany in Cyberspace," which is a major links resource page. The care and completeness of the site reflect the outstanding leadership of the author in developing online resources for the BSA and others. Site is by David W. Kramer at Ohio State University-Mansfield. (***1/2) -SR <><><> NAFEX List From: nafex-request@lists.ibiblio.org <><><> None this time <><> [rarefruit] List - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rarefruit <><> None this time <> Agricultural Research Service (ARS) mailto:ars http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/thelatest.htm. None this time <><><><><><><><><> End of RFN200502B.txt <><><><><><><><><><> Rare Fruit News Online - March 1, 2005 - AKA RFN200503A.txt ___________________________________________________________ <><><><> Notes In Passing - Leo <><><><> The volume of mail from readers is 'way down, which which makes me a bit nervous. How about writing a letter to tell the rest of us how your garden is doing, or what new varieties of fruit trees you have found, or asking a question you'd like answered, or answering a question, or .... I hope that the newsletter will continue to be useful to you. I'm restricted to the amount of time I can sit at the computer continuously, so this newsletter has been easier to produce. Knee Replacement Surgery 2/17: Procedure lasted one-and- one-half hours. I was expecting better pain control than I experienced. Some of the time I had very little pain but other times it was at the limit of tolerance. Some of the instructions were confusing. Vicodin was prescribed to be taken once or twice every four hours. This gives a theoretical limit of twelve tabs per day, BUT the high concentration of acetametiphen limits the actual number to not more than 8 tabs per day. I 'traded' Vicodin for Norco, which has much less acetametaphen per tab. If I had had Norco from the beginning, I think I would have experienced far less pain. <><><><><><><><><> Table Of Contents <><><><><><><><><> -> -> -> Messages follow the Table Of Contents <- <- <- <><><> New Subscribers <><><> New Subscriber - Sacramento, CA Jim Barsch New Subscriber - Burbank, CA Joe Reuter <><><> Readers Write <><><> Re: Will Pistachio Produce In San Diego Area? Matthew Shugart Re: Pomegranate "david.crfg-sd" <><><><><> Growing Rare Fruit In Containers <><><><><> None, this time <><><> Announcements and / or Web Sites To Consider <><><> http://www.crfgsandiego.org For *San Diego Chapter* CRFG Information http://members.cox.net/ncsdcrfg For North County CRFG Chapter Meeting http://www.crfg.org/chapters.html For information about ALL CRFG chapters. <><>Bot-Linx List <> From: "Scott D. Russell" SBLD - Ant Plants Ant Plants http://www.duke.edu/~nplummer/intro.html SBLD - Cell Biology Education Cell Biology Education http://www.cellbioed.org/ <><><> NAFEX List <><><> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/nafex Archives at http://lists.ibiblio.org/pipermail/nafex None, this time <><><> From "rarefruit list" - rarefruit@yahoogroups.com <><><> None, this time <> Agricultural Research Service (ARS) mailto:ars>news@arsgrin.gov <> http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/thelatest.htm For Some Insects, It's Smart to Run With the Crowd ARS News Service Medicinal Compound Gets New Life as Fungicide ARS News Service Designer Composts May Combat Phosphorus Overload ARS News Service <><><><><><><><> New Subscribers <><><><><><><><><> Subject: New Subscriber - Sacramento, CA Date: Thu, 17 Feb 2005 14:19:12 -0800 (PST) From: Jim Barsch Hi Leo: My name is Jim Barsch and I live in Sacramento. My email address for receiving the news letter is cjbarsch@hotmail.com. The fruits that I grow that would be considered rare in Sacramento include: banana, cherimoya, guava, jack fruit, longan, mango, passion fruit, papaya, pineapple, rambutan, sugar cane and star fruit. The fruit that I would like to grow are attemoya, pitaya, and sugar apple. The fruit that I dream about growing is durian and mangosteen. I will be in the San Diego area on Saturday 2/26/05. I'm looking for a good source for pitaya. If you could offer any advice I would appreciate it. Thanks, Jimmy mailto:barschjim@yahoo.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: New Subscriber - Burbank, CA Date: Mon, 21 Feb 2005 21:06:20 -0800 From: Joe Reuter Dear Leo and Betty, Thank you for the service you perform editing and distributing your newsletter. This is Joe Reuter from Burbank, could you please subscribe me to Rare Fruit News at reuterj@pacbell.net? I am a current AHS and former CRFG member intending to renew (user name Burbank Joe) and am on gardenweb as whybuywhatyoucangrow. We're growing apricot, apples, banana, Pierce Cherimoya, cherries, feijoas, figs, various wine grapes, guavas, Lang Jujube, old orchard lemon, Big Jim Loquat, white mulberry, blood and cara cara oranges, Babcock Papaya, peaches, pears, plums, pluots, pommegranite, white sapote, Arbutus Unedo and various berries.I would like to add Chocolate, Cinnamon and Coffeecake Persimmon, Miracle Fruit, Lychee or Rambutan, and a Pineapple Gem Feijoa. I am interested in acquiring cuttings from flavorful feijoa/pineapple guava varieties. Joe mailto:reuterj@pacbell.net <><><><><><><><><> Readers Write<><><><><><><><><><> Subject: Re: Will Pistachio Produce In San Diego Area? Date: Mon, 31 Jan 2005 16:19:46 -0800 From: Matthew Shugart It is my understanding that the main obstacle to growing pistachios in our area is lack of heat, not lack of chill. Besides, if the chilling requirement is only 400 hours, that would not be an obstacle in most of San Diego (except hilltop areas or coastal areas that are not near a canyon or rivermouth). If they are grown in Syria, that does not mean no chill (many Mediterranean desert areas get relatively cold), but it does mean heat! Same for Central Valley of California, where they are grown commercially. It is the heat that lets them thrive there. One more example. You can find commercial orchards in the desert near Casa Grande, Arizona. I have no idea what the chill might be around there (not very high), but you know they have long hot and rarely overcast spring and summer days. Matthew Shugart mailto:mshugart@ucsd.edu Bonsall, California ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: Pomegranate Date: Thu, 17 Feb 2005 22:04:01 -0800 From: "david.crfg-sd" To: Gidon Bing , info@crfg.org, "William A. Grimes" CC: Roger Meyer I would add that the USDA list can be found in greater detail at http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/tax_site_acc.pl?DAV%20Punica%20granatum The homepage is here so that you can contact them if you like http://www.ars-grin.gov/dav/ . You will also be glad to know that there are few pomegranate varieties with any kind of intellectual property protection. Here in the US there are only two that are patented to the best of my knowledge, Eversweet and a variety that is similar to Wonderful, but earlier. Wonderful, the principal comercial variety in this country, is notSubject to any protections or limitations. I do not know your climate, but I know of a pomegranate nursery in Western Australia that probably has a better idea of it. http://www.fixedstars.com.au/ They also have some unique varieties and the ability to sell large numbers of cuttings. I'm also copying this to a rare fruit email group that has subscribers all over the world. You can subscribe and check out the archives at http://www.rarefruit.com/. Another site with a broad following is the cloudforest cafe http://www.cloudforest.com/cafe/. I hope this helps. David Silverstein mailto:david.crfg-sd@cox.net CRFG, San Diego Chapter ----- Original Message ----- From: William A. Grimes To: Gidon Bing ; info@crfg.org Cc: Roger Meyer ; david.crfg-sd@cox.net Sent: Wednesday, February 16, 2005 1:26 PM Subject: Re: Pomegranate The organization itself has not been involved with research although individual members might have been. I'm going to copy my response to a few others who might be able to help you. In addition, the USDA Germplasm facility at Wolfskill, Winters, California, has a list of available accessions online but you'll need Adobe Acrobat Reader (free) installed to view it: http://www.ars-grin.gov/ars/PacWest/Davis/punicahtml.pdf Bill Grimes CRFG At 12:46 PM 2/16/2005, Gidon Bing wrote: > To whom it may concern, I understand from your website that your > organisation has been involved in research/propagation of > varieties of pomegranate plants. I am currently trying to locate > information on the latest varieties of fruit bearing > pomegranates that would best suite the climate/conditions in New > Zealand. I am also trying to locate information on where/from > whom I can obtain licence/rights for such varieties. > > > Would greatly appreciate any advice/information you can give me. > > > > Warm regards, > > Gidon Bing mailto:info@crfg.org <><><><> Announcements And Web Pages To Consider <><><><> San Diego Chapter California Rare Fruit Growers Meeting: Where: Casa del Prado Building Room 101, Balboa Park When: Fourth Thursday Of Each Month (Except December) See: http://www.crfgsandiego.org http://members.cox.net/ncsdcrfg For North County CRFG Chapter Meeting http://www.crfg.org/chapters.html For information about ALL CRFG chapters. http://www.crfg.org/chapters.html For information about all CRFG chapters. <><>Bot-Linx List http://www.ou.edu/cas/botany-micro/bot-linx/<><> From: "Scott D. Russell" Bot-Linx List http://www.ou.edu/cas/botany-micro/bot-linx/ Subject: SBLD - Ant Plants February 18, 2005 Ant Plants http://www.duke.edu/~nplummer/intro.html "Ant Plants" are plants with intricate relationships to ants. The plant provides shelter or food, whereas the ants defend the plant and provide nutrients. Families with ant plants include Rubiaceae, Asclepiadaceae, Nepenthaceae, Bromeliaceae and ferns. Some plants provide specialized chambers for ant colonies, called "domatia", and absorb materials that the ants leave behind as nutrients. Worth particular attention are pages and images on the Rubiaceae, particularly Myrmecodia and Hydnophytum. Site by Nicholas Plummer. (***1/2) -SR ------------------------------------------------ Subject: SBLD - Cell Biology Education February 23, 2005 Cell Biology Education http://www.cellbioed.org/ Cell Biology Education: A Journal of Life Science Education is currently in its third year of quarterly online publication, providing features, articles, essays and announcements for the community of life science educators. Each article is refereed and when published, there is a forum for discussion connected to each article. Offerings in the current issue include alternative methods of teaching (not a surprise, of course), discussion of National Academies publications & meetings, book & video reviews, tests of new technologies and more. The articles are well written and informative, hopefully inspirational, and seem carefully edited. Overall, this is a worthwhile resource, published by the American Society for Cell Biology, and supported in part by an Undergraduate Science Education Program grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. (****) -SR <><><> NAFEX List From: nafex-request@lists.ibiblio.org <><><> None this time <><> [rarefruit] List - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rarefruit <><> None this time <> Agricultural Research Service (ARS) mailto:ars http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/thelatest.htm. Subject: For Some Insects, It's Smart to Run With the Crowd Date: Thu, 17 Feb 2005 09:26:23 -0500 From: ARS News Service To the casual observer, the millions of swarming locusts that descended on West Africa last year were like something straight out of a science fiction novel. Several mile-wide bands of the voracious insects ate their way through the region's crop lands, threatening to cause food shortages and loss of income for local farmers. Now, Gregory Sword, an ecologist with the Agricultural Research Service, has an explanation for why some insects, like the desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria, gather in mind-boggling numbers and move together across the landscape. In the current issue of the journal Nature, Sword describes how the Mormon cricket--a species of katydid known to periodically overrun agricultural fields in the Northern Plains of the United States--relies on the protection afforded by thousands, if not millions, of its fellow crickets to reduce the risk of attack by predators. Researchers have speculated that insects moving in bands derive some benefits from traveling en masse. But no one has previously attempted to quantify those advantages, mostly because of the inherent difficulty in tracking how individual insects move within a band of millions. Sword, who works at the ARS Northern Plains Agricultural Research Laboratory in Sidney, Mont., teamed with colleagues Patrick Lorch of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Darryl Gwynne of the University of Toronto at Mississauga to use radio transmitters to monitor the movements of individual Mormon crickets during a study last year near Dinosaur National Monument in Colorado. The researchers discovered that for the crickets, there's safety in large numbers. Those insects which were part of a large moving band were much less likely to be eaten. In fact, 50 to 60 percent of the Mormon crickets that were separated from a migratory band were killed within two days by predators such as birds and rodents, while none of those staying with the band were eaten. Radio transmitters belonging to those unfortunate, lone insects were found either chewed or still glued to a partially-eaten cricket corpse. ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Medicinal Compound Gets New Life as Fungicide Date: Wed, 23 Feb 2005 08:30:26 -0500 From: ARS News Service Growers of many fruit and ornamental crops have new weapons for fighting destructive fungi, thanks to Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and University of Mississippi (UM) scientists who've transformed a medicinal compound into an agricultural fungicide. The naturally occurring compound, called sampangine, was first patented by UM in 1990 as a treatment for human fungal infections. It was never released pharmaceutically. Now, plant pathologist David Wedge of ARS' Natural Products Utilization Research Unit and UM associate professor Dale Nagle have been issued a patent for sampangine and similar, related compounds as broad-spectrum, low-toxicity controls of fungal plant pathogens that threaten agriculture. The ARS unit and the university are both based in Oxford, Miss. ARS is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief scientific research agency. According to the new patent--US No. 6,844,353--sampangine-based compounds can control such fungi as Botrytis cinerea, which causes gray mold on tomatoes; Colletotrichum fragariae, which produces anthracnose crown rot and wilt in strawberry plants; C. gloeosporioides, which sickens numerous plants, including grapes, strawberry, citrus and papaya; and Fusarium oxysporum, which induces vascular wilt in crops such as potato, sugarcane and many ornamentals. Plant pathologist Barbara Smith of the ARS Small Fruits Research Station in Poplarville, Miss., helped evaluate the effectiveness of the compounds against strawberry anthracnose. Sampangine can greatly help the United States' $31-billion-a-year minor crop industry. For example, in recent studies in Louisiana, Wedge and Smith verified that some Botrytis fungal strains now resist fungicides commonly used against these strains. According to Wedge, sampangine shows potential for managing fungicide resistance against important diseases and augmenting use of fungicides that are vulnerable to resistance. The sampangine-based fungicides may also find use as postharvest and antidecay agents. This work is also the focus of a cooperative research and development agreement between ARS and Icoria Inc., a North Carolina biotechnology firm. The agreement calls for work toward determining sampangine's modes of action, and identifying additional related compounds with commercial potential for managing agriculturally important plant-pathogenic fungi. ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Designer Composts May Combat Phosphorus Overload Date: Fri, 25 Feb 2005 06:57:17 -0500 From: ARS News Service There are designer handbags and designer shoes, so why not designer compost? Agricultural Research Service scientists are studying environmentally friendly composts that help keep phosphorus from seeping into water supplies. Applying manure and composts as nitrogen fertilizer often adds more phosphorus than plants need. This extra phosphorus can then leach or run off into water. But specially formulated composts can make the phosphorus less soluble in water, thus minimizing the chance that it will wash away. ARS agronomists Rufus Chaney and Eton Codling have been searching for inexpensive ways to make phosphorus less water soluble, or to increase the ability of manure, biosolids and composts to hold onto the phosphorus. Chaney and Codling, with the ARS Animal Manure and Byproducts Laboratory in Beltsville, Maryland, found that composts high in iron could markedly help the manure and compost retain phosphorus. Both iron and aluminum oxides increase adsorption of phosphorus. These can be added as chemical additives or by mixing byproducts rich in iron or aluminum with the manure or other feedstocks before composting. Because phosphorus runoff can damage streams, lakes, rivers and other waterways, limits on soil phosphorus are being proposed. Many states have implemented manure management regulations aimed at preserving groundwater quality and the health of major water sources. A management tool called the Phosphorus Index (PI) is used to assess the risk of phosphorus loss from agricultural fields to surface waters. In some states, the PI is based on plant-available phosphorus, but the scientists found that adding iron and aluminum oxides to manure or composts reduced the water solubility of phosphorus much more effectively than the PI test indicates. The findings should help livestock producers limit phosphorus runoff a time when they face tougher restrictions on this valuable soil nutrient. <><><><><><><><><> End of RFN200503A.txt <><><><><><><><><><> Rare Fruit News Online - March 15, 2005 - AKA RFN200503B.txt ____________________________________________________________ <><><><> Notes In Passing - Leo <><><><> Do you remember the newsletter section devoted to letters written and answered by Sainarong Rasananda? Anyway, he has volunteered to forward more letters to RFNO if you will write questions for him to answer. The section was named Mailbag of Sainarong Rasananda mailto:sainaron@loxinfo.co.th and much of the content was devoted to lychee and longan trees, varieties, feeding, and general care. Sven Merten has published an excellent article, A Review Of Hylocereus Production in the United States. It's available at http://www.jpacd.org/V5P98-105.pdf at no cost to you. <><><><><><><><><> Table Of Contents <><><><><><><><><> -> -> -> Messages follow the Table Of Contents <- <- <- <><><> New Subscribers <><><> New Subscriber - South Carolina stanleyc New Subscriber, Moving To North Carolina Sunshine Lemme New Subscriber, Sweden, Wants Jujube Seeds Pim New Subscriber, in Venice, Florida: Mamay Question Steve Kilby New Subscriber, Rare and Not So Rare Fruit Nikki Reisman <><><> Readers Write <><><> Mailbag of Sainarong Rasananda - Resurrected Sainarong Siripen Rasananda Tropical Fruit T.F. Robinson My suggestion for temporary plant label Joe Sabol My Tampa Bay Garden Is Blooming! MeeChuck3@aol.com Los Angeles Rain and Consequences EZaragosa@cs.com My San Diego Garden's Progress Cheryl Noble UC Davis Has Pomegranate Cuttings To Try To Get leelou To: bingbros@ihug.co.nz Miayagawa Satsuma - New Citrus Varieties for Texas phil My San Diego Garden - Blooming and Growing Dmshuck@aol.com Lychee Blooming and Pineapple Plants EARTHLADYJ@aol.com Foliar Spray Question and Whitefly On Guava Problem Hays, Gary Pineapple guava - Grafting - Varieties Eunice Messner To: reuterj@pacbell.net Naranjilla Seeds Wanted In South Africa Maggi pistachio Eunice Messner To: mshugart@ucsd.edu CD-Roms Keep Birds Out Of Fruit Trees Cheryl Noble Loquat Propagation - Best Way? David Silverstein Great Book Worth Reading - Secret Life of Plants shirley dellerson Seeds Wanted: Jackfruit and Salacca wallichiana leonel amarillas guzman Exotic farm for sale on 5.86 Acres Lindsay Zimmermann Encinitas Garden Festival! Nan Sterman <><> Mailbag of Sainarong Rasananda mailto:sainaron@loxinfo.co.th <><> None, this time <><><> Announcements and / or Web Sites To Consider <><><> http://www.crfgsandiego.org For *San Diego Chapter* CRFG Information http://members.cox.net/ncsdcrfg For North County CRFG Chapter Meeting http://www.crfg.org/chapters.html For information about ALL CRFG chapters. <><>Bot-Linx List <> From: Scott D. Russell Digital Book Index - Botany Scott D. Russell http://www.digitalbookindex.com/_search/search010biolbotanya.asp Endeavour Botanical Illustrations at the Natural History Museum Scott D. Russell http://internt.nhm.ac.uk/cgi-bin/perth/cook/index.dsml Figs and Fig Wasps Scott D. Russell http://www.figweb.org/ <><><> NAFEX List <><><> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/nafex Archives at http://lists.ibiblio.org/pipermail/nafex None, this time <><><> From "rarefruit list" - rarefruit@yahoogroups.com <><><> None, this time <> Agricultural Research Service (ARS) mailto:ars>news@arsgrin.gov <> http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/thelatest.htm None, this time <><><><><><><><> New Subscribers <><><><><><><><><> Subject: New Subscriber - South Carolina Date: Tue, 01 Mar 2005 14:03:48 -0500 From: stanleyc Hello, I would like to recieve the Rarefruit online newsletter. My real name is Stan McKenzie I live in the coastal plains of South Carolina, zone 8a My email address is; smvegfrm@ftc-i.net Some of the fruit trees I am growing include: Satsuma mandarins, bloomsweet grapefruits, ichang lemon, trifoliate hybrids and other citrus, bananas, japanese raisin trees, oriental persimmons and a few others. Im always interested in new cold hardy citrus cultivars. Thanks and I will look forward to the newsletter. Stan McKenzie aka Stan the citrusman mailto:smvegfrm@ftc-i.net ------------------------------------------------ Subject: New Subscriber, Moving To North Carolina Date: Wed, 02 Mar 2005 19:49:51 -0500 From: Sunshine Lemme I live in Montauk NY but hope to move soon to the North Carolina tidewater, zone 8a, where we have 25 arable acres amid wetlands. Please send the newsletter to this address. IÕve been somewhat busy the past few years, IÕm only growing peaches but really want to go back to growing fruit again. IÕm interested in growing many different kinds of fruit, especially the rare varieties and species. I hope to find out about wet soil growing techniques and plants. Sunshine Lemme mailto:longislande@optonline.net EMT-Critical Care, Firefighter, HazMat Tech ------------------------------------------------ Subject: New Subscriber, Sweden, Wants Jujube Seeds Date: Fri, 11 Mar 2005 10:33:01 +0100 From: Pim I am Joakim lingen, in Sweden I am not growing fruit trees now, but some I want to grow are: Cocktail Kiwi, Cherimoya, Garcinia mangostana (I will not be able to grow any these because I dont have a green house, but I man can dream right? hehe) and Jujube Comments: Jujube seems very nice for my climate, do you know where I can could get some seeds? Yes I did see that I was supposed to write "in my own words", but my English isn't the greatest. I hope you understand, thank you. Best regards, Pim mailto:pim@hallonpaj.se ------------------------------------------------ Subject: New Subscriber, in Venice, Florida: Mamay Question Date: Fri, 11 Mar 2005 17:26:47 -0500 From: Steve Kilby Greetings - My name is Steve Kilby and I live in Venice Florida - just south of Sarasota. My collection includes: sugar apple, mangos(2), bananas(who knows how many), ackee(no fruit?), limes, peaches(2), Mamey Sapote(no fruit), jakfruit(3), macadamia, nectarine, loquat, papaya, guava, Surinam cherry and sapodilla. My desires for others are endless. As this has been a "hobby" for about 4 years, I am now looking at incorporating it into my business (land clearing) as a way to sustain my habit. If I had ONE question I would like answered it would be: do I need more than one Mamay to get fruit? Looking forward to getting to know this new community. Thank You Steve mailto:skilby@earthlink.net ------------------------------------------------ Subject: New Subscriber, Rare and Not So Rare Fruit Date: Mon, 14 Mar 2005 10:42:26 -0800 From: Nikki Reisman My name is Nikki Reisman, I moved from Minnesota to the Palm Springs area 2 years ago because I wanted to grow oranges ( and bougainvillea) in my backyard. I have planted since I arrived, a key lime, a moro orange, a sanguinelli blood orange, a kaffir lime (makrut/histtix), shamouti (jaffa), Eustis limequat, indio mandarinquat, nagami kumquat, valecia orange, some sort of mandarin, 3 pomegranates, a fig tree, an avocado (being warned that itÕs probably too hot here) and am nurturing three infant curry leaf trees (Murraya koenigii). I inherited a severely pruned grapefruit tree, which in its newly liberated state is very productiveÉa sweet pink grapefruit of unkniown variety. I forgot to mention the mystery papaya purchased at Lowes, which currently is a stick with three( moderately healthy leaves) perched on top. I am probably at capacity, but want to round out my collection with a buddhaÕs hand (in the spirit of excess which I suspect is very un-buddha like). My modest 60Õs ranchburger house (no traces of mid-century modern) sits on 11,000+ square foot lot with pool and patio, so I could easily run out of space, unless I willing to use a machete to get to my door. The temptation, however,is great! I am strong on planting and not so knowledgeable on ongoing care, painting young trunks white, how much fertilizer. When and where appliedÉso far IÕve pounded in citrus stakes, watered regularly and hoped for the best. Any dialogue on these topics would be valuable to me. I am also experimenting with some plants that shouldnÕt grow her and planted several wisteria sticklings and they flourished so I added more without any hope of seeing those cascading grapelike immortalized by Tiffany. Although I have no flowers yet I was gratified to see a portico nearby covered with wisteria blossoms..so I will hope for flowers someday, too. I look forward to the email newsletter. Nikki mailto:nikki.reisman@verizon.net <><><><><><><><><> Readers Write<><><><><><><><><><> Subject: Mailbag of Sainarong Rasananda - Resurrected Date: Sun, 06 Mar 2005 14:22:43 +0700 From: Sainarong Siripen Rasananda Hello friends! My name is Sainarong Rasananda, I live in Thailand. I am a keen horticulturist and have been a member of the RFNO for about 10years. Although my specialty is longans, I welcome your queries on the tropical and subtropical fruits. I will do my best to find out the requested information and answer them via the RFNO. I do not want the RFNO to wither away. Sainarong mailto:sainaron@loxinfo.co.th ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Tropical Fruit Date: Mon, 28 Feb 2005 16:58:22 -0800 From: T.F. Robinson Hi My name is Tony and I live on QueenslandÕs sunny Gold Coast (28¡S) in Australia where I grow many tropical fruitsÉ grumichamas, jaboticabas, black sapote, white sapote, wampee, camito, mango, lakoocha, rollinia, jackfruit, papaya, guavas and coconuts. Even though at my latitude (28¡S), itÕs considered marginal for some tropical fruits, no frost occurs here and the average minimum for winter is 10C or 50F with a high of 20C or 68F. We have long hot summers that make up for the short cool winter. I have developed a reliable way to germinate coconuts, which I gather from 15+ year old trees from around the area. On the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia which is a marginal area at 28¡S I place each nut in a pot with some potting mix, chicken manure and water well. The chicken manure creates bottom heat as it decomposes aiding germination. During the cooler months from May to September, place a plastic bag over the top tying it around the pot to create a mini hothouse. During the warmer months from October to April, I germinate coconuts directly in pots as well as in a warm sandy patch, if I have a plentiful supply of nuts. Keeping the coconuts well watered during the germination period is very important. Coconut Palms are heavy users of potassium and chlorine so fertilizing with potassium chloride (KCL) is beneficial to strong healthy growth. Even though everyone says, it canÕt be done this far south IÕm determined to get a breadfruit to grow. My current experiment is with a ÔSamoan GoldÕ variety that I had sent down from Tropical North Queensland (18¡S). I pamper it with the best of everything É position, fertilizer, water so I hope it will prove the doubters wrong. Each year I make a lot of jam from my jaboticaba and grumichama trees, which thrive in this climate. My black sapote also is a prolific bearer É I whip the pulp with a little cream mmmm yummy! Ê My email address is crusoe@bigpond.net.au Regards Tony Robinson mailto:crusoe@bigpond.net.au ------------------------------------------------ Subject: My suggestion for temporary plant label Date: Tue, 01 Mar 2005 16:28:41 -0800 From: Joe Sabol Hi Leo... Here is the idea for the week for you to share!! Use the new blue masking tape for great temporary plant label!!! The new masking tape that is good for use on paint (does not remove the paint or leave a residue) is a great way to identify your recent grafts or other work on a plant. Using a permanent ink pen (Sharpie) write on the tape and fold it clear around the stem, coming back and sticking to itself for at least an inch or two. It makes a blue flag. The ink will last and you can still easily read it a year later!!! The blue flag is easy to find in the tree and will not blow off, fall off, or wash off for a year!!!! Joe Sabol mailto:jsabol@calpoly.edu Central Coast Chapter, CRFG ------------------------------------------------ Subject: My Tampa Bay Garden Is Blooming! Date: Tue, 01 Mar 2005 20:09:43 -0500 (EST) From: MeeChuck3@aol.com Hi Leo, I hope you're feeling better - hang in there. I love the articles and wait for my email every month. Here in Tampa Bay (Davis Islands) Florida and south the Mango trees are in massive bloom, more than I've seen in years. Entire trees are just covered in blooms. My lychee is finally budding, the macadamia's are in full bloom too, starfruit is about ready to pick and sugar cane is growing like weeds! Myers lemon and key lime are finishing full bloom and my blood orange and kumquat are sprouting new growth. I'm just surprised at the amount of blooms here in Tampa. Now we need the wind to say calm (or calmer) and keep the buds on the trees. Steve Miciak mailto:MeeChuck3@aol.com South Tampa Orchid Professor ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Los Angeles Rain and Consequences Date: Tue, 01 Mar 2005 20:37:03 -0500 (EST) From: EZaragosa@cs.com Here's my summary of the effect of devastating rains in Los Angeles this season & how they've affected the impending fruit crop. The Pitahayas are doing well, but have developed a few orange (fungal)? spots, probably because of all the excess rain in Southern California. These are cuttings grown in pumice & should make it since they dry out quickly. Managed to kill both my Papaya trees this year. They've been growing in pots (and yielding excellent fruit) but I guess I didn't heed the warnings about them not liking "cold wet feet." The rain we had was substantial, and the new leaves kept getting smaller and smaller, then stopped growing. Even last minute first aid (putting them in the greenhouse) didn't help. I find they are finicky plants but have seen them grown successfully (although not vertically) in the San Diego area. Anyone else have trouble this year? I'll replace them, but not without a better plan for winter care. A few flowers pollinated on the White (Suebelle) Sapote tree, but not many. Plum tree in full bloom (hope a few flowers get pollinated). One Guava (the first from a planting done 3 years ago), ready to eat in a month (if the gardeners don't see it first). Lots and lots of lemons and Grapefruit this year, due to a very unholy spray campaign to defeat the whitefly infestation which I waged. As much as I hate chemicals, it worked somewhat. However, I did find that the neem oil treatment I used seemed to be as effective as anything else (and we used EVERYTHING else) Next year I'll maybe try a Neem Oil Only program and see what happens. Any experienced growers out there ever try that? I switched to all-organic fertilizing last year and it seems to be working well. TTFN Richard Rothschild mailto:EZaragosa@cs.com 323 667 1177 ------------------------------------------------ Subject: My San Diego Garden's Progress Date: Tue, 01 Mar 2005 18:43:45 -0800 (PST) From: Cheryl Noble Trees are doing well at my half acre except for one poor asian pear that struggles-who knows why. I have the usual apricots, pears, peaches,plums, almonds, citrus and asian persimmons. But also macadamias, non-standard bananas, guavas, rose apple, pineapple, cheramoya, capulan cherry, jujube (1 mo. since planting) and pluots (also new). I've planted some wine grapes (chardonay and zinfandel) with fantasies of making wine again. Nothing exciting about the above plants but I'm looking forward to my hatching of mason orchard bees. Look them up on the internet, they are curious little pollinators. The one thing that is always a challenge is making permanent labels. Forget the Sharpies. Get out the scissors and recycle aluminum pie pans, mark with #1 pencils engraving into the aluminum and punch a hole for hanging with a paper punch. Nothing else holds up. You can buy commercial versions but my system is pretty much free. Plastic twist wires make nice hanging wires. And, thank you, Leo, those free CD disks for that pesky internet company make wonderful reflectors to hang in trees to repel birds from your fruit crops. I call them AOL trees and the post office lobbies are good sources of disks. The more they spin and dangle the better they repel birds. Now if anyone has a permanent gopher cure I'm always interested. -Cheryl Noble, San Diego mailto:noble.c@sbcglobal.net ------------------------------------------------ Subject: UC Davis Has Pomegranate Cuttings To Try To Get Date: Tue, 01 Mar 2005 19:16:07 -0800 From: leelou To: bingbros@ihug.co.nz I received some unusual pomegranate cuttings (ex Ink, Crab) from UC Davis last January. You might want to contact them to see if they have any to offer this year. Good luck! Elaine Lou mailto:bingbros@ihug.co.nz Santa Clara CRFG ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Miayagawa Satsuma - New Citrus Varieties for Texas Date: Tue, 01 Mar 2005 22:54:02 -0600 From: phil To see pictures of the new fruit visit my website http://members.fortunecity.com/pjsauber/ and http://members.fortunecity.com/pjsauber/NewHybrids.htm Caution, turn your pop-up blocker on! I have just found out about Miayagawa Satsuma being introduced from the California citrus budwood program to Texas. It is the most popular satsuma commercially in Japan and has replaced owari. I may get some wood this spring or next fall. The Texas budwood program only has their plants in pots so far. An old citrus nut in Houston Louis Waldon(a co-discoverer of sunquat) told me about it. He has many satsuma varieties and thinks they are all really owari and pretty much the same. Another friend has a grove of about 150 mature satsuma trees here. He told me about the #440 satsumas he got in Louisiana in 1995. I e-mailed the citrus research center in Plaqemine Parish, La and was told it is Brown Select. I'm going to bud a bunch this spring. Another friend gave me wood for yuzu. So much has been flying about this I will grow one in a pot to see what the fuss is about. My second friend has a backyard full of hundreds of pots of citrus varieties, probably 150+ kinds. This is the second guy I have met in the Houston area with that many varieties. Another exciting find is the new tomato red grapefruit discovered at the Texas A&I budwood program in their own citrus grove last spring. It is as red as a tomato both inside and out. They may be releasing a few buds in the fall. They have budded about 20 trees and topworked some also. Another citrus find is my friend's (John Panzarella of Lake Jackson, TX south of Houston) discovery of an early orange "panzarella orange" as bigger as a grapefruit. The tree grew out of his compost heap. He also has a "panzarella" lemon tree with fruit as big as a pummelo growing out of the compost. I some how managed to sell the 300 5 gallon grafted citrus mostly satsuma I raised over 2-3 years. The word got around I suppose. One friend with a grove of 150 mature satsuma trees I know bought 80 to re-sell at his satsuma stand. This wasn't a planned business, but a too enthusiastic hobby. I don't have room for 300 citrus trees, although I have 25 in the ground! Another new one is umatilla(Ruby orange x satsuma)x blood orange. I tasted these a few weeks ago in February. It will be a late one. Most still were sour but adding a lot of red color. "Citrus Tasting Match" A friend #1 had something he called cocktail grapefruit or mandalo. He thought they were the same. His "mandalo" was described as sampson tangelo in a CRFG article 10 or so years ago. That is where he got the seed from. It didn't look or taste like the sampson tangelos I had tasted before at the Florida citrus arboretum in Lake Wales. The mandalo fruit I brought looked and tasted similar but different. The cocktail grapefruit I grew(but didn't bring since I'd eaten them all) tasted and looked similar again but different. I think that these obscure non-commercial citrus that get passed along as budwood sometimes get mis-identified as the grower gets further away from the source. My source for cocktail grapefruit and mandalo got them from some other citrus nut or got the seed on vacation in California. I can't go over that story again since my friend #2 recently died of a heart attack. This friend waited 17 years for his cocktail grapefruit to fruit from seed! Oh well, I sold my two potted cocktail grapefruit trees to friend #1, so he will have 3 or 4 for his citrus tasting match next year. Phil Sauber mailto:mrtexas@eonet.net Beaumont, TX near Houston ------------------------------------------------ Subject: My San Diego Garden - Blooming and Growing Date: Wed, 02 Mar 2005 00:08:29 -0500 (EST) From: Dmshuck@aol.com Hi Leo, In the garden at this time, I have 3 peach trees that are finished blooming and two peaches that are starting to bloom. One of those is a donut peach tree. I planted it in the coldest part of the yard hoping to get peaches. Looks like it worked. The apricot and three pluots trees are blooming. Fredrick the passion fruit vine has managed to sneak up into our neighbors large apple tree and along our hedge of pineapple guavas. Fortunately the neighbors are nice and often ask me for fruit tree advice. I hope they don't mind the temporary invasion from the passion fruit vine. Since it is at the top of our slope it will take some time to get to it due to the wet conditions. I can see several passion fruits hanging on the vine. The 14 citrus trees are looking very good and are all loaded with fruit except the moro blood orange, it only has about 5 fruits on the tree this year. I cut off a nice bunch of bananas last week since they ripened and were starting to split on the plant. I bought a fuju persimmon, contorted jujube and a Katie apricot two months ago. They are all starting to leaf. So far the most interesting is the contorted jujube. The leaves are coming out by the thorns. Looks like a good year for fruit. Denise mailto:Dmshuck@aol.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Lychee Blooming and Pineapple Plants Date: Wed, 02 Mar 2005 00:50:41 -0500 (EST) From: EARTHLADYJ@aol.com My 2 lychee trees are both blooming. This is strange because last year both of them bloomed also. I thought they only bloomed every 2 years like in the past. I went to Publix and asked for as many pinapple tops as they could give me and I ended up with 79. I planted them all . My pineapple plantation is blooming . All at once . I was in a panic over thinking about what Im going to do with all those pineapples. I decided to give away a few and then use my dehydrator on the rest after we eat our fill. Janis Jones mailto:EARTHLADYJ@aol.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Foliar Spray Question and Whitefly On Guava Problem Date: Wed, 02 Mar 2005 07:00:58 -0500 From: Hays, Gary A couple questions I have would be: How frequent should foliar sprays be used to optimally benefit fruit trees, realizing I might need a general average since it may vary according to the plant? I seem to have a persistent case of what appears to be whitefly on a guava. What ways are there to get rid of them successfully? Gary mailto:ghays@harris.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Pineapple guava - Grafting - Varieties Date: Thu, 03 Mar 2005 10:01:57 -0800 (PST) From: Eunice Messner To: reuterj@pacbell.net Joe... Pineapple guava is considered difficult to graft but it can be done. I consider 'Nasmetz' the most flavorful of those I have tasted. It has an elongated shape. >From the grocery store several years ago I bought one fruit ($.69 each) from New Zealand. From its fruit I grew five plants in my yard and gave away more. All of the seedlings bore large and tasty fruit so it appears they come quite true from seed. New Zealand exports a feijoa called 'Mammoth' so this may be its progeny. I will offer seeds in our seedbank after the next fruiting season. Eunice Messner ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Naranjilla Seeds Wanted In South Africa Date: Thu, 03 Mar 2005 20:06:39 +0200 From: Maggi Hi Leo My name is Maggi Rousseau and I farm in South Africa. I am looking for seeds for the Naranjilla plant. I believe this plant would do well in my area, but cannot find anyone who is able to supply seeds. I should be grateful to anyone who is able to assist. I would naturally be prepared to pay costs. Many thanks Maggi mailto:maggir@iafrica.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: pistachio Date: Thu, 03 Mar 2005 11:58:37 -0800 (PST) From: Eunice Messner To: mshugart@ucsd.edu I am copying from a Fruit Facts page on pistachio. If you know of growers who can fruit pistachio with less chill hours than listed below, please let us know so we can let others know of this good news. Eunice Messner mailto:eunicemessner@yahoo.com Adaptation: Pistachios thrive in areas which have winters cool enough to break bud dormancy and hot, long summers. They are drought resistant and very tolerant of high summer temperatures, but cannot tolerate excessive dampness and high humidity. The tree has about the same cold resistance as almonds and olives but flowers later in spring than almonds. Chill requirements are estimated at 600 to 1,500 hours. In this country the pistachio is best adapted to the hot, drier regions of California and the Southwest, especially California's central valley and southern California inland areas. Pistachio trees are not particularly suitable as container plants. ------------------------------------------------ Subject: CD-Roms Keep Birds Out Of Fruit Trees Date: Thu, 03 Mar 2005 19:31:02 -0800 (PST) From: Cheryl Noble The hole in the middle works fine, use a long, plastic covered twist tie like what they sell cheap at Home Depot. I make a big loop that goes through the middle and twists at the top. A single exta length can be used to attach to tree. Your drill idea sounds fine too, just a bit more work and when you are making "AOL trees" the more disks you can use the better. When they are free to move in the wind they reflect and the bird's leave the tree alone-more or less. If I have a heavy fruit area I make sure I have a disk deal very close to the cluster. Wish I could take credit but it was Leo's AOL trees from which I stole the idea blatantly. Good luck Cheryl Noble mailto:noble.c@sbcglobal.net ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Loquat Propagation - Best Way? Date: Thu, 03 Mar 2005 21:06:56 -0800 From: David Silverstein Hi, Leo. Here is a question for the group. What is the best way to graft or bud loquats? What are the optimal times and the best methods? Take care. David Silverstein mailto:bentleye@cox.net ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Great Book Worth Reading - Secret Life of Plants Date: Fri, 04 Mar 2005 15:29:59 -0500 From: shirley dellerson Hi: Just finished "Secret Life of Plants by Peter Tompkins, Christopher O. Bird". Written in 1972, the information contained is even more important today than when written. It contains common sense information backed up by scientific studies, ie: importance of organic gardening, why our plants are not healthy and diseased, why we are not healthy and diseased. http://fusionanomaly.net/secretlifeofplants.html >From Amazon: Editorial Reviews Henry Mitchell,Washington Post Book World "This fascinating book roams...over that marvelous no man's land of mystical glimmerings into the nature of science and life itself."--This text refers to the Paperback edition. Product Description: The world of plants and its relation to mankind as revealed by the latest scientific discoveries. "Plenty of hard facts and astounding scientific and practical lore."