Haha!!! applies to me I think!

[island cassie]

Someone just said that there is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness"!!!

Cassie

[inkcube]

i've seen this a lot with orchid growers in the US. once their first flowers blooms and lasts for several months they go crazy. i talked to one gentleman at an orchid meeting that spent $10,000.00 in one year on orchids, filling his greenhouse to the point of overflowing. those of us from the tropics aren't quite so enamored by orchids.

the size of bananas keeps people in check so to speak.

[Bananaman88]

I think my wife would agree 100% that I'm bordering on mental illness!

[island cassie]

Join the club Brent! Join the club!

Cassie

[Richard]

I'm beyond therapy ...

http://home.san.rr.com/frost/OurGardens/OurGardens.pdf

[mskitty38583]

and here i thought i need to go to rehab for my coffee addiction. the banana addiction isnt too bad yet..spring isnt here yet. wonder how much of a refund ill be getting from my taxes? wonder if ill have enough for coffee beans and banana trees?

[island cassie]

Richard - I am nearly speechless!! What do you do in your spare time??? Do all the plants behave as they should, or do they have minds of their own - mine do!!! Fantastic job! You definitely qualify!!!

Cassie

[CookieCows]

Originally Posted by Richard

I'm beyond therapy ...

http://home.san.rr.com/frost/OurGardens/OurGardens.pdf

you don't need therapy ..... your back yard IS therapy! I also am speechless ....

[Richard]

This summer I'm putting in a miniature golf (putt-putt) course from the deck down to the house.

[magicgreen]

Yes.... this addiction is getting very mental!
Now i have moved all the furniture away from my south window in the living room. I put 2 bananas in that window. Lil prince and orinoco. LP has been in the basement in cool temps {56-62*} with flourescent lights, and humidifier in my homemade greenhouse. Thats where i kill the spider mites with the olive oil, water, and liquid soap i put in the spray bottle. The liquid soap i realize was an antibacterial now that i think about it.
My orinoco and saba are GROWING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I still havent gotten my memory card!
Going to try to take a pic'; at least with the cell phone for my journal!

Yippee ki-yea Whew! Progress. I'm starting to do it ya'll.


Iam so loving watching them grow everyday!

Now When those velutina seeds sprout I'll be in the MIX!!!!!!

Jason, I soooo LOve your room with the plants! I think i would like something like that!
Magicgreen

[harveyc]

Originally Posted by Richard

I'm beyond therapy ...

http://home.san.rr.com/frost/OurGardens/OurGardens.pdf

Richard, some interesting observations I noted:

What is your source for green sapote? I have not seen or tasted it but have heard good comments about it. I don't think I can grow it in NorCal (zone 9), though.

Your kei apple, is it fruiting? I tasted the fruit of kei apple for the first time at Papaya Tree Nursery last month. Roger Meyer has the same selection which came from a SoCal garden (forget the name). Reportedly, it's the best one.

Are the only bananas at your place in your neighbors yard???

I recently became addicted to white sapote and bought a McDill last month. I have not tasted Suebelle. Can you please describe it to me? If you're at a loss for words, please send fruit samples and scions instead!

[Bch Grl]

Harvey...

I just finished my first and only Sapote. I don't know much about what kind it was, but it was green. It grew at my dad's house in Camarillo(So. Cal/ventura area).

Very yummy and like custard! I got 3 seeds out of it. I could ask him for more, if you are interested. I don't know how many fruits he has, but he sent me home from Christmas with a hard green fruit and it ripened perfectly!

let me know!

Margie

[Richard]

There are 24 mostly unrelated fruits called sapote. What size was this and what color were the seeds?

Here is a list of sapote-named fruits:
http://www.plantsthatproduce.com/col..._06_Sapote.pdf

[harveyc]

Originally Posted by Bch Grl

Harvey...

I just finished my first and only Sapote. I don't know much about what kind it was, but it was green. It grew at my dad's house in Camarillo(So. Cal/ventura area).

