MOODLUMANSIONS1's Edible Backyard

Joined: 06/08/09 Updated: 02/11/09 Frost:
Location: Moodlu

About My Edible Backyard

The area in which we live is generally a low-medium rainfall area. We have dry winters and wetter summers with high humidity. My experience with our mango orchard is that if the Spring flowering weather is kind to us after heavy autumn-winter rains which we have had this year, we might expect a bumper crop of beautiful fruit. Unfortunately, this is often not the case as we have not had any fruit for the last 2 years. Absence makes the fruit taste better.

Our soil type is a sandy loam with dry red clay base at a depth of 40 -60 cm. This clay is suitable for making earthen bricks in the cinva ram which we have done in the past.

The other fruit our orchard includes are Citrus of various types from Lemon,orange,mandarin, lime, grapefruit and cumquat.

This area is quite suitable and we have an abundance of fruit this year. I have been really enjoying the juice of the fruit especially the tight-skinned mandarin as it is too difficult to peel. My medical-student -son-in-law Josh, informed me recently that grapefruit juice is an excellent liver cleanser, as, unlike the other citrus juices, it is processed differently in our digestive system.

The other fruits I have found like this area are the Avocado, Fuerte and Haas variety which have been quite abundant after their thirds year of planting. Unfortunately, my neighbour's dog likes them too as does the resident rat. The avocado tree likes lots of mulch and plenty of water during flowering and fruiting time. Avocado is such good food once you have acquired a taste for it.

I am trying pawpaws as well, and while they grow easily, I have trouble with their ripening, which takes place during the winter when they also get skin diseased. I'm not sure if the spot I have them in is too cold at night. They are planted on a north-facing slope o about 15 degrees.

We also grow some Custard apple trees. This one in particular does well every year. I think it's roots are well and truly in the nearby compost pile. Fruit is very enjoyable.

Comments

One thing to be cautious about with Grapefruit juice is that it should be avoided with certain medications esp. many of the newer types. I miss it very much.

Finger Lime

Comments: -

I purchased this tree[seedling] earlier in the year from a distributor in the Tweed Valley near Murwillumbah. He has quite an orchard of them and they were fruiting at the time. Apparently Finger Limes fetch a really high price.

I was quite sad recently when after an absence of 2 weeks away in September I returned to discover that the tree had died. I don't know who else believes in the resurrection,, but something inside me wouldn't let it go that easily. So after putting the pot into a bucket of water to wet its feet and cutting off the dead branches just in case it still had some life in it, I eventually put it out in the nursery[under the mango tree], and left it to its own devices. Just imagine my excitement[yelps of joy and leaping with delight] when I discovered some new leaves had appeared. Soooo... it wasn't dead after all. Maybe my faith was rewarded. Who knows, but I am so happy. The thing about it all was the main stem of the tree was always green, and it was this that gave me hope. So while there's hope there's a resurrection. 

I'll get a picture posted soon.

Planted: 2009

Height 30 Centimetres

Qty: 1

Avocado - Fuerte (B) ^10/10

Comments: - The Avocado pear likes plenty of water. It has been very dry of late. Fortunately, I had some spare water which I was able to use on my 2 trees as they were in the early fruiting period and I risked losing new fruit just setting. Now they are looking quite healthy and some rain we had last week was a great blessing.

Fruiting Months May, June, July, August

Planted: 2003

Height 3 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Fruit Harvest: 20 kilograms per Year

First Fruited: 3 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Autumn

Pruned By: 10% in After Fruiting

Pollination: Self Pollination

Pest Control: I don't have any real issues with disease, which is one of the reasons I grow this fruit. To my way of thinking, if the tree can be healthy of its own accord with proper maintenance from me, and I mean regular pruning, watering, and fertilising [i use my

Organic Status:Organic

paw paw ^6/10

Comments: -

This tree is laden with lovely shaped fruit. Unfortunately, after the very consistent rain we had earlier this year, this tree decided to lean [so the ladder!] I usually mulch pawpaw trees. They like plenty of water but don't like being waterlogged as their roots will rot. very quickly. 2 days in water and you're in trouble.

Fruiting Months July, August, September, October

Planted: 2007

Height 3 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Fruit Harvest: 40 kilograms per Year

First Fruited: 1 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Winter

Pollination: Self Pollination

Pest Control:

Would like some help with knowing what to do here with the skin disease I mentioned earlier.

Now the weather is warmer, there is much less disease and the fruit being picked is quite tasty and disease free. Marketability is lacking but because we

Organic Status:Organic

Mango - Kensington Pride ^6/10

Comments: - Flowering this year already and it's only August. I would prefer they flowered a little later as it can still get too cold for fruit setting.

Fruiting Months January and December

Planted: 1986

Height 6 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Fruit Harvest: 400 kilograms per Year

First Fruited: 10 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Summer

Pruned By: 25% in After Fruiting

Pollination: Self Pollination

Pest Control: Spraying these trees is too difficult without extension facilities. anthracnose is rampant if the time for flower setting is too humid. It's a waste of time effort and money. We are just happy to wait for the right conditions and pray in the meantime. Th

Organic Status:Organic

Orange - Washington Navel (Grafted) ^9/10

Comments: - Navels are just the best. Seedless, juicy and tasty, as well as being disease resistant too.

Fruiting Months July, August, September

Planted: 1995

Height 3 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 6

Fruit Harvest: 10 kilograms per Year

First Fruited: 2 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pruned By: 10% in After Fruiting

Pollination: Self Pollination

Pest Control: I use a fruit fly attractant which is very successful in eradicating the male fruit fly, so any eggs laid by the female are usually not fertile. Too bad.

Organic Status:Organic

Grapefruit - Honneffs Surprise (Grafted) ^8/10

Comments: - I don't really know what variety this is. Just that Franz Honneff was a close friend many years ago. I'm sure this is a traditional grapefruit of many years.

Fruiting Months July, August, September

Planted: 1980

Height 3 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Fruit Harvest: 20 kilograms per Year

First Fruited: 20 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Summer

Pruned By: 20% in After Fruiting

Pollination: Self Pollination

Pest Control: Has some gall wasp infections on the branches. They don't seem to have affected the tree too badly and the fruit is fine. Nice and Juicy too.

Organic Status:Organic

Question: If the info about Grapefruit being a good liver cleanser is true, how come no one uses it for that purpose. Apparently there are some concerns if people are taking medications, as there is some conflict in efficacy.

Comments

Is this grape fruit for sale, is the fruit sweet, how much , and how to bring it to Sydney. pls let us know. hkent@kentrosecafe.com.au

Custard Apple - African Pride ^8/10

Comments: - This fruit is very sweet.

Fruiting Months April, May, June, July

Planted: 2002

Height 4 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Fruit Harvest: 15 kilograms per Year

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Pruned By: 10% in After Fruiting

Pollination: Self Pollination

Pest Control: Pretty well pest free. Just have to keep an eye out for the possum.

Organic Status:Organic

Mandarin - Hickson ^8/10

Fruiting Months July, August, September

Planted: 2002

Height 3 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 2

Fruit Harvest: 15 kilograms per Year

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Summer

Pruned By: 20% in After Fruiting

Pollination: Self Pollination

Organic Status:Organic

Question: This year I discovered the citrus borer in some of the trees. I removed the affected branches and killed the grub. What are the early signs that a borer is about? I only made the discovery when I noticed dead branches.