Mycorrhizal Fungi:
Mychorrhizal fungi are a very important part of the soil food web and play a significant role in improving lychee tree root health and efficiency, especially in the natural mountain rainforest environments from which lychee trees originated. Fungi convert dead organic material into fungal biomass, carbon dioxide (CO2), and small molecules, such as organic acids. These fungi generally use complex substrates, such as the cellulose and lignin, in wood, and are essential in decomposing the carbon ring structures in some pollutants.
Mycorrhizal fungi enjoy a symbiotic relationship with lychee trees by feeding off of root exudates and providing the lychee tree(s) with a vastly improved transport system for water and soil nutrients through their extensive network of microtubules (hyphae). It is estimated that mycorrhizal fungi can increase the effective root system absorptive surface area by as much as 500%. You should apply (inoculate) mycorrhizal fungi to the root systems of your trees at the time of planting.
Earthworms:
Earthworms are the most important invertebrate member of the soil food web. They are major decomposers of dead and decomposing organic matter, and derive their nutrition from the bacteria and fungi that grow upon these materials. They fragment organic matter and make major contributions to recycling the nutrients it contains. Earthworms dramatically alter soil structure, water movement, nutrient dynamics, and plant growth Earthworms stimulate microbial activity in the soil they tunnel through. They mix and aggregate the soil as they consume organic matter and they increase filtration through burrowing. Earthworm tunneling provides channels for root growth as they bury and shred plant residue pulled from surface material into their burrows.
The bottom line is that the presence of earthworms is a good visible indicator of a healthy soil. If you do not have earthworms you should add them to the soil surrounding your tree. If you do not already have an existing population of earthworms in the surrounding soil you can readily purchase them from any local bait and tackle shop.
My fascination with fruit trees and what I learn along the way.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Tips for Planting your Lychee Tree
Location:
To grow a healthy lychee tree, start by planting it in a good location. Lychee trees need full sun so you should plant them away from other large trees and you should plant the trees at least 10 feet away from buildings. Shaded areas of the lychee canopy will generally not produce fruit so if you are planting the tree for it's future fruit production you should pay attention to your tree's level of sun exposure.
The new growth of lychee tree(s) is very delicate and easily damaged by the wind. Wind damage can severely impair the development of a small lychee tree and destroy new growth before it has a chance to develop and mature. Plant your tree in an area that receives some measure of wind protection.
Soil:
Lychee trees originated in the rainforests of southern China, where it is not unusual for trees to reach heights up to 100'. For best results, you should attempt to simulate the soil environment of the natural lychee habitat, which is rich in organic matter, moist with good drainage and free of artificial components like perlite or vermiculite.
Visit for more fruit tree tips
A lychee tree will provide some natural organic matter to its soil zone through leaf and occasional branch litter and any fruit drop that occurs. However, you need to supplement the area above the root zone (slightly out past the drip line of the tree) with mulch and organic composts.
To grow a healthy lychee tree, start by planting it in a good location. Lychee trees need full sun so you should plant them away from other large trees and you should plant the trees at least 10 feet away from buildings. Shaded areas of the lychee canopy will generally not produce fruit so if you are planting the tree for it's future fruit production you should pay attention to your tree's level of sun exposure.
The new growth of lychee tree(s) is very delicate and easily damaged by the wind. Wind damage can severely impair the development of a small lychee tree and destroy new growth before it has a chance to develop and mature. Plant your tree in an area that receives some measure of wind protection.
Soil:
Lychee trees originated in the rainforests of southern China, where it is not unusual for trees to reach heights up to 100'. For best results, you should attempt to simulate the soil environment of the natural lychee habitat, which is rich in organic matter, moist with good drainage and free of artificial components like perlite or vermiculite.
Visit for more fruit tree tips
A lychee tree will provide some natural organic matter to its soil zone through leaf and occasional branch litter and any fruit drop that occurs. However, you need to supplement the area above the root zone (slightly out past the drip line of the tree) with mulch and organic composts.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Origin of Lychees
Big Tree Farms Lychee Blossom Honey, 11-Pound Unit
An attractive and rare sub tropical fruit tree that bears a luscious red fruit, the Lychee originated over 2000 years ago first in the north tropical rainforests and mountain forests of Southern China, where it is a dominant tree species.
The second place wild lychee trees began to emerge was in the southern sub tropical low elevations of Southern China in the provinces of Guangdong/Kwangtung and Fujian/Fukien primarily along rivers and near the seacoast.
These lowland lychees are most likely a result of fruit/seeds that were washed down rivers from the mountains or were transported by birds and then were deposited naturally in great conditions for lychee growth.
There are still villages in Southern China today with lychee trees that are over 1000 years old! There is some evidence to suggest that wild lychees may have also originated in northern mountain regions of Vietnam.
Commercial planting and growing of lychees in China is primarily in the provinces of Guangdong, Gangxi, Hainan, Fujian, Yunnan, Taiwan and a small, special area of Sichuan/Szechuan with a unique micro-climate. Guangdong is called 'the Kingdom of Lychee' because the province has the highest and best lychee production in China and lychees are grown almost everywhere in the province. In Guangdong there is a grove that has a lychee production record of over 2000 years!
With the developments in lychee production techniques and technology in China since the early 1990's lychee production in China has doubled. More than 1/2 of the acreage of lychees in China have been planted out since 1994 and 1/3 since 1999.
Lychee production in China is in primarily the northern tropical and southern sub tropical climate zones between 19 degrees and 24 degrees north latitude. The northern tropical climate includes southwestern Guangdong, Hainan, southern Taiwan and Leizhou Peninsula. The southern sub tropical climate zone includes central and southern Guangdong and Guangxi, southeastern coastal Fujian and central, southern and western coastal Taiwan.
Lychee farming spread from it's native China to neighboring areas of southeastern Asia and offshore islands, India, the West Indies, South Africa, Madagascar, then to France and England. The Lychee spread to Hawaii in 1873 and from there to Florida in 1883, and then from Florida to California in 1897. However, successful fruiting of the Lychee tree in the U.S. did not occur until the early 1900's in southern California.
There are currently about 33 varieties growing in the US, and Lychee trees have now spread to most subtropical and many tropical areas of the world.
In recent years, Australia has become a major producer of lychees in Queensland and New South Wales. Lychee trees were brought to Australia in the 1850's by Chinese gold miner workers.
Between 1903 and 1906 Reverend W.M. Brewster imported Chen Tze or Royal Chen Purple lychee trees to South and Central Florida from the northernmost growing region of Fukien. This lychee variety/cultivar was renamed Brewster. There is even part of an original 'Brewster' grove in Davie, Florida.
The most popular varieties grown in South Florida are the Brewster, the Hakip, and the Mauritius. The first commercial nursery in South Florida to sell lychee trees was Reasoner's Royal Palm Nurseries.
An attractive and rare sub tropical fruit tree that bears a luscious red fruit, the Lychee originated over 2000 years ago first in the north tropical rainforests and mountain forests of Southern China, where it is a dominant tree species.
The second place wild lychee trees began to emerge was in the southern sub tropical low elevations of Southern China in the provinces of Guangdong/Kwangtung and Fujian/Fukien primarily along rivers and near the seacoast.
These lowland lychees are most likely a result of fruit/seeds that were washed down rivers from the mountains or were transported by birds and then were deposited naturally in great conditions for lychee growth.
There are still villages in Southern China today with lychee trees that are over 1000 years old! There is some evidence to suggest that wild lychees may have also originated in northern mountain regions of Vietnam.
Commercial planting and growing of lychees in China is primarily in the provinces of Guangdong, Gangxi, Hainan, Fujian, Yunnan, Taiwan and a small, special area of Sichuan/Szechuan with a unique micro-climate. Guangdong is called 'the Kingdom of Lychee' because the province has the highest and best lychee production in China and lychees are grown almost everywhere in the province. In Guangdong there is a grove that has a lychee production record of over 2000 years!
With the developments in lychee production techniques and technology in China since the early 1990's lychee production in China has doubled. More than 1/2 of the acreage of lychees in China have been planted out since 1994 and 1/3 since 1999.
Lychee production in China is in primarily the northern tropical and southern sub tropical climate zones between 19 degrees and 24 degrees north latitude. The northern tropical climate includes southwestern Guangdong, Hainan, southern Taiwan and Leizhou Peninsula. The southern sub tropical climate zone includes central and southern Guangdong and Guangxi, southeastern coastal Fujian and central, southern and western coastal Taiwan.