--Newsweek--This text refers to the Paperback edition. Great Read Shaindy mailto:shaindy@mindspring.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Seeds Wanted: Jackfruit and Salacca wallichiana Date: Tue, 08 Mar 2005 21:37:15 -0800 (PST) From: leonel amarillas guzman Hi, Leo, hope by now you feel much better. I am seeking some jackfruit seeds of known varieties (black gold, cheena, dang rasimi, golden nugget, mon tong, mastura, etc); if anybody knows where can I get them or trade I would be very thankful. Also seeking Salacca wallichiana. Regards, Leonel mailto:floemxilem@yahoo.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Exotic farm for sale on 5.86 Acres Date: Mon, 14 Mar 2005 20:39:18 -0800 (PST) From: Lindsay Zimmermann Hi my name is Lindsay Zimmermann and I am a real estate agent from Golden Capital Realty and I have a new listing in San Diego county in which we have 4300 trees, guava, dragon fruit and Pumellos with 5.86 acres. Contact me for more information. Thank you, Lindsay Zimmermann mailto:zimmermannlindsay@yahoo.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Encinitas Garden Festival! Date: Tue, 15 Mar 2005 10:49:19 -0800 From: Nan Sterman New Encinitas Garden Festival Premiers Saturday, May 21 Cottonwood Creek Park and Encinitas Highlands, 10 AM to 4 PM Featuring Walking Tours, Garden Merchants and the Patricia Rincon Dance Collective ENCINITAS CA - MARCH 14, 2005 - The first of its kind, The Encinitas Garden Festival will take place on Saturday, May 21 from 10 AM to 4 PM. Headquartered in Cottonwood Creek Park, the festival will include walking tours of nearly 30 gardens in nearby Encinitas Highlands, the neighborhood just uphill from downtown Encinitas. Visitors will be transported to the garden tour area on double-decker buses, departing from the park throughout the day. The day-long celebration of gardens, community and the horticultural heritage of Encinitas also features a Gardeners' Marketplace at Cottonwood Creek Park (Vulcan St. and Encinitas Boulevard), where merchants will offer the latest in great plants, tools, garden products, and more. Also performing at various sites throughout the day is the Patricia Rincon Dance Collective, an innovative San Diego institution for more than 23 years. See http://www.rincondance.org for more information. According to organizing committee member and Encintas resident Heather Callahan, the day will have "lots of wonderful gardens to see, lots of great garden products to buy and lots of community spirit!" The event is sponsored by the Encinitas Chamber of Commerce, the City of Encinitas, Bumble Bee Seafoods, the Downtown Encinitas MainStreet Association, and Ecke Ranch. While the Gardeners' Marketplace will be open to the public, garden tours are by ticket only. Garden tour buses will depart from the Cottonwood Creek Park at Vulcan St. and Encinitas Boulevard throughout the day. Adult tickets (ages 13 and older) are $12 on or before May 10, $15 after May 10. Children's tickets (ages 6 - 12) are $5 on or before May 10, $7 after May 10. Children under 6 are free. With every paid admission, Quail Botanical Gardens is offering one free admission to the Quail, redeemable through the end of the year. Tickets are on sale now at the Encinitas Chamber of Commerce, 138 Encinitas Blvd - Encinitas, CA 92024, Phone (760) 753-6041, Grangettos Farm and Garden Supply, 189 S. Rancho Santa Fe Rd.m Encinitas, CA 92024, (760) 944-5777, and Cedros Gardens, 330 S. Cedros Ave., Solana Beach, CA, 92075-1919 (858) 792-8640. There are still spots open in the marketplace and some sponsorship opportunities available. For more information, please go to http://www.EncinitasChamber.com and click the Encinitas Garden Festival link at the bottom of the page, or email GardenTour@PlantSoup.com. -- +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+= Nan Sterman Plant Soup (TM) PO Box 231034 Encinitas, CA 92023 760.634.2902 (voice) NSterman@PlantSoup.Com 760.634.2957 (fax) +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+= <><> Mailbag of Sainarong Rasananda mailto:sainaron@loxinfo.co.th <><> None this time <><><><> Announcements And Web Pages To Consider <><><><> San Diego Chapter California Rare Fruit Growers Meeting: Where: Casa del Prado Building Room 101, Balboa Park When: Fourth Thursday Of Each Month (Except December) See: http://www.crfgsandiego.org http://members.cox.net/ncsdcrfg For North County CRFG Chapter Meeting http://www.crfg.org/chapters.html For information about ALL CRFG chapters. http://www.crfg.org/chapters.html For information about all CRFG chapters. <><>Bot-Linx List http://www.ou.edu/cas/botany-micro/bot-linx/<><> From: Scott D. Russell Bot-Linx List http://www.ou.edu/cas/botany-micro/bot-linx/ Subject: SBLD - Digital Book Index - Botany Date: Fri, 04 Feb 2005 21:46:17 -0600 From: Scott D. Russell http://www.digitalbookindex.com/_search/search010biolbotanya.asp This site provides links to online resources, books and documents, many of which are available free (especially those more than 50 years old). Content is housed off-site, so these pages are just links, but from a botanical point of view the list of the titles and links is useful. Links range from botanical herbals (oldest 1545, Fuchs Botanica) to 2004 (e.g., Flora of Missouri). Although the botany index is only 5 pages long, the behavior of the navigation buttons was capricious and browser-sensitive, but there are about 400 links (if you can get to them!). There are dozens of other plant-related index pages available through the site, as well, by Digital Book Index. ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Endeavour Botanical Illustrations at the Natural History Museum Date: Mon, 07 Mar 2005 00:45:37 -0600 From: Scott D. Russell http://internt.nhm.ac.uk/cgi-bin/perth/cook/index.dsml The Botany Library of the British Natural History Museum holds all of the surviving botanical artwork from the voyage of HMS Endeavour (1768-1771), which was the first voyage devoted exclusively to scientific discovery, and Captain James Cook's first Pacific adventure. Over 30,000 plant specimens where collected, representing over 3,600 species, 1,400 of which were new. This site presents most of the botanical drawings and engravings prepared by artist Sydney Parkinson before his untimely death at sea, and by other artists back in England working from Parkinson's initial sketches. (****) -SR ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Figs and Fig Wasps Date: Tue, 08 Mar 2005 17:44:58 -0600 From: Scott D. Russell http://www.figweb.org/ This site answers the questions of who pollinates fig trees, how fig trees are pollinated, who the fig wasps are, how many species there are, the life cycle of the mutualism, how the mutualism is maintained, as well as local checklist and an encyclopedic reference section. Also located at the site is a 26 minute video, which requires a Real Media Player to view. This site is by Simon van Noort (Iziko South African Museum) and Jean-Yves Rasplus (INRA, France), hosted at Iziko Museums of Cape Town, South Africa. (***1/2) -SR <><><> NAFEX List From: nafex-request@lists.ibiblio.org <><><> None this time <><> [rarefruit] List - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rarefruit <><> None this time <> Agricultural Research Service (ARS) mailto:ars http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/thelatest.htm. None this time <><><><><><><><><> End of RFN200503B.txt <><><><><><><><><><> Rare Fruit News Online - April 1, 2005 - AKA RFN200504A.txt ___________________________________________________________ <><><><> Notes In Passing - Leo <><><><> The Pleasure Of LOTS Of Email! A few weeks ago I worried that Rare Fruit News Online was about to die from neglect, but now there are dozens of letters from you to each other, and Sainarong Rasananda's Mailbag is overflowing! We are truly blessed to have such a capable, trained horticulturist and I marvel that he can spare the time to answer our many questions. Thanks, Sainarong! I must remember that the ebb and flow of your email is to be expected. Thanks! My repaired knee is recovering so well that I've begun to think about getting the other one done - probably in September or shortly afterwards. "Improved Anna" apple is bearing a full crop for the first time. I'm looking for any signs of improvement, but so far haven't found any. How are your trees, etc. growing? <><><><><><><><><> Table Of Contents <><><><><><><><><> -> -> -> Messages follow the Table Of Contents <- <- <- <><><> New Subscribers <><><> New Subscriber - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Marco Lacerda <><><> Readers Write <><><> Aussie Wants To Visit San Diego County Farms In May, 2005 Robert Farnsworth Re: VISIT TO SAN DIEGO "Leo Manuel" To: "Robert Farnsworth" Re: VISIT TO SAN DIEGO Robert Farnsworth Whitefly problem on guavas CHINO228@aol.com To: Ghays@harris.com Cats and Gophers Amy Fernandez To: noble.c@sbcglobal.net Neem oil and White Fly Amy Fernandez To: EZaragosa@cs.com Mamey Sapote Is Self-Pollinating fruitlovers@fruitlovers.com To: skilby@earthlink.net re cherimoya marionbrodie2@webtv.net (Marion Brodie) American persimmon Margaret Lauterbach Re: American persimmon Leo Manuel To: Margaret Lauterbach Nam Doc Mai splitting Richard Sar Where to buy NAA (napthaleneacetic acid) crystals? Stephen Tennes Edgehill Mango - Anyone Have It? Ben Pierce Longans in Bloom for So. California Richard Sar My Fruit Trees Near Disneyland, Anaheim (CA) junderwoodz@netscape.net (junderwoodz) March 2005 Newsletter of CRFG San Diego CRFG Durling Nursery Tour For San Diego Residents Zhenxing Fu North San Diego County Chapter Visits Durling Nursery Leo Manuel Tip of the Month for Fruit News Online - Coffee Grounds Joe Sabol White Sapote Seedling Won't Bear Fruit Todd Abel Jackfruit Trees - Bear Fruit In San Diego Area? Leonel Amarillas Guzman <><> Mailbag of Sainarong Rasananda mailto:sainaron@loxinfo.co.th <><> To Leo from Sainarong Sainarong Siripen Rasananda Potassium chlorate for lychees Oscar Jaitt To: sainaron@loxinfo.co.th Re: Potassium chlorate for lychees Sainarong Siripen Rasananda To: Oscar Jaitt Re: resurrected Sainarong Siripen Rasananda To: ronald lyn Lychee, longan, Rambutan conference RThomp9589@aol.com To: sainaron@loxinfo.co.th Wax Jambu RThomp9589@aol.com To: sainaron@loxinfo.co.th Re: Wax Jambu Sainarong Siripen Rasananda To: RThomp9589@aol.com Re: Lychee, longan, Rambutan conference Sainarong Siripen Rasananda To: RThomp9589@aol.com Re: Unsuccessful Pollianation of lychee in San Diego Sainarong Siripen Rasananda To: marionbrodie2@webtv.net Lychee and Longan cultural requirements Sainarong Siripen Rasananda To: William Butler Re: Longan questions Sainarong Siripen Rasananda To: Charles Ferrin <><><><><><> Growing Rare Fruit In Containers <><><><><><> Re: Cherimoya Marc Schuyler To: Jerry Zhang <><><> Announcements and / or Web Sites To Consider <><><> http://www.crfgsandiego.org For *San Diego Chapter* CRFG Information http://members.cox.net/ncsdcrfg For North County CRFG Chapter Meeting http://www.crfg.org/chapters.html For information about ALL CRFG chapters. <><>Bot-Linx List <> From: "Scott D. Russell" SBLD - Plants for the People "Scott D. Russell" http://www.discoverlife.org/pa/pr/plantsforthepeople.html SBLD - Native and Introduced Plants of Southern California "Scott D. Russell" http://tchester.org/plants/ SBLD - Bamboo "Scott D. Russell" http://www.earthcare.com.au/bamboo.htm <><><> NAFEX List <><><> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/nafex Archives at http://lists.ibiblio.org/pipermail/nafex None, this time <><><> From "rarefruit list" - rarefruit@yahoogroups.com <><><> None, this time <> Agricultural Research Service (ARS) mailto:ars>news@arsgrin.gov <> http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/thelatest.htm Mobile Lab Helps Contain Exotic Pests ARS News Service Bacterium Tapped To Battle Fire Blight Disease in Tree Fruit ARS News Service <><><><><><><><> New Subscribers <><><><><><><><><> Subject: New Subscriber - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Date: Wed, 30 Mar 2005 18:37:01 -0300 From: Marco Lacerda Dear sirs, My name is Marco Lacerda, and I live in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. IÕm growing a lot of tropical fruits, over 200 species and/or varieties. From time to time I can offer different seeds, depending on season. For the moment I can get: Eugenia candolleana Bactris gasiapes Òspineless, super giant size, yellow fruitÓ (photo available) Eugenia neonitida Plinia jaboticaba cv. precocious (bears fruit several times a year, from 3-4 years old on) Rheedia acuminata Malpighia glabra (acerola sweet) Genipa americana Citrus reticulata cv. Ôsweet-clove-tangerineÕ Psidium guajava cv. Ôgiant-red-fleshedÕ Averrhoa bilimbi Averrhoa carambola cv. ÔFwang TungÕ I also contribute to a website planeta.terra.com.br/educacao/FrutasNativas/ of a friend (Antonio Morschbacker) on Brazilian Fruits. IÕm looking for: Annona diversifolia (ilama) Durian fruit Pink-fleshed jackfruit (only pink fleshed) Miracle fruit (Synsepalum dulcificum) Best regards Marco Lacerda mailto:marcolacerda@terra.com.br <><><><><><><><><> Readers Write<><><><><><><><><><> Subject: Aussie Wants To Visit San Diego County Farms In May, 2005 Date: Sat, 05 Mar 2005 21:41:13 +1100 From: Robert Farnsworth Good Morning, I have just read your very interesting web site. My husband and I are visiting America in April/May 2005. We are going to New Orleans then Las Vegas, with a visit to the Grand Canyon. We then plan to drive from The Grand Canyon to San Diego via San Bernardino. We are very interested in visiting any fruit properties are in that vicinity. If this is possible, we would appreciate help with this. ( we are in the vicinity from 9th May to 13th May 2005) We live in Mildura, Victoria, Australia with 40 acres of Citrus and Avocados. My husband retired early to our property in Mildura, we love the easy life (well sometimes, although watering is now a lot easier with drip irrigation). We have three children, one of our daughters is a paramedic, our son is a head chef and our other daughter has just started University, so we have plenty of time, so decided to come to USA for a visit. I hope you can help us or suggest any people we can contact. Many Thanks Robert and Dorothy Farnsworth mailto:robfarn@ncable.com.au RMB 7096 MILDURA VICTORIA 3500 AUSTRALIA ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: VISIT TO SAN DIEGO From: "Leo Manuel" To: "Robert Farnsworth" Sent: Sunday, March 06, 2005 3:23 AM It may help if you send a list of kinds of fruit properties you would like to visit. There are two groups that meet nearby. One is San Diego Chapter of California Rare Fruit Growers, and the other is North County Chapter of California Rare Fruit Growers. I can contact members of each chapter to explain what you'd like to see while here. Take care, Leo ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: VISIT TO SAN DIEGO Date: Thu, 17 Mar 2005 20:44:10 +1100 From: Robert Farnsworth Hi Leo, I apologise that I have not got back to you sooner, but life on the property gets busier and busier especially when arranging to be overseas for one month in April. The fruit we would be interested in seeing is Avocados and Citrus (either easy peel or navels). I have noticed that there are a few nurseries and fruit properties near Fallbrook ( we will be driving through this area), I hope this helps. Looking forward Robert Farnsworth mailto:Robfarn@ncable.com.au ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Whitefly problem on guavas Date: Tue, 15 Mar 2005 23:43:21 -0500 (EST) From: CHINO228@aol.com To: Ghays@harris.com Hi ! Whitefly problems on guavas ? There is a organic all-purpose Colloidal cleaner many plant enthusiasts have found very effective as an alternative to pesticides to combat those pesky whiteflies and other soft bodied insects. It is available in quart and gallon bott concentrates and is available from Rare Fruit Council International, Miami, Contact Maurice for further details (305) 554-1333 Maurice mailto:chino228@aol.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Cats and Gophers Date: Tue, 15 Mar 2005 20:52:15 -0800 From: Amy Fernandez To: noble.c@sbcglobal.net Our smallish cat brings baby rats, mice and baby gophers home for us. Hoping she goes after the moles next. Amy Fernandez mailto:marvelousgardens@earthlink.net ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Neem oil and White Fly Date: Tue, 15 Mar 2005 21:09:12 -0800 From: Amy Fernandez To: EZaragosa@cs.com Yes, I neemed the hibiscus a few weeks ago and it brought them down to only a couple of branches, on the tips. I will Neem them again. I also just last week put worm castings around the soil as I had heard/read it would help. The neighbor says it worked on his citrus Amy Fernandez mailto:marvelousgardens@earthlink.net ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Mamey Sapote Is Self-Pollinating Date: Tue, 15 Mar 2005 23:01:34 -0800 From: fruitlovers@fruitlovers.com To: skilby@earthlink.net Mamey sapote is self pollinating, so one will plant alone will produce fruit. Oscar Jaitt mailto:fruitlovers@fruitlovers.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: re cherimoya Date: Tue, 15 Mar 2005 23:08:57 -0800 From: marionbrodie2@webtv.net (Marion Brodie) Well Leo we finally got to sample our cherimoya fruit just recently, some of it had fallen off in the heavy rain and stormy conditions we have had here in Southern California but I must admit it was worth hand pollinating to taste the fruit it is quite delicious... This was an unusual year for our White Sapote which fruited late and actually hung on the tree for several months as green as could be and finally started to ripen off in February [the rest I took off ..the green ones] and ripened in brown paper bags..worked fine !! The birds were pecking the green unripened fruit... The paper bag ripened fruit tasted almost as good... It blossomed heavily again in February, but the rain [again[ caused a lot of the blossom and new fruit to drop, but is now showing more blossom so am sure we will get a good fruit set again... After a gopher ''got'' our 'three in one' plumcot [pluet] we planted another two [bareroot] and they are now flowering [the leaves only showed 2 weeks ago] I think these ones are ''Flavor King' [ have an excellent write up on them] Still having problems with some of our Apriums [cross pollination] they seem to be missing the others for pollination...[either too early or too late]...bought extra Apricots... Each year seems to bring these problems.. I am considering hand pollinating my lychee this year, it is covered in blossom [ bought a new one also, but too early yet to show blossom]...surely we have had enough rain !!! any ideas ??? cheers, marion mailto:marionbrodie2@webtv.net ------------------------------------------------ Subject: American persimmon Date: Wed, 16 Mar 2005 12:56:23 -0700 From: Margaret Lauterbach A number of years ago, I bought an American persimmon tree by mail order, and planted it near an apricot tree so it would get some shade while it was getting established. It died to the ground that winter, but in spring, here it came. It grew up, somewhat crookedly because of the shade, until last winter we finally removed the apricot tree. The trunk is thickening and straightening a bit. Last spring it was covered with blossoms, and it actually set fruit. None of the "persimmons" were larger than a marble. Was that just a youthful digression or are all future fruits going to be that size? I think it was a grafted variety; could this be what the root graft would produce? Thank you, Margaret Lauterbach, Boise, Idaho Margaret L mailto:margaret@margaretlauterbach.com Gardening in Intermountain West and Handicapped gardening http://www.margaretlauterbach.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: American persimmon Date: Wed, 16 Mar 2005 13:44:04 -0800 From: Leo Manuel To: Margaret Lauterbach I agree with you - that the rootstock is producing fruit. Sometimes the fruit of the rootstock will be tasty, even if the size is small. It is unlikely to ever produce larger fruit. Leo ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Nam Doc Mai splitting Date: Tue, 29 Mar 2005 18:56:21 -0800 (PST) From: Richard Sar Hi Leo, I have problems with my Nam Doc Mai mangos splitting before they ripe. It did this last year with some summer fruits and it is doing it again now with fruits that had overwintered. I don't know what to do. I know its not the fertilizer because I haven't begun fertilizing yet. Do you know what could be the problem? Water? Rootstock? Thanks, Richard mailto:richardsar01@yahoo.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Where to buy NAA (napthaleneacetic acid) crystals? Date: Wed, 30 Mar 2005 12:11:04 -0500 From: Stephen Tennes Leo, I am an apple grower and Charlotte, Michigan and I have been trying to find out where to buy NAA so that I can mix it with latex paint to reduce the sucker and growth from pruning cuts. I am looking for the pure liquid or crystal form (not the more expensive srpay can). I did a web search and your question from 1998 came up. I was wondering if you ever found an answer. Perhaps you could point me in the right direction. Thank you in advance for your assistance. Sincerely, Steve Tennes mailto:stennes@mac.com http://www.CountryMill.com "From: Leo Manuel Subject: Where to buy NAA (napthaleneacetic acid) crystals?" http://www.rarefruit.com/RFN1998AllYr.txt ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Edgehill Mango - Anyone Have It? Date: Mon, 28 Mar 2005 21:33:59 -0500 From: Ben Pierce Leo, How have you been? Are you feeling any better? A fellow CRFG member is looking for Edgehill scionwood. Do you know of a source? Ben Pierce mailto:benrpierce@cox.net ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Longans in Bloom for So. California Date: Tue, 29 Mar 2005 01:39:15 -0800 (PST) From: Richard Sar Dear Leo, I hope you been doing well. I am wondering if anyone else in Southern California has experienced an incredible bloom year for longans. I have heard that longans need cold and DRY winters to bloom well but what we experienced here in California has been one of the wettest winters ever. Nonetheless, my longans are in full bloom and I don't think I have ever seen blooms as healthy as this. They are somewhere between 1 1/2 to 2 ft. flower stalks. WOW. Maybe, I should start watering my longans more in winter from now on. I would really like to hear from everyone else's experience. Regards, Richard mailto:richardsar01@yahoo.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: My Fruit Trees Near Disneyland, Anaheim (CA) Date: Thu, 17 Mar 2005 12:39:01 -0500 From: junderwoodz@netscape.net (junderwoodz) Hi Richard, I live about six miles south-east of Disneyland, Anaheim. I lost about three dozen small seedlings in pots (Solo, Sunset, Waimanolo, another variety) and one Solo papaya from a combination of rain and watering (I heavily watered nearby banana trees a couple days before the rains began again. Ladyfinger banana has an emerging Êstalk.) ÊThe Solo was 25 - 28 feet high with seven fruiting limbs. ÊThe trunk was about two feet in diameter 12 inches above the ground. ÊI lost nearly a bushel of fruit. ÊLess than two feet away (but on slightly higher ground) I have another, sixteen feet high, Solo papaya still growing (no side branches) with about 15 fruit. Very poor fruit set on Suebelle sapote. ÊFair fruit set on Stark Earlipeach (don't recall name but we start harvesting fruit in early May.). ÊBeaumont macadamia has bhundreds of flower clusters. ÊMost of my citrus (18 varieties) are studded with blooms. ÊLots of flower buds on pineapple guava. ÊAsian pears have not budded out yet and Hachiya persimmon is just beginning. ÊDate palm put out six or seven fronds with some fruit set (no nearby trees, first year bloom). Yellow loquat has medium-heavy crop (Tree probably was 'gifted' by visiting birds.), fruit flavor was better than orange variety so orange variety was deleted three years ago to make room for more trees. Plan to set out FlavorKing pluot, Satsuma plum, Beauty plum, and Bonita peach in a small four-plex (~30" between trees) and a Suncrisp apple, Crooke's quince, and two other (not yet purchased) fruit trees (possibly a Fuji apple and an Asian pear) in another ~30" four-plex. Planted small strawberry tree in front yard last month. Grafted most of the cuttings from the Orange County scion wood exchange on an apricot, the earlipeach, Manila mango or a cherimoya. ÊAm waiting for the Hachiya persimmon to 'green' more and the Asian pears to bud out before grafting scion wood on them. Several grafted scions do not look 'good' but will give them another month before deciding whether to prune them. Joe mailto:junderwoodz@netscape.net ------------------------------------------------ Subject: March 2005 Newsletter of CRFG San Diego CRFG Durling Nursery Tour For San Diego Residents Date: Tue, 22 Mar 2005 12:41:58 -0800 From: Zhenxing Fu To: (Recipient list suppressed) CALIFORNIA RARE FRUIT GROWERS SAN DIEGO CHAPTER MARCH 2005 NEWSLETTER NEXT MEETING is MARCH 24 Cherimoya growing / tasting / yum! Meeting minutes for February: The trip to the Durling Nursery, planned for March, was cancelled. It is now scheduled for Saturday April 2, 2005. You can meet us out the the nursery at 10:00 a.m., or at the traditional carpool meeting area byt the War Memorial at 8:00 a.m. The Home and Garden Show at the Del Mar Fairgrounds was discussed. The chapter will reimburse you if you paid to park there while working the CRFG space. It will be interesting to find out how much revenue the plant sales out there produced. We decided that viewing the Cherimoyas Association's lectures on CD would be acceptable in the event that we are unable to have the association's lecturers show up in person at our meetings. Fortunately though, as it happens, Nino Cupaiuolo, president of the California Cherimoya Association, will speak to our next meeting and bring us some nice Cherimoya fruit to taste. The topic of the evening was grafting, with an excellent presentation by our own Jim Neitzel. Jim demonstrated the whip graft, whip and tongue, , the wedge (or cleft) graft, the saddle graft, and the side graft. We have an excellent handout on these methods, although I must admit that nothing compares to Jim's live presentation. Here are a few pointers that I gleened from this year's grafting lesson: (1) Pruning shears that cut on both sides are best for grafting purposes. (2) When cutting with a pruning or other sharp knife, rock the blade gently back and forth in the wood to make the incision. This method (Jim calls the "wiggle method") helps to prevent accidents. (3) Finally, when sticking the cut scion branch to the cut root stock, it helps to wet the incision with siliva. This method (Jim calls the "lick and stick method) creates a more moist environment for the woods to adhere. As you can see, Jim brings out the fun in grafting; however, if you missed his delightful demonstration, I'll be glad to give you a copy of the handout explaining grafting techniques. The tasting table included some wonderful varieties of citrus, bananas, and cherimoyas. And the opportunity table was rich with lovely plants I have no room for (but will probably plant anyway). Many thanks to our most generous growers, and to everyone for a great meeting. See you March 24th. Linnea Lamar THE VIEW FROM THE CHAIR The official investigation into the plant sale goes onÉand on É and on. But it is pretty clear at this point that it is not going to kill the plant sale, just harass me. And I'm used to it. The 2005 Plant Sale is on the calendar. And I just reserved the room for the 2006 Plant Sale. The Cherimoya Association put on a great meeting. It was great fun and very informative. They gave away quit a few grafted avocado, citrus, and cherimoya trees in their raffle. The tour through the cherimoya collection showed a lot of very tall trees in need of pruning. But all of the old favorites were there including Sabor and Big Sister. The tour included the spectacle of the tourists running around grabbing baby seedling trees, gathering fallen fruit, and chopping off lengths of bud wood. If Dr. Bender, the curator, had not been there, I'd have said that maybe people were little out of hand. But I got my length of Pierce bud wood and a diverse bunch of Cherimoyas to bring home and sample. The most interesting thing that I learned came from Dr. Gary Bender. Apparently it is possible to root Cherimoya cuttings. He will send me a copy of the paper that has all the details. But the general outline is this: the cuttings need to retain their leaves, but the leaves need to be cut down to a half of their size to reduce transpiration. The cuttings need to be kept in a humid environment with fine mister or fogger. IBA rooting hormone had no effect. Under these conditions nearly all cuttings took root. This has implications for propagation of clonal rootstocks so as to standardize cherimoya rootstocks and find types specialized for different conditions. More details will be made available when I get the original papers to review. I'm also getting an interesting paper on the genetics of loquats including a dendrogram showing the genetic relationships between a number of the popular varieties. The Cherimoya Association meeting was so good that I've asked their president to be our speaker at the next meeting. I think that you will find a very informative presentation with an opportunity for question and answer. There will also be a wide variety of Cherimoya fruit to taste. And while your tasting Cherimoyas, why not save a few seeds? If everyone grew six seeds, then we could have 5 seedlings on the Opportunity table every meeting for a year, and still have as many as 100 grafted trees ready for the fall sale in '06. Think about it. And if you do that every year, you are doing a lot. If everyone did five of something else, then the sale and the opportunity table could benefit similarly. If all of us work together by each doing a little, then we can really do a lot. Note also that Dr. Gary Bender will give a short presentation on the Avocado Lace Bug at the April meeting. We'll also be discussing some organic controls. Don't forget to check our website at www.crfgsandiego.org. NEXT Meeting: WHERE: Casa del Prado Building Room 101, Balboa Park WHEN: March 24, 2005 MEETING TOPIC: Cherimoya culture and tasting, with Nino Cupaiuolo, president of the California Cherimoya Association. ------------------------------------------------ Subject: North San Diego County Chapter Visits Durling Nursery Date: Sun, 27 Mar 2005 16:10:38 -0800 From: Leo Manuel The Newsletter of the North San Diego County Chapter of California Rare Fruit Growers The San Diego Chapter has rescheduled the tour of the Durling Nursery. The tour is April 2 at 10AM and starts at the nursery whose address is 40401 Deluz Rd, which is north of Fallbrook the telephone # is 760-728-9572(for directions). There will be a light lunch served and he will demo how they bud trees. There is no charge for the tour. When driving North on Deluz you may see a small office that says Durling Nursery. The actual nursery is 3 or 4 miles further down the road at the address given above. Lunch is being served, so reservations are required. Paul Fisher is arranging the tour, he can be reached at:(619) 322-4141(home) or (619) 440-2213(cell) or June Anderson at 760-729-350, Please call by Wednesday if you plan to attend. Harry Nickerson ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Tip of the Month for Fruit News Online - Coffee Grounds Date: Sun, 27 Mar 2005 21:59:50 -0800 From: Joe Sabol Hi Leo: Here is a "tip of the month" for you and your fantastic Fruit News Online!!! Do you enjoy Starbuck's Coffee? It does not matter, go to a Starbucks anyway!! Pick up a free bag of used coffee grounds and put it on your compost or spread it directly around your fruit trees!!! It is a win-win activity for Starbucks, for you, and for your Rare Fruit Garden!!! Most Starbuck Coffee Shops will place the coffee grounds in a heavy duty silver bag, seal it with a "compost information sticker" and place it in a container right near the door. Just go in, pick up a bag, say thank you and "keep it up" to the sales staff. Now for the surprise... You have a tough water tight silver bag. Do not toss it in the trash. Rinse it out and save it. You will find 1000 uses for this heavy duty silver coffee bag!!! Joe Sabol Central Coast Chapter mailto:jsabol@calpoly.edu ------------------------------------------------ Subject: White Sapote Seedling Won't Bear Fruit Date: Wed, 30 Mar 2005 19:11:37 -0800 From: Todd Abel Leo, All is well, hope things are good for you. My White Sapote is the only problem child left out of 50+ fruit trees. This is a Suebelle seedling, and it lost its leaves last year, but then releafed to a beautiful green tree over the wet winter. The tree has been in the ground for 5 years, and is 10 ft. Now the leaves are falling off, just like last spring. It will releaf, but all the flowers will also drop with the leaves. So no fruit again. The tree is planted close to a Loquat and Guava, which both fruit like crazy. I fertilize the White Sapote organically, and have not had to water with all the rain. The tree is in full sun, near my driveway. Why is this White Sapote dropping its leaves? I canÕt find any info on diseases for White Sapote on the internet. Most references state the White Sapote to be Òfree of insects and diseasesÓ. Other notesÉ The Sapodilla fruit is still hanging in there, and I canÕt wait to taste them. My Rose Apple is fruiting for first time. The Dwarf Red Banana is slowly growing, but looks good even after the rain. My Coconut palm seems to have survived the record rains. I successfully grafted Li Jujube onto a So Jujube. Seemed very easy to me. I have a few Banana Pups, free for the taking here in Orange, CA. Todd Abel mailto:table@socal.rr.com [I would guess that your Sapote doesn't bear as it should because it's a seedling. You could graft it or replace with a grafted one. That doesn't explain why it loses its leaves, however. If you have room, maybe plant another sapote in a different location to see if something is in the soil. -Leo] ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Jackfruit Trees - Bear Fruit In San Diego Area? Date: Wed, 30 Mar 2005 18:26:13 -0800 (PST) From: Leonel Amarillas Guzman Hi Leo, I wonder if you know about bearing jackfruit trees in San Diego or nearby areas. What other great tasting exotic tropicals do bear in south California (San Diego, etc ). I would like to grow jackfruit and other tropicals in here. Thanks. Leonel Guzman mailto:floemxilem@yahoo.com [Paul Fisher mailto:mageethor@aol.com has successfully fruited Jackfruit - and has other rare fruit trees planted. Hopefully, he'll write and discuss this more. -Leo] <><> Mailbag of Sainarong Rasananda mailto:sainaron@loxinfo.co.th <><> Subject: To Leo from Sainarong Date: Sat, 26 Mar 2005 12:17:29 +0700 From: Sainarong Siripen Rasananda I sincerely hope your health is as well as can be hoped for. I really want to write more often to wish you good health but I realize that too many e-mails would be too much of a burden on you, especially during your period of bad health. However, I do appreciate your informing all of us of the state of your health via the RFNO. In response to your request for more RFNO correspondence, I offered to answer questions on tropical fruits; I do not want such a worthy undertaking to wither away. I expected about one question a week; I am surprised to find so many questions sent to me; I may take some time to answer some of the questions because I have to track down the appropriate specialists on each subject; I want the answer to be as correct as possible. The number of requests I received clearly shows that your RFNO is still widely read by many people. However, for some reasons, most of them do not write. But they will write if given certain appropriate stimulus, such as my offer to answer. So all you need is to give the readers the appropriate incentives, and the RFNO will be bustling, as it deserves to be. Old age and the accompanying deteriorating health is unavoidable, but enjoying life isa something many of us can control to some extent. Enjoy yourselves! SAinarong mailto:sainaron@loxinfo.co.th PS I am really intrigued with Michael Hillman's effort to sell pitaya plants in Canada; it is like selling refridgerators to the Eskimos. He tells me he has 7000 hits on his website; this is incredible! ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Potassium chlorate for lychees Date: Tue, 15 Mar 2005 23:15:33 -0800 From: Oscar Jaitt To: sainaron@loxinfo.co.th Sainarong, I heard a report from a farmer that if lychees trees are treated with potassium chlorate at the right time of the year (Dec.-Jan.) they can be induced to flower, just like longans. Do you think this is possible? I have read in many articles that lychees do not respond to potassium chlorate, but according to this report they do if and only if the potassium chlorate is applied at the normal time that lychees begin to flower. Have there been many experiments with potassium chlorate on lychees in Thailand? By the way, I do not know if you remember me, but I met you a few years back at your longan orchard. I was there with my Thai friend Kamchai. It was a very pleasant visit and great to meet you and see your longan orchard. Oscar Jaitt, Hawaii mailto:fruitlovers@fruitlovers.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: Potassium chlorate for lychees Date: Wed, 16 Mar 2005 21:49:56 +0700 From: Sainarong Siripen Rasananda To: Oscar Jaitt I have been to Australia, Taiwan and China on horticultural trips and no one has talked about the possibility of treating lychees with potassium chlorate. In Thailand, people have experimented, unsuccessfully. I think people have given up on this possibility. Hawaii, I am told by Mike Nagao, is even warmer than Thailand. You must find it hard to get the lychees to flower there. I shall write again to tell you of our attempts to get lychees to flower in warm weather. Yes, I do remember meeting you at my home in Chiangmai. I hope you are your friend are well. Sainarong mailto:sainaron@loxinfo.co.th ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: resurrected Date: Wed, 16 Mar 2005 21:32:44 +0700 From: Sainarong Siripen Rasananda To: ronald lyn The surprising thing is this: longan is just about the only fruit tree which responds well to potassium chlorate, and potassium chlorate works well only on longan. After all these years, we still do not really understand the mechanism of potassium chlorate on longan. However, you have to use it carefully, because there are some drawbacks to using potassium chlorate. But if properly used, there will be no harm done. Thank you for writing, Sainarong mailto:sainaron@loxinfo.co.th ----- Original Message ----- > From: ronald lyn > To: sainaron@loxinfo.co.th > Sent: Wednesday, March 16, 2005 7:00 PM > Subject: resurrected > > > hi Sainaron. Here is my input. > > I have noticed and kept almost all pertinent info that > you have given over the years, from the early days > prior to the widespread use on potassium chlorate. Tell > me are there anymore data that you have come across as > to its use that have developed the last couple years?. > Is there any other chemicals which have shown promise? > > I know some things you would have gone over in the > past, but it would be nice to revisit some aspects of > the longan. > > Thanks > > Ronald ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Lychee, longan, Rambutan conference Date: Sun, 20 Mar 2005 11:03:37 -0500 (EST) From: RThomp9589@aol.com To: sainaron@loxinfo.co.th Hello Sainarong Rasananda, A couple of years ago I was in Chiang Mai for a conference on Longan and Lychee there was talk of having the next conference in Vietnam in a few years. I have e-mailed some of the Vietnamese participants but have received no reply's Have you heard anything? Thanks Rob Thompson mailto:RThomp9589@aol.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Wax Jambu Date: Sun, 20 Mar 2005 11:16:49 -0500 (EST) From: RThomp9589@aol.com To: sainaron@loxinfo.co.th Hello, Got a question about Wax Jambu. I have three different varieties (two Thai) from various propagation methods but still no fruit. Even though I live in southern California and lose a third of the leaves when the trees shut down each winter they are definitely large and old enough that they should fruit. Do you do any special fertilizing or procedure on these? Thanks Rob Thompson mailto:RThomp9589@aol.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: Wax Jambu Date: Fri, 25 Mar 2005 07:01:47 +0700 From: Sainarong Siripen Rasananda To: RThomp9589@aol.com I don't know much about wax jambu but I have a friend who is arguably the best-known wax jambu grower in Thailand. It took me quite a long time to track him. Here is his advice. Cool weather does indeed results in leave drop fro wax jambu. This does not occur in tropical central Thailand, but in the subtropical northern Thailand, leave drop has been known to occur during some particularly cold years. After leave drop, about 1 month before the new leaves comes out, you are advised to apply fertiliser to the soil. Fertilisers with a high amount of phosphorus and potassium should be used. If all goes well, the new leaves will be followed by flowers. However, in your current situation, presumably, the new leaves have already sprouted, so it is too late to aplpy fertiliser now. In this case, you should wait until one month before the second round of leaves are due to sprout, and apply similar fertilisers. The P and K are supposed to encourage accumualtion of sugar and starch. Good luck! Sainarong mailto:sainaron@loxinfo.co.th PS Wax jambu is very popular in Thailand. The price is satisfactory to the growers. Wax jambu requires a great deal of attentive care and manual labor, so the optimum wax jambu orchard size is not very large. ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: Lychee, longan, Rambutan conference Date: Sun, 20 Mar 2005 23:18:34 +0700 From: Sainarong Siripen Rasananda To: RThomp9589@aol.com I have not heard anything, but I will check with my sources and find out more. I wouldn't be surprised if the conference is not held in Vietnam. I was present during the entire discussion. The governing body of the conference was practically forcing the conference on the Vietnamese delegates who were very reluctant, and gave a sort of non-comittal agreement. Sainarong mailto:sainaron@loxinfo.co.th > ----- Original Message ----- > From: RThomp9589@aol.com > To: sainaron@loxinfo.co.th > Cc: rarefruit@san.rr.com > Sent: Sunday, March 20, 2005 11:03 PM > Subject: Lychee, longan, Rambutan conference > > Hello Sainarong Rasananda, > > A couple of years ago I was in Chiang Mai for a > conference on Longan and Lychee there was talk of > having the next conference in Vietnam in a few years. > > I have e-mailed some of the Vietnamese participants > but have received no reply's Have you heard anything? > > Thanks > > Rob Thompson ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: Unsuccessful Pollianation of lychee in San Diego Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2005 22:49:08 +0700 From: Sainarong Siripen Rasananda To: marionbrodie2@webtv.net Dear Marion, I think that one of the persons best qualified to answer your question is my good friend, Barry Nicholls, a successful commercial lychee grower in Australia. So I put the question to him and here is his answer. Sainarong mailto:sainaron@loxinfo.co.th **************************************************************** I feel that it can only be climatic conditions or all male or all female flowers, but most likely the climatic conditions. Lychees do not need pollinators - they can be beneficial but not necessary. The most likely cause is lack of humidity; this can be overcome by placing containers of water under the tree. Normally the first lychee flowers are male followed by female. If there are no male flowers when the female flowers open then there will be no pollination. Most Lychee varieties also have a number of hermaphrodite flowers which are self pollinating and normally produce the best fruit. Cheers Barry & Heather PS We are very busy at the moment harvesting longans. ********************************************************************* > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Marion Brodie" > To: > Sent: Wednesday, March 16, 2005 1:11 PM > Subject: re lychee > > > > Hello sainaron, > > I have a lychee which will not fruit [ been blossoming for several > > years] we live east of San Diego, so very dry [and hot in the summer] > > As the tree is now in bloom was wondering if I can hand pollinate [with > > paint brushes] as I did with my Cherimoya last year [finally got fruit > > on it this year]... > > I will keep the tree well watered and misted altho we have had so much > > rain this year which has been wonderful for the fruit trees etc., > > > > I understand that the lychee growing here is difficult to pollinate > > because the bees are not attracted to the blossom. ? and not much else > > will pollinate ? ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Lychee and Longan cultural requirements Date: Sat, 26 Mar 2005 13:22:42 +0700 From: Sainarong Siripen Rasananda To: William Butler I am still trying to contact a professional nurseryman who knows more about this than I do. I have not been able to contact him yet and I am going away for a week so I'd better answer you now and give you more details later on when I get back. My Aussie friends have brought me longan and lychee marcots when they flew into Thailand a few years ago. I had no problem with longan whatsoever; longan is hardy plant. However, I experienced a high rate of failure with lychees. I am told later on that the hardiness of lychee varies from cultivar to cultivar. A Thai friend who had similar problem told me that the sudden change of cllimate is the major culprit. He said the the rapid loss of water due to the high temperature in Thailand sounded the death keel for my lychee; I recall that the lychee marcots which came in during the rainy season survived better than the marcots brought in the hort season. He told me that he now put the marcots in a plastic bag and tie the top tightly and keep the marcots in a cool place; now he has an almost 100% success rate. I shall visit him when I get back to find out the details. Yan Diczbalis, the Australian senior horticulturist, told me that "Marcotts should be potted and placed under intermitant mist for a week or two to help them establish or I am sure a plastic bag would give you the same effect.". This should be ideal, but I do not have the necessary facility. After the first week or two passes, I put the marcots in a shaded well-ventilated cool area, and gradually expose the marcots to the outside environment. Then I plant the trees in my outdoor plot, taking care to provide the necessary shade at first. If the area is windy, I would tie the sapling to a firm stick. I also segregate the area from wandering animals and children. How do I take care of the trees after that? I find that most people make the mistake of adding too much fertilisers or water; this can have a negative effect on the young plants. The young plants do not require a lot of water or fertilisers. I find that a common sense approach is the best. Before planting, make sure that the soil is well-drained, and has a normal amount of organic matter, but not too much. Shade them whenever the sun is too hot, shield them from strong wind, water them only when the soil is dry, do not let them get rooted up by dogs and other animals. Keep a close watch on them but do not tamper with them unneccessarily. And above all, be patient. The marcots have travelled a long distance, they need time to recover. Hope this helps. I will get back to you next week. Sainarong mailto:sainaron@loxinfo.co.th ----- Original Message ----- From: William Butler To: sainaron@loxinfo.co.th Sent: Sunday, March 20, 2005 9:25 PM Subject: Lychee and Longan cultural requirements Dear Sainarong I am a member of the california rare fruit growers and a member of a local chapter in central california. The reason I am writing to you is that I am going to order a number of airlayered Lychee trees from Puerto Rico.I t's a group order for several members in my local chapter. I have a less than perfect growing environment here in central california for tropical fruit and am asking of you for some cultural requirements to help me be successful in growing and fruiting a tree here. There was another CRFG member who used to live in the same town as me, who grew and fruited both " Brewster " lychee and " Kohala " longan. He no longer lives here and so I'm not able to ask him for growing information. If you are willing to help me with growing information I would appreciate if you forwarded a copy of our emails to Leo Manuels newsletter so that others could benefit from your answers as well. Sincerly William Butler Visalia Ca mailto:butlerfamly5@sbcglobal.net ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: Longan questions Date: Sat, 26 Mar 2005 13:59:16 +0700 From: Sainarong Siripen Rasananda To: Charles Ferrin 1. See my e-mail to William Butler. Longan is a hardy plant, very easy to grow. If the marcot is in good condition, you should have no problem. The ideal soil is one which is properly-drained, doesn't dried too fast, and yet does not soak up water like a sponge. Roots need water but do not like to be drenched all the time, ever-wet soil is not god for the trees. Sandy soil is fine, but not too sandy, though. The soil should not be compact, it needs to breathe and should contain about 25% air, incredible, isn't it? About 3% organic matter should be fine. If the soil is not favorable, you can always improve its quality. Very little fertiliser is needed for the first two years; too much fertilisers during the first two years may damage the tree. So any fertiliser recommended for young trees will do. When you plant the tree, it is preferable to put in on a mound so that water will run off the mound and will not collect at the base of the tree. Do not put the tree in too deep, the upper roots should be near the surface. Tie the tree firmly to a stick so that it will not be swayed by strong winds. Shade it whenever the sun gets too hot and remove the shade when the heat wave is gone. Remember that the sun does not stay in the same place in the sky throughout the year, so make sure that the shade is in the right position to prtect the tree from the direct sunlight. Use common sense and don't overdo it. 2. AS for the dog, each dog and each owner is different, so it is hard to say without knowing both. As for me, I put a fence around the tree. mailto:sainaron@loxinfo.co.th ----- Original Message ----- From: "Charles Ferrin" To: Sent: Tuesday, March 22, 2005 9:39 PM Subject: Longan questions > Hello Sainarong, > > Thank you for offering to answer questions about > lychees and longans. I have two questions about > longans. First, I gave my relatives in Tampa, Florida > a young longan tree (about 1 1/2 years old) to plant > in their yard, and they still have it in the pot. > Spring is here, so they want to plant it in ground. > Do you have any advice for planting and establishing > this tree in a Florida yard? Our soil here is sandy, > but does have some organic content. How should this > young tree be fertilized? > In addition, they have a young dog that likes to > chew on small plants and trees. Is there anything I > can do to protect the longan tree from their dog when > they plant it in the yard? > Charles Ferrin mailto:cferrin5@yahoo.com > Sarasota, FL > Zone 9b <><><><><> Growing Rare Fruit In Containers <><><><><> Subject: Re: Cherimoya Date: Thu, 31 Mar 2005 10:36:53 -0800 (PST) From: Marc Schuyler To: Jerry Zhang Hi Jerry: No problem - I have been growing Cherimoya successfully in containers. By my view, the local winter climate has NOT affected my trees in the slightest, though the trees generally drop their leaves briefly in about April. I have two trees that have each produced fruit, and my trees have been grown from seed. I have seen Cherimoya at nurseries up here, at Summer Winds to be precise, though you're much more likely to immediately find trees if you're down in Southern California at a nursery. My strong advice would be to go with a nursery bought, grafted tree, i.e., my fruit is sweet and of good quality but excessively seedy and a bit on the small side; the fruit size "could" be an artifact of my trees being in containers. My trees are kept on a shady part of the house, in a VERY SLIGHTLY protected location - I say "slightly," because in the same location exactly, I've had banana, poinciana and guava trees scorched to the ground by the winter overnight freezes (just as they would be away from the house) and that area in winter (immediately adjacent to the Cherimoyas) and the area gets no morning sun (in fact, it gets no direct sunlight at all in winter); measuring temperatures fluctuations there, I've noticed little difference in that area from the open ground, although established pineapple plants have also survived there without any noticeable impact. As this implies, I haven't tried the Cherimoya in open, unprotected ground, but it's my belief that they would do fine even without shelter given their relative performance to other plants on the "shady" side of the house. My seedlings took about 3 years to start fruiting and are in approximately 30 inch pots or barrels with a depth of about 30 inches as well. In these containers, I found I have had to trim them to keep all branches within ladder polinizing height, e.g., to keep the plants less than about 13 feet tall. The thing I need to experiment with more is putting these seedling trees in the ground and seeing if fruit size improves - my guess is "no," that it's really a difference between my seedlings and the grafted trees - part of my reason for saying this is that I noticed some grafted Cherimoyas at an Armstrong nursery in LA in 5 gallon containers ("El Bumpo," I believe) and was struck by the size of the blooms - they were huge compared to the flowers on my seedlings, and my guess is the fruit would be proportionally much larger also, relative to the plants I have. I would by no means consider myself an expert, but this has been my experience in the santa clara county. I'm going to copy this message to Leo (excerpting your message), as I know Leo sometimes likes to publish anecdotes relating to containerized fruit trees. Hope this helps. Best Regards, Marc mailto:marc_schuyler@yahoo.com --- Jerry wrote: Hi Marc > I read your post on the rare fruit newsletter. ... You > mentioned you have Cherimoya. I live in Cupertino and > am very seriously interested in growing one or two > Cherimoya trees, plus maybe Lychee and Longan. > Regarding Cherimoya, I've got mixed signals from > reading and talking to the local nursery in Saratoga > (Yamagami) that it may be hard to grow Cherimoya > successfully because of the cold winter. Personally, I > don't know anyone locally who has done so successfully. > Therefore I am very intrigued by your Cherimoya tree > and would like to know more if you don't mind. > > Thanks > > Jerry <><><><> Announcements And Web Pages To Consider <><><><> San Diego Chapter California Rare Fruit Growers Meeting: Where: Casa del Prado Building Room 101, Balboa Park When: Fourth Thursday Of Each Month (Except December) See: http://www.crfgsandiego.org http://members.cox.net/ncsdcrfg For North County CRFG Chapter Meeting http://www.crfg.org/chapters.html For information about ALL CRFG chapters. http://www.crfg.org/chapters.html For information about all CRFG chapters. <><>Bot-Linx List http://www.ou.edu/cas/botany-micro/bot-linx/<><> From: "Scott D. Russell" Bot-Linx List http://www.ou.edu/cas/botany-micro/bot-linx/ Subject: SBLD - Plants for the People Date: Mon, 14 Mar 2005 23:48:25 -0600 From: "Scott D. Russell" http://www.discoverlife.org/pa/pr/plantsforthepeople.html "Plants for the People" proposes to build and illustrated checklist and identification guide to world plants that will be shared freely on the Internet. So far, there are 28,686 names collected so far. The DiscoverLife site relies on cooperation and has important supporters in the Missouri Botanical Garden, National Biological Information Infrastructure, New York Botanical Garden, and Smithsonian Institution. Much of the data is offsite, but will be a nice metadata collection site. -SR ------------------------------------------------ Subject: SBLD - Native and Introduced Plants of Southern California Date: Tue, 15 Mar 2005 10:08:40 -0600 From: "Scott D. Russell" http://tchester.org/plants/ Among the floras in the continental US, probably there are none as complex as those of California. This site began as a checklist to some walking trails and now has expanded to extensive trail guides and checklists covering much of the geography of the southern half of the state. Meticulously recorded, with help of GPS, much of this data could be useful in mapping species change over the years. The site is massive, but the Google search may help locate specific data. There are some images and a lot of phenological data. This shows what dedicated amateurs with a passion for botanical observation can amass. Site by Tom Chester and Jane Strong. (***1/2) -SR ------------------------------------------------ Subject: SBLD - Bamboo Date: Wed, 23 Mar 2005 08:24:30 -0600 From: "Scott D. Russell" http://www.earthcare.com.au/bamboo.htm There are many sites on bamboo available on the Internet. I selected this one simply because it is quite straightforward for making identifications to genus, with Bambusa, Dendrocalamus, Gigantochloa, Guadua, Melocanna, Nastus, Phyllostachys, Schizostachyum, Thyrsostachys and one plant easily confused with a bamboo. This site and an image from Pat Cullinan convinced me that there are more big bamboos than I was aware of! There are also notes on growing bamboos, slide shows, cooking instructions for bamboo shoots & recipes available. Site by Earthcare Enterprises, with nursery & farm based in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland, Queensland, Australia. (***) -SR <><><> NAFEX List From: nafex-request@lists.ibiblio.org <><><> None this time <><> [rarefruit] List - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rarefruit <><> None this time <> Agricultural Research Service (ARS) mailto:ars http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/thelatest.htm. Subject: Mobile Lab Helps Contain Exotic Pests Date: Thu, 17 Mar 2005 08:54:54 -0500 From: ARS News Service FORT PIERCE, Fla., Mar. 17--A new U.S. Department of Agriculture mobile biocontainment laboratory that will allow scientists to work more safely with invasive species and other agricultural threats was unveiled here today at the U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory (USHRL). "This mobile unit will allow USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to continue cooperative efforts to protect American agriculture from a variety of pests and diseases," said ARS Administrator Edward B. Knipling. "It's another example of the strong partnership between the two agencies, which have previously partnered in efforts to control fire ants, detect bovine spongiform encephalopathy, and eradicate screwworms and fruit flies." The event at USHRL was hosted by ARS and APHIS. APHIS is responsible for protecting and promoting U.S. animal and plant health, administering the Animal Welfare Act, and carrying out wildlife damage management activities. ARS is a scientific research agency. Representatives of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services' Division of Plant Industry, the University of Florida, and the Florida citrus industry joined USDA officials for today's event. The innovative greenhouse lab was designed and developed by ARS plant pathologist Timothy R. Gottwald at USHRL, in collaboration with APHIS plant pathologist Paul E. Parker, director of the Mission Plant Protection Center in Mission, Texas. Gottwald and retired ARS plant pathologist Steve Garnsey designed and built the prototype lab, which has been used for the past decade to study citrus canker and other plant diseases. Construction and final outfitting of the new Mobile Containment Greenhouse/Laboratory were funded by APHIS and overseen by Parker at the lab in Mission. The 48-foot-long lab has a computer-controlled greenhouse and laboratory that are sealed off from the outside. Built on a trailer-type chassis, the lab can be moved to different locations as needed. In addition to tours of the mobile lab and presentations by Gottwald and Parker, today's event also included demonstrations of a new wind tunnel created by USHRL scientists for studies of citrus canker bacterial dispersal and infection. The tunnel can generate a full range of winds, from gentle breezes to hurricane velocity. ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Bacterium Tapped To Battle Fire Blight Disease in Tree Fruit Date: Fri, 25 Mar 2005 14:08:56 -0500 From: ARS News Service Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists in Wenatchee, Wash., are fighting fire with fire--sort of. Their fight is against Erwinia amylovora, the bacterium responsible for fire blight, a costly disease of apples, pears and other tree fruit. Controls include pruning, cultural practices and spraying infected trees with antibiotics. Resistance to one antibiotic, streptomycin, has emerged in fire blight strains of the Pacific Northwest. Now, as a bio-alternative, ARS plant pathologist Larry Pusey and colleagues are calling on Pantoea agglomerans strain E325. The blossom-dwelling bacterium naturally competes with fire blight for space and nutrients that both need to survive. Unlike its rival, E325 doesn't cause disease, according to Pusey, who's in the ARS Tree Fruit Research Laboratory at Wenatchee. There, he showed that spraying E325 onto blossoms enables the bacterium to crowd out its fire blight rival so the disease is less able to cause harm. E325 is a "top pick" from more than a thousand bacteria and yeasts that Pusey examined for biocontrol potential using a screening method that involves growing the microbes on detached crab apple blossoms. In 1999, soon after ARS patented E325, Northwest Agricultural Products, Inc. (NAP), of Pasco, Wash., entered into a cooperative research and development agreement with ARS to work with Pusey's lab in commercially developing the fire blight-fighting strain. Under the agreement, Pusey helped NAP evaluate a fermentation medium to mass-produce E325 and formulate it for use. His lab also furnished NAP with secondary strains of E325 that can survive being used with antibiotics. Orchard trials Pusey led from 2002 to 2004 identified effective application rates. Results showed that E325 was 10 to 100 times better at suppressing the fire blight bacterium than other earlier-reported biocontrol agents, including Pseudomonas fluorescens strain A506. NAP has exclusively licensed ARS' patent (US No. 5,919,446) on E325 and plans to register the strain with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for use on apples and pears under the product name "Bloomtime Biological FD." <><><><><><><><><> End of AKA RFN200504A.txt <><><><><><><><><><> Rare Fruit News Online - April 15, 2005 - AKA RFN200504B.txt ____________________________________________________________ <><><><> Notes In Passing - Leo <><><><> RFNO - Since December, 1996. Were any of you on the mailing list in 1996? There weren't many, and I believe most lived in Florida. You can read the early issue http://www.rarefruit.com/RFN1996AllYr.txt and all issues since are on file. (replace 1996 with any subsequent year to find another one. That's almost 9 years and still going pretty well - thanks to your support! Where'd the rains go? It's been pretty dry in recent weeks here. I don't have ANY apricots on my few trees, which hasn't happened in recent years. Do you have fruit on yours? Did rain at bloom-time wash away the pollen? Sainarong Rasananda has written some excellent letters on Pitayas that have been recently been posted on Pitaya Fruit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PitayaFruit/ If interested, go there and look at "Messages." He has gone through just about everything you'll want to read about successfully growing pitayas. There were numerous letters written to the [rarefruit] Yahoo newsgroup, from which I borrowed some, for your reading. You should consider subscribing to the excellent newsletter! <><><><><><><><><> Table Of Contents <><><><><><><><><> -> -> -> Messages follow the Table Of Contents <- <- <- <><><> New Subscribers <><><> New Subscriber-Oceanside, CA-Has Fruit Questions Barbara Banks <><><> Readers Write <><><> Cherries In San Diego jcobbe@mail.com Nam Doc Mai splitting bentleye To: richardsar01@yahoo.com Anyone Successful With Pawpaws In Southern California? marionbrodie2@webtv.net (Marion Brodie) My Garden's Progress In Sun Valley, CA James Freedner Re: Cherries In San Diego Leo Manuel To: jcobbe@mail.com Nam Doc Mai Splitting HMHausman@aol.com To: richardsar01@yahoo.com Re: Why is this White Sapote dropping its leaves? Edward Lin To: table@socal.rr.com Re: Marble-sized American persimmon Edward Lin To: margaret@margaretlauterbach.com NDM splitting Edward Lin To: richardsar01@yahoo.com Anti Transpirants Needed In Hong Kong Or China Bernadine Fernando Re: cherries in San Diego life-doc To: jcobbe@mail.com, rarefruit@san.rr.com Re: Nam Doc Mai Mango Splits Richard Sar Re: Longan and Leo's Mag Richard Sar To: Todd Abel Re: Nam Doc Mai Mango Splits David To: Richard Sar RE: Nam Doc Mai Mango Splits Edward Lin To: 'bentleye' , 'Richard Sar' In Brazil - Want To Exchange Seed Information Mulberry Weirdness - ÀGenetic Variation? marionbrodie2@webtv.net (Marion Brodie) Persimmon Hybrids For Colder Climates bassem@gardener.com Cats & Gophers Doug Young Re: Leo's "Improved" Anna Apple Cheryl Noble <><> Mailbag of Sainarong Rasananda mailto:sainaron@loxinfo.co.th <><> Re: Lychee and Longan cultural requirements Sainarong Siripen Rasananda To: William Butler Re: Thai neem, Indian neem Sainarong Siripen Rasananda mailto:sainaron@loxinfo.co.th To: Richard Sar mailto:richardsar01@yahoo.com Re: Longans in Bloom for So. California Sainarong Siripen Rasananda mailto:sainaron@loxinfo.co.th To: Richard Sar mailto:richardsar01@hotmail.com Longans in Bloom for So. California Richard Sar mailto:richardsar01@yahoo.com Re: Questions on longans ronald lyn mailto:kanku1234@cwjamaica.com To: Sainarong Siripen Rasananda mailto:sainaron@loxinfo.co.th Re: Questions on longans Leo Manuel mailto:rarefruit@san.rr.com To: Sainarong Siripen Rasananda mailto:sainaron@loxinfo.co.th <><><><><> Growing Rare Fruit In Containers <><><><><> None, this time <><><> Announcements and / or Web Sites To Consider <><><> http://www.crfgsandiego.org For *San Diego Chapter* CRFG Information http://members.cox.net/ncsdcrfg For North County CRFG Chapter Meeting http://www.crfg.org/chapters.html For information about ALL CRFG chapters. <><>Bot-Linx List <> From: "Scott D. Russell" None, this time <><><> NAFEX List <><><> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/nafex Archives at http://lists.ibiblio.org/pipermail/nafex None, this time <><><> From "rarefruit list" - rarefruit@yahoogroups.com <><><> ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Growing Fruit in containers From: "nc_downeaster" ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Re: Growing Fruit in containers From: Michael Nave ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Re: Growing Fruit in containers From: "Otto" ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Re: Growing Fruit in containers From: Christopher Hind ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Re: Growing Fruit in containers From: mIEKAL aND ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Re: Growing Fruit in containers From: "tabbydan" ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Re: mango fruit set From: "Bobbi Spencer" ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Re: mango fruit set From: james singer ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Black Sapote From: bananaizme@aol.com ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Re: Black sapote From: oscarrj [mailto: fruitlovers@eudoramail.com] ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Asit's WebSite: Still Under Construction From: Thaumaturgist <> Agricultural Research Service (ARS) mailto:ars>news@arsgrin.gov <> http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/thelatest.htm Capturing Carbon a Key Benefit of No-Till Soil Management ARS News Service Predatory Insects May Help Solve Mealybug Problem ARS News Service <><><><><><><><> New Subscribers <><><><><><><><><> Subject: New Subscriber-Oceanside, CA-Has Fruit Questions Date: Mon, 04 Apr 2005 20:39:19 -0700 From: Barbara Banks Hi Leo, I spoke with you on the phone last year asking about blackberries. Last year I had 3 community garden plots in San Marcos. I just moved to Oceanside, one mile from Vista, where the climate is cooler and I have a moderate sized yard to grow stuff in. So far, I've planted a Long Yellow fig that I got from George Emerich, and some blackberry and raspberry plants from various sources. I want to plant a white peach tree-the sweeter the better- and some guavas, etc. 1. What are some fast growing fruit trees? 2. Where is a good place to find several varieties of passion fruit? Please add me to your newsletter list: Barbara Banks mailto:ivorytikler@hotmail.com 760.216.6026 <><><><><><><><><> Readers Write<><><><><><><><><><> Subject: cherries in san diego Date: Fri, 01 Apr 2005 19:41:30 -0800 From: jcobbe@mail.com Hi Leo I live in the Lake Hodges area of Escondido I have four cherry trees: Rainier, Bing, Kansas Sweet and one that escapes me for the moment, Stella, I think. The Rainier in particular seems to have really good fruit set this year, and I was wondering if anyone else out there has had similar results. What varieties have done best? I don't recall it being particularly cold this year, so maybe it is rain related. The fruit is approx 1/2 inch diam so I assume they will mature Unlike last year, all of the trees seem to have set viable fruit Anyway ....hope to hear from the Cherry section Regards John Cobbe mailto:jcobbe@mail.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Nam Doc Mai splitting Date: Fri, 01 Apr 2005 20:11:20 -0800 From: bentleye To: richardsar01@yahoo.com Richard, I've also had the problem with Nam Doc Mai splitting. I got sick of it and started wrapping them tight in paper towel with a rubber band outside to keep them closed. When they felt ripe I'd unwrap and they were pretty good. Sometimes they would get some mold on the inside surface, but it didn't spoil the rest of the flesh. I know this is not a solution, but it does salvage something and prevent a total loss. David Silverstein mailto:bentleye@cox.net ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Anyone Successful With Pawpaws In Southern California? Date: Fri, 01 Apr 2005 21:40:14 -0800 From: marionbrodie2@webtv.net (Marion Brodie) I was wondering if any of the Rare Fruit growers here in southern Calif have tried Paw Paw... I did have two trees about 10 years ago but they did not fruit and really did not do well out here in the east county and we eventually took them out.. However I have just purchased another two and am hoping these will do better... As there does not seem to be much info about Paw Paw's [that I have found].. I can only judge by what William F. Whitman writes in his book [Five Decades with tropical Fruit] that possibly with a suitable root stock amongst the Annonas we may have more success growing them [his in Florida were a very disappointing experience. [so were the seedlings] I noticed in one nursery catalog that their rootstock was mango, however, they could not guarantee that I would have success growing them. [I did not purchase those particular ones] Apparantly Paw Paw's do well in northern climates, so perhaps we do not have enough winter chill ?... I have some seeds also in my refridgerator right now so am hoping to sprout those... [when we last grew the trees they were in the shade] I have them potted right now...and not sure whether or not to plant them in the sun this time.... Has anyone tried to grow them down here ? marion mailto:marionbrodie2@webtv.net blessings [Lots of Southern California folks have tried but I haven't heard anything about their success. I've eaten fruit (don't recall where they were grown) that was delicious. My guess is that there are clones more likely to succeed than others, and that there is some chill requirement. I hope we hear from some of you who have succeeded. -Leo] ------------------------------------------------ Subject: My Garden's Progress In Sun Valley, CA Date: Fri, 01 Apr 2005 22:21:51 -0800 From: James Freedner Hi, Leo, Glad to hear your knee is on the mend! I take it you can get back to gardening chores. My "Anna apple" tree is far too small to be getting any crop or even an apple-let! But it does have new leaves so I presume it's healthy. The one Fuyu persimmon seedling died, the day I set the pot outside in the sunlight. Maybe it got too much sun, I just don't know. Another seed in the pot sprouted in its place and at least so far seems to be growing. Perhaps they know they're not in Japan (or wherever Fuyus grow naturally). Pitaya cactus has lots of little stem buds, not flowers but just growing out in more potential directions. I'm sure the record-setting rains have done some magic for it. Grapefruit tree out front has some flowers -- OK, maybe not a true "exotic" but I grew it from a seed 22 years ago so it's definitely not standard nursery stock. Myers lemon in the back yard has flowers, a few lemons -- actually looks like it could use a bit more water. It's in a tree ring surrounded by concrete so even with the rains, it doesn't get much water. Pistacchio tree sort of keeled over (maybe from the rain) and now is bothersome every time I try to get to my recycling trash cans by the side of the house. If it doesn't start growing upward again...pruning might be in order. Never saw a flower or a nut on it, but its leaves are pretty enough - start out reddish and mature to a shiny green (think avocado leaf, same oily surface but much smaller size). That's about it from my garden right now -- I've sort of been ignoring things (horrors!) while I work on improving 2 other rental houses I own (one in Hanford, CA). My partner and I want to sell the rental in North Hollywood while prices are up. Loads of "shamrocks" this year -- Indian heather or Tecumseh's Mound, I think they are. Again, not an exotic but a pretty flower bunch that started out on the north side of my house in the shade and proceeded to take over the whole corner. J. Eric Freedner mailto:Freedner@msn.com Sun Valley, CA ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: cherries in san diego Date: Sat, 02 Apr 2005 09:51:04 -0800 From: Leo Manuel To: jcobbe@mail.com CC: "V C Vint" , "Paul Fisher" Skip Vint mailto:life-doc@cox.net has done well with cherries at his Rancho Santa Fe home. I have forgotten the variety that he has. It would be interesting to hear from all who have successfully produced cherries in San Diego County. There exists a so-called low-chill variety and I hope we can hear from anyone who has tried it. Paul Fisher mailto:mageethor@aol.com is one who has a tree and hopefully we can hear from him. Horticordially, Leo mailto:rarefruit@san.rr.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Nam Doc Mai Splitting Date: Sat, 02 Apr 2005 17:13:57 -0500 (EST) From: HMHausman@aol.com To: richardsar01@yahoo.com Hi Richard: I read your note to Leo about the Nam Doc Mai splitting problem. I don't know where you are growing, but here in South Florida we have the same problem. I think it is just a characteristic of the cultivar, but it may have something to do with water as well, at least in part. I have never had a Nam Doc Mai fruit ripen on the tree without splitting. They must be harvested after maturity but while still green and then ripened. Good luck. Harry Hausman mailto:HMHausman@aol.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: Why is this White Sapote dropping its leaves? Date: Sat, 02 Apr 2005 22:38:54 -0500 From: Edward Lin To: table@socal.rr.com Hello Todd, Regarding your white sapote, you said: ÒThe tree is planted close to a Loquat and Guava, which both fruit like crazy. I fertilize the White Sapote organically, and have not had to water with all the rain. The tree is in full sun, near my driveway. Why is this White Sapote dropping its leaves?Ó I suspect it may be from excessive water. Root stress from too much water can show the same symptoms as inadequate irrigation. Your driveway runoff (especially if it drains a roof downspout) may result in the tree getting more than its share of rain. Ed mailto:elin@ingenious.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: Marble-sized American persimmon Date: Sat, 02 Apr 2005 22:43:59 -0500 From: Edward Lin To: margaret@margaretlauterbach.com > A number of years ago, I bought an American persimmon tree > by mail order, and planted it near an apricot tree so it > would get some shade while it was getting established. It > died to the ground that winter, but in spring, here it came. > It grew up, somewhat crookedly because of the shade, until > last winter we finally removed the apricot tree. The trunk > is thickening and straightening a bit. Last spring it was > covered with blossoms, and it actually set fruit. None of > the "persimmons" were larger than a marble. Was that just a > youthful digression or are all future fruits going to be > that size? I think it was a grafted variety; could this be > what the root graft would produce? > > Thank you, Margaret > > Lauterbach, Boise, Idaho Hi Margaret, I grew persimmon when I lived in Ohio and when the frost hits every September, all the leaves fall off and I am left with persimmons that are quarter-sized or less in diameter. It was not until I moved down to FL and grew persimmon again that I realized the reason my persimmon were tiny in OH was due to the short and inadequate growing season. In FL, the persimmons bud out in March (too early in Idaho) and enlarge rapidly in Sept and Oct. Ed mailto:elin@ingenious.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: NDM splitting Date: Sat, 02 Apr 2005 22:49:06 -0500 From: Edward Lin To: richardsar01@yahoo.com > I have problems with my Nam Doc Mai mangos splitting before > they ripe. It did this last year with some summer fruits > and it is doing it again now with fruits that had > overwintered. I don't know what to do. I know its not the > fertilizer because I haven't begun fertilizing yet. Do you > know what could be the problem? Water? Rootstock? > > Thanks, > > Richard mailto:richardsar01@yahoo.com Hi Richard, Your NDM, which is a fiberless mango, split due to uneven moisture. Since there is no fiber to hold the fruit together, any sudden an major increase in hydrostatic pressure (such as from excessive rain/irrigation) will lead to splitting. The key is to try to supply even irrigation (taking into account anticipated as well as recent rain) and the problem should not occur. Ed mailto:elin@ingenious.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Anti Transpirants Needed In Hong Kong Or China Date: Sun, 03 Apr 2005 20:24:56 +1000 From: Bernadine Fernando Hi I wonder if you are able to help me. I am after a supplier in either Hong Kong or China who sells Anti-Transpirants. An associate of mine is currently in the process of transplanting a number of fully grown trees, (by root-balling) and he is after a anti-transpirant that he can spray on the leaves prior to them being transplanted so that he can minimise evaporation through the leaves as well as reduce transplant shock. The project is being carried out in Sri-Lanka where anti-transpirants are not available for sale. He will be in China / Hong Kong in the week beginning 10th April and is looking to purchase the anti-transpirant at that time if it is possible. Any help you can give in locating a supplier in Hong Kong or China would be greatly appreciated. I can be contacted on either bfernado@bigpond.com.au or bernie.fernando@kidney.org.au Thank you very much for your help. Regards Bernie mailto:bfernando@bigpond.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: cherries in San Diego Date: Sun, 03 Apr 2005 13:08:09 -0700 From: life-doc To: jcobbe@mail.com Hello John, I have had a Stella sweet cherry tree that is about 15 years old now. I planted it in the lowest part of my rear sloping property, northern exposure, where it gets the most chill. Importantly, in the winter, when the sun in lower on the horizon, the Stella is shaded by large eucalyptus trees 100 feet away. I believe this shading prevents the tree from warming up in the daytime, and canceling out nighttime chill hours. In the spring and sumer, with the sun directly overhead, the euc trees don't do any shading and the cherry tree is in full sun. Depending upon the total chill hours in any given season, this tree produces from 10 to 150 pounds of delicious sweet cherries. We feel the taste is preferable to Bing. I also have planted the following cherries: Mona, Craig's Crimson, North Star, and Black Tartarian; a total of seven cherry trees. These are all of the sweet dark red variety, except North Star, which is a sour red cherry. I have found the Mona to have a lower chill than the Stella, with excellent quality fruit, equal to the Stella. The Black Tartarian, unfortunately, needs many more chill hours than my microclimate provides, so I am lucky to get a dozen fruits off this vigorous tree, even though it blooms profusely. The North Star requires more chill than the Stella, but much less than the Black Tartarian. The two Craig's Crimson trees are only a couple of years old, but produced their first fruit last summer. This variety is said to be one of the best tasting, if not the best. Unfortunately, ravens, which have never bothered my cherry trees in years past, discovered the wonders of sweet cherries and stripped off all the cherries on these young trees, and half the crop on my larger trees. I will be forced to use bird nets this year. Using only general temperature charts for Rancho Santa Fe, CA, or the published chills hours required for these trees, I would never have tried growing them in the first place, so the bottomline is to think microclimate and experiment. If any readers have a particular part of their land where cold air collects, give sweet cherries a try, such as a Stella or a Mona. Stella is self fertile, and a pollinator for many other cherry varieties. There is nothing like tree riped sweet cherries, a vast improvement over commercially produced store-bought fruit. Dave Wilson's nursery lists the following chill hours requirements for my cherry trees: Black Tartarian - 700, Craig's Crimson - 800, Stella - 700, North Star - 800. From my experience, I can tell you Black Tartarian requires many more chill hours than Craig's Crimson and Stella. I have read some reports of Stella fruiting at 500 hours, so the published numbers are guidelines only, not the final answer. I can't find any published data on Mona cherry trees, but the grower tag on my tree stated "low chill" and this has matched my experience; lower chill than Stella. Unfortunately, I don't know of any sources for Mona cherry trees, nor could I locate any on the Internet. In San Diego County, especially 8 miles from the ocean, growing dark red-black sweet cherries is truly growing a "rare fruit." Good luck Skip Vint mailto:life-doc@cox.net ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: Nam Doc Mai Mango Splits Date: Sun, 03 Apr 2005 13:26:44 -0700 (PDT) From: Richard Sar CC: bentleye@cox.net, HMHausman@aol.com, elin@ingenious.com Thanks Leo, David, Harry, and Ed. It appears like I'm not the only one with this problem. I feel that it may be the uneven water supply and the heat that is causing this. All though winter it rain on and off without any problems but once the weather got warmer, crack! David says "I got sick of it and started wrapping them tight in paper towel with a rubber band outside to keep them closed." David can you explain about wrapping the fruits in paper towel? Was this before the fruit cracked? Regards, Richard mailto:richardsar01@yahoo.com Leo Manuel wrote: > Hi Richard > > I have some trouble with Nam Doc Mai splitting, but usually, it > occurs after a rainy season. I think it's the unevenness of the > water supply that is the problem for me. I could try to control > the irrigation better when it's rainy. > > Let's see what other readers think. > > Leo ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: Longan and Leo's Mag Date: Sun, 03 Apr 2005 13:31:00 -0700 (PDT) From: Richard Sar To: Todd Abel Todd, good to hear I'm not the only one experiencing this nice effect of the heaven rains. I always had a problem with my longan setting a sufficient amount of fruits. Hopefully this year will be better. Thanks, Richard mailto:richardsar01@yahoo.com Todd Abel wrote: > My Longan flowers and fruits faithfully. > > They do seem to like more water and fertilizer than I would expect. > > The Longan tree loved all the rain this year. > > Try to keep the ants off the flowers. Todd Abel mailto:table@socal.rr.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: Nam Doc Mai Mango Splits Date: Sun, 03 Apr 2005 18:57:14 -0700 From: David To: Richard Sar CC: HMHausman@aol.com, elin@ingenious.com Richard, I meant that I pick the split fruit and bring them inside. Then I hold the halves together and keep them pressed together as I wrap them in dry paper towel. I then secure the bundle with a ruber band to keep the split mango bound together. Then after few days I start checking regularly by lightly squeezing the wrapped mango. When the mango feels ripe, it generally is ripe. Sometimes the inside surface of the split gets moldy, but the mold doesn't penetrate into the flesh in my experience. Fruit artificially ripened this way is usually pretty good, though not as good as fruit that went full term without splitting. Sorry I wasn't clear about this. David mailto:bentleye@cox.net ------------------------------------------------ Subject: RE: Nam Doc Mai Mango Splits Date: Sun, 03 Apr 2005 22:36:36 -0400 From: Edward Lin To: 'bentleye' , 'Richard Sar' CC: HMHausman@aol.com It is well known that plants secrete natural antimicrobials and insecticides to ward off pathogens that attack it and its fruits. A case in point is that if I harvest a mature papaya early, it develops mold spots on it much faster and sooner than if I left it on the tree. It would seem to me therefore, that one would obtain better results by modifying DavidÕs technique to apply it to the fruit while itÕs on the tree. Since the fruit can split very early Ð well before fruit is mature enough to develop any significant flavor Ð if one were to apply the rubber bands to the split fruit and cover it with a plastic bag (closed at the top to keep away contamination by rain water and other foliar splashes, but aerated at the bottom to prevent mildew), one would have a chance of the fruit ÒresealingÓ itself in a manner that would allow it to mature further and ripen. The fruit will likely remain misshapen, but it has a better chance of sealing off the exposed and damaged areas and giving you a better fruit in the end. Ed mailto:elin@ingenious.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: In Brazil - Want To Exchange Seed Information From: Sent: Sunday, April 03, 2005 3:29 PM Hi I wrote down name and email through group rarefruit. I have an orchard and I want to know and plants new varieties of fruitful plants. I am seeking new contacts for I exchange of seeds information. Thiago Oliveira Silva [mailto:oliveira.silva@terra.com.br] Patos de Minas Brasil ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Mulberry Weirdness - ÀGenetic Variation? Date: Mon, 04 Apr 2005 13:52:36 -0700 From: marionbrodie2@webtv.net (Marion Brodie) I have another question regarding my Black Russian Mulberry's.. I have had the trees approx 6 years, they have grown quickly from 2 small bare root seedlings into fairly large trees... The smaller one started fruiting about 4 years ago, the other larger and more vigorous is full of catkins but it never fruits, they all fall off the tree after several weeks... It is in a little more sunshine, the smaller one fruits a little later... [they are within 10 feet of each other] As these are identical trees I cannot understand why one fruits, and the other doesn't... I would appreciate any comments.... thanks, marion mailto:marionbrodie2@webtv.net ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Persimmon Hybrids For Colder Climates Date: Tue, 05 Apr 2005 07:55:44 -0700 (PDT) From: bassem@gardener.com Leo here's some insight on some persimmons worthy of growing in colder climates. Persimmon is probably the most consumed fruit in the world (it's not apple!) Probably not too popular in the states but is very popular in asia and Europe. The Latin name for persimmon is "Diospyros" came from greek Dio: means god and Spyros: fruits - translates to fruits of the gods.. Living in zone 6 makes it difficult to get oriental persimmon to grow (diospyros kaki) and fruit well. American persimmon (D. virginiana) is definitely the hardiest persimmon, which is hardy to -25 f or even colder. However as far as taste goes oriental persimmon tastes much better, size is larger and many varieties of D. kaki are non-astringent... There are a few hybrids out there that I'm happy to obtain & still waiting on them to fruit for me. My friends keep praising these hybrids "Keener" bred by by the late Keener, it has both D. virginiana and D. kaki parentage. Large and juicy similar to oriental Now available commercially is "Russyanka" bred in Ukraine, very hardy just like the D. virginiana and sweet as D. kaki. Another hybrid also bred in Ukraine is "nikita gift" which is a cross between Russyanka and an oriental persimmon. 2/3 oriental and 1/3 american persimmon.. therefore making it sweeter the "russyanka" but not as hardy, but still hardier than the oriental. "Geneva Long" is another hybrid (D. virginiana x D. Kaki) bred by Dr. Don Oreckie at the Geneva Ag experimental station. It has Oriental ripening where flesh retains texture, and ripening is possible off the tree. No flaking oriental sking, but typical native and slight oriental flavor. Grows very well in as far north as buffalo NY. Other species of persimmon that are not being cultivated for fruits much is D. Lotus, and D. rhombofolia. Bassem Samaan mailto:bassem@gardener.