greenpagoda

A member asked about growing apples in Florida. I am presently creating
dwarfs on a very promising new rootstocks for fall.
The apples which will grow here are Dorsett Golden, Anna, Tropic Sweet
and we will be introducing a new one next year.
It is very sweet and rosy red in color. Should size up to 3" . Standard
trees take a long time to bear from the recommended 3 gal size up to
5 years and grow up to 15 ft.
Dwarfs will bear the second year but must not be allowed to until the 3rd
year (well maybe only 2! ) if the tree is vigorous, 15 the 3rd year, and
allowed to bear normally after that thinned to 6-8" between apples.
Problems include borers which can be managed by eagle eye watching
your trees at least every other week. Apples un thinned will only produce
2 1/4" apples and a standard tree is very hard to thin you need a ladder
as well as spraying. The joy? eating organic apples good for all uses. dorsett is like yellow delicious, Anna like Granny on the "green" side, like
Gala ripe Tropic sweet is very sweet even green as is ours.
All fruits need a dormant spray and all should have nutritional sprays
with seaweed, micronutrients and calcium. Dorsett can have some
problems with bitter rot but usually only a few are ruined on the whole tree and you can spray with captan if you wish which will contain it.f
Dwarfs on malling have been tried and discarded by the University of
Florida fire blight being the main thing. A devastating disease.
This is meant to educate from long experience here. Please do NOT
contact me to find trees unless as a member you know it is is ok. I don't want to get in trouble
with bananas .org. I enjoy it too much. http://www.bananas.org/images/smilie...rthdaynana.gif
I will advertise this fall in regular channels not chosen yet.
I do not sell peaches, pears, blueberries pomegranates, figs etc but you
may contact me for educational purposes to find the varieties I recommend
from personal use I am extremely busy working at a big box and having my own edible landscape plus the nursery albeit tiny. but I will respond if you
ask.
Too many wholesalers are selling to the big boxes bad choices. Example right now, Vernon blueberry. It grows well in Chicago!! Same with anyred raspberry. Many blackberries, avocados meant for the keys, not central
florida which will promptly freeze and make you feel you are a failure when
the responsibility rests with the dealer. Seek out youhttp://www.bananas.org/images/smilies/banana_files/goteam.gifr smaller local
nurseries, research on the web before to make sure they know their stuff
and be happy.