Lychee farming spread from it's native China to neighboring areas of southeastern Asia and offshore islands, India, the West Indies, South Africa, Madagascar, then to France and England. The Lychee spread to Hawaii in 1873 and from there to Florida in 1883, and then from Florida to California in 1897. However, successful fruiting of the Lychee tree in the U.S. did not occur until the early 1900's in southern California.
There are currently about 33 varieties growing in the US, and Lychee trees have now spread to most subtropical and many tropical areas of the world.
In recent years, Australia has become a major producer of lychees in Queensland and New South Wales. Lychee trees were brought to Australia in the 1850's by Chinese gold miner workers.
Between 1903 and 1906 Reverend W.M. Brewster imported Chen Tze or Royal Chen Purple lychee trees to South and Central Florida from the northernmost growing region of Fukien. This lychee variety/cultivar was renamed Brewster. There is even part of an original 'Brewster' grove in Davie, Florida.
The most popular varieties grown in South Florida are the Brewster, the Hakip, and the Mauritius. The first commercial nursery in South Florida to sell lychee trees was Reasoner's Royal Palm Nurseries.
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
What is a lychee?
A lychee is a rare sub tropical fruit originating in South China where the lychee is very important in their culture and is famed as "the King of Fruits".
The lychee fruit is about 1½ to 2 inches in size, oval to rounded heart shaped and the bumpy skin is red in color.
Once you peel the skin off, the crisp juicy flesh of a lychee fruit is white or pinkish, translucent and glossy like the consistency of a grape, but the taste is sweeter. Lychees have a sub acid sweet taste and have a wonderful freshness to them that is hard to describe. Lychee fruit is high in the antioxidant Vitamin C and the essential mineral Potassium.
Visit us for more fruit trees tips
Lychee trees are beautiful hardwoods that can grow 20 to 40 feet tall in a primarily dome shaped habit of growth with dense, evergreen leaves. Lychee trees are popular landscape trees in South Florida and other areas of the southern U.S. and container, atrium or greenhouse growing of lychee trees is becoming popular throughout the rest of he country.
Big Tree Farms Lychee Blossom Honey, 11-Pound Unit
Lychee trees are grown commercially in the US for the highly sought after fruit in primarily South and Coastal Central Florida where it is warm and there is some winter chilling, but little or no risk of hard freezes.
The lychee fruit is about 1½ to 2 inches in size, oval to rounded heart shaped and the bumpy skin is red in color.
Once you peel the skin off, the crisp juicy flesh of a lychee fruit is white or pinkish, translucent and glossy like the consistency of a grape, but the taste is sweeter. Lychees have a sub acid sweet taste and have a wonderful freshness to them that is hard to describe. Lychee fruit is high in the antioxidant Vitamin C and the essential mineral Potassium.
Visit us for more fruit trees tips
Lychee trees are beautiful hardwoods that can grow 20 to 40 feet tall in a primarily dome shaped habit of growth with dense, evergreen leaves. Lychee trees are popular landscape trees in South Florida and other areas of the southern U.S. and container, atrium or greenhouse growing of lychee trees is becoming popular throughout the rest of he country.
Big Tree Farms Lychee Blossom Honey, 11-Pound Unit
Lychee trees are grown commercially in the US for the highly sought after fruit in primarily South and Coastal Central Florida where it is warm and there is some winter chilling, but little or no risk of hard freezes.
Friday, August 5, 2011
How to Prune a 5 Year Old Plum Tree
Inspect the tree in the spring before it begins actively leafing out. Cut out dead or winter-damaged branches with a pruning saw. Cut them flush with the nearest healthy branch or the trunk.
Trim out any crossed branches that are rubbing together, as the damage caused by rubbing can lead to disease or insect problems. Cut the branches back to the nearest main branch from which they emerge.
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Locate any water spout branches on the plum tree. Water spouts grow straight up from one of the side branches, often crowding the upper branches and weakening the branch they emerge from. Cut out the water spouts flush with the branch of their origin.
Cut back the top and sides of the tree to maintain the shape and size. Cut back each overgrown branch to a leaf bud nearest the desired length of the branch.
Trim out any crossed branches that are rubbing together, as the damage caused by rubbing can lead to disease or insect problems. Cut the branches back to the nearest main branch from which they emerge.
Visit us for more fruit tree tips
Locate any water spout branches on the plum tree. Water spouts grow straight up from one of the side branches, often crowding the upper branches and weakening the branch they emerge from. Cut out the water spouts flush with the branch of their origin.
