re: Louisiana Tropical Fruit Gardening - Experiences and Updates

dammit! at least I don't have to wrap anything. But I really dont want to set up the greenhouse again.

23rd shows a low of 37

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I just informed my wife that some of the trees are coming inside for a couple of days. I ain't setting that greenhouse back up!

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I also don't wanna find space in the shed and move them. I need to clean that shed up!

Some reasons for optimism today. I planted this Kauai Sugarloaf Pineapple top a little more than a year ago. They are notorious for not handling freezing temperatures very well. Spotted a flower developing this afternoon. Hopefully it will make it!

Well my flamethrower is doing OK. I think it looks improved from when I bought it almost a month ago. The color has went from very light green to a nice dark green. I am watering it about every 10 days with the foliage pro mix.

I am keeping it up near my house on my lanai and its not getting any direct sunlight. If anything, part of it gets a little direct light (through my pool fence) about a hour or so per afternoon.

I did however notice a couple of fronds next to each other that had these holes in them. I honestly dont know if they have been there or if they are new. I looked all over it and on both sides of all the leaves and I cant find any bugs. I did however spray both sides of the fronds with some Captain Jacks mix after I saw the holes


Does it look like something chomped on my leaves or does that look like something else. I also noticed somelight yellow spots on the leaves but I honestly think they were there and worse when I got it. It actually look much more healty since I bought it.

It has a new spike that is about 6 inches long that has been growing pretty fast lately.

That flamethrower looks great dude. The oldest frond will always look ratty. Don't cut them off. The tree pulls nutrients out of the old dying fronds into the main body of the plant. The lack of direct sunlight is clearly working. If you decide to give it some go slowwww. Like 30 minutes max then pull it.

The foliage pro is fine for now but eventually you will want something with more potassium. 8-2-12 is ideal for palms.

That crownshaft is awesome. You're going to have a really remarkable palm for a long time to come.

Thanks. I just didnt want to have some kind of insect eating that thing. I am gonna watch it closely over the next few weeks. Just going to continue with my routine for a little while longer than I am finally going to pot that thing in the soil mixture you recommended. I will gather parts this week to do a lot of my potted stuff over. I have been down with the flu for a week and have not done anything outside. shite kicked my arse good..


On another note, looks like my big christmas palm took a bigger hit than I thought. I believe all the fronds are done. They look like shite and its shedding them faster than normal. Its a triple and all three dropped a brown frond last week and the new ones under were nice a green. But now all three of those are splitting and I believe its just going to be a few days before those fall off. None of the fronds look good. I think they all got torched when it got so cold. It does have a couple of new spikes that appear to be growing.


Thanks for the recs on the flame thrower. I joined a FB group on palms a month or so and asked on there and that seem to be the same consensus. No bugs which was my worry. After we get past thing last week of cold, I may start sticking it in the sun a hour a day when I can. Its easy to move and im sure the pool screen is also filting the light a little.

Thanks again

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wiltznucs

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Drove through your hood last weekend. We went to an event up in Plant City. Man the traffic around you may even be worse than down here. Holy shite. It was Friday afternoon but what a nightmare. From my house to Plant City was 2hr and 5 mins. We left Plant City at 9pm and it was 1 hour and 7 mins to get back home.


I wont be making that drive again on a Friday afternoon.

Got a very nice off season ruby supreme guava today. I'm very pleased with this one because in the past the off season ones have usually been bland. This was not as good as a peak on season fruit, but I'd have to call it a 7/10 which is great.

I'm posting pics so any of y'all growing guavas will know how to recognize perfect ripeness. This one stayed on the tree until it fell off into the organza bag that caught it. Then I put it along with a banana in a closed paper grocery bag for 2 days at room temperature on the kitchen counter. The remaining traces of green changed to yellow. What you are really looking for is this first sign of red blush on the yellow skin. You start to see the red flesh inside as the skin thins out. This one is textbook perfectly ripe

At harvest:

Fully ripe: