Second crop on Jaboticaba

This is a first for me. Had a great crop of fruit in June, now a second crop is almost ready in late August. I did increase the water from drippers to a sprayer increasing water. Don't know if that's it or just the climate change (warmer nights). Tree is 8 ft tall and about 15 years old (Ashok, you have a seedling from this tree)

The following thread was started by Jack, Nipomo on August 25, 2008 at 11:39 am PST

Jack... nice pic.
I wish that I could nudge my 10 year old 10 ft tall Jaboticabas into fruiting... we have plenty of warm nights... our average has been about 65f this summer. Never even had a flower

I even girdled my tree, thinking that might help... nooooo

Here is a pic... taken of mine today.
Got any Ideas on how to force this thing into fruiting?

The above followup was added by Jeff on August 25, 2008 at 1:09 pm PST.

Jeff, I haven't a clue. Mine started fruiting several years ago, more fruit each year. This is the first year for a double crop. Seems like the fruit is getting larger too. I girdled a couple of branches, one 1/2 inch, one just a cut. No fruit on them (maybe a result next year). I did increase water based on a discussion here or the rare fruit Yahoo group. Maybe that is the reason for the extra crop, maybe not. Everything is weird this year. As to starting fruit set, I had even tried weighting limbs to horizontal, but it just did it on its own time. You should be close with a tree that big.

The above followup was added by Jack, Nipomo on August 25, 2008 at 1:33 pm PST.

I have also increased the watering this summer... perhaps I will see the results next year.

Jeff

The above followup was added by Jeff on August 25, 2008 at 1:40 pm PST.

That particular type seems to do wonders in greening up anything i use it on. Either the granular Vigiro or the powder EB Stone. The Stephanotis for one..coincidence maybe.

The above followup was added by s on August 25, 2008 at 2:09 pm PST.

Jack 's tree is quite a bit larger compared to yours, at least it looks that way from what I see.

I will say, it is sure a lot bigger then the last time it say it around 5 years ago or so.

David

The above followup was added by David Johnson, Waterford CA, zone 14 on August 25, 2008 at 2:31 pm PST.

David... They grow about a foot... foot and a half per year.
you can see in my photo... my jaboticaba towers over the back wall... The wall is 7 1/2 ft tall....
My jabo maybe closer to 11 feet tall? Vs Jacks which said is about 8 ft.

But what maybe the real kicker is age... Jacks is 15 years old... I think I planted mine in 1997.... which would make it 11 years old.

I'll just continue to play the waiting game.
Thankfully, Jabos are pretty frost hardy.... mine have passed through several bad freezes untouched.

Jeff

The above followup was added by Jeff on August 25, 2008 at 3:00 pm PST.

By the pics his tree looks taller with much large limbs, hard to tell everything from a photo sometimes.

I guess that long, I would be getting pretty impatient too.

Best of luck,

David

The above followup was added by David Johnson, Waterford CA, zone 14 on August 25, 2008 at 6:36 pm PST.

David...Its the close up shot I guess... notice his fruit look like the size of plums... in reality they are the size of a grape.... Makes the branches look bigger tooo.....

Jeff

The above followup was added by Jeff on August 26, 2008 at 0:49 am PST.

Headed out to Santa Barbara today...will post photo of fruit size (it is small plum sized) and full tree/shrub when I return in PM.

The above followup was added by Jack, Nipomo on August 26, 2008 at 5:32 am PST.

I had an idea, that maybe the shot was real close up, but what the hay, I have only seen photos of trees in the wild and etc with fruit. I thought maybe, they get bigger, with more fertilizer and care in ones backyard.

David

The above followup was added by David Johnson, Waterford CA, zone 14 on August 26, 2008 at 10:43 am PST.

They look great!

I'm surprised your summer nights have been warmer this year. Our seem cooler, haven't run the A/C nearly as much.

Remember the potted jaboticaba at Bonita Creek Nursery? They were smaller than yours or Jeff's and fruiting. I wonder if a restricted root zone has any effect.

Several people have reported faster fruiting with heavy watering.

Mine is growing but not very vigorously yet.

Jack, what do you fertilize yours with?

The above followup was added by HarveyC on August 26, 2008 at 11:39 am PST.

Louise Glowinski's tree in Melbourne started fruiting at age 20 something years. So it can take a while

The above followup was added by Jason on August 26, 2008 at 11:56 am PST.

Louis. :)

The above followup was added by Jason on August 26, 2008 at 11:57 am PST.

The white pole next to the tree/shrub is 8 feet (above my dog)

The above followup was added by Jack, Nipomo on August 26, 2008 at 3:47 pm PST.

Worked before--direct link now

The above followup was added by Jack, Nipomo on August 26, 2008 at 3:50 pm PST.

Some of the second crop, and a few passifloras for color

The above followup was added by Jack, Nipomo on August 26, 2008 at 3:52 pm PST.

Last photo

The above followup was added by Jack again on August 26, 2008 at 3:53 pm PST.

Your dog is a Border or Aussie?

The above followup was added by Stan on August 26, 2008 at 4:53 pm PST.

Dog is an miniature Aussie. Best dog ever.