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Cats & Gophers Date: Tue, 05 Apr 2005 09:38:33 -0700 (PDT) From: Doug Young I have two large dogs that roam my property. They love to dig for moles. They catch 'em, too. Then they proceed to eat 'em! My daughter is horrified and my son thinks its great. Its so funny to watch the dog's dig furiously, then stick their whole head into the hole and sniff. They come up sneezing with a snoot full of dirt, then they're right back at it. I'm convinced the dog's presence keeps the rabbits away, too. Doug San Diego mailto:douglasyo@sbcglobal.net ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: Leo's "Improved" Anna Apple Date: Tue, 05 Apr 2005 20:52:45 -0700 (PDT) From: Cheryl Noble My "unimproved" Anna apples (2 tiny trees) don't know when to quit. 2 or more crops of great apples a year. I don't know how they'd improve on that. Just that the little 3' trees stay small growing all those apples. And the pie-to die for! Cheryl mailto:noble.c@sbcglobal.net <><> Mailbag of Sainarong Rasananda mailto:sainaron@loxinfo.co.th <><> Subject: Re: Lychee and Longan cultural requirements Date: Wed, 13 Apr 2005 11:06:58 +0700 From: Sainarong Siripen Rasananda To: William Butler > William Butler of Visalia Ca writes:I am going to order a > number of airlayered Lychee trees from Puerto Rico.Its a > group order for several members in my local chapter. I have > a less than perfect growing environment here in central > california for tropical fruit and am asking of you for some > cultural requirements to help me be successful in growing > and fruiting a tree here. ***************************************************************** I asked an experienced nurseryman and this is his advice. As the marcots may well be very dry, you should first increase the water content inside the marcots. If you do not have any fancy equipment available, the following procedure may suffice. First, spray the marcot (how much? That indeed is the question.). Then put it in a pastic bag, securely tie the top and put it in a shaded environment. After a week or so, the marcot should hopefully have recovered, you can take the marcot out of the plastic bag and proceed with your nomal procedures. BTW I would be interested to know the result of your endeavor. Good luck! Sainarong mailto:sainaron@loxinfo.co.th ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: Thai neem, Indian neem Date: Thu, 14 Apr 2005 21:15:16 +0700 From: Sainarong Siripen Rasananda To: Richard Sar Dear Richard, The Thai expert on neem has retired; he used to teach at Kasetsart University. I have to find out his home address and contact him. He has been my main source of information on neem. However, I do not why the Indian neem shouldn't be safe to eat. My home-made insecticide is made from neem seeds. My specialist friend told me that I can spray directly upwards and let the spray fall on my head without any ill effect whatsoever. He also said that the neem insecticide has no effect on the beneficial insects. I cannot remember straight off his detailed explanation, but it seems that the insides of the harmful insects do not work the same way as the insides of the mammals, and this is the major reason why neem has no detrimetal effects on humans and other mammals. So eventhough the Indian neem has more active ingredients than the Thai neem, it should be pretty harmless to humans. Besides, the active ingredients are more concentrated in the seeds than in other parts ot the trees, and my home-made insecticide is fairly concentrated, and my home-made insecticide is safe for me. When I get hold of my specialist friend, I will write to you again. Sainarong mailto:sainaron@loxinfo.co.th ******************************************************************************* > I am sending this email so I could find out more > information about the Thai neem (Azadirachta siamensis) > compared with the Indian neem(Azadirachta indica). I > am a big fan of bitter dishes and usually buy the > frozen sadao(A. siamensis) here in the markets. I am > also growing A. indica. So far from the information I > have gathered about A. indica is that it is safe to use > as a culinary dish(mostly the dried leaves are mention > in Indian dishes). However, the amount of the chemical > properties that are used in insecticide are higher in > A. Indica. And its not as good tasting as the Thai > neem. > > Do you think that A. indica is a safe substitute for > Thai neem, as far as culinary purposes? Especially the > flower buds? > > Thanks, > > Richard Sar ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: Longans in Bloom for So. California Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 08:32:33 +0700 From: Sainarong Siripen Rasananda To: Richard Sar Dear Richard, There are many variables which influence the flowering of longans; 'dryness' is only one of them, some of the other being temperature and the health of the tree. In your case I would imagine that, irrespective of the wet condition, most of the other important factors are just right for flowering. The temperature is just right; the state of the tree is just right. By the way, unlike mango, longan is not easily influenced by chemicals. This makes it all the more surprising that potassium chlorate has such a drastic effect on longan. Sainarong mailto:sainaron@loxinfo.co.th ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Longans in Bloom for So. California Date: Tue, 29 Mar 2005 01:39:15 -0800 (PST) From: Richard Sar Dear Leo, I hope you been doing well. I am wondering if anyone else in Southern California has experienced an incredible bloom year for longans. I have heard that longans need cold and DRY winters to bloom well but what we experienced here in California has been one of the wettest winters ever. Nonetheless, my longans are in full bloom and I don't think I have ever seen blooms as healthy as this. They are somewhere between 1 1/2 to 2 ft. flower stalks. WOW. Maybe, I should start watering my longans more in winter from now on. I would really like to hear from everyone else's experience. Regards, Richard mailto:richardsar01@yahoo.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: Questions on longans Date: Thu, 14 Apr 2005 22:45:35 -0400 From: ronald lyn To: Sainarong Siripen Rasananda Yes it didn't seem like that long, I had to double check the dates on them. Just starting out back then I guess I was a little starved for information. So everything on lychees and longan I tried to keep some kind of record of. I have been able to have lychees each year, (last year almost 1800 lb, most ever) This year only so so because of hurricane Ivan. Ronald mailto:kanku1234@cwjamaica.com ----- Original Message ----- Subject: Re: Questions on longans From: Sainarong Siripen Rasananda To: rarefruit@san.rr.com ; ronald lyn Sent: Thursday, April 14, 2005 11:02 PM Wow! It seems that you, Leo, and I have a real fan in Ronald. He's still keeping the RFNO from wayback 1998. Imagine that! By the way, how long have the RFNO been going, Leo? I have no idea you have been making significant contributions to the horticultural lovers for that long. Back to Ronald's e-mail, I think that Ronald deserves a fairly comprehensive answer, and more, to his questions. However, it will take me some time to prepare the answers. As luck would have it, I am seeing my esteemed colleague, Pawin, next week. Pawin has been doing significant research on pruning and the optimum size of longan; by the way, Pawin is the foremost authority on longan in Thailand. Then, early in May, I am taking a month-long trip to China. Part of the trip involves visiting the major lychee and longan growing areas in China (with the exception of Guangxi which I visited late last year), and talking to most of the Chinese researchers on lychees and longans). The small, travelling team consists of Dr. Yen, who is the foremost authority on lychee and longan in Taiwan, and Yan Diczbalis (guess where his parents came from), the Australian Senior Horticulturist among others. By the time I get back from China, in June, I should have a lot to write and tell you about. Have Fun! Sainarong mailto:sainaron@loxinfo.co.th PS The only major longan producing country I have not visited is Vietnam, but I have information on Vietnamese longans. --------Original Message ----- From: ronald lyn To: sainaron@loxinfo.co.th Sent: Thursday, April 07, 2005 5:56 AM Hi Sainaron. Back in 1998 you wrote, > " I myself grow mostly Ea daw and a few Ee haew and see > chompoo. I have difficulties with the latter two. I am > beginning to think that the latter two need different > methods of looking after and am treating them like I > treat Ee daw." Have you had better luck the last 6 > years with chompoo? have you put in any other > varieties? > > How large do you allow your trees to become? and how > does pruning affect flowering? It seems almost a losing > battle trying to keep my few trees manageable. > Sometimes they lose health and colour. (kohala) So I > gave up and it seems a good crop could be in the offing > this year. Most flowering for first time,even though > they were top worked on established trees. ( I am in > Jamaica) > > Thanks much for your time and guidance.. ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: Questions on longans Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 10:10:42 -0700 From: Leo Manuel To: Sainarong Siripen Rasananda Hi Sainarong, The newsletter began in 1996. All back issues prior to this current year are posted on my webpage http://www.rarefruit.com. For example 2004 is at http://www.rarefruit.com/RFN2004AllYr.txt. This permits people to read your great advice several years after you gave it! On occasion, I've searched the internet for the answer to some question, only to have Google direct me to one of the past newsletters. It's embarrassing, but makes me a bit proud that it's there for others to find. Ronald may well have kept the back issues, or he might possibly have searched through the archives. I just did a Google search for 'Sainarong' and one result was in the 2002 archive: http://www.rarefruit.com/RFN2002AllYr.txt where you had your Mailbag with various letters and replies. I think that's cool, don't you? Take care, Leo mailto:rarefruit@san.rr.com <><><><><> Growing Rare Fruit In Containers <><><><><> None, this time <><><><> Announcements And Web Pages To Consider <><><><> San Diego Chapter California Rare Fruit Growers Meeting: Where: Casa del Prado Building Room 101, Balboa Park When: Fourth Thursday Of Each Month (Except December) See: http://www.crfgsandiego.org http://members.cox.net/ncsdcrfg For North County CRFG Chapter Meeting http://www.crfg.org/chapters.html For information about ALL CRFG chapters. http://www.crfg.org/chapters.html For information about all CRFG chapters. <><>Bot-Linx List http://www.ou.edu/cas/botany-micro/bot-linx/<><> From: "Scott D. Russell" Bot-Linx List http://www.ou.edu/cas/botany-micro/bot-linx/ None this time <><><> NAFEX List From: nafex-request@lists.ibiblio.org <><><> None this time <><> [rarefruit] List - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rarefruit <><> Subject: [rarefruit] Digest Number 1744 Subject: Growing Fruit in containers Date: Wed, 13 Apr 2005 09:57:04 -0000 From: "nc_downeaster" Hi to the group! I have been lurking for some time, just absorbing all the great information from you wonderful folks! I live in eastern North Carolina, USA. I grow tropical plants in large pots and half barrels which I bring into my heated sunroom for the winter. I presently Have a 6 foot - 10year old calmondin orange which fruits annually and a 15 foot - 5 year old cavendish banana which hasn't fruited yet. Both are in half Barrels. I keep the sunroom at 55 degrees Farenheight in the winter, but this is getting way to expensive, I would like to let it get down to at least 45 degrees F. But now I have a Question: What fruit could be adapted to containers and a low temp of 45 degress in the winter? Would like to get into at least subtropical fruit, and obtain as many varietys as possibile given my limited space. I have decided the banana is going into the ground this year ( i will save pups) and hopefully with alot of compost i'll get fruit. Thank you all for your time and consideration! ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Message: 10 Subject: Re: Growing Fruit in containers Date: Wed, 13 Apr 2005 23:21:44 -0700 (PDT) From: Michael Nave Surinam cherries and guavas do well in containers, stay fairly small and easily handle temps in the high 30s. Your Calamondin should handle temps down into the low 30s (or lower) without too much trouble. I really enjoy growing Cape Gooseberries (physalis sp) and they also do well in containers and handle temps in the high 30s. ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Message: 14 Subject: Re: Growing Fruit in containers Date: Thu, 14 Apr 2005 06:00:24 -0400 From: "Otto" Carambola may work well for you. Can easily tolerate 45 deg F, will do well in large container, attractive foliage and frequent flowering and if lucky will set fruit in the fall that you can harvest a few months later. ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Message: 17 Subject: Re: Growing Fruit in containers Date: Thu, 14 Apr 2005 05:19:32 -0700 (PDT) From: Christopher Hind i had been considering the same thing. I want to grow a cacao plant and miracle fruit in containers which I'm told you can do since I'm an apartment dweller. I kick myself for missing the rare fruit council yesterday evening though, I need to attend and meet more rare fruit hobbyists down here. Chris Hind Homestead, FL ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Message: 19 Subject: Re: Growing Fruit in containers Date: Thu, 14 Apr 2005 07:41:46 -0500 From: mIEKAL aND I've tried growing cacao plants in containers up here in the north but they don't make it thru the dry heat winters. I grew some inside a terrarium for years but of course, they had to be bonsaied. mIEKAL West Lima, WI ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Message: 3 (Digest #1745) Subject: Re: Growing Fruit in containers Date: Thu, 14 Apr 2005 21:16:44 -0000 From: "tabbydan" --- In rarefruit@yahoogroups.com, "Otto" wrote: > Carambola may work well for you Since we're talking about Carambola in containers- how should one best grow it? I have more trouble growing it than mangosteen, cacao... (the ultra tropicals). It seems to drop leaves due to sunburn and be very demanding about waterings. Temperature isn't a problem with it for me but the sun sensitivty (moving it out of the house) and watering demands are hard for me. ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Message: 2 Subject: Re: mango fruit set Date: Wed, 13 Apr 2005 20:21:08 -0400 From: "Bobbi Spencer" According to Dr. Richard Campbell of Fairchild Gardens in Miami, who is considered a Mango EXPERT, don't water and don't fertilize them! You will get much better fruit if you just leave them alone after they are established. Watering and fertilizing will give you beautiful foliage, but poor fruit. Only in severe drought should you consider giving them a small drink. He spoke of this at a recent Rare Fruit Council meeting in West Palm Beach, FL. He also suggested keeping them pruned so the fruit can be harvested by hand rather than allowing the tree to become gigantic. He said his are about 8-10' tall. Bobbi Treasure Coast, Florida, USA ----- Original Message ----- Subject: [rarefruit] mango fruit set From: mcgiverin To: rarefruit@yahoogroups.com Sent: Wednesday, April 13, 2005 8:09 PM Hello mango experts. Probably due to unprecedented drought, I got fruit set for the first time on four mango trees - heavy set on 'Palmer' and 'Cogshall' and modest set on 'Carrie' and 'Ice Cream'. 'Palmer' and 'Cogshall' are dropping a lot of little fruits, which I understand is a normal thinning process. The biggest fruits are now approaching the size of an elongated ping pong ball. I usually fertilize mango trees once a year in the spring, and have heard that a shot of fertilizer can help fruit development. Is now the time? On the other hand, I'd hate to have fertilizer cause all the fruit to drop off!! I'm a mango novice and would appreciate your comments! Bruce, Cidra, PR ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Subject: [rarefruit] Digest Number 1745 Message: 1 Subject: Re: mango fruit set Date: Thu, 14 Apr 2005 15:56:33 -0400 From: james singer Interesting idea about topping the mangos. I've been doing that every other year to my Brogdon avocado. I've got a Tommy Atkins that is turning out to be a monster. Guess I'll take about two-thirds of it down after this season. If I lose it, I won't have lost much. ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Message: 18 (Digest #1744) Subject: Black Sapote Date: Thu, 14 Apr 2005 08:29:07 EDT From: bananaizme@aol.com Sergio I would have to agree with you on the matter of soil, water, and nutrients affecting a fruits taste. Heres an example I've experienced. I had a Cas guava growing in a container that fruited and I tasted the fruit upon ripening only to find that it lived up to its reputation of being sour. I went ahead and planted it in the ground the following season and enriched the planting hole with compost. I also intalled a drip system with 2 gph emitters and deep watered it once or twice a week, and fed it with a mixture of fish emulsion,liquid kelp,and liquid iron. It fruited and I almost didnt bother with trying them but something told me to. I tried them and WOW they were really good. They have a sweet taste similar to a yellow strawberry guava yet different. I really like them and want to start airlayering the plant. In my opinion the combination of cultural practices made a big difference. William ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Message: 6 Subject: Re: Black sapote From: oscarrj [mailto: fruitlovers@eudoramail.com] To: rarefruit@yahoogroups.com Date: Wed, 13 Apr 2005 22:55:15 -0000 Warren, there definitely is a correlation, not just with black sapote, but with all fruits between quality and how much they are watered. Notice many fruits turn out bland when it is raining none stop. The tough part is finding the right formula, and then being able to control the amount of water applied.Also, as Sergio correctly points out, it is not just the water that affects quality but also soil, climate, fertilizer, etc.BTE, I don't know if it is coincidence but I noticed that all the best black sapotes i have had had a pear shape, and that the flat rounded types were not as good tasting. Oscar--- ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Message: 9 Subject: Asit's WebSite: Still Under Construction Date: Wed, 13 Apr 2005 22:48:19 -0700 (PDT) From: Thaumaturgist Thanks to all for their suggestions and advices. Since the last post, the 1st level table of contents have been added for Wildlife, Flower and Fruit, still in a somewhat crude format. http://www.asitghosh.com As a test, 4 photos were added for White Champaca, the flower whose extract is used to make world's most expensive perfume 'Joy'. http://www.asitghosh.com/champacawhite.html Thank you for your patience. Asit <> Agricultural Research Service (ARS) mailto:ars http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/thelatest.htm. Subject: Capturing Carbon a Key Benefit of No-Till Soil Management Date: Wed, 13 Apr 2005 08:25:42 -0400 From: ARS News Service No-till soil management can play an important role in keeping carbon in the soil, rather than allowing it to escape into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide, according to a cooperative study by Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and Brazilian scientists at Beltsville, Md. Capturing carbon and other substances in the soil keeps them from contributing to "global warming" as greenhouse gases. Brazilian scientist Helvecio De-Polli worked on the study from 2002-2004 with ARS soil scientist Gregory McCarty and others at ARS' Environmental Quality Laboratory (EQL) in Beltsville. De-Polli works for the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply's Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuaria (Embrapa). The soil carbon study was done at a field site where researchers had conducted a 10-year tillage experiment comparing no-till farming with cultivation by plowing. Soil microbial biomass and carbon stocks stored in the soil were measured at the end of the 10-year period. Also, emissions of methane, carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide from the soil were monitored for an entire year. These three are the most important "greenhouse gases" exchanged between agricultural systems and the atmosphere. Microbes are responsible for processes in the soil that produce these gases. A complete understanding of greenhouse gas emissions is important to development of methods to capture soil carbon, according to De-Polli. His work shows that no-till farming can play a positive role in mitigating greenhouse gases by capturing carbon that's stored in the soil in plant tissues which remain in the field after the crop is harvested. Read more about this research in the April issue of Agricultural Research magazine, available online at: http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/apr05/usbrazil0405.htm ARS is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief scientific research agency. ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Predatory Insects May Help Solve Mealybug Problem Date: Thu, 14 Apr 2005 08:51:09 -0400 From: ARS News Service Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists and cooperators have joined forces to control the pink hibiscus mealybug, which, if unchecked, could cause an estimated $750 million in crop losses annually in the United States. This invasive pest, Maconellicoccus hirsutus, was first found in Florida several years ago and is spreading within Florida and to other states. As it feeds, the mealybug injects saliva into the plant, causing malformation, stunting and eventual death. Research leader David Hall and entomologist Stephen Lapointe of the ARS Subtropical Insects Research Unit (SIRU), Fort Pierce, Fla., are leading an effort to find biological methods to stop the pest. Before the pest came to Florida in 2002, Lapointe, working in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, discovered that female pink hibiscus mealybugs (PMH) emit a powerful pheromone that attracts males. To recreate this chemical in the laboratory, Lapointe used a hormone analog to eliminate male PHMs from a colony, leaving only females for pheromone analyses. He also developed a simple diet for feeding the mealybugs, showing that PHM could be reared--for research purposes--on an artificial diet. Due to the expanding infestation of the mealybug, research to develop an optimal artificial diet was recently initiated at the Fort Pierce laboratory. In addition to these efforts, the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services responded to the Florida infestation by releasing two effective mealybug parasites, Anagyrus kamali and Gyranusoidea indica, along with a predatory ladybug, Cryptolaemus montrouzieri. These releases have resulted in a reduction of more than 98 percent in PHM population density in some locations. Lapointe's new artificial PHM diet will enable the production of larger numbers of healthy mealybugs to rear wasps and ladybugs needed for successful PHM-control programs. Read more about the research in the April issue of Agricultural Research magazine, available online at: http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/apr05/bugs0405.htm ARS is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief scientific research agency. <><><><><><><><><> End of RFN200504B.txt <><><><><><><><><><> Rare Fruit News Online - May 1, 2005 - AKA RFN200505A.txt _________________________________________________________ <><><><> Notes In Passing - Leo <><><><> Check out the Cloudforest, as introduced by Paul Apffel mailto:athoughtpaul@comcast.net. May be just what you've been looking for.... [Thanks for the tip, Paul!] On March 21, shortly after I discovered your newsletter postings, I started a California Mango conversation at the Cafe at http://Cloudforest.com/cafe/ If you would like to add your own comments to the thread, simply visit Cloudforest.com and click on the link to the Cafe. Then scroll down to the March 21 posting entitled "California Mango Report. William and Others, Your Results?" Any thoughts you might want to add to the conversation would be welcome. Everyone is welcome to post. Time to graft cherimoya? My trees are beginning to lose their leaves, so it's a good time to cut graftwood. Papayas - One fruit on one of my very short trees is quite large and turning yellow. In the past, on a different tree, the fruit never developed any sweetness. Is this due to climate (my guess), fertilizer, or variety? <><><><><><><><><> Table Of Contents <><><><><><><><><> -> -> -> Messages follow the Table Of Contents <- <- <- <><><> New Subscribers <><><> New Subscriber - Santa Cruz, CA Jessica Evans (Address Withheld) New Subscriber, Florida - Needs Advice Vang Power New Subscriber, Israel Israel Bental <><><> Readers Write <><><> Apricots and Paw Paws - Fruiting Well For Me ARTHUR KOHL Pawpaws - Succeed In Coastal San Diego bentleye To: marionbrodie2@webtv.net Question from Guatemala Todd Bauer paw-paws Alan Schroeder To: marionbrodie2@webtv.net Dragon Fruit Plants Point Loma Walter Anderson Nursery (San Diego) William Chow PawPaw RiccaCH@aol.com To: marionbrodie2@webtv.net Fast growing fruit trees in Oceanside "McCright, Michael CWO" To: "Barbara" Richard McCain - I Need His Email Address Joseph Tropea Apricots this year in Orange County, CA junderwoodz@netscape.net (junderwoodz) re: Anyone Successful With Pawpaws In Southern California? Michael Zarky To: marionbrodie2@webtv.net Growing Mangosteen Trees In California? William Butler Mango - Valencia Pride, Thomson, Edgehill, etc. Paul Apffel <><> Mailbag of Sainarong Rasananda mailto:sainaron@loxinfo.co.th <><> Thai bananas Sainarong Siripen Rasananda To: Doug Jones Re: Thai neem, Indian neem Sainarong Siripen Rasananda To: Richard Sar <><><><><> Growing Rare Fruit In Containers <><><><><> None, this time <><><> Announcements and / or Web Sites To Consider <><><> http://www.crfgsandiego.org For *San Diego Chapter* CRFG Information http://members.cox.net/ncsdcrfg For North County CRFG Chapter Meeting http://www.crfg.org/chapters.html For information about ALL CRFG chapters. <><>Bot-Linx List <> From: "Scott D. Russell" SBLD - Mycolog: Fungi -The Fifth Kingdom http://www.mycolog.com/ <><><> NAFEX List <><><> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/nafex Archives at http://lists.ibiblio.org/pipermail/nafex None, this time <><><> From "rarefruit list" - rarefruit@yahoogroups.com <><><> None, this time <> Agricultural Research Service (ARS) mailto:ars>news@arsgrin.gov <> http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/thelatest.htm Natural Plant Extracts Seem Deadly to Formosan Termites ARS News Service Sliced Apples' Flavor Saver Gains Favor ARS News Service <><><><><><><><> New Subscribers <><><><><><><><><> Subject: New Subscriber - Santa Cruz, CA Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 19:06:11 -0700 From: Jessica Evans (Address Withheld) Hi, my name is Jessica Evans. I am a little hesitant to subscribe because I see that the archives, complete with email addresses, are available online where mechanical email harvesters can gather them up and use them to send spam. Other than that concern, I would love to get your newsletter. In my yard in Santa Cruz, CA, I have a dwarf Fuji apple, a dwarf Aprium, an unknown cultivar of fejoa (pineapple guava) that is a small tree with large, good quality fruit, and a small tree unknown variety of loquat, also with very good fruit. I am plannin on adding sour cherry, if I can figure out what would be good and doesn't need chilling, and a maybe a Blenham apricot. I also want to put in some rasberries (the twice fruiting ones) and I am going to get a Tibetan Wolfberry in the mail soon! I don't garden as much as I would like because I'm pretty busy playing standup double bass in a Bluegrass band and raising my twin 4-year-old sons. Regards, Jessica ------------------------------------------------ Subject: New Subscriber, Florida - Needs Advice Date: Mon, 18 Apr 2005 11:52:37 -0700 (PDT) From: vang power Hi! my name is Vang Power. I'm original from Vietnam & live in US for orver 30 yrs. I retired 3 yrs ago & just moved down New Smyrna Beach (Daytona Beach area) 5 months ago. It's zone 9b (central Florida) but I'd like to grow those tropical fruit like lychee, longan, guava, pumelo etc. but I'm afraid the weather here is a little bit too cold for them but I willing to cover them few days a year if that have to be. I can't find any nursery here in town carry them, is anyone know where I can buy them? and if anyone have experience with growing them in central Florida? Vang Power mailto:vangpower1@yahoo.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: New Subscriber, Israel Date: Tue, 19 Apr 2005 08:32:59 +0200 From: Israel Bental Israel Bental - Israel BIAQM (bental Israel agriculture quality management mobile +972523888538 tel +97246951070 kibuts dafna 12235 Israel Bental mailto:israelbt@netvision.net.il <><><><><><><><><> Readers Write<><><><><><><><><><> Subject: Apricots and Paw Paws - Fruiting Well For Me Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 21:21:39 -0700 (PDT) From: ARTHUR KOHL You mentioned that your apricots had no fruit this year, and Marion Brodie asked about Paw Paws. I have both and they seem to be fruiting well this year. Here in Woodland Hills we had 2 or 3 days of frost last winter, and lots of rain. The frost killed a small Manilla Mango I was trying to grow. The Apricot is an old Royal, which usually produces a reasonable crop. Our main problem is with Squirrels which love Apricots, and last year ate them all. I have started trapping the squirrels and taking them about 5 miles away to a large wilderness park, but this operation consumes both time and gasoline. One year I tried hand pollinating the Paw Paws (I have three small trees from 3 different sources), and credited this for the fruit, but this year I left it up to nature and see at least 10 fruit (or groups of fruit) starting to form. My Anna Apple has a block spot disease this year, which was probably aggravated by the heavy rains. The Dorset Apple adjacent to it has very little black spot infection. Most of my other fruit trees seem to have benefited from the rain. I enjoy your newsletter. Art Kohl mailto:aandekohl@sbcglobal.net ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Pawpaws - Succeed In Coastal San Diego Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 23:59:55 -0700 From: David Silverstein To: marionbrodie2@webtv.net Marion: I have witnessed stunning success with Papaws in coastal San Diego where there is very little chill. One fall day a year or two ago, I came home to find that someone had left a bag of a mystery fruit on my doorstep. They were big green rounded oblong fruits, about the size and shape of a good sized white Idaho baking potato, but with smooth skin. By process of elimination I figure out what they were and who dropped them off. They were Pawpaws dropped of by one of our local CRFG chapter members who's home is in the Bay Park neighborhood, spitting distance from Mission Bay. Now this guy enjoys a good joke, so I did not believe that he grew them until I went over to his house and saw the trees myself. He had maybe four or five trees growing in a less than optimal spot jammed up between his house and a property line fence. But the tree's looked good. They were at least ten feet tall. And they had been grown from seeds. I was also surprised to hear that they were less than five years old, which is contrary to the reputation these trees have for slow growth. Anyway, I was very keen after that about getting seeds from a bunch of named varieties and sticking seedlings in every suboptimal partly sunny corner of my yard. And I may do it yet. But I got side tracked and was a bit put off by the actual flavor of the ripe fruits. When the fruits were firm and green, they showed some promise. But when they got soft and ripe, I found them to be perfectly awful. Imagine banana, old fashioned airplane glue (toluene), and a strong cheese. It is possible that there was a two hour window between firm/green and overripe when the fruits were delicious. It is also possible that this shocking flavor is savored by many people. But I don't think so. I think (I hope) that there is just a huge amount of variation in Pawpaws and that random seedlings of low chill stock just happen to be mostly inedible, except as a stunt. The challenge is to find low chill cultivars by growing out lots and lots of seedlings here in southern California. The question is whether that is worth doing in a climate where mangos and cherimoyas grow relatively easily. Never having tasted one of the prized cultivars from the east and the Midwest, I can't answer that. But I'll probably do some experimenting anyway. David Silverstein mailto:bentleye@cox.net ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Question from Guatemala Date: Sat, 16 Apr 2005 11:01:35 -0700 (PDT) From: Todd Bauer Dear Leo Manuel, Hello, I hope this note finds you well in your professional and personal life. The reason why I am writing this note is to introduce myself and the work we are doing. My name is Todd Bauer. I'm a volunteer with the Church of the Brethren, COB, working with the Guatemalan Catholic Church in the highlands of Huehuetenago. Due to the high population density there are high demands on the limited natural resources which has lend to extreme deforestation and soil erosion due to the mountainous topography. It is a subsistence agricultural culture with the farmers having approximately 3 to 4 acres usually in several different plots. Based on the needs of the farmers and natural environment, Pastoral Social, the social ministry of the Catholic Church, in conjunction with COB began a reforestation nursery 6 years ago. This year, 2005, the nursery produced 24,000 forest trees. Upon my arrival 4 years ago we also began to produce grafted fruits trying to address the deforestation but also the nutritional needs and additional income sources of a highly malnourished population. This year we produced 1,500 grafted fruit tress. We produced avocados, oranges, limes, lemons, tandarin, figs, papayas, guavas, apples, peaches and plums. The 3 parishes range from 1,200m to 2,500m above sea level so there is a great diversity of fruits that are available to us. This past year we also received scion wood of varieties from the States, PNW, to try in the higher altitudes. The climate here is dry-subtropical. I think there are many fruits grown in California that could be useful here. We are interested in continue the trials of new fruits and new fruit varieties with interested farmers. We are most interested in low chill peaches, nectarines, plums cherries and pears. I have a friend who will to traveling to Huehuetenango from the States in the beginning of June and was wondering if there will be bud wood available at that time and if you would donate the bud wood. If not, how much does each stick cost? We have less than 100 rootstock so it would be only 5 or so grafts, 1 or 2 sticks, for each variety. Below is a list of the varieties that interest us. Please suggest any other varieties or the appropriateness of our selections. Peach- Bananza, August Pride, Babcock. Nectarine: Heavenly White, Panamint, Silver Lode, Snow Queen. Plums- Burgundy, Catalina, Broken Heart, Emerald Beauty, Golden Nectar, Inca. Here, we are using Methley, Beauty and Shiro. Cherries- Stella, Black Tartarian, Lapins, Royal Rainer. Apricots- Blenheim/Royal, Newcastle, Early Golden. Jujubee- Li, Lang. Fig- Tiger, Celestial. Visit the Fair Trade Federation http://www.fairtradefederation.org http://www.gofairtrade.net Thank you for your time and I look forward to hearing from you. Take Care, In Solidarity, Todd mailto:maxo@gofairtrade.net ------------------------------------------------ Subject: paw-paws Date: Sat, 16 Apr 2005 13:00:42 -0700 From: Alan Schroeder To: marionbrodie2@webtv.net Dear Marion: A couple of years ago our local Ventura/Santa Barbara Chapter of the California Rare Fruit Growers paid a visit to a garden in Camarillo. This is just a few miles inland from the ocean but very much a low chill, cherimoya growing area. There was a fruiting "Mary Foos Johnson" paw-paw as well as a couple seedling paw-paws that were in fruit. I believe the "Mary Foos Johnson" is a selection from Oregon. I have tried the fruit a number years ago at a statewide CRFG meeting at the LA Arboretum when a large number of cultivars were brought in from some breeding program out of state. I found them variable in flavor with some better than others, but overall something I would like quite abit except for one thing - the skin (but not the fruit) left a "dog-dirt" smell on my hands. Alan Schroeder mailto:arschroeder@cox.net Santa Barbara, CA ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Dragon Fruit Plants Point Loma Walter Anderson Nsy (San Diego) Date: Sat, 16 Apr 2005 20:03:29 -0700 From: William Chow Hi Leo, How are you doing ? We miss you at the meeting. I was at the Point Loma Walter Anderson Nursery (San Diego). They are selling dragon fruit in 5 gallon buckets right next to epiphillum. The plants are pretty big and the fruit is the self-pollinating white flesh dragon fruit from Vietnam. The 5 gallon pots are selling for $49. Regards, William mailto:wchow@sd.znet.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: PawPaw Date: Sun, 17 Apr 2005 08:15:50 -0400 (EDT) From: RiccaCH@aol.com To: marionbrodie2@webtv.net Hello Marion, as a "rare-fruit-member" I read your paragraph concerning PawPaws. All my fruit-trees are in huge containers. I decided this to give them their VERY OWN space and NOT sharing the soil with all the surrounding decorative trees - and I can move them with the handtruck if needed - more sun - less sun - or gather under TARPS when it gets cold in winter. My PawPaws (male+female) are growing in the shade of a huge oaktree. As they are young it is the best place for them. My other "container-children" are: dwarf peach, dwarf apples, dwarf pear, Nanking cherries, persimmon, ruby red grapefruit, Meyer lemon, 2 bananas, mango, Lychi, giant blueberry, red currant, figs, 2 special hazelnuts, a jujube, and an elderberry. I follow the advices of Dr. Higa (Japan) and spray them with diluted EM (effective Microbes for agriculture) and they all get it on their root system. When I plant something new I first spray the whole root-system with EM. I do NOT use chemicals and want to make my own BUKASHI now to mix with the soil. My happy garden-children wave HELLO! Ricca in Florida mailto:RiccaCH@aol.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Fast growing fruit trees in Oceanside Date: Mon, 18 Apr 2005 08:20:53 -0700 From: "McCright, Michael CWO" To: "Barbara" Hi Barbara, I have a house (now for sale) in Oceanside that I bought in 2001 about 5 miles inland between 76 and Oceanside Blvd. I have a grayish adobe soil that I think was used by the contractor for grading the development and also a native dark clay as well. About 2 feet down in most areas is a greenish fine grained sandstone. My soils are extremely dense and unworkable except at the right moisture level. I do not know if you have the same kind of soil but this is my experience. Peaches do quite well. I planted a 3 in 1 that grew to nearly full size in one year. My other peaches as well as other stone fruit (apricot, aprium, plum, nectarine) also do well. Peach leaf curl is a problem but they grow out of it by mid-March. Figs and grapes also do well and I feel well suited to my dense soil. Figs growing 2-6 foot on each branch of a an immature tree. Bananas grow slowly taking about 3 years to fruit. I believe it is too cool for them. My persimmon tree also grew slowly and is just coming into good bearing. Surinam cherries and Cherry of the Rio Grande are slow growers in the cooler weather. All my guavas grow well. The common tropical, Vietnamese, strawberry and lemon. I have a Feijoa hedge that has done very well is loaded with blossoms and generally loves the climate. My jackfruit sprouted and grew to a foot and has been stunted since. I had three papayas that grew slowly but over a three year period, all died of rotten roots in cold wetness of winter. White Sapotes are supposed to grow fast but the two I grew slowly. My apple trees grew OK. I have a rose apple that has been a survivor but not a fast grower. I have no pomegranates, but my neighbors grow fine. I have had no luck with an Oro Blanco grapefruit or a Page mandarin. Other neighbors have good looking trees but mine did not have roots strong enough to get through the clay. I am also organic and that probably also played a role as I think the chemicals give a grower an edge and I mainly top dress with composted manure. One Cherimoya grew very fast (3-4 ft per branch), the store-bought one is stunted I think with difficulties in getting roots through the soil. My pears grow fine, but not especially fast. I planted three avocados, all grow slowly. Raspberries, strawberries and blackberries all grow very well. They (especially blackberries) like the weather and did not mind the soil. My Jaboticaba grows slowly but nicely. Is an attractive small tree. My canastel barely survived, only growing a small amount in the heat of summer. Tree tomato grows fine, I have moved mine, but they grew well. I have grown several passion fruit, all start slowly, but take off the second year especially from July on. I grew several pineapples, they all grew very slowly. I tried mango's but it was too cold for them to make winter and they did not grow much in the summer. My soil is a hindrance and the weather too cool for many subtropical. However is it is good weather for people, stone fruit and cherimoyas. Also, Loquats grow great. I moved a 3 year-old seedling that was 9 feet high, four feet wide and fruiting. My trees come from several sources. Clausen's off East Vista Way ( 760-724-3143) has the best prices and a great variety in citrus and avocado. Exotica on East Vista Way (760-724-9093) has possibly the best variety of rare subtropical fruits on the mainland. Some prices a high and some low compared with nurseries. CA Tropicals have some of the best grown trees I have seen. Even canastels fruiting in 5 gallon pots! I belong to CRFG both San Diego and North County. The San Diego chapter has a raffle table every month where several of my trees and shrubs came from. Good luck, if you have any questions give me a call. Mike McCright mailto:MMcCright@d11.uscg.mil 619-384-1989 ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Richard McCain - I Need His Email Address Date: Mon, 18 Apr 2005 11:54:53 -0400 From: Joseph Tropea Dear Leo: Would you have an e-mail address for Richard McCain? I need some advice on the While Sapote and Passion Fruit. I want to try these on a little property I have on the coast in Buenos Aires, Argentina. I found McCain's name via the internet as an author of a chapter on Passion Fruit. I simply wanted to network with some folks who may advise me on the best variety to plant. I have not worked the earth for many years and never to plant tropical fruit. The area in Argentina in which I will plant does not experience frost but can get down to the middle 30s. I want to cover a barbed wire perimeter with a woody and attractive vine. That is the context for my need for advise on Passion Fruit. Thanks Joseph Tropea mailto:tropea@gwu.edu [I don't have an email address for Richard McCain. -Leo] ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Apricots this year in Orange County, CA Date: Wed, 20 Apr 2005 13:57:14 -0400 From: junderwoodz@netscape.net (junderwoodz) Leo, I have two apricot trees, both same unknown variety (one tree was grafted with scions from other tree about 20 years ago because it was a Manchurian apricot and had never bloomed.). Both trees produced 200 -300 fruit last year. This year one (from which the scions were taken) has about two - three dozen fruit but I found less than a dozen on the grafted tree this morning. A neighbor, ~ 600 feet away, has an unknown variety apricot tree with at least 150 - 200 fruit on it this year. Last year it had possibly twice as many fruit and probably produces more fruit than my two trees combined. His tree is between the house and a wall, in an area about six feet wide, west of the wall is a sidewalk and street. We live in the North Tustin area of Orange county, California. mailto:junderwoodz@netscape.net ------------------------------------------------ Subject: re: Anyone Successful With Pawpaws In Southern California? Date: Thu, 21 Apr 2005 06:51:04 -0700 From: Michael Zarky To: marionbrodie2@webtv.net Dear Marion, My climate in Moorpark is probably cooler than yours so I can't speak directly to the lower chill situation you live in; however, I have some experience with the paw paw and can say it is at least worth a try. I noticed in one nursery catalog that their rootstock was mango, however, they could not guarantee that I would have success growing them. [I did not purchase those particular ones] This doesn't seem believable. They are not even in the same family. I have some seeds also in my refrigerator right now so am hoping to sprout those. [when we last grew the trees they were in the shade] I have them potted right now and not sure whether or not to plant them in the sun this time. Pawpaws are understory plants. It is suggested they get some shade in the first few years; I covered them with tomato cages draped with shade cloth. When they get bigger, they are reputed to fruit better with mostly full light, even though they don't grow like that in nature so much. I bought 4 expensive grafted varieties, maybe 10 years ago. I seem to have some difficult soil areas, and only 1 is left now (Sunflower, I believe, with a few tiny grafts of another variety - at least I get a few flowers to give me pollen). It reached about 10 foot tall but doesn't seem to get any bigger. But I have planted some seedlings from its fruit and they are coming along, however slowly. I am hoping to graft some other varieties on them - I just haven't been very organized about finding others with scion wood; so perhaps this letter will turn up people with whom I can exchange next winter. I will also see what the fruit (if any) is like from the seedlings themselves, but they have not developed enough to flower so far. I believe that you want an acid soil (pretty tough here in Ventura County where our water pH is 8.2). I find a good mulch of wood chips helps with uniform moisture. Since your winter chill may be marginal (really, nothing seems published about pawpaw needs; just I've heard that some are successful in San Diego County and we can hope that they will be writing), the idea that they could be planted on the north side of a wall or (in my case) a hedge to provide winter shade seems worth pursuing. Definitely try a number of seedlings and see which grow more vigorously. Good luck and look forward to your reports in future years. Michael Zarky mailto:mzarky@earthlink.net 10963 Citrus Drive Moorpark, CA USA 93021 ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Growing Mangosteen Trees In California? Date: Sat, 23 Apr 2005 07:33:32 -0700 (PDT) From: William Butler Hi Leo and the rest of the members I was recently talking to a friend of mine about rarefruit and we got on the subject of mangosteens. He wanted to try growing some in some large 100 gallon containers he has and moving them to a protected place in the winter. He asked if I knew where to buy grafted trees and my first thought was of Bryan Brunner In Puerto Rico. After emailing Bryan and finding out that his trees were not quite ready to be available I decided to contact Bill Whitman. Bill Whitman to my knowledge is the only person to grow and fruit mangosteen trees in the continental U.S. I found Bill to be a very interesting man to talk too and after discussing mangosteen in length we wandered onto many other subjects. But let me share with you and the readers the cultural requirements Bill used to successfully fruit mangosteen in Florida. Bill mentioned that he lives in Bal Harbour Fl which is a barrier island just off the mainland. I imagine it would be similar to say Coronado. He said the soil on his place was very alkaline and so he hired an excavation crew to scrape and remove the existing soil and haul in some good replacement soil. He told me 600 truck loads. I believe this has given him an advantage to be able to grow all the wonderful varieties of fruit trees that he has in his orchard. Now for the steps he mentioned on mangosteen culture. 