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caliboy1994
02-25-2012, 02:58 AM
I just got a few of these today. Can't wait to try them. Anyone growing this? I was actually thinking about it.

Worm_Farmer
02-25-2012, 08:05 AM
I was, it is a very cool plant. After 3 years I just think it needed new soil and water. From what I know they like to be root bound in pots and like fairly acidy soil. You should grow on, it will impress ALL of your friends.

caliboy1994
02-25-2012, 01:19 PM
I bet it would :P The guy who runs Papaya Tree Nursery says that they're really temperamental, though. Maybe after I get more experience it's worth a shot :D

Worm_Farmer
02-25-2012, 01:34 PM
I bet it would :P The guy who runs Papaya Tree Nursery says that they're really temperamental, though. Maybe after I get more experience it's worth a shot :D

Not really, They need well draing soil and dont like wet feet. The soil mix was 50% pine chips. Give it a try, you can pick up a plant in a 3 gal pot for about $25 much cheaper than buying berrys.

robguz24
02-25-2012, 01:50 PM
Have had one in Hawaii in naturally acidic volcanic "soil." It grows very well here and is a lot of fun to share with friends. My young nieces were amazed that they could eat a lemon like an orange. Fruits 3 times per year or so.

caliboy1994
02-25-2012, 04:22 PM
I just tried one right now. It's the coolest thing ever! I just ate a lemon, and it tasted like lemonade!

Dangermouse01
02-25-2012, 10:31 PM
Give it a try, you can pick up a plant in a 3 gal pot for about $25 much cheaper than buying berrys.

Agree.
These things tend to be slow growers and don't put out fruit till 2-3 years old. The ones in the 3 gal pot from a nursery are probably 2-3 years old already (and maybe about 12-16" tall) and are probably already putting out fruits or ready to. I got my plant last year from a local nursery, with fruits on it. Maybe the uniqueness/novelty of growing one has passed , but I noticed the other day that the size plant I paid $25 for last year, only cost $15 now at the same nursery. So buy a plant with fruits. That way you already have a fruit producer and can plant those seeds if you wish.

I've started seeds by placing in a 50-50 mix of peat and perlite, with a clear plastic cup over top to for a mini green house. The sooner after eating the fruit the better. They are slow to sprout also, mine usually sprout usually between 6-8 weeks later, have heard they could take 10 weeks or longer.

I am gonna try sprouting some in those compressed peat Jiffy pellets (tomato plant ones) that expand when you add water just to see how they do.

Not sure what fertilizer they prefer, but I spray mine with the liquid seaweed extract at least once a month while I am spraying everything else in the yard.

Things I have heard about growing them:

They prefer plastic pots over clay. Seems the clay either takes from the soil or adds to it. Mine are all in plastic pots.

They prefer morning sun. The nursery had them in full sun, morning, mid-day and afternoon, I have mine in full sun, morning, mid-day and afternoon doing fine.

They don't like to be watered with chlorinated tap water. I water with chlorinated tap water, but some of my leaf tips are brown. But it has still been putting out new growth all along.

They will not be a focal point of your garden, not fragrant, no showy flowers, rather plain foliage. Hard to see the flowers at all.

DM

caliboy1994
02-25-2012, 11:49 PM
Thank you for the advice. I'm still inexperienced in gardening, though. So I'm going to wait on getting a plant.

lkailburn
02-27-2012, 10:31 AM
wow $25 bucks, $15 bucks! The local nursery here had two of them come in with a shipment, in a 3 gal, about 2.5ft tall probably 2-3 years old, is $90!

-Luke

caliboy1994
02-27-2012, 12:10 PM
Wow, I guess the owner of Papaya Tree Nursery wasn't lying when he said the plants were expensive.

Dangermouse01
02-27-2012, 06:30 PM
wow $25 bucks, $15 bucks! The local nursery here had two of them come in with a shipment, in a 3 gal, about 2.5ft tall probably 2-3 years old, is $90!

No way would I spend $90 for a Miracle Fruit plant. It was tough for me to part with $25 (came across the plant while I was shopping for a lychee tree), but it was cheaper than the $35 at another local nursery. A $90 plant would have to either be the center piece of my yard, or keep me supplied with a copious amount of fruit for my lunches.
The MF doesn't fit either, nondescript and not showy as far as plants go. And the fruit is more of a "cool party trick" than a sustainable source of food to me. I guess you could eat a bowl of them if you wanted, but they are kinda tart tasting and almost more seed than flesh.
But it is neat to see how they change the taste of different things (cool party trick).

DM

lkailburn
02-28-2012, 12:04 PM
Keep in mind i live in Colorado, not Florida or California, but yes very pricey indeed.