Very yummy and like custard! I got 3 seeds out of it. I could ask him for more, if you are interested. I don't know how many fruits he has, but he sent me home from Christmas with a hard green fruit and it ripened perfectly!

let me know!

Margie

Margie, there are a few different fruits called sapote and most are not related, I believe. I would guess, and it's only a guess, that you had white sapote which is a fabulous fruit. They bruise very easily when ripe so are usually picked green. I just placed my second order from www.cherimoya.com yesterday! They are a bit pricey, but a luxury I wanted to treat myself to ($20 for roughly 5 pounds plus $8.95 shipping). Please ask your dad what fruit exactly he has and, if it's white sapote, what variety he has. I do want to try growing some seedlings also and already have 'Vernon' and 'McDill' coming in my current order. I'm glad you like it as well as I did with my first fully ripe fruit last month.

[Richard]

Harvey, the White Sapote is known for producing huge volumes of fruit: in fact it produces the largest quantity (in kilograms) of carbohydrates per square foot of any known plant. The fruit contains an active sophoric drug with no ill side effects for humans other than over-consumption (an extra-large box in one sitting) will put you to sleep permanantly. The seeds have a huge concentration of the drug and should not be consumed. The plant is in the same family as Citrus and the seeds resemble oversized grapefruit seeds. If you can grow citrus at your location, you can grow white sapote.

The Suebelle cultivar is a selection that is relatively smaller in stature and hence better for home fruit culture. It is available from several nurseries -- I have even seen it at a Home Depot in San Diego during the summer (alongside Babaco Plants).

[Bch Grl]

Here are the seeds...these are AA batteries. He says they are white sapotes, but doesn't know the cultivar. He says Suebell sounds familiar....The fruit is about 4" in diameter and lookes like the one in the PDF that Richard sent me...Margie

[Richard]

Definately White Sapote. Probably not Suebelle, the fruits are usually smaller than 4". It has been pointed out in the literature that people are rarely disappointed with the taste of White Sapotes started from seedling, but sometimes the volume of fruit can be quite annoying.

[Bch Grl]

What is the drug in them? Are they really poisonous if you eat too many???

I didn't know that about the seeds! thanks for the warning!

Margie

[harveyc]

Thanks, Richard, I know that I can grow white sapote here and familiar with the reported sleep effects of white sapote and that the seed is reported to be toxic, though I had just looked the other day at Morton's information which doesn't provide any clear (to me, at least) information on this. The CRFG information doesn't mention it. I was mostly curious about why you chose the Suebelle cultivar, which you've answered.

However, I was even more curious about the green sapote you have planned for your place. A few rare fruit friends rate it very highly and I've never seen it or tasted it and wondered how well you like (love) it. I have never seen anyone selling plants of it either but have heard from a friend in Hawaii that his green sapote was grafted onto mamey. I'd like to know more and, hopefully, I'll get to try this fruit when I visit you some day!

Thanks for pointing out my oversight of your planned location for bananas. Good luck with your kei apple and don't get injured by those huge thorns!

[harveyc]

Originally Posted by Bch Grl

What is the drug in them? Are they really poisonous if you eat too many???

I didn't know that about the seeds! thanks for the warning!

Margie

Margie, see my post above. It's not clear or certain, but not worth fooling with. Those cockroaches tell no tales!

If you speak to your father, please find out what cultivar he has. I want to collect seeds of more cultivars. Thanks!

My white sapote tree is about 3' tall and still in a pot and will get planted in the ground in the spring. Once established, it is reputed to be hardy down to 22F or 20F. A friend had some dieback with 20F temperatures last January but reports it grew back nicely.

I think they are a great substitute for ice cream, egg nog, etc. They taste great fresh and also make wonderful smoothies. I think it will be a long time before I tire of them.

White sapote never became popular in Florida and a friend in Florida who is a former resident of SoCal says that the white sapote of California taste better than those in Florida, for what it's worth. You should visit your dad often!