re: Louisiana Tropical Fruit Gardening - Experiences and Updates

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Force branching? Is this where you cut off the top to make it grow more like a bush?

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Yes. But it's a little more complicated. A grafted mango will try to grow straight up until you cut it. But where you cut it matters.

There are these obvious growth rings along the stem that have leaves coming out of them. If you cut the tree above the growth ring, the ring will shoot out 3-5 new branches from that spot. All the initial scaffolding branches will therefore originate from the same point. They will also be more laterally oriented (growing out not up). In other words, a cut above the growth ring results in a lollipop shape.

If you cut below the growth ring (removing the ring), new single branches will emerge from the leaf stems below. Those branches will be more vertically oriented. If you like where the leaves are located below the ring, then you can plan out where new vertical branches will appear. If the leaves are not in convenient locations for new branches below the ring, you might want to just cut above the ring.

Some growers will say that below the ring cuts are better because you don't have all the scaffolding branches emerging from a single point on the trunk, which creates more weight stress at that point. Other growers say it doesn't matter. Personally, I think if the leaves below the ring are well-oriented, it's probably better to have your main branches emerging from 2-3 locations on the trunk instead of a single point. But I'm willing to change my mind on that.

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Tigerlaff

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Thanks for that write up, I'd seen a few posts on Facebook with folks talking about it but never knew what it was called. How tall do you let the tree get before force branching? Do you have a specific height that you want the branches to come from?

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Wiltz, you think that's too many for this 25g tree?

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Man; ordinarily I’d probably say yes it’s too many. But the leaves look very healthy and the fruit seems well developed in terms of size. If they were all small and stunted I’d feel differently. So I say let it rip. By way of comparison; my 25g tree is definitely less dense than yours and I’m only going to get 2-3 mangoes from it.

TGL, you know I repotted a bunch of things early in the spring with your/Gary soil method. Soil mix, osmocote top dressed with manure compost then cypress mulch as a topper.

How often would you say that you re-apply osmocote, change or add more compost( or is that ever done). I know Im basically feeding the plants because there is really nothing in the new soil for them.

How often do I need to redress these things


TIA

Thanks baw. I appreciate it. I am about to do another round of repotting. I have some house plants that need to be done plus its time for me to repot my Lipstick. That thing is taking off and growing like crazy. Lots of new growth and I have roots starting to grow out the bottom of the 3 gallon pot.

Very happy with how its doing. You had me scared to death of it at first.






And man, I really want one of these. Travelers palm. I just cant find a place to plant it in the yard once it gets too big for a container.

good because the couple plants that I bought are pretty frickin sad . Y’all were right banana buying is a crapshoot.

and that’s proper garden footwear at my house

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Would it be the wrong move to up pot my guava while it is fruiting? I have a 25 gal cattle protein tub that I can put it in. I should be able to slip it from the current pot (the orange one in the above photo) and into the tub. Would then pack the garys recipe soil mix around it. I wouldn't think that would disturb it too much but idk.

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Go for it. The beauty of using the right soil is that you can just pop it out and into a bigger pot with almost no disturbance as you described. Plus guavas are just remarkably tough trees to begin with. Best method is to let the pot dry out really well before doing the removal. Should all come out clean that way.

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Ahh yes, that means it's time for the poor man's travelers palm: Strelitzia nicolai in a container. The white bird of paradise.

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I have two of them growing in my yard. They were basically dead and I managed to save them from laying in someones yard by the curb. I trimmed them up, got rid of the fungus and got them planted in my yard two years ago. Now, they are doing very well.


My lipstick






White Birds. I wish I had a picture of what I started with. I thought they both would be rubbish in less than a month but somehow, I saved them. They need a little trimming but they are alive.






And my orange bird in the front finally gave me a flower this week. Finally

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If you get one; put it on the side of your house that’s most protected from winds. Otherwise the leaves will shred up like this one

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Interesting that you mentioned that. It is exactly what has been happening to our big white birds of paradise. The big leaves are shedding. All my neighbors as well.


That is a awesome looking tree. Id love to just have one in a container around my pool but I know it would not be in there long.


Thanks for the advice.