1) Soil-- Bill says a good sandy loam is good for mangosteen. The PH should be around 6.5-- 7.0 . Top dressing with compost and mulch is also a good idea. 2) Water-- Mangosteen trees need lots of water. Bill waters his year around in So. Fla. I would have to guess though as our California winters are so much more cool that holding back on watering during winter would be a good thing. In his climate its hot and humid year around. He didnt say but I would imagine that water high in salts would be detramental to mangosteen. 3) Fertilizer-- Bill uses a fertilizer product called Promix. I have not heard of this. He mentioned that mangosteen is susceptable to fertilizer burn so you should use a slow release type. I asked if fish emulsion would be good and he said it should work fine. I wonder if osmocote would burn? It might be another good one. 4) Humidity-- Mangosteen trees need high humidity just like their native places that they grow in. In Florida they dont have a proplem with this but I told him of how dry and hot it can get here and he said it would probably be best to install a mister or fogger to raise the humidity around the tree. 5) Temp.-- Bill says that his mangosteen trees have withstood 30F. Now I have to say that I would not be willing to allow my trees to be exposed to that low of a temp. it just sounds too risky to me. I would guess that keeping the temp at around 50F would probably be good. I imagine that persons living along the coast in warm winter areas might be able to accomplish this without too much supplemental heat. 6) Wind-- Bill mentioned several times the importance of keeping them protected from wind. He says that it can dessicate the folaige very quickly.I have been told by other sources that he built greenhouses around each of his trees and grew them in this environment for the first 6 or 7 years. 7) Seedlings versus grafted-- Bill mentioned that in his opinion seedling trees were better than grafted. This came as a surprize to me as I thought I had remember reading somewhere that mangosteen had a weak root system on its own roots. He said that in his many travels he had visited many mangosteen orchards and made the observation that seedling trees were heavier fruiting than grafted trees. This sounds good to me as seeds are alot easier to get than grafted trees. Bill mentioned that his trees grow 1 foot a year. When the trees are 12 years old or 12 feet high you should start looking for flowers. I have heard of mangosteen trees fruiting at an earlier age than this but in his experience anyway it took 12 years. After thinking on all the requirments needed to grow mangosteen it is my opinion that it would be best in a greenhouse. He mentioned that in his opinion the fruit is one of the best fruits he has eaten. I hope this helps someone out there who might be considering trying to grow this tree. William Butler mailto:butlerfamly5@sbcglobal.net Visalia Ca ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Mango - In San Francisco Bay Area Date: Sun, 24 Apr 2005 16:57:20 -0700 From: Paul Apffel Hi Leo, Thanks for the email. I visited Southern California last weekend, and purchased an Edwards, a Bailey's Marvel and an Edgehill seedling. I visited Papaya Tree Nursery, and they did have a newly grafted Thomson, but at $95, I thought it was a little bit too expensive, so I decided not to get it. Yes, I will subscribe to the Newsletter...If you ever hear of a grafted Thomson for a somewhat more reasonable price (perhaps Eunice will graft one up--I know she is a big Thomson fan), please let me know. As for purchasing your seedling of Thomson...that might work on a future trip...I will let you know. So far, the Valencia Pride has been pretty amazing...even in my climate.... Best Wishes Always, --Paul mailto:athoughtpaul@comcast.net on 4/21/05 10:29 AM, Leo Manuel at rarefruit@san.rr.com wrote: > Hi Paul > > I don't have any grafted Thomson (not Thomson) mangos for sale, but > I have a few seedlings of this polyembryonic variety, which should > bear true to the original tree. > > Thomson Manilla is probably Thomson, called Thomson Manilla, because > Paul Thomson said it was a Manilla type. > > I no longer have the Edgehill mango, as it would not ripen uniformly > for me. Part of each fruit would be soft and the rest hard. > > I'd suggest subscribing to the newsletter Rare Fruit News Online > with whatever questions you have for the approximately 500 readers, > many of whom are in California. > > Valencia Pride was rated highly by quite a few of the readers a few > years ago. > > Leo > > Paul Apffel wrote: >> Dear Leo, >> >> My apologies for this email out of the blue. In the way of >> introduction, my name is Paul Apffel and I am a CRFG member >> up here in the San Francisco Bay Area. I have been a member >> for about 4 years, and have attended both of the last two >> conventions in Southern California. >> >> I recently discovered your Rare Fruit postings on the >> internet in the form of annual compilations, and read with >> great interest yours and Eunice's mango postings. (Many of >> us rare fruit types have been conversing at a web site, the >> "Cafe" at Cloudforest.com). >> >> Each time I go down to Southern California, I seem to come >> back with at least one mango tree (plus many other >> subtropicals) to try up here in the Bay Area. I realize >> that my climate is very marginal, but I do like to try! My >> interest is in mangoes that have been shown to not only >> survive in Southern California, but thrive. That would >> improve my already slim chances here... >> >> At any rate, since I am going to be in Southern California >> later this week, on Thursday and Friday, I thought I might >> email you and Eunice to ask about the much praised Thomson >> and Edgehill mangoes. (I am also emailing this email to >> Eunice.) >> >> In particular, Leo do you have any grafted ones you would >> like to sell? Do you know where I might find a grafted one? >> >> It also sounds like Bailey's Marvel and Edward (which are >> propagated by Pine Island I think) have also yielded good >> results. Do you know who has these available? >> >> I emailed Roger Meyer (who I visited the last time I was >> down in Southern California) awhile back on these, and he >> said he doesn't have them. There is always Exotica, but I >> have never seen these varieties there on past visits. >> >> I noticed that Papaya Tree has "Thomson Manila"...is this >> the same as your Thomson? Are some wary of Papaya Tree? >> >> On March 21, shortly after I discovered your newsletter >> postings, I started a California Mango conversation at the >> Cafe at Cloudforest.com. Some interesting things were >> reported. >> >> I have copied the many postings below if you have an >> interest in reading them. (In the way of explanation--a >> number of us are aware of your mango successes, so your name >> did arise in the postings.) >> >> If you would like to add your own comments to the thread, >> simply visit Cloudforest.com and click on the link to the >> Cafe. Then scroll down to the March 21 posting entitled >> "California Mango Report. William and Others, Your Results?" >> Any thoughts you might want to add to the conversation >> would be welcome. Everyone is welcome to post. >> >> Please let me know... >> >> Best Wishes Always, >> >> --Paul Apffel >> >> <> >> With Spring now officially here, I thought I might file the >> first annual winter Mango report from Northern California. >> >> I was also wondering, William...don't you have some Mangos >> you are experimenting with there in Visalia? In particular, >> I am curious to hear about the reputedly cold hardy Bailey's >> Marvel... >> >> As I mentioned in some earlier posts, I have been >> experimenting with growing Mangos outdoors up here in >> Northern California. Crazy but true! >> >> This winter had a fairly cold stretch in December and >> January with lows of about 33-38 for several evenings. I >> would say about 20 of those lows happened. But most of >> January, February and March experienced lows between 40-50. >> >> I have four mangos, all of them about 4 feet tall, all >> outside: 1) A Valencia Pride In the Ground 2) A Valencia >> Pride in a 10 gallon 3) A Manila Mango Seedling in a 10 >> Gallon 4) A Glenn Mango in the Ground. >> >> In December and January during the cold stretch, 1, 2 and 4 >> showed NO signs of distress. I was very surprised. They >> appeared to be powering through the cold no problem. In >> fact, the Valencia Pride Mango in the ground was busy >> ripening two mangos and they were reaching 6 inches in size. >> By contrast, the Manila Mango seedling was obviously >> suffering with evidence primarily of anthracnose. >> >> By February, the Valencia Pride in the ground more or less >> gave up on the two mangos, and they slowly began to rot. I >> plucked them off and found that they were about 80 percent >> developed. Not quite edible. Still...by this point, only the >> Manila mango seedling showed signs of distress. >> >> Generally speaking, up until the last few rainy days, the >> month of March has been quite warm here, with daytime highs >> generally between 60 and 70. Strangely, it has been during >> this warm March that most of the suffering has become >> evident. >> >> The Glenn Mango in the ground is really suffering now. Its >> leaves are shriveling up, brown and falling off. The whole >> structure of the tree is retrenching. >> >> How strange that in the middle of the cold spell it looked >> bullet proof, with no sign of adversity, and now it looks >> like it is dying...Is this delayed suffering? Cumulative >> trauma? It just had too much? Or was it the abrupt >> transition from cold to very hot that happened in March? I >> wish I knew. I will say that each of my subtropical trees >> shows its unhappiness with cold in slightly different ways. >> However, I have not seen this delayed thing, in any other >> subtropical. For most, when the 33-38 hits, they respond >> within days. >> >> At the moment, the Valencia Pride in the ground, by >> contrast, still looks just the same as ever. No evidence of >> cold damage. It is saying I set you fruit, I tried to >> deliver, couldn't , but don't think I am troubled by the >> cold. >> >> The Valencia Pride in the pot, however, is suffering >> terribly. It is simply dropping all of its green and >> perfectly healthy leaves. Why give up on them? It is totally >> defoliating. Is being the pot versus being the ground that >> significant? And why wait until now when it is relatively >> warm? Again, I am suspecting the abrupt transition from cold >> to quite warm might have been too much. >> >> The Manila mango seedling looks just about the same as it >> always has: holding on, but with anthracnose. >> >> So...I am still not sure what the moral of the experiment is >> just yet. So far, I can say that Valencia Pride in the >> ground can survive relatively moderate Northern California >> winters (2 of them now). It can also be fruited in Northern >> California, though the fruit might not reach complete >> maturity! >> >> A final wrench to throw into...well...just about everything! >> I was recently visiting with another pioneering mango grower >> in San Jose who is, wisely, growing his large mango >> collection in a greenhouse. (He has fruited several >> varieties in the greeenhouse in pots). >> >> We discussed many things, but when I described the >> possibility of disparate cold hardiness for two Valencia >> Pride mangos, he reminded me of a very fundamental fact. >> Most grafted trees are grafted onto a seedling tree. (Our >> Mangos are typically grafted onto a seedling of the >> "Turpentine" Mango..whatever that is!) >> >> At any rate, unless a rootstock seedling is clonally >> produced (clonal rootstock), then each seedling is actually >> a genetically different tree. He described how in the old >> days before clonal rootsock, fruit orchardists would always >> have a few scattered trees in the orchard which produced >> more, or better than all the rest. The orchardists would >> muse about this seeming anamoly when, after all, the entire >> orchard was...well...bing cherries on a particular rootstock >> of a single variety. >> >> He explained that this result was likely due to the fact >> that each seedling rootstock was actually genetically >> different. And as such, the underlying seedling rootsock for >> those "better" trees was simply a better seedling. Thus, the >> moral of the story seems to be that unless rootstock is >> clonally produced, two seemingly identical trees (two >> Valencia Prides for example) might not behave the same way. >> We might call this seedling rootsock roulette! Comforting, I >> know, to those who seek rules and generalizations about >> certain cultivars! Good luck with yours! >> >> The following thread was started by Paul on March 21, 2005 >> at 9:09 pm PST >> >> <> >> The Bailey's Marvel is not any more cold hardy than any >> other variety in my opinion. In fact, I think it's more >> susceptible to disease. I have two and am getting rid of one >> of them. One never sets fruit and the other set 2 in 5 years >> and they fell off before maturing. >> >> I think the Manilla is a good choice since it's a seedling. >> It will grow faster and that's what you want. I had around >> 12 large high quality mangoes on a 7 foot tree. It set >> around twice as much but I thinned it. >> >> The Glenn should be another good choice as it is suppose to >> be easy to grow according to Florida standards. >> >> The cold stress that happened in the winter doesn't show up >> until the weather warms. This is very common for any plant >> that is stressed. The anthracnose showed up bigtime this >> year. I live in So. Cal near LA and we may break the record >> this week for the most rainfall in a year. We are at 35 >> inches and the normal is 14 inches. >> >> In ground or pot growing doesn't make a difference unless >> the roots are cramped. >> >> Two important things in my opinion is (1) to stay away from >> ammonia type (chemical) fertilizers. Cottonseed meal works >> real good, but don't over do it and (2) Don't let any fruit >> develop for a few years. Sounds drastic but it pays off in >> the end. >> <><> Mailbag of Sainarong Rasananda mailto:sainaron@loxinfo.co.th <><> Subject: Thai bananas Date: Sat, 16 Apr 2005 10:01:59 +0700 From: Sainarong Siripen Rasananda To: Doug Jones Dear Doug, You may be interested in the following banana article. Sainarong mailto:sainaron@loxinfo.co.th **************************************************** Going bananas over bananas By the hand or by the bunch, Thailand has a banana for every occasion Suthon Sukphisit I love bananas, but for a long time getting them all eaten while they were still good was a problem. I usually only eat two a day, but at the market they are sold by the hand, and a bunch of bananas can contain up to 20 hands. They all get ripe at around the same time and a day or two later they are mushy and inedible. Then the Dole company began marketing one of my favourite types, the kluay hawm that most Westerners associate with the word banana, in packages of four. That took care of the problem of bananas spoiling before I had a chance to eat them. Not long afterward the same company began selling the fragrant southern banana called kluay leb mue nang, but since these are much smaller than kluay hawm and can be eaten five at a time, spoilage was less of an issue. The fact that different kinds of bananas were being sold in these small packages indicated that most Thai families like the fruit, but consume them in limited numbers. These musings suggested the banana as a subject for a column. After all, there can't be many countries that have as many types as bananas as Thailand, and eats them in as many different ways. Some of the foods we make from bananas here are similar to recipes used abroad. Once I tasted a variant of kluak khaek while I was in the US. It was at a Cuban restaurant in Miami, Florida. The cook made it by taking unripe kluay hawm, covering it with batter and deep-frying it the same technique used in Thailand. By there were also major differences. We used the banana called kluay nam wa and the batter includes coconut cream, sugar, and salt. As a result, the Thai version of the snack is more flavourful. As mentioned above, many kinds of bananas are grown in Thailand. Among the most popular are aforementioned kluay hawm, kluay khai, kluay nam wa, kluay hak mook, kluay lep mue nang and kluay nak. The kluay nam wa is probably the star of the show. Banana farmers prefer growing it to other types, because it can be sold for such a long period of time. It is marketable from the time it is still unripe until it is almost mushy. In unripe form it can be used to make sweets like kluay chab (crisp-fried banana slices covered with sugar), kluay khaek (bananas dipped in batter and deep-fried), kluay ping (grilled bananas), kluay buat chee (stewed in sweet coconut cream sauce), kluay chueam (boiled in syrup), or kluay tak (sweet dried bananas). Once their skins are yellow they can be eaten as fresh fruit. Finally, when they get soft, there are a variety of banana desserts that can be made with them. Kluay nam wa have played an important role in Thai culture as baby food. When very young children were starting to eat their first solid food, their parents would put some ripe kluay nam wa in a little bowl, mash it up with a spoon, and feed it to them. It has high food value, and didn't have to be bought, since most people grew the bananas right in their yards. When the bananas are boiled in sugar syrup to make kluay chueam they turn red. A cook must be able to balance a firm texture with the proper sweetness. Really good ones are hard to find. It's the same with kluay buat chee in their coconut cream sauce. Either the bananas are too hard, or the sauce is too sweet or not sweet enough, or it has been cooked too long so that the coconut oil separates out. Good kluay buat chee should be sweet and salty, and the sauce shouldn't be too rich. In addition to kluay chueam and kluay buat chee, this type of banana can also be used to make khanom kluay by wrapping sweetened sticky rice around it and grilling it. These are just as few of the options. The kluay nam wa can be used to make many others kinds of snacks and desserts. I'm especially fond of the little yellow kluay khai, or egg banana. It is tender, fragrant, and dainty in size, and is delicious when made into kluay khao mao thawd (wrapped in a sweetened mixture of unripe rice and coconut, then deep-fried) or, like the kluay nam wa, as kluay buat chee. There used to be a very famous vendor who sold kluay khai chueam (bananas cooked in syrup and served with sweetened, salted coconut cream poured over them) at the entrance to New Road Soi 45, across from the Central Post Office building. No one else could make them anywhere near as good. They had been cooked until the syrup formed a sugar coating on the bananas and they turned translucent. Eaten with the slightly salty coconut cream as a sauce they were uniquely delicious. The sweetness of the bananas was balanced by the saltiness of the coconut cream. Unfortunately, the woman who sold them stopped showing up years ago. I don't know why she stopped, because her bananas sold extremely well. Kluay hak mook are larger and polygonal instead of being round like kluay khai. They are only eaten grilled _ cooked by leaving them on the fire until their skins are almost burned black. Then the skin is sliced open lengthwise to show the fruit, which is yellow in colour. Kluay hak mook are considered to be good for people who are ill, since they have high food value and are not overly sweet. They can be eaten easily with just a spoon. Now we come to kluay lep mue nang, the "Thai dancer's fingernail banana", so named because of their gracefully curved shape. In the past it was necessary to go as far south as Bang Saphan in Prachuap Khiri Khan province or Tha Sae in Chumphon to buy them, but now they can be found in some Bangkok markets. They taste similar to kluay hawm, but are a lot smaller. If you buy a hand of them, you can easily finish off half of it at a time, so they won't stay around long enough to become overripe. Kluay lep mue nang is a variety that grows only at the tip of Prachuap Khiri Khan adjoining Chumphon, where there are forested mountains. They like to grow in ravines where the soil isn't too deep, so the plants aren't very big. They resemble wild bananas. Growers hardly have to look after them at all. It takes the plants about to year to reach maturity and bear fruit (in no particular month or season). Once the fruit ripens the bunch is cut from the tree and the tree is cut down. Soon another shoot appears and the cycle repeats. Since an orchard will contain may clusters of the plants, bananas are produced all year round. The kluay lep mue nang are grown around Bang Saphan and Tha Sae, but to buy them you have to go to the Phaw Ta Hin Chang Shrine, beside the Phet Kasem Highway in the Tha Sae District. Drivers passing the shrine make the wai gesture of reverence to it. Years ago, people would stop to wai at the shrine in more complete traditional form, complete with offerings. In those days the highway heading south was dangerous, as were the bandits who robbed travellers. Drivers stopped to ask Chao Phaw Hin Chang to grant them a safe journey. After lighting incense and a candle, they would set off a string of firecrackers. Today the road is safe, but people still respect the shrine. But instead of stopping and getting out of the car to make an offering, they just honk the horn as they drive past. A hundred cars might pass the shrine each minute, but each lets out a blast of the horn. As for the banana vendors, the stalls right next to the road are the cheapest. They start on both sides of the road before you reach the shrine and continue on beyond it. Each stand has bunches of golden yellow kluay lep mue nang hanging in front of it. Fruits that are still green are stacked on the ground. Bananas are produced in such quantity that they are also sold in dried form in plastic boxes. They are delicious that way, and are so small that a box doesn't last long. Buying bananas along this stretch of road is fun. Green ones cost 50 to 70 baht for full bunch, depending on size. But even the smallest bunch has at least seven hands of bananas on it. The dried bananas sold in clear plastic boxes are made by roasting them slowly in an oven. They are so sweet that no sugar or honey has to be added. They are especially good with tea or coffee. But no matter whether customers buy their bananas fresh or dried in boxes, they have to be sure to shout during the transaction. Speaking in a normal tone won't do. The yelling is standard at every stand. It isn't that there is anything wrong with the ears of the vendors. The reason is that the honking horns of the cars passing the shrine are very loud, and both the vendors and their customers have to shout them down. Chatuchak Weekend Market is as quiet as a grave by comparison. That's enough for now on the subject of bananas in Thailand. > Subject: Thai banana > From: Doug Jones > To: sainaron@loxinfo.co.th > Sent: Monday, April 04, 2005 7:55 AM > > > Hi! I saw your notice in Leo Manuel's fruit newsletter and I > had to ask you a question. > > I was in Thailand for a couple of years as a missionary > about 30 years ago, and I really liked the fruit. Especially > the mangoes and bananas. The very best banana I ever ate was > in Thailand. It was a short stocky/block type banana, with > thin tough bright yellow skin, the flesh was very white and > creamy. I also remember that once in a while there was a big > black seed in the banana. Any idea of it's name? I've been > fruiting the 'Kluay Nam Wa' in my greenhouse for a few > years. It's good - but not as good as the one I'm looking > for. I also have the 'Kluay Hom' variety, but it hasn't > fruited. > Doug Jones mailto:fruitguy@cox.net ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: Thai neem, Indian neem Date: Fri, 22 Apr 2005 23:15:39 +0700 From: Sainarong Siripen Rasananda To: Richard Sar I have talked to Dr. Kwanchai who I regards as one of the top expert in Thailand on neem. He confirms that there is no harmful effect as a result of cooking with Indian neem; it will taste more bitter, that's all. For the seeds, you have to get rid of the outer shell first. By the way, I have found that as I get older, I like the bitter taste more and more, whereas I couldn't stand the taste when I was a young man. So, may I presume that you, like myself, are no longer young. If that's the case, let's sing Maurice Chevalier's "I'm glad I'm not young anymore" together. Sainarong mailto:sainaron@loxinfo.co.th ----- Original Message ----- > From: Richard Sar > To: sainaron@loxinfo.co.th > Sent: Sunday, April 10, 2005 3:59 AM > Subject: Thai neem, Indian neem > > > Hi Sainarong, > > How are you doing? I am sure you have been flooded by > numerous emails. I hope another won't be too much trouble. > > I am sending this email so I could find out more information > about the Thai neem (Azadirachta siamensis) compared with > the Indian neem(Azadirachta indica). I am a big fan of > bitter dishes and usually buy the frozen sadao(A. siamensis) > here in the markets. I am also growing A. indica. So far > from the information I have gathered about A. indica is that > it is safe to use as a culinary dish(mostly the dried leaves > are mention in Indian dishes). However, the amount of the > chemical properties that are used in insecticide are higher > in A. Indica. And its not as good tasting as the Thai neem. > Do you think that A. indica is a safe substitute for Thai > neem, as far as culinary purposes? Especially the flower > buds? > > Thanks, > Richard mailto:richardsar01@yahoo.com <><><><><> Growing Rare Fruit In Containers <><><><><> None, this time <><><><> Announcements And Web Pages To Consider <><><><> San Diego Chapter California Rare Fruit Growers Meeting: Where: Casa del Prado Building Room 101, Balboa Park When: Fourth Thursday Of Each Month (Except December) See: http://www.crfgsandiego.org http://members.cox.net/ncsdcrfg For North County CRFG Chapter Meeting http://www.crfg.org/chapters.html For information about ALL CRFG chapters. http://www.crfg.org/chapters.html For information about all CRFG chapters. <><>Bot-Linx List http://www.ou.edu/cas/botany-micro/bot-linx/<><> From: "Scott D. Russell" Bot-Linx List http://www.ou.edu/cas/botany-micro/bot-linx/ Subject: SBLD - Mycolog: Fungi -The Fifth Kingdom Date: Sun, 24 Apr 2005 23:39:42 -0500 http://www.mycolog.com/ This site features over 800 images of fungi as a companion to the compact mycological encyclopedia, The Fifth Kingdom. Images include mushrooms, mycorrhizas, medical mycology, yeasts, lichens, food spoilage, fermented foods, plant diseases, symbioses with animals, and edible, poisonous, and hallucinogenic fungi. The site has an informative FAQ and detailed sites on the groups of fungi, their interactions, and ecology, with images. This site is the work of Bryce Kendrick, author of The Fifth Kingdom. (****) -SR <><><> NAFEX List From: nafex-request@lists.ibiblio.org <><><> None this time <><> [rarefruit] List - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rarefruit <><> None this time <> Agricultural Research Service (ARS) mailto:ars http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/thelatest.htm. Subject: Natural Plant Extracts Seem Deadly to Formosan Termites Date: Tue, 26 Apr 2005 08:06:54 -0400 From: ARS News Service Wild celery and two weed species found throughout the western United States may contribute to safe, natural control of the Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus. Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists say that, in lab tests, three compounds that they isolated from these plants scored high kill rates against the invasive termites, which cause about $1 billion in damage annually in the United States. One compound, called apiol, was extracted from wild celery (Ligusticum hultenii), which is actually a member of the parsley family. The other compounds are cnicin, which was isolated from spotted knapweed (Centaurea maculosa), and vulgarone B, taken from Artemisia douglasiana, a variant of mugwort. The compounds were isolated and identified by chemist Kumudini M. Meepagala at ARS' Natural Products Utilization Research Unit in Oxford, Miss. Entomologist Weste Osbrink at ARS' Formosan Subterranean Termite Research Unit in New Orleans, La., tested them for efficacy. In those tests, Osbrink, whose unit is part of ARS' Southern Regional Research Center, found that vulgarone B and apiol are lethal and fast-acting to the termites. By the fourth day after application, vulgarone B achieved a 97 percent mortality rate, and apiol had an 80 percent rate. Both achieved 100 percent kill rates by the fifteenth day after application.. Cnicin was slower acting, with an 81 percent mortality rate 15 days after the treatment. According to Meepagala, these compounds were present in high levels in the plants from which they were isolated. The spotted knapweed from which the cnicin was taken is a highly invasive weed in the northwestern United States, while Artemisia douglasiana is found in all of the western states. Meepagala had previously shown that vulgarone B is an effective and fast-acting natural control of golden apple snails, which devastate Asian rice fields. ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Sliced Apples' Flavor Saver Gains Favor Date: Thu, 28 Apr 2005 09:17:19 -0400 From: ARS News Service Kids who are still missing a few front teeth may find it hard to take a bite of a big, juicy apple. And apple slices, though easier for youngsters--and adults--to eat, typically turn brown and unappealing in a few hours. Apple slices packed in a child's lunch bag might not look appetizing by lunchtime, for instance. But an invisible, vitamin-and-mineral based coating that Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists and their corporate colleagues have developed preserves refrigerated apple slices for up to 28 days. The dip-applied coating was patented in 1999 after exhaustive tests with sliced apples and pears. It is a key to the crunchy, delicious taste of the snack-size bags of sliced apples that you can now buy at some fast-food restaurants. The flavorful sliced apples are also showing up in the kitchens of school cafeterias as well as in fruit salads sold at supermarket delicatessens, or in elegant selections at upscale restaurants. Unlike lemon juice--the traditional, home-kitchen tactic to thwart browning--the apple dip doesn't change the color, taste or texture of the fruit, according to ARS research chemist Dominic W.S. Wong. Based at the agency's Western Regional Research Center in Albany, Calif., Wong is a co-inventor of the novel dip, along with retired ARS chemists Wayne M. Camirand and Attila E. Pavlath, and colleagues at Mantrose-Haeuser, Co., Inc., Westport, Conn. The company markets the formulation under the trade "NatureSeal." The sulfite-free coating consists of certain forms of calcium, an essential mineral, and ascorbate (vitamin C). The idea of choosing either or both of these natural compounds to retard browning isn't new. But extending shelf-life by using the specific forms prescribed by the scientists, at any of the ratios they recommended, is unique. NatureSeal-coated apple slices are an attractive snack that might help Americans get the recommended daily servings of fruit and fight obesity. <><><><><><><><><> End of RFN200505A.txt <><><><><><><><><><> Rare Fruit News Online - May 15, 2005 - AKA RFN200505B.txt __________________________________________________________ <><><><> Notes In Passing - Leo <><><><> Lots of new subscribers - and with questions I hope you will help them to find answers. Jojoba - Is anyone growing it? How is it propagated? How much winter chill is required for producing nuts? I've seen them growing and producing in Rainbow, CA (near Fallbrook) <><><><><><><><><> Table Of Contents <><><><><><><><><> -> -> -> Messages follow the Table Of Contents <- <- <- <><><> New Subscribers <><><> New Subscriber, San Diego Larry Edell New Subscriber - Valley Center, CA Rick Landavazo New Subscriber - Moving To Virginia neshura New Subscriber - Fullerton, CA "Sarah D." New Subscriber-Pinole, CA-With Lots Of Questions Rashid Patch New Subscriber - Phoenix, AZ Joe Useldinger New Subscriber-Homestead, FL "Heather Jacobsen" New Subscriber. How To Hand Pollinate Annonas? chapoteaup@aol.com New Subscriber - Sarasota, FL - With Annona Question Thomas <><><> Readers Write <><><> Pakistani mulberry and Elaeagnus multiflora (goumi) What fruit trees for Newbury Park, CA? "Eric Brooks" EBLACC@aol.com Sainarong Says: "My E-mail box was full" Sainarong Siripen Rasananda Pawpaw response and my garden report marionbrodie2@webtv.net (Marion Brodie) Looking For Homestead Rare Fruit Growers Christopher Hind Passiflora for Argentina "Holzinger, Bob" To: "'tropea@gwu.edu'" What Are 'Babaco' and 'Tartufi Coltivati'? KalvonSzoke@webtv.net (Dr. Kal) What Is This Mini Mango Richard Sar What Fertilizer on Pitaya Henry Marshall Persimon Trees - Definitely Worth Growing! Doug Jones Information on the Neem tree Allan Bredeson To: Joseph A Prabhakar , Richard McCain - Contact Information Shawn Hannon To: tropea@gwu.edu <><> Mailbag of Sainarong Rasananda mailto:sainaron@loxinfo.co.th <><> None, this time <><><><><> Growing Rare Fruit In Containers <><><><><> None, this time <><><> Announcements and / or Web Sites To Consider <><><> http://www.crfgsandiego.org For *San Diego Chapter* CRFG Information http://members.cox.net/ncsdcrfg For North County CRFG Chapter Meeting http://www.crfg.org/chapters.html For information about ALL CRFG chapters. <><>Bot-Linx List <> From: "Scott D. Russell" None, this time <><><> NAFEX List <><><> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/nafex Archives at http://lists.ibiblio.org/pipermail/nafex None, this time <><><> From "rarefruit list" - rarefruit@yahoogroups.com <><><> None, this time <> Agricultural Research Service (ARS) mailto:ars>news@arsgrin.gov <> http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/thelatest.htm None, this time <><><><><><><><> New Subscribers <><><><><><><><><> Subject: New Subscriber, San Diego Date: Thu, 28 Apr 2005 08:19:47 -0700 From: Larry Edell My name is Larry Edell and I live in San Diego with my wife Andrea. We have a bunch of Pitaya plants and are in the SD Epiphyllum Club. and, we just planted three medium sized banana trees. We are looking for a fig tree. Thanks Larry mailto:larrye@san.rr.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: New Subscriber - Valley Center, CA Date: Tue, 03 May 2005 12:37:25 -0700 From: Rick Landavazo I am Rick Landavazo, Valley Center, CA, (the Paradise Mountain area) Fruit trees I am now growing are fig, avocado, black mulberry, regular stone fruit (Home Depot varieties!), pomegranate, orange, grapefruit, and lemon. A nice grape vine just died when we disturbed the roots putting in a swimming pool. I just planted Kiwi, white sapote, persimmon. Most of my trees are young and I have not been producing a lot- yet. I want some ideas about what more to plant. I am interested in planting something interesting and unusual. I want to remove some peach trees and replace them and expand my home orchard. What is an interesting fruit tree that I can grow that will be grow large, cast a lot of shade, and require moderate to little amounts of water? Respectfully, Rick Landavazo, MBA mailto:Rick@comresearch.org ------------------------------------------------ Subject: New Subscriber - Moving To Virginia Date: Thu, 05 May 2005 10:48:04 -0700 From: neshura Hello! I'd like to subscribe to your newsletter. My name's Amanda Gilbert, I came out to the San Francisco area for college 12 years ago, and got into container gardening and permaculture theory while living in small townhouses and apartments around the area. I now live in Redwood City, probably the most moderate climate of all the peninsula cities, where I enjoy apricots, cherries, meyer lemons, oranges, pears, peaches, and apples grown in a tiny terraced yard behind my duplex. My dwarf meyer lemon is dearest to my heart and my martini shaker. However, I'm moving back to Virginia in mid-May, and with a zone 7 yard now at my disposal, I'm interested in getting into growing some of the rarer cold-hardy fruits like maypop and pawpaw and seeing how to combine them with food-bearing perennial shrubs and herbs for small vertical gardens. I am fascinated by the basic sciences of survival, fertility, and growth, so I spend a lot of my gardening time growing different kinds of soils and seeing how they affect plants. For example, recently I ran across an abstract for a 10 year study in Japan underway to determine the efficacy of charring waste bamboo and applying it to camellia sinensis fields; in a mid-study summary, they found that a small amount of charcoal applied to the soil every year (a la terra preta, a good example of non-neutrality of charcoal in soil) was more effective than a large single application in the first year. I was curious about this result, since terra preta is often up to 30% charred plant matter, and is one of the best soils in the world. I tried amending some garden soil in a container with 30% pure hardwood charcoal, and growing basil in both amended and non-amended soil under otherwise controlled conditions. I confirmed that a large immediate application doesn't seem effective at all; the basil plants were smaller and generally less robust looking than the non-amended plants. My working hypothesis is that small regular amendments of charred plant matter, such as created by forest fires (and suggested as a purposeful component of anthropogenic terra preta), work symbiotically with microorganism populations that change and build up over time to use the charred plant matter as a stable substrate for storing nutrients. Anyway, this is a lot of theory, but what it comes down to is that I enjoy coming to an understanding of what's going on in a garden at least as much as appreciating it simply for itself. Eating the results of my experiments may actually be the best part of all! Best, Amanda Gilbert mailto:neshura@gmail.com [See NAFEX - For Fruit Growers In Temperate Zones Not all fruit growers live in the sub-tropical fruit growing zones. Many of them turn to NAFEX for help growing such fruits as grapes, apples, pears, medlars, peaches, plums, pears, apricots.... They may subscribe to Rare Fruit News Online for information about growing subtropical fruit. I have subscribed to NAFEX for over thirty years, and recommend it to you. There also is a NAFEX newsgroup, with frequent mailing to subscribers. I'll be delighted to send the Rare Fruit News Online newsletter to you. But, for maximum support, also check out NAFEX at the following web page: http://www.nafex.org/ to get the quarterly publication "POMONA" by snail mail. For the email newsletter, go the END of the webpage: http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/nafex "Subscribing to nafex" where you leave your email address and password. Be sure to write to ask questions when the newsletters begin to appear. Leo] ------------------------------------------------ Subject: New Subscriber - Fullerton, CA Date: Sun, 08 May 2005 21:09:58 -0700 (PDT) From: "Sarah D." I am Sarah Davitian, in Fullerton, CA. 92838 I am currently growing: Green Zebra Tomato, Early Bird Tomato. Golden Raspberries ["Anne"], Blackberry-Olalie, & Boysenberry. 2 Dwarf McIntosh Pole Apple Trees, 1 Nova Spy Apple Tree. Wonderberry, Mango Melon or Vine Peach. Summer Squash, Winter Squash, Strawberry Popcorn. Queen Anne's Pocket and Golden Sweet Asian Melon. Desert King, New Queen, Orangeglo, White Wonder, Thai Baby- Watermelon. Red Thai Papaya, Giant Cape Gooseberry, Naranjilla, Chichiquella. Jenny Lind Melon, Lemon Cucumber, Rouge Vif d'Etampes pumpkin. And many others. As you can see, I am very interested in what is unusual, or interesting. I like tropical. I want to find passifloras and aronias, many others. Anything dwarf or smaller is a plus, so I can fit more variety. I'm a dedicated gardener. I don't plant very many common things. The more rare a plant or tree or seed or life is [nature], the curious and interested I am in caring for them. Whether easy or hard to take care of, I'll be there to meet the challenge. I'm not sure what kind of questions I can ask right now, but in a little while I will be able to ask. I shall have plenty to say, because I enjoy sharing the experience. Thank you for subscribing me. Is there any more that you need to know? Sarah mailto:jne1soundwave@yahoo.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: New Subscriber-Pinole, CA-With Lots Of Questions Date: Mon, 09 May 2005 14:38:47 -0700 (PDT) From: Rashid Patch As-Salaam - Peace, I am Rashid Patch, in Pinole, California (San Francisco Bay area - about 20 minutes North of Berkeley in Contra Costa County) Fruit trees I am now growing are "Washington" Navel Orange; Meyer's Lemon; Eureka Lemon; Bear's Lime; Rangpuri Lime; Limequat; "Buddha's Hand" Citron; "Moro" Blood Orange; "Oro Blanco" Grapefruit; "Li" Lytchee; American Chestnut; "Kaki" persimmon; Blueberrys - several varieties ; Currants - several varieties ; Loquat (unknown variety, grown from seed; about 9; years old, not yet fruiting); Paw Paw (unknown variety, grown from seed; 4 or 5; years old, not yet fruiting); White Sapote (unknown variety, grown from seed); Avocados (unknown variety, grown from seed); Olive (given to me, unknown variety - believed to be; "Mission" - it's setting fruit now for the first time,; I'll have a better idea of the variety in a few; months); Tunas (unknown variety); Kiwi; and Carobs - I've got some starts, from seeds collected; from a tree in San Francisco.; Some I want to grow are; Banana - they fruit in San Francisco, in Berkeley, and; in San Pablo; I'm hoping for some here; Jamun / Jambolan plum ; Mulberries; Guavas; Papaya (reported to have been grown commercially in; the San Francisco Bay area in the 19th century, but; after refrigerated ships came into use, local; producers were undersold by importers); Babaco ; Pitaya ("Dragon Fruit"); Monstera (I have seen Monsteras fruiting reliably in; San Francisco, on Bernal Hill, with an Eastern; exposure; an area where avocados regularly fruit; It's; warmer here where we are, so I think it should be; possible); Macadamias (they're growing a mile from here); Tamarillo; Pepino; Pineapple - cut tops of store-bought fruit rooted; successfully, and have withstood several winters.; Don't know if these will ever fruit here, but I'll; keep them going and see; Coffee - I had kept some coffee seedlings going for 4; years in San Francisco, got 2 berries one year, then a; frost killed all my plants. I'll try again here where; it's warmer. Others: I have been able to start Mamey Sapote and Jackfruit seedlings (with seeds from store-bought fruit), but winter cold (or wet feet) killed them. I'll try again - also with Durians and Cherimoyas I've been told of a Tamarind growing in San Pablo - I'll try sprouting some seeds of those, too. Peace! Rashid Patch mailto:rashid_patch@yahoo.