Cut back the top and sides of the tree to maintain the shape and size. Cut back each overgrown branch to a leaf bud nearest the desired length of the branch.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
How to Plant a Grape Seed
Growing grapes from a grape seed will not give you vineyard quality fruit. It will, however, be an interesting gardening project and provide you with a striking garden ornamental that will eventually bear fruit. Grape seeds are a challenge to germinate and must be stratified first, according to Cornell University's Grape Breeding Program. Stratification is a process wherein the gardener mimics the conditions that nature provides the seed so that it ends dormancy. Begin stratifying your grape seed in late December or early January
Cut the grape in half lengthwise and pick out the seed with a knife or other pointed object.
Rinse off any grape pulp that is clinging to the seed.
Place the seed in a shallow bowl and cover it with distilled water. Allow it to soak for 24 hours.
Drain the water and place the seed in a handful of moist sand. Place the sand into a plastic bag, seal the bag and refrigerate it for three months.
Mix equal parts of sand, peat moss and perlite and pour the mixture into a peat pot. Place the pot in a shallow tray and pour enough water into the tray to reach 1/2 of the way up the side of the pot. Remove the pot from the tray when the top of the soil is moist.
Remove the bag from the refrigerator and the seed from the sand.
Combine five parts of water to one part of household bleach and pour it into a small bowl. Drop the grape seed into the solution and allow it to soak for 15 minutes. Stir the seed twice during this time.
Pour the contents of the bowl over a strainer to drain.
Push the seed 1 inch into the soil in the peat pot and cover it with soil. Do not pack the soil down over the seed.
Place the peat pot in an area where the temperature remains between 80 and 85 degrees F. A greenhouse is ideal. The grape seed does not require light to germinate. Keep the soil in the peat pot moist at all times.
Move the peat pot into an area with bright light, but not direct sunlight, when the grape seed has germinated. This should occur within two weeks of planting.
Plant the entire peat pot into the grape vine's permanent location in June. Keep the soil moist while the grape becomes established.
Monday, August 1, 2011
Planting a Strawberry Tower
Strawberries can be grown in nearly any type of container – hanging baskets, pots, tin cans, pocketed strawberry pots, and in tiers, to name a few. A tiered strawberry tower design (layers of pots stacked on top of one another, graduated in size) is the most versatile, as it can be easily adapted to the amount of space you have and the number of plants you wish to grow.
Space and Location
First, decide how much space you have for your tower. Select a location with at least 5-6 hours of sun a day as strawberries like sun. The more sun you can give them the sweeter the berries will be.
How Many to Grow?
Once you have determined your space, decide how many plants you would like to grow. Ten plants or more will give you a nice little harvest for regular snacking – if you would like a crop for freezing then consider 25 to 50 plants or more. Plan on 1 cup per plant in the first year and 4 cups in subsequent years. Strawberries can be planted quite close together in pots so don’t hold back!
Visit us for more tips
Types of Strawberries
Next, decide what type of strawberries you want. You can plant several varieties according to your needs and desires. See the article on Choosing Which Strawberries to Grow for help in your selection – the link is supplied below.
You can order bare-root strawberries for Spring delivery and planting, and your local nursery may have six-packs, 4” pots or even flats of a few varieties for planting later in the season.
Selecting Your Containers
Next, determine the shape(s) of pots you would like and how many tiers. Strawberries only need about four to six inches of soil for their roots so shallow bowls will work, as will the more commonly shaped conical pots. A relatively inexpensive large three-level tower can be made using a 24” diameter plastic pot at the base, a 16-18” plastic pot in the middle and an 8-10” pot on top. Just make sure you have at least a 4 inch band of soil all around each layer for planting when your pots will be stacked and filled with soil.
You can also make beautiful towers by stacking layers of low bowls on top of taller pots. Experiment! Go to the nursery supply or landscape shop and pull out all different shapes and sizes of pots and stack them up to see what you like. Strawberry plants will produce for several years as long as they get a dormant period each winter, so design a planter you will enjoy to look at.
Preparing Your Pots
If you are using deep pots (taller than 12”) you have two choices: fill each layer completely with soil, or partially fill the lower layers with smaller pots, a tray, or something else to take up the space that won’t be needed by the strawberry roots. Whatever size or shaped pots you use, make sure they have adequate drainage holes in the bottom.