-Luke

jeffreyp
02-29-2012, 11:04 PM
I had a miracle fruit plant in my last house and to be honest I think it was a fun novelty at first but apart from that it's not a handsome plant and the fruit doesn't taste like much of anything. The flesh is scant and the lack of the ability to taste sour can ruin the tastes of foods where you want to taste the full range (beer for example). A balance between sweet and sour makes food tasty and is what you often strive for in cooking.

caliboy1994
03-06-2012, 07:56 PM
Look what just came in the mail today....

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=48055&size=1

A birthday present from relatives in Fresno. I just hope I don't end up killing it! :(

caliboy1994
03-06-2012, 08:00 PM
Anybody got any suggestions on how I should take care of this thing? Reduce the pH of the water I'm watering it with by adding lemon juice or vinegar or something?

Dangermouse01
03-07-2012, 04:06 PM
A birthday present from relatives in Fresno. I just hope I don't end up killing it! :(


It's a birthday wish from the family of my best friend And that should be the real Ice Cream.

I need to find a better circle of friends and family. I never get B-day gifts like that.:ha:

Here is a link to Logee's care page for the Miracle fruit.
http://www.logees.com/ftg/Synsepalum.pdf

Enjoy the plant.
DM

caliboy1994
03-24-2012, 08:30 PM
I just noticed a little flower on it...:08:

lkailburn
03-25-2012, 12:03 PM
I just noticed a little flower on it...:08:

:woohoonaner:

-Luke

caliboy1994
04-28-2012, 09:31 PM
My plant is almost done with its flowering, and none of the old, dried up flowers appear to be setting fruit. Why? I'm growing it indoors as a houseplant and trying to hand-pollinate it.

Dean W.
04-29-2012, 07:25 AM
Good luck with your plant. Once I was thinking of getting one and never ended up forking over the bucks.

Keep us updated on your progress.

Dangermouse01
05-02-2012, 03:37 PM
My plant is almost done with its flowering, and none of the old, dried up flowers appear to be setting fruit. Why? I'm growing it indoors as a houseplant and trying to hand-pollinate it.

It might be that your plant is just not old enough yet for fruiting.

DM

caliboy1994
05-02-2012, 04:05 PM
Maybe. It's just about a foot tall right now and it had flowers all over it.

Dangermouse01
05-03-2012, 05:31 AM
In your picture of the plant it looks like it is in a 1 gallon pot and if 12" tall, it is still pretty young, probably over a year old, but less than 2 years. You probably wont get fruit for awhile, maybe late this year or next.
My largest is about 3 years old and last year maybe put out 10-15 fruit, despite being loaded with flowers. They are slow.

DM

caliboy1994
05-03-2012, 10:53 AM
The good news is that it's putting out lots of new growth. Do you think it would be wise to put it outside this summer? The humidity here is really low.

caliboy1994
05-08-2012, 05:34 PM
I had better get around to fertilizing it soon. Would Miracid be a good option?

Nicolas Naranja
05-08-2012, 07:50 PM
I tried it for the first time ever on Sunday. I ate a lemon out of hand and it was great. I will warn you though, it make beer almost unpalatable as you can't taste the bitter hops. It was just sweet malt.

caliboy1994
05-08-2012, 08:21 PM
Good thing I don't drink beer :D

Dangermouse01
05-09-2012, 04:44 AM
I had better get around to fertilizing it soon. Would Miracid be a good option?

This site says that Miracid is not the best to use.
miracle fruit growing (http://www.sarasotafruitandnutsociety.org/information/TropicalFruit/miraclefruitgrowing.htm)

Not sure what is best, I have used Milorganite, I also spray it with liquid seaweed extract when I am spraying it on everything else.
On a forum somewhere, someone mentioned that they only use blood meal with good results, but I think that is mostly nitrogen. So if it is said not to use Miracid because it is high nitrogen and promotes growth but not blooms, I think the just blood meal would do the same.

DM

caliboy1994
05-09-2012, 04:02 PM
The thing is I don't want something that will smell though because I'm growing it as a house plant.

Dangermouse01
05-10-2012, 05:19 AM
The liquid seaweed I use (MaxiCrop) has very little smell, if any. Now the fish fertilizer is another story.
The liquid seaweed is just minor nutrients, I think 0-0-1.
Looked at the milorganite yesterday and it was 5-2-0. Not much for flowers & fruit.
Might start using liquid Miracle Grow Tomato food (18-18-21) at 1/4 or 1/2 strength to see how that works since I already have that on hand.

DM

caliboy1994
05-14-2012, 08:17 PM
I thought I'd give an update.

It seems very happy, and it's putting out LOTS of new growth. And it's making more flower buds. Maybe fruit next time?