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: New Subscriber - Phoenix, AZ Date: Tue, 10 May 2005 01:18:00 -0700 From: joe and trish I am Joe Useldinger, Live in Phoenix, Arizona I grow white grapefruit, sweet orange, lisbon lemon, pomagranite I want to grow lime, papaya, mango, cheramoya, guava Joe Useldinger mailto:jeusel@ix.netcom.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: New Subscriber-Homestead, FL Date: Wed, 11 May 2005 11:50:37 -0400 From: "Heather Jacobsen" Hello, My name is Heather Jacobsen and I would like to subscribe to Rare Fruit News Online. I have a Master's degree in ethnbotany and have travelled and lived extensively overseas where I have gotten to sample all kinds of interesting and rare fruits. I just recently moved to South Florida where I can now delve into growing tropical fruit. I even more recently starting working at the Redland Fruit & Spice Park where tropical and subtropical fruit has now become any every day part of my life. My e-mail address for receiving this newsletter is different from this email address. Please send the newsletter to: resources365@yahoo.com. At the Fruit & Spice Park we have about 500 varieties of plants (including herbs, spices and nuts in addition to fruit). And we continually work to acquire more. I have so much to learn!! I hope I can share with you all as I learn. Until then, I can't wait to receive my first Rare Fruit News Online! By the way, I am an amateur photographer as well - so if you ever need pictures of fruit, let me know! Heather mailto:resources365@yahoo.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: New Subscriber. How To Hand Pollinate Annonas? Date: Fri, 13 May 2005 17:53:02 -0400 From: chapoteaup@aol.com Hi, my name is Liane Chapoteau, German native, through marriage in Tampa, Florida. My husband Philippe is Haitian and we are hobby gardener. We have the following trees, 90% from seeds: Avocado, 5.5 Years old, this year first time blooming and we have two fruit set, now about the size of an oval nickle. We have three more trees from a seed, but younger. Soursop, we have two soursop "trees" in my back yard, one is about 6 years old. I have a feeling it will flower this year, because we have a sweet sop also, which bloomed already last year and this year the first fruit set by hand pollination of course, they are now the size of a dime. I have searched for pictures of the flower of the soursop and finally found some, but i could not locate any information on how to hand pollinate the flowers. Please help me, we are beginners and need to know how to do it step by step guidance or at least the link to a helpful sites. I want to know everything i need ahead of time to prepare properly. The plant is my husbands favorite fruit. Next time more on our other trees. Thank you for your kind assistance. Liane Chapoteau mailto:chapoteaup@aol.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: New Subscriber - Sarasota, FL - With Annona Question Date: Sat, 14 May 2005 19:41:01 -0400 From: Thomas Hello , My name is Safari Tom .. I love rare FRUIT !ÊÊÊ My fiancŽ and I are growing mangos loquats,papaya , we just started some guava seedsÉ.Ê We want to turn our back yard into a tropical fruit paradise ÉÊ today we purchased an ODD looking fruit from publix É it was green andÊ sort of Êheart shaped and look as though it has reptile scales !!Ê I was so excited so as I was driving home my fiancŽ peeled back a little of the skin and underneath was a beautiful creamy white flesh !Ê I chomped right in ÉÊ DELICIOUS !!ÊÊ AMAZING !!Ê UNBELIEAVABLE !!ÊÊ this is the most amazing fruit I have ever eaten !Ê I didnÕt even know what it was .. I started searching the net for rare fruit and BAM ÉI found your page and it was on the MAIN PAGEÊÊ !!Ê ItÕs a cherimoya !ÊÊ I saved the seeds !!ÊÊ can I grow these ? Please tell me yes .. By the way É im 31 years old , I live in Sarasota FL É my personal website is www.safaritom.com Tom mailto:safaritom@kw.com <><><><><><><><><> Readers Write<><><><><><><><><><> Subject: Pakistani mulberry and Elaeagnus multiflora (goumi) Date: Sat, 30 Apr 2005 21:48:15 -0700 From: Linda Starr Hello, I am a recent CRFG Sequoia Chapter member in Central California. Thought I would share this with you all. I went to one of our members homes after a recent CRFG meeting and had the pleasure of tasting a Pakistani mulberry fruit - just like honey nectar. My friend also has Persian mulberry growing but they were just fruiting - can't wait to taste those too. The next day I received a catalog in the mail from One Green World, http://www.onegreenworld.com/ , a fruit nursery in Oregon, whom I had contacted about an evergreen fruiting shrub I want to plant on our property for a screen. The plant is called Goumi or Elaeagnus multiflora, grows about 6 feet tall, has fragrant white flowers followed by small red fruit similar in size and taste to a tart cherry. These shrubs are native to the Russian Far East and also are popular in Japan and China. Regards, Linda mailto:mtnstar@ocsnet.net ------------------------------------------------ Subject: What fruit trees for Newbury Park, CA? Date: Mon, 02 May 2005 00:03:44 -0400 (EDT) From: "Eric Brooks" EBLACC@aol.com I want to plant fruit trees, live in Newbury Park, California. What type of exotic fruit trees can I plant? My name is Eric Brooks mailto:EBLACC@aol.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Sainarong Says: "My E-mail box was full" Date: Mon, 02 May 2005 11:15:02 +0700 From: Sainarong Siripen Rasananda From 1743 hours on Sunday 1st May to 0645 hours on Monday 2nd May Thai time (1143 hours on Sunday 1st May to 0045 hours on 2nd May GMT), my e-mail box was full, so any e-mails sent to me during that period are not received by me. By the way, I will be going to China for a month starting tomorrow morning, and may not have much access to the internet during that period. Sainarong mailto:sainaron@loxinfo.co.th ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Pawpaw response and my garden report Date: Mon, 02 May 2005 05:14:23 -0700 From: marionbrodie2@webtv.net (Marion Brodie) I want to thank the members for their valuable information regarding my enquiry regarding Pawpaws. I really appreciate all of it. I now have a better idea of what the cultural requirements are, so hopefully this time I will have much more success. This wet winter/Spring which we are still going through has produced some very interesting growth in the garden. Everything looks so lush and green it is a joy to be outside. Just some things of interest. My apricots have done so much better and after having concerns about the Apriuims which I did not think would be fertilized, they have actually done so much better, although not as many fruits as they had the first two years when they were first planted. Our Greengage plums which have not fruited since we purchased them [around 6 yrs ago] are popping with fruit, so we are expecting a good crop of plums. The pineapple guava which was heavily pruned last year has almost doubled in size within the past few months, it is crammed with blossom and the leaves are so thick and lush, I have never seen it look this good. [the bluejays [birds] love the blossom]. We have had this tree for years and it has always done well, but not this well. We have two columnar apples which have not fruited well, one of them Sentinal Red has given a few delicious apples [the aroma and taste of these apples is unique, and are sweetly scented]. The other one Sentinal Golden, which has never held any fruit and only blossomed sparingly, is showing a fairly good crop of apples.So we shall see. We have had carpets of nasturtiums which in past years would only bloom in very small pockets then die off. We finally had to cut them back as they were literally spilling over walkways, rocks, other plants etc., and altho quite lovely were just too much [the bloom has gone on for weeks].must have been about 12 feet in length and very wide.never had this happen before. And now for my Lychee, I have been doing everything which was kindly suggested to me including the bowls of water around the base. and I have also been outside everyday misting. [when it wasn't raining] I did notice this year that the bees have been more active on the tree, [am not at all sure about this but rather than throw away all nasturium blossoms I was putting them under the tree in the bowls of water]. this could have nothing to do with the bees however it sure looked pretty. I think I see some fruit, but as it has not fruited before I don't know what it will look like exactly so maybe the little green buds could be unopened blossom ?? The Jaffa orange which was planted about 6 years ago is fruiting for the first time [they are very frost sensitive and we only have one left]. Our kiwi's are so thick this year but still no signs of blossom [ and no fruit whatsoever] that I am beginning to think we do not have any male plants. The passion fruit vines are so thick that we will have to control them, otherwise me thinks they will overtake our home this year. May I add that after living here for the past 30 yrs I have never quite seen a year like this. We are just loving it.and in between the rain showers, the sun has been so warm that it has been ideal for growing conditions in the garden. [we have been fertilizing too organically] Just adding also that this year I am growing a selection of heirloom tomatoes from around the world [ie Russia, Hungary etc.,].black tomatoes,pink ones, pink ones with white stripes, white ones, yellow ones, red ones etc., I have always been interested in doing this. All I need now is a Scotch bonnet hot pepper so that I can start planning all of those spicy hot summer recipes. cheers, blessings Marion Brodie mailto:marionbrodie2@webtv.net ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Looking For Homestead Rare Fruit Growers Date: Mon, 02 May 2005 06:54:45 -0700 (PDT) From: Christopher Hind I just relocated from Los Angeles, CA (Manhattan Beach specifically) to Homestead, FL. I am not new to the list but am new to the area. One of my reasons was to grow rarefruit in a place thats actually tropical! I look forward to meeting any rarefruit growers in my area which i know there are a bunch! See you soon! Chris Hind mailto:cixcell@yahoo.com Homestead, FL ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Passiflora for Argentina Date: Mon, 02 May 2005 09:40:42 -0700 From: "Holzinger, Bob" To: "Joseph" Hello Joseph, I saw your note on Rare Fruit News Online about growing passiflora on the coast in Argentina and thought I'd respond. I know Richard McCain and I've never had an email address for him, so I don't know if he is online. A person you might want to contact is Patrick Worley at Pjesse@sbcglobal.net. He would be a better source of information.Some of the questions that Patrick will ask you are: a) How much fence do you need to cover b) Do you care if you get fruit or not c) Does it matter if the vines spread from the original point of planting d) Do you care if you have to deal with pests (catepillars) e) Does the soil have pests (nematodes) f) Does it matter if you have to replace the plants after 5-7 years The answers to these questions will narrow the choices you have, then you have to deal with availability and, finally, getting the plants to Argentina in good shape. These could be the biggest problems and make the answers to the questions above academic. If Patrick doesn't respond to you, email me and I'll give you some species to look for, but since it appears that you are on the East coast, you may have a hard time finding a good source locally. Needless to say, if you find a source in Argentina, that would be the best way to get the plants. Good luck, Bob Holzinger mailto:bholzing@amgen.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: What Are 'Babaco' and 'Tartufi Coltivati'? Date: Mon, 02 May 2005 23:11:01 -0700 From: KalvonSzoke@webtv.net (Dr. Kal) Someone mentioned the above two fruits. I was told that they saw it in an Italian fruit and veg. magazine. I've never heard of either one of them and would appreciate some information on them if it is available. Thank you very much. Dr. Kal mailto:KalvonSzoke@webtv.net ------------------------------------------------ Subject: What Is This Mini Mango Date: Tue, 03 May 2005 11:07:54 -0700 (PDT) From: Richard Sar Hi Leo, I had recently bought a box of Sabroso brand mango, imported from Mexico. These mangos looked and tasted just like Manilla/Ataulfo but it was only about 3 1/2 inch long and about 2 inches wide. Interesting bite sized mangos. The seeds did have an embryo and it looked like it should be viable. Does anybody know the name of this cultivar? I uploaded a picture into the yahoo group. It is under the folder Richard and titled mini mango. Thanks, Richard mailto:richardsar01@yahoo.com [Sounds like a variant of 'Ataulfo' mango to me, possibly Champagne. Sometimes mangos arrive in boxes that have the name written on them. -Leo] ------------------------------------------------ Subject: What Fertilizer on Pitaya Date: Thu, 05 May 2005 07:43:02 -0700 (PDT) From: Henry Marshall Leo, What have your readers found to be the best fertilizeration regiment for Pitaya? Any good web sites or books you like. The attached powerpoint slide has some yellow pitaya at my house. I have other varities that are growing well but have yet to fruit. Thanks Henry Marshall mailto:tropicalfruitclub@yahoo.com Winter Springs, FL ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Persimon Trees - Definitely Worth Growing! Date: Sun, 08 May 2005 10:22:13 -0700 From: Doug Jones After reading one of the letters in the last newsletter regarding persimmons I thought I would tell you of my experiences growing persimmons here in Mesa Arizona. I live on 1.3 acre lot in the middle of the city near Phoenix, Az. I get irrigation that floods the whole lot 4 inches deep in water (a little bit on the salty side) twice a month in summer and once a month in winter. I have over 500 trees in the ground (probably too many according to my wife!) and another 500 in pots in the 50 x 50 x 16 foot greenhouse. I try to grow anything I possibly can. About 15 years ago I started trying to grow persimmons. There are a few trees around town of mostly poor quality. After the first few trees died at an early age (one to two years!) I found out that they really need shade the first 2-3 years. So I erected shade (usually wooden pallets on end right next to the west side of the tree) for a few years until the tree got established. Then removed the shade and they did fine. I also am a firm believer in mulch to keep the moisture level constant and provide worms to buffer the salty soil, so I piled on 6-8 inches of tree trimmings. I get it free from the tree trimmers in town. Over the last 8-10 years I have started to enjoy some wonderful fruit. I have to "bag" the fruit with empty water bottles to keep the birds off, but the effort is most rewarding. I usually have hundreds of fruit to enjoy over a 3 month ripening season. I have following varieties fruiting: Hachiya, Fuyu, GiantFuyu, Saijo,Gionbo,Izu, Tanenashi (may be mislabeled) and a seedling I have partly grafted over to other varieties. They all fruit fairly well except the Gionbo - never has done much even though it is a huge tree.I cut it back to 15 feet tall every year or so, but it never does more than a couple puny fruit. It does have a chlorosis problem, which may have something to do with it.(anybody have any ideas to help it fruit? There is a Tanenashi(?) about 50 feet away with bunches of male blossoms to pollinate it, so pollination shouldn't be a problem) The Saijo planted 30 feet away and getting the same water and fertilizer produces loads of beautiful sweet fruit. My close friend and fellow fruit grower, Al Falkenstein, used his refractometer and got a Brix reading of 27 from on of the Saijo fruits, which is quite high sugar content. They are exceptional!! My favorite way of eating them, or the Hachiya, is to get them really soft and put a couple in a bowl, add on a dollop of whip cream and a dash of cinnamon. Man what a treat!! So anyone still struggling with growing persimmons I'd say to keep trying. The rewards are definitely worth the effort! Doug Jones mailto:fruitguy@cox.net ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Information on the Neem tree Date: Sun, 08 May 2005 08:44:24 -1000 From: Allan Bredeson To: Joseph A Prabhakar , Eyvonne Koch http://www.neemtreefarms.com/indica.html The Advantages Of Neem From the very beginning of civilization, mankind has depended upon medicinal herbs to treat a myriad of diseases, disorders and injuries. Even today, more than half of all modern medicines - ranging from aspirin to the newest treatment for breast cancer - are based upon ingredients from plants. Neem, still called "the village pharmacy" in its native India, is one of the most ancient and widely used herbs in the world. In fact, herbalists in ancient India had documented the healing qualities of this remarkable tree long before Western civilization discovered the analgesic qualities of the willow tree from which aspirin is derived. Perhaps the most significant challenge neem faces is the fact that it appears to be too good to be true. We're not from Missouri, but we're definitely "show me" type people who did a lot of research before opening Neem Tree Farms. So instead of trying to persuade you how wonderful neem is, we've provided a series of links to national and international research on this remarkable tree. We started growing neem on the indirect advice of the U.S. government, which sponsored a research project that resulted in a book called NEEM: A Tree for Solving Global Problems. The chapter on medicinals (pages 60 to 70) and "next steps" (pages 88 to 99) are particularly interesting. Funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development and published by the National Academy Press, the book's contributors and participants include the board of the National Research Council, the National Academy of Sciences, the Institute of Medicine and the U.S. Department of Agriculture as well as the Board on Science and Technology for International Development. It's a little difficult to read online and is somewhat outdated (published in 1992) but what struck us most strongly was a paragraph in the foreword: "To those millions in India neem has miraculous powers, and now scientists around the world are beginning to think they may be right. Two decades of research have revealed promising results in so many disciplines that this obscure species may be of enormous benefit to countries both rich and poor. Even some of the most cautious researchers are saying that 'neem deserves to be called a wonder plant." Since then, other government agencies, as well as highly respected physicians and physician organizations, have begun compiling databases that include information on neem. The National Institutes of Health, an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and a sister agency to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, has created a database of national and international research journals called MedLine. It includes more than 150 documents on neem. To search for neem and a specific question, type neem AND disorder, i.e., neem AND parasites or neem AND antiviral. MDChoice.com is a privately held company founded by academic physicians and backed by private venture capital. They have developed a unique, patent-pending technology that provides specific, content-focused information from MedLine at the click of a mouse button. Searching for information on neem is somewhat easier than using the main government site and it is much easier to purchase full copies of the articles. The National Institutes of Health also has documented the myriad uses of neem in its International Bibliographic Information on Dietary Supplements (IBIDS) - which is nicknamed the "Physician's Desk Reference for Herbal Medicines." This database of published, international scientific literature on dietary supplements also includes more than 150 citations on neem. (Interestingly enough, they aren't the same documents listed in MedLine, although there are some overlaps.) Full articles are not available on the site but it's an interesting overview. One of neem's most important attributes is its effectiveness as a natural pesticide (see the IBIDS database for details). It is proving to be equally effective in repelling pests that affect people, like mosquitoes, fleas, ticks and head lice. Dr. Andrew Weil, a Harvard physician and leading proponent of alternative medicine, has written several articles on neem. Contraindications Within those limitations, neem is generally considered to be one of the safest medicinal herbs available. The FDA's Office of Special Nutritionals maintains an extensive database of adverse affects from herbal medications which does not include any references to neem that would indicate potential problems. Even the Extension Toxicology Network documentation for using neem as a pesticide shows that it is "relatively non-toxic" and caused no significant problems even at the extraordinary high dosages fed to laboratory rats as part of the approval process required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Neem products should never be used internally by anyone who is pregnant or trying to conceive a child (male or female). Neem also has compounds related to those found in aspirin and should not be used to treat children under the age of 19 with fevers or other flu-related symptoms. Disclaimer: These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. The research presented on this page is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. The statements have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Whenever possible, links to abstracts published by the National Institutes of Health (a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) are provided. However, some of the earlier research is not available online. For information on other disorders, visit PubMed, and type in neem and your specific question, i.e., neem and virus, neem and gum disease, neem and insects. ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Richard McCain - Contact Information Date: Mon, 09 May 2005 22:15:20 -0700 (PDT) From: Shawn Hannon To: tropea@gwu.edu Joseph, I do not believe Richard McCain has email (he did not 2 years ago when we last spoke and he is quite busy). However, I am sure that the rarefruit newsletter can stir up other people with Passiflora knowledge to assist you. -Shawn Hannon mailto:fruitgeek@yahoo.com San Francisco, CA <><> Mailbag of Sainarong Rasananda mailto:sainaron@loxinfo.co.th <><> None, this time <><><><><> Growing Rare Fruit In Containers <><><><><> None, this time <><><><> Announcements And Web Pages To Consider <><><><> San Diego Chapter California Rare Fruit Growers Meeting: Where: Casa del Prado Building Room 101, Balboa Park When: Fourth Thursday Of Each Month (Except December) See: http://www.crfgsandiego.org http://members.cox.net/ncsdcrfg For North County CRFG Chapter Meeting http://www.crfg.org/chapters.html For information about ALL CRFG chapters. http://www.crfg.org/chapters.html For information about all CRFG chapters. <><>Bot-Linx List http://www.ou.edu/cas/botany-micro/bot-linx/<><> From: "Scott D. Russell" Bot-Linx List http://www.ou.edu/cas/botany-micro/bot-linx/ None this time <><><> NAFEX List From: nafex-request@lists.ibiblio.org <><><> None this time <><> [rarefruit] List - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rarefruit <><> None this time <> Agricultural Research Service (ARS) mailto:ars http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/thelatest.htm. None this time <><><><><><><><><> End of RFN200505B.txt <><><><><><><><><><> Rare Fruit News Online - June 1, 2005 - RFN200506A.txt ______________________________________________________ <><><><> Notes In Passing - Leo <><><><> Pitaya Blooms - There may be as many as two dozen bloom buds. Most don't have any but a few have several. The first to open will be the same as last year's - G-3. It is a self-fertile red-fleshed pitaya. I noticed last year that the red-fleshed pitayas all bloomed significantly earlier than any of the white fleshed ones. <><><><><><><><><> Table Of Contents <><><><><><><><><> -> -> -> Messages follow the Table Of Contents <- <- <- <><><> New Subscribers <><><> New Subscriber, Scotland - What Can Succeed Here? rachael muirhead <><><> Readers Write <><><> Jojoba Gladys Baird Question re 'Babaco' and 'Tartufi Coltivati' Rashid Patch Free Pomegranate Tree For The Digging Mark Presky To: davidlang@themls.com Goumi Alan Schroeder To: mtnstar@ocsnet.net Meeting rarefruit enthusiasts CHINO228@aol.com To: cixcell@yahoo.com What is Yacon xp? What is Graviola xp? "H.Johannessen" Ginnups? victoria sator What's Wrong With My Lychee Tree? Thomas re: What fruit trees for Newbury Park, CA? ben@fruitfinds.com To: EBLACC@aol.com Babaco Cris West To: Capulin cherry seeds/plants wanted in Hawaii Xenia Pitaya In Santa Barbara or San Luis Obisbo? Dayton Mason <><> Mailbag of Sainarong Rasananda mailto:sainaron@loxinfo.co.th <><> None, this time <><><><><> Growing Rare Fruit In Containers <><><><><> None, this time <><><> Announcements and / or Web Sites To Consider <><><> http://www.crfgsandiego.org For *San Diego Chapter* CRFG Information http://members.cox.net/ncsdcrfg For North County CRFG Chapter Meeting http://www.crfg.org/chapters.html For information about ALL CRFG chapters. <><>Bot-Linx List <> SBLD - Southwest Exotic Plant Information Clearinghouse Southwest Exotic Plant Information Clearinghouse http://www.usgs.nau.edu/SWEPIC/index.html SBLD - Great Botanical Books: A Booksellers' Perspective Great Botanical Books: A Booksellers' Perspective http://www.users.dircon.co.uk/~wheldwes/bot.html SBLD - Scientific Names: How to Say Them Scientific Names: How to Say Them http://members.aol.com/magarland/botlat/testhand.htm <><><> NAFEX List <><><> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/nafex Archives at http://lists.ibiblio.org/pipermail/nafex None, this time <><><> From "rarefruit list" - rarefruit@yahoogroups.com <><><> None, this time <> Agricultural Research Service (ARS) mailto:ars>news@arsgrin.gov <> http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/thelatest.htm Can Compost Teas Help Flowers Battle Blight? ARS News Service <><><><><><><><> New Subscribers <><><><><><><><><> Subject: New Subscriber, Scotland - What Can Succeed Here? Date: Mon, 30 May 2005 18:24:40 +0000 From: rachael muirhead My real name is Rachael Muirhead and I live in Edinburgh, Scotland. So you can appreciate how much help I need growing exotic and rare fruits! Since a young age I have been fascinated with exotic fruits, as they are perhaps more rare here than anywhere else. I am currently growing pomegranate, kumquat and dragon fruit, although these are all very much in the early stages. The pomegranate plants are between five and ten centimetres high, the kumquat is about 5 centimetres and the dragon fruits are still little seedlings, but are sprouting prickles in the middle. I would really be interested in growing anything which would have a chance of success here. There will be some fruits which I must accept are just not suited to the Scottish climate, but am open to suggestions. I should at the moment just like any tips you have for the care of the fruits mentioned and perhaps an estimate for the time scale for the growth of the dragon fruits. Many thanks, Rachael Muirhead mailto:rach89ann@hotmail.com <><><><><><><><><> Readers Write<><><><><><><><><><> Subject: Jojoba Date: Sun, 15 May 2005 20:28:19 -0700 From: Gladys Baird Jeanine DeHart (passed away from cancer on Jan. 3, 2005) grew jojoba when she had the nursery on Seeman Drive. From what I remember, there are male and female plants, it is very drought tolerant, and its range includes the deserts of southern Arizona, southern California and northern Baja, CA. Paul Thomson also grew Simmondsia chinensis on his Bonsall property. He was trying to find a cultivar with a higher wax content (wax remains liquid at room temperature) that would make a valuable commercial crop. I don't know how successful Paul was, but you can ask him. Hope all is well with you. Best regards. Gladys Baird mailto:tokiko@adelphia.net ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Question re 'Babaco' and 'Tartufi Coltivati' Date: Sun, 15 May 2005 23:40:53 -0700 (PDT) From: Rashid Patch > Rare Fruit News Online - May 15, 2005 - AKA > RFN200505B.txt Dr. Kal asks: > What Are 'Babaco' and 'Tartufi Coltivati'? > KalvonSzoke@webtv.net (Dr. Kal) "Babaco" is the "Upland Papaya", Mountain Papaya, Champagne Fruit, Carica pentagona or Carica x heilbornii var. pentagona Most cold-hardy of the papaya family. I just saw one growing in Oakland, California, at about 500 ft elevation; owner says it reliably fruits there. We're at about 50 ft elevation, 20 miles north - it's on my list to try. Fruit is reportedly not as sweet or flavorful as the more tropical papayas, and rather more used cooked, than as a fresh fruit. Imported Babacos occasionally show up in San Francisco Bay Area ethnic markets. 'Tartufi Coltivati' means "cultivated truffles". Apparently both white and black truffles can be "cultivated" by innoculating root zones of the the appropriate oak species with mycorhizia culture. If you have the proper symbiont trees, you can "seed" the soil with the fungus, and then you will be able to harvest the truffle "tubers" - like naturalizing daffodils. I have seen trufles grown this way, from Mendocino County, California, displayed at a San Francisco Mycological Society meeting several years ago. The grower was asking - and getting - something like $80 - $100 an ounce for them. The "how-to" for "naturalizing" fungi species in gardens, providing them with the proper mineral balances and symbiont species, has greatly improved in the last decade or two -from basicly one species of cultivated mushroom, to dozens. Trufles are just one that has been successful. (I'd like to find out how to grow Amanita Caesaria...) I quickly found a description of Tartufi Coltivati on an Italian website at: < http://www.italyexport.com/funghi/eco.htm I think Fungi Perfecti at: would be a good place to start a search for domestic (U.S.) sources and info re: cultivating trufles. Rashid Patch mailto:rashid_patch@yahoo.com Pinole California ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Free Pomegranate Tree For The Digging Date: Mon, 16 May 2005 11:17:27 -0700 (PDT) From: Mark Presky CC: davidlang@themls.com Hello Leo, I have a friend in West Los Angeles with a nice, producing Pomegranate tree in his back yard that needs to go bye bye. It is small to moderate size, and if someone is interested in digging it up for transplant, they can have it. Contact David at 310-694-1694, or davidlang@themls.com Mark Presky mailto:mmp1450@yahoo.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Goumi Date: Mon, 16 May 2005 19:11:55 -0700 From: Alan Schroeder To: mtnstar@ocsnet.net Dear Linda: I ordered a Goumi from the One Green World Nursery some years ago. It is now at least 6 feet tall but I do not know if you would use it for a screening hedge as it is deciduous. For those that are interested although it comes from Siberia it does just fine here in Santa Barbara, CA looking out over my cherimoyas and other subtropicals, apparently no need for any significant winter chill. The fruit is smaller than my pinky finger nail and is somewhat astringent even when eaten off the bush in full ripeness, faintly reminiscent of sour cherry. Birds love it. It tends to sucker alot at the base where they grafted the selection One Green World sells. The suckers are much more thorny than the selected cultivar and dominate quickly if not watched. I was going to root the whole thing out and plant a more subtropical fruit but then I read in a promotion that it is the world's highest source of Lycopene, a currently in vogue phytonutrient, important in prostate health and a reason some think tomato sauce is good for you. Now I make a point of enjoying those little astringent berries which are currently ripening here in this month of May. Alan Schroeder mailto:arschroeder@cox.net Santa Barbara, CA ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Meeting rarefruit enthusiasts Date: Tue, 17 May 2005 07:26:57 -0400 (EDT) From: CHINO228@aol.com To: cixcell@yahoo.com There are two excellent rare fruit organizations that would suit your purpose: Rare Fruit Council Int'l Inc. Miami . You're welcome to attend their monthly meeting the second Wednesday of each month at 7/30 pm at the Museum of Science. Miami. For further info, phone (305) 554-1333 2. Tropical Fruit & Vegetable Society You're welcome to attend their monthly meetings on the last Wednesday of each month in Homestead at the Fruit & Spice Park. For further info, call (305) 247-5727. Good luck. Maurice mailto:CHINO228@aol.com > I just relocated from Los Angeles, CA (Manhattan Beach > specifically) to Homestead, FL. I look forward to meeting > any rarefruit growers in my area which i know there are a > bunch! Chris Hind. Homestead. FL < cixcell@yahoo.com > ------------------------------------------------ Subject: What is Yacon xp? What is Graviola xp? Date: Tue, 17 May 2005 16:00:56 -0400 From: "Heather Johannessen" Do you have any information on yacon xp or graviola xp. All I know is that it is grown in Peru and it benefits many ailments including diabetes and cancer. Have you heard of these plants?? Thanks for your help; Best wishes, Heather Johannessen mailto:hjisrn@rogers.com Toronto, Canada ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Ginnups? Date: Wed, 18 May 2005 10:49:05 -0500 From: Victoria sator Hi my name is Victoria and I used to live in Panama where I had my first Ginnup. I was a child when I lived there but I definitely remember this delicious fruit. I was wondering if anyone who belongs to the rarefruit.com can help me find Ginnups in the USA, preferably California. If you can, please e-mail me I would really appreciate it! Thank You, Victoria mailto:auvist@hotmail.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: What's Wrong With My Lychee Tree? Date: Wed, 18 May 2005 17:30:10 -0400 From: Thomas Leo I purchased A small lychee tree from the Manatee rare fruit council tree sale a week ago. I transplanted it into the ground on last Sunday and today I noticed all of the young new leaves are shrivilled up like wet saran wrap. What could cause this ? Thanks a million Safari Tom mailto:safaritom@kw.com www.safaritom.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: re: What fruit trees for Newbury Park, CA? Date: Wed, 18 May 2005 16:32:35 -0700 (PDT) From: ben@fruitfinds.com To: EBLACC@aol.com Eric, I'm also in Newbury Park. You've actually got a very long list of exotic fruits you can plant successfully in the area. Are you a member of the California Rare Fruit Growers? (www.crfg.org) If not I suggest you join--there is excellent information every month on rare fruits that grow well in the area, which is pretty much everything subtropical. The main limitation in NP (depending on where you are in the area) is how much you are ocean influenced by the fog (keeps it from getting hot enough for some varieties) and how cold it gets (makes it hard to grow things which require chill hours). Any kinds of trees you are looking at in particular? Ben mailto:ben@fruitfinds.com http://www.fruitfinds.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Babaco Date: Thu, 19 May 2005 11:24:36 -0700 From: Cris West To: Babaco is related to the papaya family and is native to Ecuador. It is pentagon-shaped, and like the starfruit, resembles a star when cut cross-wise. This extremely juicy fruit is said to have the aroma of strawberry, pineapple, and papaya and has golden yellow skin when mature. Best when soft and skin is a golden yellow color. Add to meat dishes as well as fruit salads and desserts. Handle with care as they blemish easily. There is a small picture of the fruit on our website... Cris West mailto:cris.west@friedas.com http://www.friedas.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Capulin cherry seeds/plants wanted in Hawaii Date: Sun, 15 May 2005 03:36:02 -1000 From: Xenia Hi, I am trying to get seeds/plants to ship to Hawaii. Do you have any suggestions whom I could contact? Thank You, Xenia ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Pitaya In Santa Barbara or San Luis Obisbo? Date: Tue, 31 May 2005 21:43:01 +0000 From: Dayton Mason Hi Leo, I live in Oregon and have been growing pitaya for awhile now in greenhouses. I was wondering why it is possible to grow pitaya outside near the shore where you live and if you think it is possible to do so in the Santa Barbara, San Luis area? Also is it the more inland people that grow them under greenhouse uv protection? I am doing that now with 60% shade cloth, but I also want more blooms, so I am wondering if I should take the cloth off because I don't want them to burn? Thanks for any input Dayton Mason <><> Mailbag of Sainarong Rasananda mailto:sainaron@loxinfo.co.th <><> None, this time <><><><><> Growing Rare Fruit In Containers <><><><><> None, this time <><><><> Announcements And Web Pages To Consider <><><><> San Diego Chapter California Rare Fruit Growers Meeting: Where: Casa del Prado Building Room 101, Balboa Park When: Fourth Thursday Of Each Month (Except December) See: http://www.crfgsandiego.org http://members.cox.net/ncsdcrfg For North County CRFG Chapter Meeting http://www.crfg.org/chapters.html For information about ALL CRFG chapters. http://www.crfg.org/chapters.html For information about all CRFG chapters. <><>Bot-Linx List http://www.ou.edu/cas/botany-micro/bot-linx/<><> From: "Scott D. Russell" Bot-Linx List http://www.ou.edu/cas/botany-micro/bot-linx/ Subject: SBLD - Southwest Exotic Plant Information Clearinghouse Date: Tue, 17 May 2005 00:00:57 -0500 Southwest Exotic Plant Information Clearinghouse http://www.usgs.nau.edu/SWEPIC/index.html SWEPIC is a shared effort to compile information on exotic species of the US Southwest, serving to "protect the ecological and economic values of southwest resources from degradation from harmful non-native weeds". Pages on the site focus on weedy species and their profiles, weed lists, noxious (and other) weed lists, maps, and interactive maps (as available) of Southwest non-native invasive plants. The site also includes the Southwest Exotic Plant Mapping Program (SWEMP). Contibuting agencies include the U.S. Geological Survey, National Park Service and Northern Arizona University (***1/2) -SR ------------------------------------------------ Subject: SBLD - Great Botanical Books: A Booksellers' Perspective Date: Tue, 17 May 2005 00:15:25 -0500 Great Botanical Books: A Booksellers' Perspective http://www.users.dircon.co.uk/~wheldwes/bot.html This web site represents a script of a presentation on the Great Botanicals at at the Natural History Museum, London, England in 1997. This erudite site recounts a remarkable number of paradigm shifting publications of the early through the medieval to modern times. Relatively few of the works are discussed because there are few of these sources that have survived for many of the books that you mentioned. This site recalls a proud history and is now privately hosted and maintained. (***1/2) -SR ------------------------------------------------ Subject: SBLD - Scientific Names: How to Say Them Date: Mon, 30 May 2005 00:04:05 -0500 Scientific Names: How to Say Them http://members.aol.com/magarland/botlat/testhand.htm Since scienfic names are Latin, many beginners find them quite hard to pronounce (or remember, for that matter). This site provides some formalized guidance on spoken Latin and its meaning. There are two systems of pronunciation using English Latin - a traditional and an academic. Nonetheless, once learned, speaking Latin words is not forgotten easily. One warning, however, is that each country seems to have its own dialect, for instance Italian Latin. Although Latin is theoretically dead, I would suspect that Italians have a home court advantage. Meanings of epithets and the appropriate endings to the words are also useful to know. This is a useful site for learning how to say the proper names of plants--a skill for scientists and learned gardeners alike. (***1/2) -SR <><><> NAFEX List From: nafex-request@lists.ibiblio.org <><><> None this time <><> [rarefruit] List - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rarefruit <><> None this time <> Agricultural Research Service (ARS) mailto:ars http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/thelatest.htm. Can Compost Teas Help Flowers Battle Blight? Date: Tue, 24 May 2005 07:48:11 -0400 ARS News Service Flowers and saplings may find tea refreshing - Compost tea, that is. These teas are made from compost "brewed" for at least 24 hours with all-natural ingredients that boost growth of beneficial microbes living in the compost. Compost teas may prove helpful in protecting wholesale and retail nursery plants like rhododendrons, azaleas, viburnums and oak saplings from what's known as ramorum blight, also called ramorum die-back or sudden oak death. That's according to Agricultural Research Service (ARS) plant pathologist Robert G. Linderman at Corvallis, Ore. The funguslike organism, Phytophthora ramorum, which causes these diseases, has been found in at least 20 states. To prevent spread of P. ramorum, more than one-half million otherwise-ready-to-sell plants have had to be destroyed. Some organic growers and home gardeners already apply compost teas by either spraying them on foliage or drenching plant roots. And although reputed to enhance plant growth and fend off disease, compost teas have not yet been widely investigated by scientists. So Linderman and co-investigators are studying compost teas as one of several materials that might provide an effective, affordable, Earth-friendly alternative to chemical pesticides for controlling P. ramorum. In a preliminary experiment at the Horticultural Crops Research Laboratory, where Linderman is based, he and colleagues treated rhododendron leaves indoors with a helpful bacterium, Paenibacillus polymyxa, taken from compost. The researchers then inoculated the leaves with the ramorum organism. The scientists found that P. polymyxa did not protect the foliage, but they plan to test it again--and other potentially protective microbes--using slightly different procedures. Discoveries by ARS scientists at Corvallis and their colleagues at other ARS labs on both coasts will be of benefit not only to the horticultural crops industry--the fastest growing sector of American agriculture--but also to home gardeners, who have made this pastime America's favorite hobby. ARS is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief scientific research agency. <><><><><><><><><> End of RFN200506A.txt <><><><><><><><><><> Rare Fruit News Online - June 15, 2005 - AKA RFN200506B.txt ___________________________________________________________ <><><><> Notes In Passing - Leo <><><><> Signs of Spring - Pitaya beginning to bloom with lots of buds; Cherimoya blooming - time to hand pollinate; Fruit set - on lychee (far fewer than last year), on longan, mango. Early apples (Anna, etc.) begin to ripen. Florida tropical storms - What damage have your trees suffered? Any particularly susceptible? Particularly resistant? What's happening in your yard? <><><><><><><><><> Table Of Contents <><><><><><><><><> -> -> -> Messages follow the Table Of Contents <- <- <- <><><> New Subscribers <><><> New Subscriber-Pune, India Patwardhan Ambewale Jim Neitzel, CRFG, San Diego - Back Online jimzel@allvantage.com New Subscriber, San Antonio, Texas Tony Poncik New Subscriber, Irwindle, California Christine De La Torre New Subscriber - Cidra, Puerto Rico Aurora Salda–a New Subscriber, Florida: Hurricanes Destroyed Trees Sophia Grady New Subscriber - Vancouver, BC, Canada Meighan Makarchuk <><><> Readers Write <><><> Re: Rare Fruit News Online - June 1, 2005 - 6 Dick Gross Lychee Problems sboning@aol.com To: safaritom@kw.com Yacon "McCright, Michael CWO" To: hjisrn@rogers.com Re: Yacon, Graviola Gerardo Garcia To: hj-is-rn@rogers.com Re: ginnups Gerardo Garcia To: auvist@hotmail.com Nespoli Fruit R Nelson <><> Mailbag of Sainarong Rasananda mailto:sainaron@loxinfo.co.th <><> None, this time <><><><><> Growing Rare Fruit In Containers <><><><><> None, this time <><><> Announcements and / or Web Sites To Consider <><><> http://www.crfgsandiego.org For *San Diego Chapter* CRFG Information http://members.cox.net/ncsdcrfg For North County CRFG Chapter Meeting http://www.crfg.org/chapters.html For information about ALL CRFG chapters. <><>Bot-Linx List <> From: "Scott D. Russell" None, this time <><><> NAFEX List <><><> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/nafex Archives at http://lists.ibiblio.org/pipermail/nafex None, this time <><><> From "rarefruit list" - rarefruit@yahoogroups.com <><><> None, this time <> Agricultural Research Service (ARS) mailto:ars>news@arsgrin.gov <> http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/thelatest.htm A Sugar That's Not So Sweet for Insects ARS News Service Nitrogen Transfer between Plants and Beneficial Fungi ARS News Service <><><><><><><><> New Subscribers <><><><><><><><><> Subject: New Subscriber-Pune, India Date: Thu, 02 Jun 2005 10:59:02 +0530 From: Patwardhan Ambewale I am Yateen Patwardhan, in Pune, India. I am now growing Mango, Jackfruit, Kokum (Garcia Indica), Custard apple, pineapple, etc. I would like to grow Mangosteen and Rambutan Patwardhan Ambewale mailto:buymangoes@gmail.