Harvey: I fertilize with mainly ammonium sulfate to acidify soil and counteract my water with lots of dissolved solids. Soil was 5.5 pH 30 years ago, but less so now. I am growing lots of Banksias and proteas and want to keep the soil acid. We are naturally high in phosphorus and potassium (to the detriment of the proteas). I use 16-16-16 on the avocados every other year. Are you going to Festival of Fruit?

The above followup was added by Jack, Nipomo on August 26, 2008 at 5:55 pm PST.

Ha Jack are your Jaboticaba's ripe?I've never tasted one would like to try!

The above followup was added by Scotty in Arroyo Grande on August 26, 2008 at 6:12 pm PST.

Gee whillikers, Jack, those are some really giant jaboticaba fruits. Upon examination of your first photograph, I came to exactly the same conclusion that Jeff did: that the fruits in question were the size of grapes, not plums. But they really are the size of plums.

Pretty amazing ... and your plant seems to be loaded with them. A real treasure!

(I haven't gotten my hands on that plant that my friend picked up, but I hopefully soon will. Thanks so much!)

Jeff,

Your plant is pretty amazing in its own right. It looks like it has grown a lot since I saw it several years ago -- I sure don't remember it towering over the wall the way that it does now. It probably is the largest jaboticaba in Northern California; I don't know of any larger, anyway. (A good match for your large lychee.) I'm sure that you will get loads of fruit once it does decide to flower.

The above followup was added by Ashok on August 26, 2008 at 9:55 pm PST.

Wow, Jack, those are some large fruits!

I tried to talk the CRFG folks into scheduling the festival around my farm schedule.....LOL

By Sept 19 I will be working 12 hour days at least with the daily harvest, sorting, washing, refrigerator of chestnuts so it's impossible for me to get away. I really wish I could make it, though I'm afraid I'd end up buying a lot more plants. As it is, I bought two more bananas this week. There is one that I will want you to try in a couple of years since it may work well in your climate. More on that later when I have some actual performance to speak of.

By the way, if you have any chance of running into Jim N. and getting another seed of the pitanga, I'd like to try again. My jaboticaba seedlings are growing okay but the pitanga seed has done nothing. Is there any trick to germinating them?

Have fun!

Harvey

The above followup was added by HarveyC on August 26, 2008 at 11:41 pm PST.

Those are the biggest Jaboticabas I have ever seen... they look like they are on steriods.

If you ever have any extra.... send them my way... I'd like to try one of those babies!

The last ones I ate were about the size of the quarter.
To me... Jaboticabas taste like grape cool aide... at least from what I remember....

From the photo... it looks like your tree is pretty much the same size as mine. I have two trees... one is a little smaller.

BTW... Jack ...Where did you get your tree?
Mine were from fruit sent to me from florida... so mine aren't named culitvars... just seedlings.

Jeff

The above followup was added by Jeff on August 27, 2008 at 0:51 am PST.

Robert...come on by, help yourself.
Jeff...my records indicate I grew it from a cutting, but no record of source. Someone I visited no doubt. Mexico?Polyembryonic seeds- I'm potting up seeds as I get them and can spread around small plants for those who have time left in this life. Think I'll try some air-layering. It is a nice fruit.
Harvey-will look for Jim.

The above followup was added by Jack, Nipomo on August 27, 2008 at 5:40 am PST.

wow Jack,
those are giant jabo fruit, your tree and dog look very healthy, congrats. Roughly how much space to you have to grow on, your yard looks huge.

I hope to have time left in life and would love to trade you something for a seedling jabo, whenever you have an extra Jack. I've already a plant that is 2.5 feet tall but would love some of those genetics, in addition.

-Ethan

The above followup was added by Ethan-Bakersfield CA 9/9 on August 27, 2008 at 12:01 am PST.

Wow, long thread. Ethan you are welcome (as is anyone else) if I get decent germination on the seeds. Dug one up yesterday (in sphagnum moss in greenhouse over bottom heat) and it had germinated with a 1/2 inch root. These were seeds from first crop. My neighbor started as many. Now we wait. Will plant seeds from second crop too, let you know.

We have 1 1/2 acres...cutting down old trees (macadamias, citrus) for new stuff. Kinda overplanted.

The above followup was added by Jack, Nipomo on August 27, 2008 at 12:51 am PST.

Hello There,

Great pictures and WOW --- the size of that jabuticaba BIG. My sister and I are from Goias, Brazil -- we were almost crying when we saw the pictures.
QUESTION: how can we get hold of a hand full of jabuticabas here in California. We live in Orange County.
Tony and Ana
twosnjuk@gmail.com
714-636-5969 or 8010691-9555

The above followup was added by Tony Wosnjuk on October 24, 2008 at 2:28 pm PST.

BTW ... we have a jaboticaba plant that I brought from Brazil 8 years ago (IT's in a big Pot) ... but no fruit yet.
We keep good soil, lots of water. The branches peels but no flowers or fruits yet.

Any ideas?

Thanks,

Tony
twosnjuk@gmail.com

The above followup was added by Tony Wosnjuk on October 24, 2008 at 2:31 pm PST.