Planting Your Strawberries
1.(Optional) Place a 'filler' pot or other material in the bottom of your base pot to take up space if the pot is deeper than 12 inches. Make sure the pot will still drain well.
2.Fill the base pot with soil to within 4 inches of the top.
3.Position your second pot in the center of the base pot and add some soil to weigh it down and hold it in place.
4.Plant strawberry plants all around the rim of the base pot about 4” apart, keeping the crowns just above the soil level and packing the soil down well around each plant. Water in.
5.Plant your second, third, etc. layer of pots as you did the first, nestling each layer into the one below and watering well with each layer.
Water your strawberries whenever the soil is dry to ½ inch depth. Do not over water as constantly damp soil encourages disease, but don't allow the plants to dry out. Give your plants monthly feedings of a good fertilizer such as compost tea. If your plants produce runners train them into the pots so they will take root, then plant the runners into new pots to start fresh plants. Be sure to keep the soil around them damp until their own roots are established.
Your plants will grow quickly and most varieties will give you a nice harvest the first year. Your second and third years will yield the best harvest, with some varieties producing well for up to five years or more. When the plants no longer produce well, re-plant your tower with fresh soil and new plants.
Space and Location
First, decide how much space you have for your tower. Select a location with at least 5-6 hours of sun a day as strawberries like sun. The more sun you can give them the sweeter the berries will be.
How Many to Grow?
Once you have determined your space, decide how many plants you would like to grow. Ten plants or more will give you a nice little harvest for regular snacking – if you would like a crop for freezing then consider 25 to 50 plants or more. Plan on 1 cup per plant in the first year and 4 cups in subsequent years. Strawberries can be planted quite close together in pots so don’t hold back!
Visit us for more tips
Types of Strawberries
Next, decide what type of strawberries you want. You can plant several varieties according to your needs and desires. See the article on Choosing Which Strawberries to Grow for help in your selection – the link is supplied below.
You can order bare-root strawberries for Spring delivery and planting, and your local nursery may have six-packs, 4” pots or even flats of a few varieties for planting later in the season.
Selecting Your Containers
Next, determine the shape(s) of pots you would like and how many tiers. Strawberries only need about four to six inches of soil for their roots so shallow bowls will work, as will the more commonly shaped conical pots. A relatively inexpensive large three-level tower can be made using a 24” diameter plastic pot at the base, a 16-18” plastic pot in the middle and an 8-10” pot on top. Just make sure you have at least a 4 inch band of soil all around each layer for planting when your pots will be stacked and filled with soil.
You can also make beautiful towers by stacking layers of low bowls on top of taller pots. Experiment! Go to the nursery supply or landscape shop and pull out all different shapes and sizes of pots and stack them up to see what you like. Strawberry plants will produce for several years as long as they get a dormant period each winter, so design a planter you will enjoy to look at.
Preparing Your Pots
If you are using deep pots (taller than 12”) you have two choices: fill each layer completely with soil, or partially fill the lower layers with smaller pots, a tray, or something else to take up the space that won’t be needed by the strawberry roots. Whatever size or shaped pots you use, make sure they have adequate drainage holes in the bottom.
Planting Your Strawberries
1.(Optional) Place a 'filler' pot or other material in the bottom of your base pot to take up space if the pot is deeper than 12 inches. Make sure the pot will still drain well.
2.Fill the base pot with soil to within 4 inches of the top.
3.Position your second pot in the center of the base pot and add some soil to weigh it down and hold it in place.
4.Plant strawberry plants all around the rim of the base pot about 4” apart, keeping the crowns just above the soil level and packing the soil down well around each plant. Water in.
5.Plant your second, third, etc. layer of pots as you did the first, nestling each layer into the one below and watering well with each layer.
Water your strawberries whenever the soil is dry to ½ inch depth. Do not over water as constantly damp soil encourages disease, but don't allow the plants to dry out. Give your plants monthly feedings of a good fertilizer such as compost tea. If your plants produce runners train them into the pots so they will take root, then plant the runners into new pots to start fresh plants. Be sure to keep the soil around them damp until their own roots are established.
Your plants will grow quickly and most varieties will give you a nice harvest the first year. Your second and third years will yield the best harvest, with some varieties producing well for up to five years or more. When the plants no longer produce well, re-plant your tower with fresh soil and new plants.
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