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Jim Neitzel, CRFG, San Diego - Back Online Date: Fri, 03 Jun 2005 16:30:44 -0700 From: jimzel@allvantage.com Hi Leo. Dick and I are trying to get me wound up and going again. Note new address. Put me on the rfno mailing list, please. Jim Neitzel mailto:jimzel@allvantage.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: New Subscriber, San Antonio, Texas Date: Wed, 08 Jun 2005 09:50:43 -0500 From: Tony Poncik I am Tony Poncik, in San Antonio, Texas, growing Carcia, murraya, pimento, persea, sapote, bixia, dillenia, flacourtia, coffea, psidium, annona, ananas, chrysophyllum, macadamia. I want to grow more than I have room for. Tony mailto:tponcik@sanantonio.gov ------------------------------------------------ Subject: New Subscriber, Irwindle, California Date: Wed, 08 Jun 2005 09:47:34 -0700 From: Christine De La Torre Hello, I am Christine De La Torre, in Irwindle, California. I work for a flavor company, and would love to subscribe. Thanks, Christine De La Torre mailto:christine@ccff.com California Custom Fruits and Flavors, Inc. Irwindle, CA 91706 ------------------------------------------------ Subject: New Subscriber - Cidra, Puerto Rico Date: Sun, 12 Jun 2005 13:50:29 -0400 From: Aurora Salda–a To: rarefruit@san.rr.com Hi: My name is Aurora Salda–a and I live in Cidra, in the central mountains of Puerto Rico, where we have a mild tropical climate. I am currently growing tropical fruit including Butter Avocado, Mango, Guava, Avocado, Key limes, Meyer Lemon, Red Blush Grapefruit, Navel and Valencia oranges, Dancy Mandarin, dwarf Jobos (sorry, don't know the name in English) and Acerolas. I would like to grow a Mangosteen but have heard they take a very long time to produce. I also have a Peach tree that apparently doesn't need to have a dormancy period because finally this year (its fourth) has produced some small fruit that I cannot get to unless I pick green and small, because at the first sign or ripening the birds get to them first. I will probably get rid of the dwarf 'jobo' because I thought the tree was dwarf, but it's the fruit, so I will probably plant a regular one where the fruit is of regular size and will try to keep the tree from growing too tall. I have been wanting to get a kiwi vine and don't know if it will grow well here and also where to get one. If anyone from PR can give me any info, I will appreciate it very much, also on how long does a Mangosteen really take to bloom and set fruit. Another question I have is about what kind of seedless grape could I plant here and what ammendments should I use if any because my soil is red clay with bad drainage. Thanks, for any info. I am new at this! Aurora Salda–a mailto:asaldanapr@yahoo.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: New Subscriber, Florida: Hurricanes Destroyed Trees Date: Tue, 14 Jun 2005 02:16:59 -0400 From: Sophia Grady Hi, I am Sophia Grady and we live in Florida. Our fruit trees did not survive the hurricanes and we are looking for other types of trees. We had an orange, grapefruit and avocado. Our lychee nut, some papaya trees and fig tree did survive but are not really producing any fruit this year. I am interested in something very different but do not know what the trees look like and cannot find pictures on the internet. Some of those include: allspice, cashew. Ceylon peach, cinnamon, jackfruit, macadamia sugar apple, jackfruit, pitaya and sapodilla. I have no idea what some of these taste like or look like. I would appreciate any information. Thank you Sophia Grady mailto:grad1820@bellsouth.net ------------------------------------------------ Subject: New Subscriber - Vancouver, BC, Canada Date: Tue, 14 Jun 2005 13:44:22 -0700 From: Meighan Makarchuk I am Meighan Makarchuk, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. I am now growing apple, fragrant pear, and mango, and I want to grow dragon fruit, lychee, and papaya. Meighan mailto:megzzz@gmail.com <><><><><><><><><> Readers Write<><><><><><><><><><> Subject: Re: Rare Fruit News Online - June 1, 2005 - 6 Date: Tue, 31 May 2005 21:51:58 -0700 From: Dick Gross Leo, regarding your chapter info, Carl Denig has not been the Chairman of the Arizona Rare Fruit Growers since 2003. The current Chairman is Jim Oravetz, 16207 W. Watson Ln., Surprise, AZ 85379, Phone623-584-6008. Please make the correction in your next issue, Leo, and I apologize for not getting that info to the right people at the right time. Dick Gross, mailto:rkgross3@cox.net Secretary/Editor Arizona Rare Fruit Growers ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: Lychee Problems Date: Wed, 01 Jun 2005 17:18:33 -0400 From: sboning@aol.com To: safaritom@kw.com Ouch! Doesn't sound promising. Here are a few thoughts. Aphids often cause the distortion of emerging lychee and longan leaves, but what you are describing sounds more radical. Lychees are very sensitive to salts in the soil and overfertilization. Use of low-quality, soluable fertizer, combined with a short, heavy rain, can cause severe damage to young lychee roots and associated leaf wilting. If you think this might be the problem, it it may be difficult to correct. It would probably be best to remove any remaining fertilizer from the soil surface and to thoroughly leach the remainder out of the soil with a prolonged watering. Even if the tree drops all of its leaves and appears lifeless, it may leaf out again after a few weeks. Unfortunately, root damage caused by overfertization sometimes stunts or delays future growth. Best wishes for a speedy recovery, Charlie Boning mailto:sboning@aol.com Palm City, FL ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: Yacon Date: Thu, 02 Jun 2005 05:55:56 -0700 From: "McCright, Michael CWO" To: hjisrn@rogers.com Yacon is a tuber producing plant native to Peru. You can buy them from Nichols Seeds in Oregon. They will probably grow fine in Canada. The tubers are elongated like a dahlia but much bigger. The plant has an interesting leaf and grows 4-6' here in S. CA. It tastes OK, roughly on par with Jerusalem Artichokes but different. Mike McCright mailto:MMcCright@d11.uscg.mil ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: Yacon, Graviola From: Gerardo Garcia To: hj-is-rn@rogers.com Yac—n is Polymnia sonchifolia, an edible, watery, crunchy tuber. Check out www.daleysfruit.com.au/Perennialveg/yacon.htm for photos and data. Graviola is Portuguese for soursop, Annona muricata. Regards, Gerardo Garc’a Ramis mailto:manilkara@hotmail.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: ginnups Date: Thu, 02 Jun 2005 14:09:48 -0400 From: gerardo garcia To: auvist@hotmail.com You're probably referring to Melicoccus bijugatus, the quenepa, kinep, quenette or Spanish lime, also called mamoncillo in Cuba and found all over the Caribbean basin. Doubt it'll grow outside in CA, but it does in South Florida. Regards, Gerardo Garc’a Ramis mailto:manilkara@hotmail.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Nespoli Fruit Date: Fri, 03 Jun 2005 17:55:03 +0000 From: R Nelson Hi, Perhaps you can give me some advice pertaining to growing a Nespoli fruit tree. The pits look similar, although smaller than that of an avocado. Complete novice so any suggestions would be appreciated. It will be grown in Arizona. Thank you, Rob Nelson mailto:RNELSONgrp@hotmail.com <><> Mailbag of Sainarong Rasananda mailto:sainaron@loxinfo.co.th <><> None, this time <><><><><> Growing Rare Fruit In Containers <><><><><> None, this time <><><><> Announcements And Web Pages To Consider <><><><> San Diego Chapter California Rare Fruit Growers Meeting: Where: Casa del Prado Building Room 101, Balboa Park When: Fourth Thursday Of Each Month (Except December) See: http://www.crfgsandiego.org http://members.cox.net/ncsdcrfg For North County CRFG Chapter Meeting http://www.crfg.org/chapters.html For information about ALL CRFG chapters. http://www.crfg.org/chapters.html For information about all CRFG chapters. <><>Bot-Linx List http://www.ou.edu/cas/botany-micro/bot-linx/<><> From: "Scott D. Russell" Bot-Linx List http://www.ou.edu/cas/botany-micro/bot-linx/ None this time <><><> NAFEX List From: nafex-request@lists.ibiblio.org <><><> None this time <><> [rarefruit] List - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rarefruit <><> None this time <> Agricultural Research Service (ARS) mailto:ars http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/thelatest.htm. Subject: A Sugar That's Not So Sweet for Insects Date: Thu, 02 Jun 2005 09:33:23 -0400 From: ARS News Service A newly introduced class of insecticidal compounds developed by the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and cooperators offers safe and effective alternatives to conventional chemical insecticides. The active ingredients are based on sugar esters that are natural chemicals secreted by wild tobacco plants to protect themselves against insect predators. When certain insects rub up against and chew on the plants' leaf hairs, the insects become contaminated with the compound and die. ARS entomologist Gary J. Puterka, working with industry cooperators, developed synthetic analogs, or look-alikes, of the natural sugar esters. He and colleagues then screened various synthetic sugar esters to find the most potent among them. While working at the ARS Appalachian Fruit Research Station in Kearneysville, W.Va., Puterka identified several of the new chemical forms that kill test insects instantly. Puterka has been named a co-inventor on two patents that define the chemical structures of the compounds, as well as an environmentally sound process for their manufacture. One of the compounds, sorbitol octanoate, has proved less costly to produce than earlier forms patented, and is now undergoing the process of registration with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The analogs kill by breaking down the insect pests' outer waxy coating. Then the insects lose water and die from dehydration. The new class of compounds is unique among insecticides because their active ingredients do not leave a detrimental residue on surfaces to which they are applied. What's left over after application becomes inactive upon drying and rapidly degrades. The latest synthetic sugar esters, if licensed, could be a boon to the home and garden market, according to Puterka. Licensing information with the ARS Office of Technology Transfer can be found on the World Wide Web at: http://www.ars.usda.gov/business/docs.htm?docid=768 Read more about the research in the June 2005 issue of Agricultural Research magazine: http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/jun05/insect0605.htm ARS is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief in-house scientific research agency. ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Nitrogen Transfer between Plants and Beneficial Fungi Date: Thu, 09 Jun 2005 08:44:48 -0400 From: ARS News Service New findings show that a beneficial soil fungus plays a large role in nitrogen uptake and utilization in most plants. In the current issue of the journal Nature, Agricultural Research Service (ARS) chemist Philip E. Pfeffer and cooperators report that beneficial arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi transfer substantial amounts of nitrogen to their plant hosts. A lack of soil nitrogen often limits plant growth. The studies were conducted by Pfeffer and David Douds at the ARS Eastern Regional Research Center, Wyndmoor, Pa.; Michigan State University scientists headed by Yair Shachar-Hill; and New Mexico State University scientists headed by Peter J. Lammers and including graduate student Manjula Govindarajulu. AM is the most common type of symbiotic fungus that colonizes the roots of most crop plants. The fungi receive glucose and possibly other organic materials from the plant, while enhancing the plant's ability to take up mineral nutrients, primarily phosphorus. The scientists previously identified enzymes and genes involved in nitrogen absorption and breakdown in AM fungi, but very little was known about how nitrogen is moved from fungus to plant or in which form nitrogen moves within the fungus. The researchers discovered a novel metabolic pathway in which inorganic nitrogen is taken up by the fungi and incorporated into an amino acid called arginine. This amino acid remains in the fungus until it is broken down and transferred to the plant. The results show that the symbiotic relationship between mycorrhizal fungi and plants may have a much more significant role in the worldwide nitrogen cycle than previously believed. With this in mind, farmers may benefit from promoting the proliferation of mycorrhizal fungi through diminished fertilizer input, thereby making more efficient use of the nitrogen stores in agricultural soils. ARS is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief scientific research agency. <><><><><><><><><> End of RFN200506B.txt <><><><><><><><><><> Rare Fruit News Online - July 1, 2005 - AKA RFN200507A.txt __________________________________________________________ <><><><> Notes In Passing - Leo <><><><> Del Mar Fair - Almost Over. I will be there Sunday, July 3, from 10 a.m. until sometime in the afternoon. I believe that July 4 is the last day that it will be open. -Leo Garden Notes: Fruit set seems smaller on Brewster lychee, mango, and apple trees. Pitaya blooms have opened on G-1, G-2, G-3, 4-S, and 7-S, and are soon to open on 9-S, 3-S, 1-S, 8-S, H. guatemalensis, and H. bronxensis. Bloom buds on the latter two are fatter - cylindrical in shape, almost, with attractive pattern. Still no visible bloom buds on the white-fleshed H. undatus. Pen Sun Men (PSM) (Various spellings) Have I asked you about your tree of this? Mine blooms fairly heavily, but is yet to set fruit. I'm ready to graft it over. Paul Thomson's T-1 mango is reported - by those very few who have it - to be excellent in all respects. I have a very small grafted tree and several pieces of scion wood of this that I will graft today. The wood is less than pencil width in diameter - smaller that I like to use, but it's all that I have. If you have this tree, do you rate it at the top of your list? Mango Favorites - What are your favorite mango varieties? A few years ago, several of you ranked Valencia Pride among the top. <><><><><><><><><> Table Of Contents <><><><><><><><><> -> -> -> Messages follow the Table Of Contents <- <- <- <><><> New Subscribers <><><> New Subscriber - San Diego - Getting Started Raymond Robel New Subscriber - California Loan Luong <><><> Readers Write <><><> Tropical Seeds Wanted In Russia For Orphanage Yuri Matyunin Clay Soil Amy Fernandez To: asaldanapr@yahoo.com Miracle fruit bassem@gardener.com Nespoli Gladys Baird To: 'R Nelson' Tell Me About Pitaya-Plant, Fruit, Culture Sophia Grady Dwarf Spondias Cytherea (Jobo) fruitlovers@fruitlovers.com To: asaldanapr@yahoo.com Cherry of the Rio Grande William Butler Re: Cherry of the Rio Grande William Butler Re: Cherry of the Rio Grande Leo Manuel To: William Butler Re: Cherry of the Rio Grande William Butler What is this Garcia indicum / kokum ? Luc Vleeracker To: buymangoes@gmail.com Re: Mealy bug on pitaya - How to control? Roy Dynan (address withheld) Lychee varieties Bernadette Wroblewski Super Dwarf Banana, Sapodilla, and Tamarind Todd Abel Where can I buy a pistachio tree? Melodie Lanier <><> Mailbag of Sainarong Rasananda mailto:sainaron@loxinfo.co.th <><> None, this time <><><><><> Growing Rare Fruit In Containers <><><><><> None, this time <><><> Announcements and / or Web Sites To Consider <><><> http://www.crfgsandiego.org For *San Diego Chapter* CRFG Information http://members.cox.net/ncsdcrfg For North County CRFG Chapter Meeting http://www.crfg.org/chapters.html For information about ALL CRFG chapters. <><>Bot-Linx List <> From: "Scott D. Russell" SBLD - Plants and their Structure - an online text http://www.cartage.org.lb/en/themes/Sciences/BotanicalSciences/PlantsStructure/mainpage.htm SBLD - ePIC: Electronic Plant Information Center http://www.kew.org/searchepic/searchpage.do <><><> NAFEX List <><><> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/nafex Archives at http://lists.ibiblio.org/pipermail/nafex None, this time <><><> From "rarefruit list" - rarefruit@yahoogroups.com <><><> None, this time <> Agricultural Research Service (ARS) mailto:ars>news@arsgrin.gov <> http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/thelatest.htm Potassium: The Overlooked Crop Nutrient? ARS News Service <><><><><><><><> New Subscribers <><><><><><><><><> Subject: New Subscriber - San Diego - Getting Started Date: Sun, 26 Jun 2005 09:34:25 -0700 From: Raymond Robel Thanks for the newsletter opportunity. I am Raymond Robel and our new home will be in Encanto (Just west of Lemon Grove) I look forward to planting some rare fruit species here and there. Raymond Robel mailto:raymondrobel@hotmail.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: New Subscriber - California Date: Thu, 30 Jun 2005 12:36:19 -0700 From: Loan Luong Dear Leo: My name is Loan Luong. I live in Garden Grove (where my fruit plants are) and Santa Barbara (only oaks & ivy grow here). In Garden Grove, I have 4 different kinds of persimmon trees that are in various stages of bearing fruits, different dragon fruit plants (some I bought from you, some came from Vietnam), non-fruit bearing cherimoya, star fruit & custard apple plants, white sapote plant, passion fruit vines, 2 different varieties of jujubes, pluots, plums, apricots, peaches and lots of roses. I just started some papaya (Hawaiian solos from seed). I'd like to plant different varieties of dragon fruits and other tropical fruit plants. I'm interested in reading your newsletter, hoping to learn something. Loan Luong, loanl@xprts-llc.com <><><><><><><><><> Readers Write<><><><><><><><><><> Subject: Tropical Seeds Wanted In Russia For Orphanage Date: Thu, 30 Jun 2005 18:10:40 +0500 From: Yuri Matyunin The Sirs. A hearty good evening to you on such a lovely summer evening in Mean RUSSIA. I am Yuri Matjunin, age Ð 43 years, born in Russia. I live in city of Togliatti (near city of Samara) on a coast of the Great Russian River Volga near the National Park Samarskaja Luka. My wife Ellen is teacher and enjoys her work. Also, children very much love her. She in group has miscellaneous children. Basically it is children stayed without of the parents. We want to frame in the children's house a small Greenhouse, so that these children could see these interesting plants and learn about them. Where they grow? Could you help me, please? I want to ask at you slightly the seeds of tropical fruit plants for a children's house. Children very much want more to learn about interesting plants. Whether you can send me slightly seeds of tropical plants? I'll be very grateful. My postal address: Matjunin Yuri 445004, Ogorodniy pr.12, Togliatti, Samarskaya obl., RUSSIA I look forward to hearing from you again. Your Sincerely Yuri mailto:YV.Matyunin@vaz.ru ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Clay Soil Date: Wed, 15 Jun 2005 09:29:04 -0700 From: Amy Fernandez To: asaldanapr@yahoo.com Welcome Aurora I am sending you a dialogue recently done from the Organic Gardening List. A new lady asked about gardening in clay soil. This method is called the No-till gardening method. You might do a search on the Web for more info about it. The lady doing the answering is a botanist and horticulturist and has been gardening this way for decades. There is also a book called "Lasagna Gardening" or something like that which may be helpful. Amy Zone 10 in S. California As I hope to explain the reason to you later, your neighbour's clay soil is fine and nice precisely _because_ she does not dig it, but gives the soil dwellers the necessary materials to make a good texture for themselves. No amount of digging will ever produce a soil equal to nature's best. HOWEVER don't delude yourself that your soil once brought to your neighbour's standard will stay perfect unless you continue to tend it. A gardener's work is never done whether it is to make an artificial growing medium with digging and chemical fertilizers or to aid nature to do the proper job by applying regular supplies of organic matter to the surface.. I have been gardening the same piece of ground now for just on fifty years and when I started I was hampered by knowing next to nothing about _organic_ theory even though I did have a good theoretical background in conventional growing techniques. My first few crops were no great shakes as I was battling not only with newly broken land but also with a change from tropical to temperate agriculture and a wholly new type of soil as well as climate. It was clear though that the initial growth and yield in the veg garden left a good deal to be desired, but I did at least have enough sense not to merely turn to artificial fertilizers alone but to also to use plenty of compost, so I did in a couple of seasons achieve quite reasonable yields and vigorous looking plants without having to resort to a soil test to find out what was wrong. Some thirty years ago I changed to organics and after a while longer also to a no-dig regime and through all the years I have never found it necessary to get a soil test done.. To me soil tests would only be worth using where there is a persistent record of plants growing poorly or showing marked deficiency symptoms, or in areas known to have special problems such unusual lack or concentrations of certain minerals in the soil (In effect "if it ain't broke don't fix it"). for the average home gardener if you usually get good growth most years it seems a waste of time and money, especially bearing in mind that for organic growers the standard tests are quite useless, (as they are basically merely indications for how much artificial fertilizer to add) and the proper organic ones involve a lot of work for the testers so are consequently very pricey. If you have a lawn and don't dose the grass with chemicals, green grass clippings are very good as long as you mix them with dry stuff (like sawdust, small wood chips or your paper shreddings) so they don't pack down into a wet airless mass. young green weeds before they flower and set seed are also good. if you have hedges or odd shrubs you trim, small twiggy trimmings are excellent to add. They are valued by compost makers as they act as "roughage" and prevent the fermenting mass from packing down and becoming airless and mushy. To make good compost you need some moisture but also plenty of air as well. The other place for paper mulching is during the summer whenever one is preparing a bed for replanting (I am using it right now, putting in my next lot of brassicas, silver beets and other plants for next winter). The bed is roughly cleared removing most of the larger weeds and previous crop remnants and any perennials like docks or dandelions. The remaining vegetation is then flattened, the bed well watered and covered with a 3 cm (2 in) layer of finished compost (well-rotted manure would be another possibility). Over the compost layer goes (soaked) newspaper, this time no more than 5 sheets thick. Holes are then punched through the paper at appropriate intervals and the cabbages or whatever inserted. Finally the whole area right up to each plant is covered with a top mulch such as grass clippings, peastraw, small hedge clippings or whatever other weed-free material one can raise. This is the most labour-saving planting method I know. One can go many weeks with almost no weeds apart from the odd one which may come up in the planting hole and the paper-plus mulch is wizard at keeping the moisture in. If you already have a live soil with lots of organic matter and worm activity, all you need to do before planting is to spread a layer of finished compost over the weeded but undug surface at least 1" deep. Seeds may be sown in this and transplants set out by digging through the layer as deep as is needed to accommodate the roots, while as far as possible leaving the compost still on the surface around the plants. The compost layer being living material should not be allowed to dry out and it is usually protected by spreading a summer mulch over it. The best material for this in my opinion is wilted grass clippings. This, if the thickness is gradually built up to 2 or 3 inches, will not only protect the compost, but feed the soil as it breaks down, insulate it against cold and heat and prevent a lot of evaporation in hot weather while at the same time discouraging the germination of weed seeds Ð a wonder material indeed. Of course grass clippings are not the only possible mulch material, Ruth Stout used hay, but I rather think she lived on a farm, or at least in a rural area, where she could get this easily. For townees lawn clippings are much easier to come by. Pea straw is easy to get where I live and is also very popular for this sort of mulching as it is soft and intertwines to make a convenient mat and also is quite high in nitrogen. Various cereal straws could also be used, but do have disadvantages, notably they are very high in carbon and so less good as a feed, and being stiff and stalky they do not bed down very well and may blow about if winds are strong. Yet another possibility is small hedge clippings and I am sure your imagination will suggest others. No-till methods call for a winter mulch which protects the soil and its inhabitants and gradually breaks down to provide food and structure in spring. In effect it is composting in situ, just as nature does it, and as in a conventional compost heap one wants a good mixture of carbon-rich browns and nitrogen-rich greens. The favourite source of browns for this purpose is fallen deciduous leaves (or straw, sawdust or wood shavings) while the greens might be more grass, crop remnants, green weeds, a fall green manure crop such as vetch or faba beans, or some animal manure. (When a green manure crop is ready, it should simply be mowed or slashed down and mixed with browns on the surface. It should not be dug in.) If a lot of this mulch has survived on the surface in spring, it may be drawn aside to allow a layer of made compost to be put on, and then replaced as the first edition of the summer mulching. If very little is left, though, just put the new compost layer on top of it. ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Miracle fruit Date: Wed, 15 Jun 2005 09:42:52 -0700 (PDT) From: bassem@gardener.com Hi Leo Do you have any experience growing miracle fruit? I'm growing one in a container it's full of tiny blooms, I'm wondering if it needs to be cross pollinated? Can I try some hand pollination? Thank you so much. bassem mailto:bassem@gardener.com [I heard that the miracle in miracle fruit is in keeping it alive. I've not had much luck in growing them. I've heard that they need rainwater - not tap water. Maybe someone with happy experiences with them will write. -Leo] ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Nespoli Date: Wed, 15 Jun 2005 18:44:12 -0700 From: Gladys Baird To: 'R Nelson' My Sicilian friends call the fruit in the picture below Nespoli - is this the same fruit you are referring to? [The image Òhttp://www.itmonline.org/jintu/image/oldmen1.jpgÓ cannot be displayed, because it contains errors.] I have two trees for fruit in coastal San Diego County but know a lot of people who use it as an ornamental in the landscape. Eriobotrya japonica or loquat needs well-drained soil and regular watering for a good fruit crop. If it sets a large crop, disbud some or the fruit will be small. Fruitfully yours, Gladys Baird mailto:tokiko@adelphia.net ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Tell Me About Pitaya-Plant, Fruit, Culture Date: Wed, 15 Jun 2005 22:13:08 -0400 From: Sophia Grady What does pitaya taste like? How big does it get? Full direct sun or partial shade? Thank you Sophia Grady mailto:grad1820@bellsouth.net ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Dwarf Spondias Cytherea (Jobo) Date: Thu, 16 Jun 2005 00:37:41 -0700 From: fruitlovers@fruitlovers.com To: asaldanapr@yahoo.com Hello Aurora, you may want to keep the dwarf jobo (aka dwarf ambarella, Spondias cytherea) as it really is a dwarf plant. The fruits are regular size. Dwarfing the standard size tree would be difficult as it can attain a height of 60 or more feet! The mangosteen takes 7-10 years to start fruiting. They like partial shade till they are 5 feet tall and then full sun. They are heavy feeders and like plenty of water. Your peaches you could bag them to keep the birds off. Leo also found out that hanging CD's from the tree scares off the birds, have not tried that myself yet. Best way to improve clay soils is to add a whole lot of organic material. Compost works best, but any organic material, like leaves, grass clipping, wood chips, will work well. Did you know that there is a fellow rarefruiter in Cidra? His name is Bruce McGiverin. You can get his address from Bryan Brunner. Bryan also lives in PR (Maricao) and is an excellent contact as he has a rare fruit nursery there. His e mail address is brbrunner@yahoo.com. For information about grapes and grape plants contact Milton at Eneida Nursery in PR. Hope this is helpful, Oscar Jaitt, mailto:fruitlovers@fruitlovers.com Fruit Lover's Nursery, Hawaii | Hi: My name is Aurora Salda–a and I live in Cidra, in the | central mountains of Puerto Rico, where we have a mild | tropical climate. I am currently growing tropical fruit | including Butter Avocado, Mango, Guava, Avocado, Key limes, | Meyer Lemon, Red Blush Grapefruit, Navel and Valencia | oranges, Dancy Mandarin, dwarf Jobos (sorry, don't know the | name in English) and Acerolas. I would like to grow a | Mangosteen but have heard they take a very long time to | produce. I also have a Peach tree that apparently doesn't | need to have a dormancy period because finally this year | (its fourth) has produced some small fruit that I cannot get | to unless I pick green and small, because at the first sign | or ripening the birds get to them first. I will probably get | rid of the dwarf 'jobo' because I thought the tree was | dwarf, but it's the fruit, so I will probably plant a | regular one where the fruit is of regular size and will try | to keep the tree from growing too tall. I have been wanting | to get a kiwi vine and don't know if it will grow well here | and also where to get one. If anyone from PR can give me any | info, I will appreciate it very much, also on how long does | a Mangosteen really take to bloom and set fruit. Another | question I have is about what kind of seedless grape could I | plant here and what ammendments should I use if any because | my soil is red clay with bad drainage. Thanks, for any info. | I am new at this! ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Cherry of the Rio Grande Date: Sat, 18 Jun 2005 06:25:46 -0700 (PDT) From: William Butler To: rarefruit@san.rr.com Hi Leo I have a COTRG thats been in the ground a little over a year. Its 7-8 feet high. Last year it put out 2 flowers in May. Both flowers dropped off. I figured this was because the tree is young and assumed it would produce more flowers this spring. Well it did the same thing this year with only 2 flowers and they both dropped too. I am writing to the group to ask if anyone out there growing COTRG has any tips for bringing the tree into production. I do deep water it atleast once a week using drip irrigation. The tree gets full sun most of the day but is shaded by a pine tree in the afternoon. I am considering taking out the pine tree. I also spray it once a week with fish emulsion. The overall appearance of the tree is very nice. It looks very healthy. Any advice from the group is greatly welcomed. William mailto:butlerfamly5@sbcglobal.net Visalia Ca ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: Cherry of the Rio Grande Date: Sun, 19 Jun 2005 07:36:32 -0700 (PDT) From: William Butler Leo I was at the home of Oscar Garcia in Vista a couple of weeks ago and he gave me a tour of his orchard. He had a young Cherry of the Rio Grande in the midst of his orchard that was bearing nicely. I asked him how old his tree was and he said 3 years. He told me to hold out hope for my tree and have patience because he thought it should fruit in another year or two. Maybe he's right. I tasted a fruit off his tree and it was very good in my opinion. I also have a grafted Suebelle white sapote that I purchased at Home Depot. It was in a 5 gallon can and had blossoms on it when I bought it. I kept it in a pot for a year before planting it out. Last spring I planted it and while it has grown and got more bushy I havent seen one flower either last year or this year. I have read where sometimes Suebelle can be slow coming into bearing. But I had a tree before which I believe was a suebelle ( I bought it at a plant sale in Sepulvada ) I never could find a graft union on it so assumed it was a seedling suebelle. I planted it and it really took off the first year. By the second season it flowered and I had fruit in the fall. They had a golden colored skin on the outside when ready. It was a very delicious tasting fruit. But I sold that house and the new owners cut it down. I sure would have liked to have gotten budwood. Do you have any ideas why my grafted suebelle hasnt flowered? It is very healthy look! ing with dark green leaves. The only fertilizer I give it is compost top dressed on the soil, and spray the leaves with fish emulsion once a week. Do you have any ideas why it isnt flowering? I am ready to eat white sapotes LOL. William Visalia Ca Leo Manuel wrote: My Cherry of the Rio Grande tree was slow to begin to bear and has never had many fruit. Maybe other readers will be able to help us both get more fruit. Leo ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: Cherry of the Rio Grande Date: Sun, 19 Jun 2005 09:09:15 -0700 From: Leo Manuel To: William Butler The only thing I can think of - for the Suebelle - is that maybe it really wasn't grafted and only a seedling. If that is true, it may take a lot longer to begin to bear. Leo ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: Cherry of the Rio Grande Date: Sun, 19 Jun 2005 10:56:36 -0700 (PDT) From: William Butler Leo It is definately a grafted tree. You can still see the graft union scar. When I bought it, it had a Laverne Nursery tag on it. I have been wondering if maybe I feed it with a high phosphorus fertilizer, if this will trigger some flowers? I guess patience is the name of the game. William Visalia Ca ------------------------------------------------ Subject: What is this Garcia indicum / kokum ? Date: Sun, 19 Jun 2005 10:44:54 -0500 From: Luc Vleeracker To: buymangoes@gmail.com Hi Patwardhan, Welcome to the group. I have 2 questions for you. What is this Garcia indicum / kokum , I've never heard of it? Would you have access to other Morinda spp besides the M. citrifolia (noni) I read somewhere that they are dissapearing fast to make place for other plantations ? I collect rare tropical fruit from all over the world. You can also contact me at mailto:lucvleeracker@yahoo.com Maybe we can trade seeds ! Luc Vleeracker Gardenias 241 mailto:lucvleeracker241@hotmail.com Fracc. Amapas Puerto Vallarta, Jal. Mexico 322-22-32791/Work ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: Mealy bug on pitaya - How to control? Date: Mon, 20 Jun 2005 14:34:19 +0100 From: Roy Dynan (address withheld) Hi Leo, The biological control offered in the UK is the Cryptolaemus ladybird, which we can only use in greenhouses because it is a native of Australia! (though I suppose it might be a different zone from "wallystringer") http://www.bugsforbugs.com.au/cryptolaemus.html Apart from this there is an extensive correspondence on epi-list about how to deal with mealybug, and most people say that insecticide doesn't work unless it is oil or alcohol based, and when it is, the oil or alcohol is doing the job on its own. Most epi growers swear by a simple alcohol solution - surgical spirit or similar - this instantly cuts through the waxy coats and nest/fuzz and smothers the pest and its tiny offspring in one go. Some advocate adding oil and detergent to make it go further, since the oil may leave a deterrent residue. Overkill can be seductive even if like me you avoid modern insecticides, ('modern' is another way of saying 'long-term effects not proven'), so it would be tempting to add tobacco, but unfortunately it is illegal to use nicotine on pests in the UK. I think this is plain barking mad - you can dose youself with as much tobacco smoke as you like, but despite all the experience we have of how easily and completely it is metabolised, you can't use a comparatively weak solution because it's a "poison". Everything is a poison at some dosage, and few have less long-term side-effects than nicotine. For overkill I have had no problem using alcohol up to 50% strength as a spray or on a brush - the higher strengths give a more visible 'kill' though you can supposedly use weaker. I have used this on every type of cactus I possess, and also on the passionflowers that I find are the most troublesome host (I've reduced my problem by 80% since keeping my passiflora well away from my cactus area). The other notorious hosts are oleanders. Regards, Roy Dynan ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Lychee varieties Date: Tue, 21 Jun 2005 10:24:06 -0700 (PDT) From: Bernadette Wroblewski Leo, What lychee varieties grow well here in San Diego, and do you have a problem with them fruiting? I would like to know before I invest in buying a tree from Ong Nursery. Bernadette Wroblewski mailto:bwroblewski1964@yahoo.com [I have a Brewster that bears fairly well, and a Sweetheart that is almost old enough to begin. How about the rest of us? -Leo] ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Super Dwarf Banana, Sapodilla, and Tamarind Date: Fri, 24 Jun 2005 18:31:13 -0700 From: Todd Abel Hey Leo, been a whileÉ The Super Dwarf Banana has finally been harvested at 3ft high. The taste is actually superior to many others, and is at least as good as my Dwarf Cavendish. Super Dwarf pups pretty well, and the fruit is finger size. This will be a keeper, and I expect to spread it out in the yard. The Sapodilla fruit is hanging in there, with about 10 left and egg size. There are many flowers this year, and I am hoping for a bumper crop. My Tamarind tree is flowering at about 8 ft high and 5 years in the ground. This is a long way from the near death and no leaves during the first winter. Longan has dropped everything, and keeps it bad reputation for erratic bearing. My Pineapples are getting large, and the fruit is at least the store bought size right now. I will tell you how they taste. NO Pitahaya flowers, due to the foggy spring we had here in Orange, CA. Hope things are good with you, and the garden is prospering. Todd Abel mailTo: table@socal.rr.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Where can I buy a pistachio tree? Date: Wed, 29 Jun 2005 18:04:35 -0400 From: Melodie Lanier My father lives in south Georgia, near Savannah. He loves pistachios. And I was wondering if I can purchase pistachio trees as a consumer to give him as a gift? Melodie mailto:melodielanier@comcast.net <><> Mailbag of Sainarong Rasananda mailto:sainaron@loxinfo.co.th <><> None, this time <><><><><> Growing Rare Fruit In Containers <><><><><> None, this time <><><><> Announcements And Web Pages To Consider <><><><> San Diego Chapter California Rare Fruit Growers Meeting: Where: Casa del Prado Building Room 101, Balboa Park When: Fourth Thursday Of Each Month (Except December) See: http://www.crfgsandiego.org http://members.cox.net/ncsdcrfg For North County CRFG Chapter Meeting http://www.crfg.org/chapters.html For information about ALL CRFG chapters. http://www.crfg.org/chapters.html For information about all CRFG chapters. <><>Bot-Linx List http://www.ou.edu/cas/botany-micro/bot-linx/<><> From: "Scott D. Russell" Bot-Linx List http://www.ou.edu/cas/botany-micro/bot-linx/ Subject: SBLD - Plants and their Structure - an online text http://www.cartage.org.lb/en/themes/Sciences/BotanicalSciences/PlantsStructure/mainpage.htm Plants and their Structure is part of a much larger online text consisting of sites that I have largely featured before. This is a mirror site apparently assembled by a consortium of Lebanese universities that have collected some of the best content sites of the web. The original sites include work by Ross Koning, Mike Farabee, images from online textbooks and Dennis Kunkel, to name just a few sources. This is a nice compilation -- perhaps convenient for homeschooling of advanced botany and for review -- and reproduced in a pleasing type style and format. -SR ------------------------------------------------ Subject: SBLD - ePIC: Electronic Plant Information Center http://www.kew.org/searchepic/searchpage.do The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, have assembled a wealth of data in the ePIC site -- a major resource discovery project that provides a single point of search across all Kew's major specimens, bibliographic and taxonomic databases on the Internet as well. The following databases may be seleted: Plant names (IPNI), Bibliographies, Kew Records, Library Catalogues, Micromorphology bibliographies, Collections, Herbarium Catalogues, Economic Botany collections, Living collections, Species-level information, the Flora of Zambesiaca and much more. (***1/2) -SR <><><> NAFEX List From: nafex-request@lists.ibiblio.org <><><> None this time <><> [rarefruit] List - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rarefruit <><> None this time <> Agricultural Research Service (ARS) mailto:ars http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/thelatest.htm. Subject: Potassium: The Overlooked Crop Nutrient? Date: Wed, 15 Jun 2005 08:09:17 -0400 From: ARS News Service Is potassium deficiency limiting corn yields? Agricultural Research Service (ARS) soil scientists Douglas Karlen and John Kovar think so, and they cite a shift by growers away from preplant tillage as a possible cause. "No-till" farming has become an important agricultural practice because it offers such benefits as lower energy costs and reduced soil erosion. But the practice may have a side effect in causing potassium--which is naturally recycled as plants decompose--to accumulate in the surface soil where new plant roots cannot capture it, according to Karlen and Kovar. They're based in the ARS Soil and Water Quality Unit, part of the National Soil Tilth Laboratory at Ames, Iowa. The scientists also question whether increased emphasis on nitrogen and phosphorus management brought on by those nutrients' off-site effects may have led growers and researchers to overlook potassium's importance as an essential plant nutrient. ARS scientists started investigating the potassium problem in 2000 at a tillage research site initiated in 1971 at Iowa State University's Agronomy and Agricultural Engineering Research Center in Boone County. They noticed that corn and soybean plants grown in no-till plots were susceptible to slow early-season growth and lower yields. The region's growers were experiencing similar problems, according to Karlen. The scientists' goal was to find a way to overcome the slow early-season growth and lower yields while maintaining no-till usage because of no-till's other benefits. According to Kovar, they found the cause through field tests in which dry fertilizer was placed three inches below the surface, enhancing early-season growth. Follow-up studies pinpointed potassium deficiency as the cause of the growth and yield problems. Now Karlen, Kovar and the Kansas-based Fluid Fertilizer Foundation are in the middle of a three-year exploration study in which they're directly applying 30 gallons per acre of a liquid potassium solution during planting. The solution penetrates the soil to the root level. In the first year, the treatment helped boost corn yield by 8 bushels per acre, and soybean yield by more than 2 bushels per acre. <><><><><><><><><> End of RFN200507A.txt <><><><><><><><><><> Rare Fruit News Online - July 15, 2005 - AKA RFN200507B.txt ___________________________________________________________ <><><><> Notes In Passing - Leo <><><><> Lots of pitaya blooms and bloom buds, but still none of mine are the white fleshed Hylocereus undatus - Dragon Fruit. Our weather has been great for this time of year - not yet 'Hot as the Fourth of July.' Comfortable for working in the yard. There have been only a few responses to the 'favorite mango' question. <><><><><><><><><> Table Of Contents <><><><><><><><><> -> -> -> Messages follow the Table Of Contents <- <- <- <><><> New Subscribers <><><> New Subscriber - Florida - Pumelo Question Joy Tinberg Re: New Subscriber - Florida - Pumelo Question Joy Tinberg <><><> Readers Write <><><> Favorite mango, Kent kent kent! MeeChuck3@aol.com Web Pages Jon Verdick: Bananas, Figs Jon Verdick Miracle Fruit Trees HMHausman@aol.com To: bassem@gardener.com Pim Saen Mun and Mangoes In General (Including Favorite) HMHausman@aol.com Re: Favorite mango, Kent kent kent! Leo Manuel To: MeeChuck3@aol.com Star Fruit leaf clorosis William Butler Star Fruit leaf clorosis William Butler Where To Get Plumeria Cuttings? HHeaven77@aol.com Re: Growing Miracle Fruit GCmastiffs@aol.com UGLI TREE Tony807375@aol.com Re: UGLI TREE Leo Manuel To: Tony807375@aol.com Allspice wood source needed "Cravath" To: Ê Recommended Site: Pine Island Nursery "George F. Emerich" Improve Performance Of Cherry of the Rio Grande Eunice Messner To: butlerfamly5@sbcglobal.net How do I economically cool my pitaya greenhouse? Dayton Mason <><> Mailbag of Sainarong Rasananda mailto:sainaron@loxinfo.co.th <><> None, this time <><><><><> Growing Rare Fruit In Containers <><><><><> None, this time <><><> Announcements and / or Web Sites To Consider <><><> http://www.crfgsandiego.org For *San Diego Chapter* CRFG Information http://members.cox.net/ncsdcrfg For North County CRFG Chapter Meeting http://www.crfg.org/chapters.html For information about ALL CRFG chapters. <><>Bot-Linx List <> From: "Scott D. Russell" SBLD - Northern Arizona Flora "Scott D. Russell" http://www.nazflora.org/ SBLD - Fairchild Tropical Garden Virtual Herbarium http://www.virtualherbarium.org/ SBLD - Tree Care Information Brochures http://www.treesaregood.com/ <><><> NAFEX List <><><> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/nafex Archives at http://lists.ibiblio.org/pipermail/nafex None, this time <><><> From "rarefruit list" - rarefruit@yahoogroups.com <><><> None, this time <> Agricultural Research Service (ARS) mailto:ars>news@arsgrin.gov <> http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/thelatest.htm Agricultural Research Service (ARS) mailto:ars Delicious "Kettleman" Apricots to Debut Soon ARS News Service <><><><><><><><> New Subscribers <><><><><><><><><> Subject: New Subscriber - Florida - Pumelo Question Date: Sat, 09 Jul 2005 13:12:28 -0700 (PDT) From: Joy Tinberg Hi My name is Joy Tinberg I live in S. Fl & I am a member of the local Rare Fruit society. I have numerous fruit trees. I have a fruit tree which I know starts with a "P" Plumelo? I just picked the 2 fruits it had has it was turning yellow. I hope they are ready. If you have any information on this fruit I would appreciate it. I look forward to receive your newsletters. thanks Regards, Joy mailto:burgandy57@yahoo.