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Message
re: Louisiana Tropical Fruit Gardening - Experiences and Updates
Posted on 2/22/26 at 6:36 pm to Tigerlaff
Posted on 2/22/26 at 6:36 pm to Tigerlaff
They're safe inside for the next 2 days. Cracked one of the dragon fruit branches while squeezing it through the door.
Wife doesn't like the tropicals when they're on the patio so this is going to be rough on her. Keep me in y'alls prayers.
Wife doesn't like the tropicals when they're on the patio so this is going to be rough on her. Keep me in y'alls prayers.
0
Posted on 2/22/26 at 6:39 pm to wiltznucs
Dude, another night in the 30s tomorrow. Ugh. Not sure some of my stuff can handle that while they are all stressed out
Posted on 2/22/26 at 7:51 pm to LanierSpots
quote:
Dude, another night in the 30s tomorrow. Ugh. Not sure some of my stuff can handle that while they are all stressed out
I’m over it for sure. Got a few mangos that are barely hanging on. This may do them in. Same with my pineapples. The decorative stuff around the house is going to need a full overhaul in the Spring. We just aren’t built for this. I saw a video from a recently established 20 acre mango farm in Central Florida this morning. They’ve lost 8,000 trees in recent weeks. Saw a report from the Florida Ag Commissioner this week estimating damage at $3.1 Billion. I think it’s probably higher than that. The majority being Sugarcane, Citrus and Strawberries. They didn’t include the number of Nurseries who got wiped out or those without Ag licenses.
Posted on 2/22/26 at 8:38 pm to wiltznucs
I have been down with the flu for a week and finally started feeling better today so I took a little walk around my subdivision this afternoon. The amount of plants and trees that are damaged is insane. I would not be surprised if every single Christmas Palm in our neighborhood will die after this. One of mine looks like arse and the others do not look much better. I think if they dont recover, I am going to replant them with Alexander Palms. Look very similar and can take a little bit lower temps.
Like you said, my entire yard is going to need a full overhaul very soon. I just brought a bunch of stuff off my lanai back inside for a few days. I guess I will do more tomorrow.
I cant imagine what the inner part of the state and a little farther up north looks like. I pulled up 10 Hibuscus plants up out of the ground today and threw them away. I have a bunch of those tie plants and they have about dropped all the leaves off them. Im just going to chop them off and let them start over
I have been wanting to ask you and TG about a easy fruit tree that I could do inside my pool cage. But now, Im not sure I would want to try it.
Like you said, my entire yard is going to need a full overhaul very soon. I just brought a bunch of stuff off my lanai back inside for a few days. I guess I will do more tomorrow.
I cant imagine what the inner part of the state and a little farther up north looks like. I pulled up 10 Hibuscus plants up out of the ground today and threw them away. I have a bunch of those tie plants and they have about dropped all the leaves off them. Im just going to chop them off and let them start over
I have been wanting to ask you and TG about a easy fruit tree that I could do inside my pool cage. But now, Im not sure I would want to try it.
Posted on 2/22/26 at 9:04 pm to LanierSpots
This winter has sucked arse for sure. Back in mid January I was quietly starting to believe we were going to get through without a single hard freeze. Instead we've had more nights below freezing than I can remeber in a very long time.
My back is killing me after dragging out all the cold protection stuff again today. Bringing pots in, organizing and stuffing greenhouses, wrapping trees, stringing lights, mounding mulch. I'm over it boys. This is always the toughest part of winter for me. Just gotta remember that the 9-10 months of fun times are truly imminent and may even start late this week.
My back is killing me after dragging out all the cold protection stuff again today. Bringing pots in, organizing and stuffing greenhouses, wrapping trees, stringing lights, mounding mulch. I'm over it boys.
This is always the toughest part of winter for me. Just gotta remember that the 9-10 months of fun times are truly imminent and may even start late this week. Posted on 2/22/26 at 9:31 pm to Tigerlaff
I cant even imagine.
Posted on 2/22/26 at 10:06 pm to LanierSpots
quote:
have been wanting to ask you and TG about a easy fruit tree that I could do inside my pool cage. But now, Im not sure I would want to try it.
My list of "easy" container trees below. To be considered easy, they need to be either dwarf or very accepting of hard pruning, fibrous root system, no weird seasonal requirements (chill hours, dry season, etc.), not picky about water chemistry, water timing, or soil pH, little to zero pest pressure, can tolerate some freezing weather, and productive every single year. Basically it has to be beginner proof and thrive with nothing but soil, water, fertilizer, and sun. Here they are:
Cattley guava (strawberry)
Cattley guava (lemon)
Figs
Meiwa kumquat
Nagami kumquat
Suriname cherry (black)
Each of these has been almost too easy. If you're willing to bend on the cold hardiness a little bit the list gets a lot longer.