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: New Subscriber - Florida - Pumelo Question Date: Sun, 10 Jul 2005 08:57:16 -0700 (PDT) From: Joy Tinberg Thank you I have the Pummelo & I didn't know when to harvest the fruit, so I waited until yesterday. They were starting to get yellow in color. I sliced it open & it is all pulp. Will I have a better crop next year? I have had this tree for approx 3 yrs when I purchased it from the Rare Fruit society. It is still a small tree approx 4 ft tall. I understand that the jucie is good for wrinkle removal. Are you familiar with the Chocolate mousse (spadilio) tree? My tree is 6-8 ft tall. I have had it for over 5yrs. Gives me tons of blossoms, which wither & drop off the tree (yellow flower tip turns brown & than drop off) This tree has never bore fruit. I believe my tree goes through two flowering sessions, one right after the first one. I am know into the second flowering mode. I could be wrong in that this tree has a very long flowering period. Don't know. Do you? How much fertilizer does this tree require? How often? How much water does it require? Thank you for your prompt reply. Joy <><><><><><><><><> Readers Write<><><><><><><><><><> Subject: Favorite mango, Kent kent kent! Date: Thu, 30 Jun 2005 21:13:20 -0400 (EDT) From: MeeChuck3@aol.com Favorite mango, Kent kent kent! Still my favorite after 40 years, have a nice one here in Tampa. S. Peter Miciak Davis Islands, FL mailto:MeeChuck3@aol.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: Favorite mango, Kent kent kent! Date: Fri, 01 Jul 2005 10:08:19 -0700 From: Leo Manuel To: MeeChuck3@aol.com Hi Kent is a great mango, but for many of us in S. California, the tree stays quite small, but bears pretty well. Thanks for writing! Leo ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Web Pages Jon Verdick: Bananas, Figs Date: Thu, 30 Jun 2005 19:46:26 -0700 From: Jon Verdick Leo, I don't know that I have updated you on my websites: http://webebananas.com I am slowly adding new pix of my nanners and flowers as they bloom and ripen. All the latest pix are at GardenWeb. http://encantofarms.com "Secret Garden" is pix from Jin Neitzel's yard, and under "San Diego Sources" I have some of the pix that I took at Ben Poiriers garden. http://figs4fun.com I hope to have 100 varieties by the end of the season, and new pix and info of half of those this year as the fruit ripens. I will hopefully get some pix from Richard Watts collection as well later this summer. Jon mailto:jonv1@cox.net ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Miracle Fruit Trees Date: Thu, 30 Jun 2005 23:25:13 -0400 (EDT) From: HMHausman@aol.com To: bassem@gardener.com Hi. I read your note to Leo about the Miracle Fruit tree. I have one growing at my house in South Florida which is about 15 years old. It fruits quite regularly bearing several hundred fruits each crop. Crops seem to be varied throughout the year depending upon when the last flowering took place and the amount of available moisture. They love acid soil and are very susceptible to nematodes. Mine is in a large pot and is about 8-9 feet tall. They do prefer rain water as opposed to our local tap water. Periods of dry weather and then wet, induces flowering. Other than that, once these trees get some size, they are fairly hardy. They are somewhat picky when small. They don't like wind and although mine is in full sun now, they prefer partial sun/shade while they are small. I hope this gives you some help. Feel free to contact me if you need any other information. Harry M. Hausman mailto:HMHausman@aol.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Pim Saen Mun and Mangoes In General Date: Thu, 30 Jun 2005 23:50:44 -0400 (EDT) From: HMHausman@aol.com Hi Leo: On your question about the Pim Saen Mun. I would advise giving it a further chance before grafting it out of existence. Here in Florida it is a regular bloomer and usually a very steady bearer. This year, for some as of yet unexplained reason, it did not bear well. I am surmising that the lack of rain in the first few months of this year may have been the reason. Could your tree be wanting additional moisture during the flowering season? Just a thought. Here this mango is used as an excellent cooking mango for pie, chutney or Caribbean style anchar. Also eaten green like a crisp Granny Smith apple. As it ripens, it becomes even more sweet but stays firm and has excellent storage characteristics. The flavor is mild and sweet, like a typical SE Asian type mango. Not a lot of character, but very pleasing. Smooth texture, with no fiber in the flesh. On my favorite mango. I have corresponded with you previously about the Maha Chanook. It is still my favorite, overall. Also in the running for being pretty darned good and sometimes even close to the Maha depending on the year and being at the peak of ripeness are Edward, Cushman, Graham, Kent, Dot and Mallika. Valencia Pride may be one of the fastest growing mango trees, may be one of the most beautiful and impressive mangoes, and can run a close second to the ones that I have mentioned above in a good year. However, it can vary in quality and be only good as opposed to those above that are always excellent. In some years, unfortunately more frequently than one would like (at least here in Florida) the flavor can be somewhat watered down. But, that is a generally common characteristic to many of our mango cultivars that have to face a 20" rainfall in a month like we have this June. That's my opinion. for what it is worth. Take care. Harry M. Hausman mailto:HMHausman@aol.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Star Fruit leaf clorosis Date: Fri, 01 Jul 2005 20:10:39 -0700 (PDT) From: William Butler Hi Leo and group I have 2 starfruit trees growing in the ground next to each other. One is a variety from Ben Porier called "Ben's Star" it is the better looking of the two. The leaves are a nice green color and it has been in a almost continuous growth flush since early spring. Both trees did drop alot of last years leaves and then put out new leaves. Is this normal? The second tree is a " Sri Kembangan". It is almost as tall as the Ben's Star. But I have been noticing the last month or so that the majority of the leaves on it are beginning to look clorotic except for the very tip of the branches where the newest growth is at. I am not sure if it needs nitrogen or iron or what. I usually foliar feed both trees with a mixture of fish emulsion/Liq iron/ Liq. Kelp and had been getting excellent results. Both trees are located maybe 6 feet from a large privet. Also I have been noticing cut marks on the leaves like a half circle being cut out o! f them. Do you know what causes this? Is it a cutter bee or something and if so what can I do to protect against this? One last question last year I had many flowers on the Bens Star but no fruit. I attributed it to the fact that the tree was so young. This year I havent seen a single flower. Any ideas why? I appreciate any advice from the group. William Visalia Ca mailto:butlerfamly5@sbcglobal.net ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Star Fruit leaf clorosis Date: Fri, 01 Jul 2005 20:10:53 -0700 (PDT) From: William Butler Hi Leo and group I have 2 starfruit trees growing in the ground next to each other. One is a variety from Ben Porier called " Bens Star " it is the better looking of the two. The leaves are a nice green color and it has been in a almost continuous growth flush since early spring. Both trees did drop alot of last years leaves and then put out new leaves. Is this normal? The second tree is a " Sri Kembangan". It is almost as tall as the Bens Star. But I have been noticing the last month or so that the majority of the leaves on it are beginning to look clorotic except for the very tip of the branches where the newest growth is at. I am not sure if it needs nitrogen or iron or what. I usually foliar feed both trees with a mixture of fish emulsion/Liq iron/ Liq. Kelp and had been getting excellent results. Both trees are located maybe 6 feet from a large privet. Also I have been noticing cut marks on the leaves like a half circle being cut out o! f them. Do you know what causes this? Is it a cutter bee or something and if so what can I do to protect against this? One last question last year I had many flowers on the Bens Star but no fruit. I attributed it to the fact that the tree was so young. This year I havent seen a single flower. Any ideas why? I appreciate any advice from the group. William Visalia Ca mailto:butlerfamly5@sbcglobal.net ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Where To Get Plumeria Cuttings? Date: Sat, 02 Jul 2005 17:21:14 -0400 (EDT) From: HHeaven77@aol.com Hi Leo, I joined up with the forum some time ago and enjoy reading it. While in Hawaii in May (on the Big Island) I went to the Hilo Farmer's Market and had my first taste of Mangostene and assorted variations of Lychee. Delisioso! I also tasted many things I can't even remember the names of!!! All good. I am also interested in flowers and am interested to know if you know anyone that I can get plumeria cuttings from? Thanks, Celeste Gornick Phoenix, AZ mailto:HHeaven77@aol.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: Growing Miracle Fruit Date: Sat, 02 Jul 2005 21:10:50 -0400 (EDT) From: GCmastiffs@aol.com In a message dated 6/30/2005 7:39:18 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, rarefruit@san.rr.com writes: Do you have any experience growing miracle fruit? I'm growing one in a container it's full of tiny blooms, I'm wondering if it needs to be cross pollinated? Can I try some hand pollination? Thank you so much. bassem mailto:bassem@gardener.com They are very easy to grow once you get the soil right. I grow mine in 50% peat moss and 50% coconut husk chips in a container, on my patio. It blooms and sets fruit nearly all year. I do not pollinate it. The flowers are tiny and hidden under the leaves. They are self fertile. They are very attractive plants with neat leaves and new growth has a lovely wine coloring. I pretty much ignore my plant and it thrives. Lisa mailto:GCmastiffs@aol.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: UGLI TREE Date: Tue, 05 Jul 2005 23:27:18 -0400 (EDT) From: Tony807375@aol.com Hi there: I am trying to find the Latin name for the Ugli Fruit tree. I am coming up with nothing. Can you help, please? Thanks, Tony Schaffer Los Angeles, CA mailto:Tony807375@aol.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: UGLI TREE Date: Tue, 05 Jul 2005 20:49:48 -0700 From: Leo Manuel To: Tony807375@aol.com Do a search for "Ugli Citrus" and get pages of leads - at least I did in Google. Leo ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Fwd: Allspice wood source needed Date: Sat, 09 Jul 2005 07:24:59 -0700 From: "Lon J. Rombough" Begin forwarded message: From: "Cravath" Date: July 8, 2005 11:15:15 PM PDT To: Subject: Allspice wood source needed IÕm looking for a source of allspice wood.Ê Might you know where to obtain trimmings, cuttings, or chunks? Ê (About 10 lbs. for personal use, for making authentic jerk flavored Jamaican dishes..) Ê Thanks for any leads to a stateside source. Ê Peter Cravath Concord, NH mailto:cravath@comcast.net Ê ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Recommended Site: Pine Island Nursery Date: Sun, 10 Jul 2005 16:41:21 -0700 From: "George F. Emerich" Leo: This is a great site for information on a lot of fruit interesting to us. Look at the items under "Variety Viewers". One of the slickest presentations that I have seen. What do you think? George mailto:gemerich@tfb.com http://www.tropicalfruitnursery.com/viewers.htm http://www.tropicalfruitnursery.com/ Note: If George Emerich recommends anything, those of us who know him pay close attention! ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Improve Performance Of Cherry of the Rio Grande Date: Wed, 13 Jul 2005 14:39:52 -0700 (PDT) From: Eunice Messner To: butlerfamly5@sbcglobal.net Bill, Dave Silber once told me that "Fertall" was the secret for getting this plant to fruit. It also seemed to work on my carambola. You also might chat with Tom Del Hotal; he spoke on this tree at the last Fruit Festival.Whmtequinox@att.net Eunice Messner mailto:eunicemessner@yahoo.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: How do I economically cool my pitaya greenhouse? Date: Thu, 14 Jul 2005 17:45:44 -0700 (PDT) From: Dayton Mason Today it got up to 104 in the greenhouse for a short time. Does it often get up to 110 there outside? I'm sure it cost a lot to cool them off in a greenhouse. Do you know of any commercial farms down there or in Fallbrook that do well? I would like to visit one. -Dayton <><> Mailbag of Sainarong Rasananda mailto:sainaron@loxinfo.co.th <><> None, this time <><><><><> Growing Rare Fruit In Containers <><><><><> None, this time <><><><> Announcements And Web Pages To Consider <><><><> San Diego Chapter California Rare Fruit Growers Meeting: Where: Casa del Prado Building Room 101, Balboa Park When: Fourth Thursday Of Each Month (Except December) See: http://www.crfgsandiego.org http://members.cox.net/ncsdcrfg For North County CRFG Chapter Meeting http://www.crfg.org/chapters.html For information about ALL CRFG chapters. http://www.crfg.org/chapters.html For information about all CRFG chapters. <><>Bot-Linx List http://www.ou.edu/cas/botany-micro/bot-linx/<><> From: "Scott D. Russell" Bot-Linx List http://www.ou.edu/cas/botany-micro/bot-linx/ Subject: SBLD - Northern Arizona Flora Date: Thu, 07 Jul 2005 23:23:47 -0500 From: "Scott D. Russell" http://www.nazflora.org/ The goal of the Northern Arizona Flora website is to provide images eventually of all 2500-some taxa of wild plants in northern Arizona, covering the same range as W.B. McDougall's Seed Plants of Northern Arizona. Plants are listed by family for ferns and fern allies, gymnosperms and angiosperms--dicots and monocots. Each taxon has a brief description, distribution and images as available. Although not very many plants are illustrated yet, the quality is high for this diverse flora. Site by Lee Dittmann. (***) -SR ------------------------------------------------ Subject: SBLD - Fairchild Tropical Garden Virtual Herbarium Date: Thu, 07 Jul 2005 23:41:14 -0500 http://www.virtualherbarium.org/ Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden is one of the outstanding botanical gardens of North America for the breadth and depth of their activities. At this site are scientific databases and other botanical resources generated by Garden staff and affiliates. They boast the first truly virtual herbarium with already about 50,000 specimens online, including nearly 3,200 palms. The entire collection is searchable, with photographs of each specimen along with large enough images to read the labels and view macroscopic details about the original plant. Site by FTG, Miami, Florida. (***1/2) -SR ------------------------------------------------ Subject: SBLD - Tree Care Information Brochures Date: Sun, 10 Jul 2005 23:39:53 -0500 http://www.treesaregood.com/ The International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) created this site to provide the general public with quality information about tree care and related information. ISAÕs mission is to educate and help the public acquire an understanding of the importance and value of proper tree care. Brochures include: What Your Tree Needs and Why, Before Tree Buying and Planting, Proper Tree Care Techniques, Pruning Your Trees and Tree Hazards and Treatments. There is a lot of information here. (***) -SR <><><> NAFEX List From: nafex-request@lists.ibiblio.org <><><> None this time <><> [rarefruit] List - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rarefruit <><> None this time <> Agricultural Research Service (ARS) mailto:ars http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/thelatest.htm. Subject: New Quarantine Treatment on Tap to Zap Fruit Storage Pests Date: Wed, 06 Jul 2005 09:41:55 -0400 From: ARS News Service Fruit-loving insects, beware: A new technology called the "Controlled Atmosphere/Temperature Treatment System" may be coming to a packinghouse or plant quarantine facility near you. Developed by Agricultural Research Service scientists, CATTS is a pesticide-free technology that kills codling moths, oriental fruit moths and certain other insects with a lethal combination of rising temperatures and mixtures of low oxygen and high carbon dioxide. ARS entomologist Lisa Neven envisions using the technology as a postharvest treatment for apples, peaches, pears, cherries and nectarines destined for export to foreign markets. Methyl bromide fumigation is a chief means of disinfesting such fruit, but the chemical is expensive, costing around $10 a pound, and its use is heavily regulated due to environmental safety and other concerns. In tests, CATTS killed 100 percent of codling moth larvae infesting apples, sweet cherries, peaches and nectarines without significantly affecting the fruits' appearance, texture, taste and aroma, reports Neven, in the ARS Fruit and Vegetable Insect Research Unit, Wapato, Wash. Oriental fruit moth tests are also promising, adds Neven, who collaborates with other ARS researchers in Washington and California, as well as with university scientists and two commercial firms. The Washington-California collaboration is fitting: The two states, plus Florida, produce most of America's $9 billion fruit crop, excluding citrus. California is the top fruit producer of the three and leads the nation in agricultural exports, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Economic Research Service. Ensuring pest-free fruit is vital to international trade. Otherwise, an importing country where a particular pest doesn't already occur may reject a fruit shipment or declare an all-out ban on further shipments. As a quarantine measure, CATTS must prove 100 percent effective at killing moth larvae before a trade partner like Japan will approve its use, according to Neven. Read more about the research in this month's issue of Agricultural Research magazine, available online at: http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/jul05/pests0705.htm ARS is USDA's chief scientific research agency. ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Delicious "Kettleman" Apricots to Debut Soon Date: Fri, 15 Jul 2005 07:34:52 -0400 From: ARS News Service Flavorful new apricots known as "Kettleman" may soon begin showing up in supermarket produce sections. This juicy, sweet-tart fruit is the newest addition to the series of delectable stone fruits from expert tree fruit breeders with the Agricultural Research Service's (ARS) San Joaquin Valley Agricultural Sciences Center in Parlier, Calif., about 200 miles north of Los Angeles. What makes Kettleman apricots so special is their attractive deep-orange skin, pleasing taste, smooth texture and alluring aroma. Also, they ripen early: Kettleman is ready to harvest from about May 15 through May 25, which is good news indeed for apricot fans who wait all winter for the first fruits of spring. In 1992, ARS research geneticist Craig A. Ledbetter at Parlier selected Kettleman--then known only by its breeding number, 883001--as a front-runner among other promising apricot seedlings. He evaluated more than 1,000 Kettleman trees and their fruit before deciding to make this new variety available to breeders, researchers and fruit growers. Ledbetter named the fruit for the small city of Kettleman, Calif., near which test trees were planted. Kettleman lies in the San Joaquin Valley, about halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco. The trees should thrive in regions of the valley where other early-season apricots, like Earlicot and the ARS-developed Castlebrite, already flourish. California growers produce nearly all of the nation's harvest of apricots for fresh-market sale and for processing into dried fruit, nectar, puree, jam, jelly, pastry filling, candy and other foods and beverages. Apricots provide iron, potassium, fiber, vitamin C and beta-carotene which the human body converts into vitamin A. Tree fruit researchers, breeders and nurseries can contact Ledbetter at (559) 596-2817 or cledbetter@ars.usda.gov for grafting materials--June buds in spring and summer or dormant scionwood in winter--that they can use to grow their own Kettleman trees. ARS is USDA's chief scientific research agency. <><><><><><><><><> End of RFN200507B.txt <><><><><><><><><><> Rare Fruit News Online - August 1, 2005 - AKA RFN200508A.txt ____________________________________________________________ <><><><> Notes In Passing - Leo <><><><> Lots of new subscribers for you to help when possible - Please, and Thank You! Pitaya blooms continue - and finally, there has been one white fleshed H. undatus that bloomed. There are a few bloom buds, and they will continue to bloom for a few months. I'm grafting a few mangos that I didn't have. I want them to succeed too much, so they may fail. Have you paid attention to the moon phases when grafting? I usually just do it when the scions are available. <><><><><><><><><> Table Of Contents <><><><><><><><><> -> -> -> Messages follow the Table Of Contents <- <- <- <><><> New Subscribers <><><> New Subscriber, Perth, Western Australia Pat Scott New Subscriber, Bonsall, Has Unique Distribution Problem FHCIP@aol.com New Subscriber, Georgia SAB New Subscriber, Camarillo, CA - Growing In Containers rscs805@aol.com New Subscriber - Redlands, CA Ed McKiver <><><> Readers Write <><><> Re: Rare Fruit News Online - July 15, 2005 - 18 Joe Lazaro Pitaya Blooms And Moon Phase? James Freedner Where To Get Tree Of Chinese date (Ziziphus jujube) Shipped? worick@bellsouth.net My Favorite Mango Is Maya (Israeli) Yasmin Bar-Maor Davis Looking For A Feijoa Specialist g wood I need a good recipe for passion fruit jelly Bill Fredericks I have much interest in the pitaya Brent Jensen July 05 News In Newsletter of CRFG San Diego Zhenxing Fu Citrus budwood needed in Cambodia Christophe RICHARD Dragon fruit plants in San Diego and Southeast Asia William Chow <><> Mailbag of Sainarong Rasananda mailto:sainaron@loxinfo.co.th <><> None, this time <><><><><> Growing Rare Fruit In Containers <><><><><> None, this time <><><> Announcements and / or Web Sites To Consider <><><> http://www.crfgsandiego.org For *San Diego Chapter* CRFG Information http://members.cox.net/ncsdcrfg For North County CRFG Chapter Meeting http://www.crfg.org/chapters.html For information about ALL CRFG chapters. <><>Bot-Linx List <> From: "Scott D. Russell" SBLD - Famine Foods Database http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/faminefoods/ff_home.html <><><> NAFEX List <><><> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/nafex Archives at http://lists.ibiblio.org/pipermail/nafex None, this time <><><> From "rarefruit list" - rarefruit@yahoogroups.com <><><> None, this time <> Agricultural Research Service (ARS) mailto:ars>news@arsgrin.gov <> http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/thelatest.htm Lure Helps Keep Out Medfly ARS News Service <><><><><><><><> New Subscribers <><><><><><><><><> Subject: New Subscriber, Perth, Western Australia Date: Fri, 22 Jul 2005 15:27:30 +0800 From: Pat Scott I am Pat Scott. I sent this e-mail some weeks ago, but I don't think I succeeded in subscribing, so I will try again. I live near Perth, Western Australia, a Mediterranean climate, on a steep, rocky 12-acre hillside. We are growing a range of fruit trees, but have almost no water to offer them, so they aren't as happy as they could be. When they do produce fruit, we hardly ever get any because of the rapacious parrots, possums and other pests, especially fruit fly. (Citrus, loquats, stone fruit, figs, pome fruit, white sapotes, custard apples, and more). Pat Scott mailto:clamshell@iinet.net.au ------------------------------------------------ Subject: New Subscriber, Bonsall, Has Unique Distribution Problem Date: Sat, 23 Jul 2005 22:55:48 -0400 (EDT) From: FHCIP@aol.com I am Frank Cipolla, in Bonsall Calif. Currently I am growing: Cherimoya, valencia oranges and would like to grow: Hass Avocados Problems are: 1. We can't get anybody to pick our oranges even for free! 2. We are having a problem with ants ------------------------------------------------ Subject: New Subscriber, Georgia Date: Thu, 28 Jul 2005 10:44:51 -0400 From: SAB I am Sue, in Georgia, zone 8a I am growing persimmon, passion fruit, dragon fruit, avocado, fig, blueberry, blackberry, raspberry, muscadine. I would like to grow julie mango, more passionfruit, rambutan, mangosteen SAB mailto:suwannee@knology.net ------------------------------------------------ Subject: New Subscriber, Camarillo, CA - Growing In Containers Date: Fri, 29 Jul 2005 14:51:21 -0400 (EDT) From: rscs805@aol.com Hello, My name is Jeff Stickland. I live in Camarillo, CA in Ventura county. I was happy to come across your web site and would like to request your newsletter. I've been growing summer tomatoes and veggies for several years, but have recently been bitten by the fruit-growing bug. It all started with a couple of citrus trees, a dwarf Meyer Lemon and a dwarf Washington Navel orange. Next thing I know I've got Feijoa, Banana, Passion Fruit, Guava, and Strawberry Guava in my yard. I also am waiting (impatiently) for Papaya and Surinam Cherry seeds. To further complicate things, I live in a rented house, so everything is in containers, except the banana. A short list of other fruits I'm interested in growing include Carambola; Jaboticaba; Pitaya; Blackberry Jam fruit; Mango; Cherimoya &/or Atemoya; White Sapote; Rambutan, Longan or Lychee; Mulberry; low-chill varieties of blueberries, apple, peach, apricot, plum I really need a bigger yard. I'm particularly interested in Fruits that do well in containers (at least for a while) and in my neighborhood (sunset zone 23); Fruits that are fairly easy to start from seed and will bear fruit before my children are grown; Good, preferably local sources for plants and seeds. Thanks very much, Jeff Stickland mailto:RSCS805@aol.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: New Subscriber - Redlands, CA Date: Sun, 31 Jul 2005 02:01:55 -0700 From: Ed McKiver Hello, I'd very much like to subscribe to your free newsletter. Here is the information you requested. I currently grow: Asian Pear - Century Pommelo - Chandler (Tree 25 years old now - produces well) Persimmon - Giant Fuyu (Bears Alternate Years) Peruvian Pear Cactus - Edible fruit similar to Dragon Fruit, but much smaller in size (2-3"), with white flesh. Apple - Granny Smith Various Asian herbs and rhizomes, including a very large Kieffer (Kaffer) Lime tree for which the fruits and leaves are used in Thai and Vietnamese cooking. Thank you very much. Ed McKiver Redlands, CA mailto:mckiver1@hotmail.com <><><><><><><><><> Readers Write<><><><><><><><><><> Subject: Re: Rare Fruit News Online - July 15, 2005 - 18 Date: Fri, 15 Jul 2005 21:56:33 -0700 (PDT) From: Joe Lazaro Dragon fruit - white fleshed hylocereus undatus. These are self-fertile. I obtained cuttings 1+ year ago and have been raising and selling them on eBay. My eBay ID is 'maintreefrog' Mother plant came from Viet Nam 30+ years ago. If anyone is interested contact me direct. maintreefrog@yahoo.com I also have white sapote, Casimiroa Edulis. Does anyone have jackfruit? I saw some fruit recently at a local Vietnamese grocery store and they are enormous in size. Thanks all Joe Lazaro mailto:maintreefrog ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Pitaya Blooms And Moon Phase? Date: Fri, 15 Jul 2005 22:20:58 -0700 From: James Freedner First pitaya of the season opened between June 24 when I left for Connecticut, and June 29 when I returned and found just shriveled petals. Pitayas are very sneaky that way! 3 or 4 buds on the way for opening maybe next week or so when the moon is full. I still say the flowers favor opening under a full moon! Fresno pepper seeds produced a nice pepper plant which is also flowering and has a few small green peppers already. Um, are chili peppers an exotic fruit? I would guess they could qualify for the fruit part... J. Eric Freedner mailto:Freedner@msn.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Where To Get Tree Of Chinese date (Ziziphus jujube) Shipped? Date: Sat, 16 Jul 2005 13:29:49 -0400 From: worick@bellsouth.net I am interested in planting the Chinese date (Ziziphus jujube): do you know where I might be able to order one shipped to me? I am not interested in growing this from seeds. I am William L. Shraberg, 1303 East Beach Blvd., Pass Christian, MS. 39571, phone 228-452-3790, E-mail address: Worick@bellsouth.net. Thank-you William mailto:worick@bellsouth.net ------------------------------------------------ Subject: My Favorite Mango Is Maya (Israeli) Date: Sun, 17 Jul 2005 09:54:34 -0700 From: Yasmin Bar-Maor Davis Leo, I apologize for being a bit late with my favorite Mango. I have not been able to find it here but in Israel I have eaten the Maya Mango - so far the best I have ever had. Yasmin mailto:ydavis@featherstoneconsulting.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Looking For A Feijoa Specialist Date: Sat, 23 Jul 2005 11:31:37 -0700 (PDT) From: g wood Dear Leo, Do you know anyone who has made feijoa their specialty, raising and comparing different varieties? My grandmother was given a feijoa by her gardener about 50 years ago in Santa Monica, which produced an unusually thin-skinned variety with a great tart/sweet flavor. The fruit was more round than elongated. The plant was destroyed after her house was sold. I have tried quite a few nursery feijoa plants, but the fruit usually has tougher rinds and a less edible interior. Her fruit was roundish, and so thin-skinned that you could eat the entire fruit, although generally you would bite off one end and squirt out the soft interior pulp. I'm still looking for one like that! Sincerely, Glen W. mailto:filmenergy@yahoo.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: I need a good recipe for passion fruit jelly Date: Mon, 25 Jul 2005 15:46:07 -0700 From: Bill Fredericks Hi! My name is Bill Fredericks. I got the name of your newsletter/organization at this yearÕs Del Mar fair. I addition to standard stone fruit trees, my wife and I planted a Frederick, Passion Fruit vine two years ago. With some difficulty I found a recipe that I used last year to make jelly. While it tasted good, the jelly did not set-up very well. So, IÕm looking for a good, tried and tested recipe. Please sign me up to receive your newsletter, as well. Thank you, Bill Fredericks mailto:wfreder2@san.rr.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: I have much interest in the pitaya Date: Tue, 26 Jul 2005 16:09:03 -0700 From: Brent Jensen My name is Brent Jensen Jr. I live in Sanger, CA which is just outside of Fresno. I lived for two years in the Yucatan peninsula as a missionary and developed a love for a pitalla (pitaya) of white flesh and a pinkish outer skin. I currently do not grow any plants (I live at my parents house still). I am 22 years old and am interested in growing pitalla. I am also interested in mamey fruit. What is the possibility of growing pitalla and/or mamey commercially here in California? Any information would be greatly appreciated as I have relatively no knowledge about agriculture. Much thanks to all of you! Brent mailto:nscottishmormon@hotmail.com [There are several growers of pitaya in California. See http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PitayaFruit/ for a newsgroup with pitaya as a crop for many. -Leo] ------------------------------------------------ Subject: July 05 Newsletter of CRFG San Diego Date: Wed, 27 Jul 2005 08:13:30 -0700 From: Zhenxing Fu Meeting Minutes for June 23, 2005 Our business meeting covered the new rules for plant sales as established by the San Diego Botanical Association. To prevent the club from becoming a vehicle for commercial enterprise, no plants may be openly sold at meetings. But plants will be sold at the Quail GardensÕ Picnic, July 23rd. And of course, the Labor Day Plant Sale will provide a great opportunity to stock up on every type of fruit tree you still donÕt own. Moreover, if you learn about great plants offered at great prices (as they often are) through some of our own dedicated growers, then there is nothing to prevent you from making an arrangement to purchase plants through that grower. Our own president, David Silverstein, gave much of the eveningÕs presentation on lychees and longans. These scrumptious tropical fruits have been grown in China and Thailand for thousands of years. They like warm humid summers, cool winters with 100-200 hours of chilling, and low rainfall. Similar to the Hass avocado, they grow best in acidic soil with little salt content and good drainage. Water should be given frequently and in small amounts. One might consider planting them on a small mound to facilitate better drainage. Lighting firecrackers around the tree may be a way to get it to flower, (although it may result in fines and imprisonment). This is because the trees benefit from potassium chlorate, used in making firecrackers, as well as from other micro-nutrients. The Mauritius (Kwai M.) is the most productive variety, but Sweetheart is the biggest and the sweetest. There was something about chicken tonguesÐoh yes, an inspired name for a lychee variety thatÕs supposed to have more flesh than seed. Both lychees and longans can be pruned regularly. Air-layering is the best method of propagation. The longan is more forgiving that the lychee, which is nice for those of us that need a lot of forgiveness in the garden. Professor Romero Lobo of the UC Corporate Extension completed the discussion on lychees and longans. He is involved with a project funded by The California Department of Food and Agriculture to study the commercial growth of lychees in the United States. Funding was provided because the smuggling of foreign lychees via Canada presented a high risk of bringing in undesirable insects. So far, the success of local growth has been limited. The trees have a low survival rate, sometimes dying for no apparent reason. Also, because there are so many varieties, they are difficult to study. Vista and Fallbrook appear to have the best climate for growth. Many thanks to our excellent presenters, growers, and to all for another great meeting. Special thanks to Ramiro for coming and speaking to us. See you all July 28! Linnea Lamar, Secretary ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Citrus budwood needed in Cambodia Date: Fri, 29 Jul 2005 11:39:14 +0200 (CEST) From: Christophe RICHARD We are a small grower of tropical fruits in Cambodia (5 Acres of durians, 8 Acres of mangos ) and would like to diversify our production to other fruits especially oranges and mandarins. Our experience on the Durian and Mangos since about 10 years has been very successful. The Durian trees are cared with a lot of water and with very few chemicals (compare to Vietnamese and Thai growers) we are located on the best soils of the country our durian fruits sells very well with a 3 times higher value than imported fruits. We are now looking for a local production of a juicy and sweet orange and mandarin, high standards fruits only. We know how to graft the citrus trees and are looking how to purchase some budwood samples of the cara cara navel and a kind of seedless mandarin. We already prepared different citrus trees on a land where real wild citrus trees use to grow naturally (we can send you samples and photo if needed, this specie may have a botanical interest). We are also very interested in growing citrus trees if you think it is necessary to improve the success of the future graftings. We would like to purchase some budwood samples of the cara cara navel (the ruby red growing in Venezuela) and a seedless mandarin before a large order. We are seeking advices and ready to send you any feed back of our tests before considering a future large production. Waiting for your kind reply, Yours very sincerely, Christophe RICHARD & Dr Khim TOL mailto:chrpnh@hotmail.com or mailto:chrpnh@yahoo.fr Phnom Penh (CAMBODIA) ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Dragon fruit plants in San Diego and Southeast Asia Date: Sun, 31 Jul 2005 05:58:45 -0700 From: William Chow Hi Leo, Here is my new webpage on dragon fruit plants: http://la.znet.com/~wchow/DG2005/dg2005.htm My plants at home do not flower all at the same time. I have a lot of flowers now. Some plants flower in May and other plants flower in September. I don't know why the flower season is so spread out. Regards, William mailto:wchow@sd.znet.com <><> Mailbag of Sainarong Rasananda mailto:sainaron@loxinfo.co.th <><> None, this time <><><><><> Growing Rare Fruit In Containers <><><><><> None, this time <><><><> Announcements And Web Pages To Consider <><><><> San Diego Chapter California Rare Fruit Growers Meeting: Where: Casa del Prado Building Room 101, Balboa Park When: Fourth Thursday Of Each Month (Except December) See: http://www.crfgsandiego.org http://members.cox.net/ncsdcrfg For North County CRFG Chapter Meeting http://www.crfg.org/chapters.html For information about ALL CRFG chapters. http://www.crfg.org/chapters.html For information about all CRFG chapters. <><>Bot-Linx List http://www.ou.edu/cas/botany-micro/bot-linx/<><> From: "Scott D. Russell" Bot-Linx List http://www.ou.edu/cas/botany-micro/bot-linx/ Subject: SBLD - Famine Foods Database Date: Tue, 26 Jul 2005 03:22:03 -0500 http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/faminefoods/ff_home.html As this site notes, there are many plants not normally used as crops that are consumed in times of famine. This database considers the many edible plants from areas that have undergone famine, noteably Ethiopia, but sadly famine has occurred in the past on all inhabited continents. These data are incorporated in the New Crops Database and use its search engine. Plants included in the database may represent target plants for new crop development. Entries compiled by Robert (Bob) L. Freedman. (***1/2) <><><> NAFEX List From: nafex-request@lists.ibiblio.org <><><> None this time <><> [rarefruit] List - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rarefruit <><> None this time <> Agricultural Research Service (ARS) mailto:ars http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/thelatest.htm. Subject: Lure Helps Keep Out Medfly Date: Thu, 21 Jul 2005 07:49:43 -0400 From: ARS News Service A lure developed by the Agricultural Research Service and Suterra LLC is helping keep the Mediterranean fruit fly out of the United States and giving other countries an effective, environmentally friendly control method. The product, BioLure 3-Component Fruit Fly Lure, is being commercialized by Suterra, which holds the exclusive license for the ARS patents. Suterra is marketing it in the United States, Spain, South Africa, Guatemala, Mexico and Peru. Growers and government agencies in these countries are now using BioLure 3-Component Fruit Fly Lure as an effective tool to monitor for medfly presence as well as reducing medfly populations by mass trapping. Each year in Spain, for example, mass trapping is done on thousands of acres of citrus groves using BioLure 3-Component Fruit Fly Lure. Spanish plant health agencies have found mass-trapping with the lure is as effective as insecticides at controlling medfly damage without leaving pesticide residues on fruit or harming beneficial insects. BioLure 3-Component Fruit Fly Lure is a combination of three compounds: ammonium acetate, putrescine and trimethylamine. It captures more medflies and fewer nontarget insects, is more consistent between batches and lasts four to eight times as long, compared to protein baits. Also, BioLure 3-Component Fruit Fly Lure attracts mostly female medflies, which is important in areas where sterile male insect control programs are being used. Chemist Robert R. Heath and entomologist Nancy D. Epsky, at the ARS Subtropical Horticultural Research Laboratory in Miami, Fla., are experts in semiochemicals--chemical signals for insect communication. Heath and Epsky worked with scientists at Suterra, who are experts at long-term controlled release of volatile chemicals, to develop the new lure. The medfly is one of the most destructive agricultural insects in the world. The United States is eager to see medfly populations reduced in other countries because if they become established here, it could cost as much as $1.5 billion dollars a year due to export sanctions, lost markets, treatment costs and crop losses. ARS is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief scientific research agency. <><><><><><><><><> End of RFN200508A.txt <><><><><><><><><><> Rare Fruit News Online - August 15, 2005 - AKA RFN200508B.txt _____________________________________________________________ <><><><> Notes In Passing - Leo <><><><> No one has remarked on having problems reading the newsletters, but I know there sometimes are difficulties when a text document prepared on a Macintosh computer and sent as email, is received on a Windows computer. If you have problems, please let me know. If you have suggestions to improve the format, please pass those along as well. Out weather has been quite cool this month. Nice when you have to be working outdoors in it. Pitaya fruit has begun to ripen, from some of the blooms in middle to late June. A few blooms of the white flesh H. undatus have opened - much later than the red-fleshed varieties. <><><><><><><><><> Table Of Contents <><><><><><><><><> -> -> -> Messages follow the Table Of Contents <- <- <- <><><> New Subscribers <><><> New Subscriber - Anaheim Hills, CA wonchoi@sbcglobal.net New Subscriber - Stranded in Washington DC Gretchen.L.Rector@aphis.usda.gov New Subscriber-Getting Students Interested In Grafting Marvnpet@aol.com New Subscriber - Israel Quincy Burgess <><><> Readers Write <><><> Passion Fruit Jelly Ben Pierce To: wfreder2@san.rr.com Re: Feijoa Arthur Kohl To: filmenergy@yahoo.com My Early August Garden Report James Freedner Passionfruit Jelly Recipe "Holzinger, Bob" To: Great Tropical Fruit Recipe Site Shirley Dellerson My New Webpage William Chow <><> Mailbag of Sainarong Rasananda mailto:sainaron@loxinfo.co.th <><> Re: Pulasans Sainarong Siripen Rasananda Re: Sweet Sop in Thailand Sainarong Siripen Rasananda Most Delicious Longan varieties Sainarong Siripen Rasananda To: "Hays, Gary" , RE: Most Delicious Longan varieties "Hays, Gary" To: Sainarong Siripen Rasananda , Re: Most Delicious Longan varieties - Comments Sainarong Siripen Rasananda "Hays, Gary" <><><><><> Growing Rare Fruit In Containers <><><><><> None, this time <><><> Announcements and / or Web Sites To Consider <><><> http://www.crfgsandiego.org For *San Diego Chapter* CRFG Information http://members.cox.net/ncsdcrfg For North County CRFG Chapter Meeting