Posted on 2/22/26 at 11:07 pm to Tigerlaff
that’s a very good list I would add loquat to that. Mine are bulletproof with zero care and maintenance.
Posted on 2/23/26 at 6:03 am to cgrand
I cannot recommend loquat for the super easy container list in zone 9. I have several. They flower and fruit over the winter and both the blooms and fruit are damaged at about 27F. They also require a brief dry period in the summer to flower well and excess nitrogen during the growing season will prevent flowering. My 15g Oliver tree completely failed to bloom this year due to excess water and nitrogen. Finally, they are prone to fireblight and should be sprayed for it after rain if there is any fireblight in the local area.
Seedling trees from local populations have fewer of these problems, but they also take much longer to fruit and are not as good as the premium named cultivars. One of the very best, Vista White, is apparently not self fertile and requires another nearby tree for pollination.
If you have even the slightest bit of experience and can read Google, then I agree with you that they are very easy. But my list above is what I would give to people as a gift that can't keep clover alive in their yard. Actually, this gives me a great idea to create a tier list. Maybe a breakdown of super easy, easy, moderate, hard, and extremely hard.
Seedling trees from local populations have fewer of these problems, but they also take much longer to fruit and are not as good as the premium named cultivars. One of the very best, Vista White, is apparently not self fertile and requires another nearby tree for pollination.
If you have even the slightest bit of experience and can read Google, then I agree with you that they are very easy. But my list above is what I would give to people as a gift that can't keep clover alive in their yard.
Actually, this gives me a great idea to create a tier list. Maybe a breakdown of super easy, easy, moderate, hard, and extremely hard. This post was edited on 2/23/26 at 7:36 am
Posted on 2/23/26 at 8:47 am to LanierSpots
quote:
I have been wanting to ask you and TG about a easy fruit tree that I could do inside my pool cage
Calamansi/Calamondin is a small attractive citrus tree that seems to do really well in containers and is minimally effected by greening. It’s quite tart and not for everyone. They also tend to be almost everbearing here.
Finger limes are another option. They do great in pots; but, are very thorny.
Atemoya, dwarf bananas, and guava all do well in pots in lanais too. Red Lady type papayas are another option. Some may recommend dwarf mulberries; but, the fallen fruit leaves nasty stains and I’d caution against that.
Only issue with having it inside is access to pollinators. Which is true for many fruit trees in enclosures.
Posted on 2/23/26 at 8:58 am to wiltznucs
Here's my first stab at a tier list in the updated OP. This list is overall difficulty in containers in zone 9a, not just any single factor like cold hardiness or nutritional needs.
Super easy / automatic
Cattley guava (strawberry)
Cattley guava (lemon)
Figs
Meiwa kumquat
Nagami kumquat
Suriname cherry (black)
Easy
Meyer lemon
Guava
Loquat
Starfruit / carambola
True oranges
Mandarin oranges
Cherry of the Rio Grande
Miracle fruit
Sugar apple
Passionfruit
Feijoa (Unique only)
Average / Medium
Key lime
True lemons
Jaboticaba
Sapodilla (dwarf only)
Mango (dwarf only)
Jamaican cherry
White sapote
Longan
Grumichama
Pitomba
Atemoya (Geffner only)
Pineapple
Bananas (dwarf only)
Hard
Lychee
Dragonfruit
Most Garcinia (Luc's, Lemon Drop, Achachairu)
Atemoya (non-Geffner)
Cherimola
Custard apple
Cherilata
Ilama
Avocado
Extremely difficult / impossible
Mamey
Soursop
Jackfruit
Mangosteen
Vanilla orchid
Coffee
Sweet granadilla passionfruit (ligularis)
Dwarf coconut
Durian
Cacao
Breadfruit
Super easy / automatic
Cattley guava (strawberry)
Cattley guava (lemon)
Figs
Meiwa kumquat
Nagami kumquat
Suriname cherry (black)
Easy
Meyer lemon
Guava
Loquat
Starfruit / carambola
True oranges
Mandarin oranges
Cherry of the Rio Grande
Miracle fruit
Sugar apple
Passionfruit
Feijoa (Unique only)
Average / Medium
Key lime
True lemons
Jaboticaba
Sapodilla (dwarf only)
Mango (dwarf only)
Jamaican cherry
White sapote
Longan
Grumichama
Pitomba
Atemoya (Geffner only)
Pineapple
Bananas (dwarf only)
Hard
Lychee
Dragonfruit
Most Garcinia (Luc's, Lemon Drop, Achachairu)
Atemoya (non-Geffner)
Cherimola
Custard apple
Cherilata
Ilama
Avocado
Extremely difficult / impossible
Mamey
Soursop
Jackfruit
Mangosteen
Vanilla orchid
Coffee
Sweet granadilla passionfruit (ligularis)
Dwarf coconut
Durian
Cacao
Breadfruit
This post was edited on 2/24/26 at 12:22 pm
Posted on 2/23/26 at 9:51 am to Tigerlaff
No true lime or avocado? 
Posted on 2/23/26 at 10:42 am to Tigerlaff
TG, I am working on obtaining materials to make your soil formula.
What is your opinion on Coco Coir in replacement for the Peat Moss? I shared your mix with a good friend of mine who does a lot of planting and he said your mixture was very similar to what he uses. I think he built it off that same guys mix out of California. He knew of that video and that guy well.
My friend uses the Coco coir instead of pete moss and has an abundance of it. I also sucessful in finding some local pumice rock at a very good price.....
Thoughts?
What is your opinion on Coco Coir in replacement for the Peat Moss? I shared your mix with a good friend of mine who does a lot of planting and he said your mixture was very similar to what he uses. I think he built it off that same guys mix out of California. He knew of that video and that guy well.
My friend uses the Coco coir instead of pete moss and has an abundance of it. I also sucessful in finding some local pumice rock at a very good price.....
Thoughts?
Posted on 2/23/26 at 10:48 am to Tigerlaff
quote:
Hard
Lychee
Mine died before winter even started. It started it's decline not long after getting it.
quote:
Extremely difficult / impossible
Mamey
Did really well all spring and fall, and was doing fine in the winter when i put it in my greenhouse when the temps dipped really low, but i did some experimenting on what trees could handle 30-34 type overnight temps and it's not going to make it. At first just 2 leaves went brown and fell off, and a few weeks later all of them went brown and fell off, so it's just a bare stem now.
Posted on 2/23/26 at 1:12 pm to Tigerlaff
Yumm.
I had my last guava a week
Ago!
Question. Are the seeds always that hard inside ? I was surprised at the BB quality of them ha
I had my last guava a week
Ago!
Question. Are the seeds always that hard inside ? I was surprised at the BB quality of them ha
Posted on 2/23/26 at 7:03 pm to Neauxla
quote:
No true lime or avocado
Key lime is a true lime. Persian like is slightly easier but I'd put it in the same tier with lemons and key lime.
Avocado is trickier and I would put all 3 races in the hard tier with Guatemalan and West Indian races harder than Mexican races.
Posted on 2/23/26 at 7:06 pm to LanierSpots
quote:
What is your opinion on Coco Coir in replacement for the Peat Moss?
Not as good as peat but easily the second best organic option. Has not been dead as long so contains more tannins and also not as good for maintaining acidic pH. Moisture retention is equal IMO. Also much cheaper usually.
Pumice is fantastic too if you have a good source. Much lighter than the sand.
Posted on 2/23/26 at 7:14 pm to TeddyPadillac
I can help with lychee. I've turned out to be pretty good with it so far. Lmk if you decide to try again.
Mamey is essentially impossible here in a container. Too big. Too cold sensitive. Fruit takes too long to ripen. If you get below 50F during the winter I don't think the effort is worth it. There are some smaller cultivars but not small enough to make a difference. If you are dead set on something like mamey I would look at Whitman green sapote. Smaller fruit, smaller tree, marginally better cold tolerance.
Mamey is essentially impossible here in a container. Too big. Too cold sensitive. Fruit takes too long to ripen. If you get below 50F during the winter I don't think the effort is worth it. There are some smaller cultivars but not small enough to make a difference. If you are dead set on something like mamey I would look at Whitman green sapote. Smaller fruit, smaller tree, marginally better cold tolerance.
Posted on 2/23/26 at 7:17 pm to DickTater
quote:
Question. Are the seeds always that hard inside ?
On tropical guava, yes. Cattley guava seeds are softer. This is one of the main reasons I don't like crunchy Asian guavas. They need to be chewed and those seeds are just as hard. When the fruit is soft and creamy you just swallow the seeds with the pulp.
Posted on 2/23/26 at 7:50 pm to Tigerlaff
quote:
Pumice is fantastic too if you have a good source. Much lighter than the sand.
I was under the idea of replacing the granite with the pumice , not the sand.
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