Fruit tree seedlings?

They’re likely to get more cold hardy with age, try a burlap tent or something over them next year.

1 Like

I have 2 kiwi in the same pot. One of them has what appear to be yellow leaves. That’s the bigger one. The smaller one has green leaves. The bigger one is already 2 ft long and the smaller one is less than a foot long. I hope one is a female and the other one a male. I will have to put them in the ground soon because the bigger one need a trellis to cling on. Then just hope mother nature does her magic and give my fruits. Now, have to wait 5 - 7 years for the result.

1 Like

i don’t know what rootstock my ark black is on but it threw off a root sprout about two inches from the trunk. I’ve dug it up- in a tall pot now with light soil and “root riot” and dipped the cut end where it was attached in a little clonex.

if it takes off I’ll have something to graft to at worst.

the seedlings got up potted to 6” today these are my partner’s babies. and a tray for the next round

forgot photos

6 Likes

I noticed one apple seedling with cedar apple rust. Removed the seedling. Easy way to select for resistance.

7 Likes

Annona spraguei. I used GA3 on this set of seeds and they sprouted much quicker than most annonas. Makes me feel like I did it right. The two plants on the right are Surinam cherries, Eugenia uniflora. Either seedlings of Zill’s Black or Dasyblasta.

Plinia salticola, aka Dwarf Mulchi sprouting in the corner. Pretty excited, hopefully my second one will sprout soon too.

Prunus umbellata, aka Flatwoods Plum. Supposed to make a good jam, but I also just like to mix in native plants. My absolute dream would be to have a food forest that is a mix of typical edible plants and their Florida native cousins.

Psidium myrtoides, aka Purple Forest Guava. Not my favorite fruits, but psidiums in general grow pretty fast and would be really good in this area if there wasn’t fruit flies. They are also pretty plants.

Uvaria rufa, aka Calabao (although I don’t know if thats a common name that is actually used for it). Uvaria is the fingersop genus, which are related to Annonas but have cluster fruit and are sometimes viney plants, like rufa is supposed to be.


2 Annona sp. of different types. The store straight up said in their listing that they did not believe their source on what species they are, but they are definitely annonas and not sugar apple or soursop. So I’ll take it.

9 Likes

I’m so impressed by how many different things you are growing from seed. As with @Johnsgard list and care on his land and everyone else. I’m struck by how I always considered myself an great multitasker, but the array of things you just posted (that I know are a fraction of what you have,) requires a serious level of multitasking/attention/thought to keep track of. Despite just being words on a screen, I feel really at home and inspired with all you multitasking/managing pros!

4 Likes

Thanks! Its easy to keep track of them up until they leave the greenhouse. When they leave the easy life of water bottom trays and dappled sun is when things start dying to neglect. Thats why I have alot less pictures of plants in 1 gallons and up.
Also getting flowers on some seedlings this year was also a hig motivator to keep the seeds rolling.

6 Likes

Stella. Thanks for the “flowers!” You call it multitasking, but I think it is technically referred to as “OCD.” :wink: I had to retire just so I could do all the things I wanted, but now there never seems to be enough hours in a day to finish everything! At least Mondays are now just like any other day and I don’t have to hit the freeway at 6 a.m. So many plants, so little time…

9 Likes

What do you folks do if you get mildew on your new seedlings? I’ve been fighting it on some apple seedlings, and so far, the mildew is winning. I have searched forum and not found answers. I’ve tried diluted copper and potassium bicarbonate sprays. No luck.. Thanks!

1 Like

Here is what Chatgpt recommended.

4 Likes

I’ve heard of microgreen growers using a diluted hydrogen peroxide spray. I wonder if that would work for apple seedlings too.

5 Likes

ive used that several times and it works good and as a secondary effect it gives the roots a boost of o2. works good for plants suffering root rot in over watered plants also.

5 Likes

Thanks! I am trying diluted milk, which I’ve used in the past on melons with mildew. So far, so good.

6 Likes

It’s gotten a bit out of control on my apple seedlings that were in the polytunnel so ordered some sulphur today

Stella: Here are about 35 Australian Finger lime seedlings in my greenhouse on Saturday at about 2 weeds after sowing the pre-germinated (damp paper towel in ziploc) seeds:

Here is a batch of AFL seedlings at about 1 year post-sowing:

Here is a batch of AFL seedlings at about 2 years of age. Note the large variability in leaf morphology:

Here is an in-ground (SE Texas) AFL seedling on its own roots in our orchard that is about 10 years post-seed:

This is one bush of 10 in a AFL seedlings hedge I planted alongside or driveway in 2017 (I have subsequently planted about 50 AFL around our orchard). That hedge has frozen to the ground once (2021), but all 10 of the AFL bushes have fruits again this year:

They are remarkably variable in size and color. Let me know if you’d like some seeds to grow your own.

11 Likes

Those are so impressive! I love finger limes and they are impossible to find here to buy. It was the first citrus I wanted, but someone posted about how the thorns were the worst of any citrus and it scared me off. Think I’m over that concern now, and I would love to try growing from seed.

What are your plans for all of those new, 1 and 2yo plants?

3 Likes

Haha, that is funny! I never start a gardening project with a well thought out plan. :winking_face_with_tongue:.

For many years I simply gave away all my excess citrus trees (both seedlings and grafted), along with many scions and cuttings, to other local fruit growers. With the arrival of draconian citrus quarantines in Texas, I feel like I can no longer do that. About 4 years ago I started planting all my excess finger lime seedlings in the ground around our orchard. There are probably about 75 or so in-ground now. Unprotected during hard freezes they freeze back badly and can even be killed, but with a little bit of help they flourish. Now if I could only figure out what to do with so many AFL fruits!

In terms of thorns, they are really more like spines or large prickles. One spine per leaf, without exception. They can’t really do serious damage, but do need proper respect. Harvesting the fruits either requires leather gloves or waiting for them to fall to the ground once “ripe.” My wife says the AFL bushes “look soft and cute,” but they are really about as cute as a roll of barbed wire is.

I’ll drop some seeds (not subject to our quarantine restrictions) in the mail to you. Expect close to 100% germination and about 5 years to first flowers/fruit, maybe less with lots of “encouragement.”

4 Likes

Here are those “cute” AFL spines:

7 Likes

Thank you so much!

That’s a lot of AFL trees! I know you go to conventions and lecture, do you have any interest in selling your fruit to local markets? I bet high-end restaurants in the area would be interested.

I’ll have to look up the new TX restrictions.

2 Likes

mostly my partners babies but a few things of mine. i planted out the best apple and grape that he sprouted last year and the apples out in the front and side are doing fine, about 18 inches tall or so and growing. i need to stake them in the fall, once the growth spurt ends for the year.

this one he decided to plant himself. in the shade in the herb garden next to the honey locust. i have my doubts

the fall planted seeds, no peach or cherry have come up. pear just starting to germinate, apples coming up, a grape or two. none of the citrus at all. I’ll be getting him to crack the peaches this year maybe.

despite me setting up these deep trays for him he keeps putting seeds in random cups and stashing and forgetting them so I’ve set him up his own “potting bench” on the porch where he can’t walk past it. at least they can geminate or not where we can see them, maybe he will make better labels. i don’t mind if he doesn’t but it would be easier

among my seeds I’ve got a single lonesome persimmon and 3 pawpaw coming up. also an unknown olive.

giving all my optimism to the pawpaw that’s still wearing his hat.

my sapodilla are all dying again and the sapote of unknown nature is struggling

i repotted into better draining soil, tried flooding watering, letting them get a bit dry, full sun, part shade…nothing is helping the poor things. i may give up. i am giving up on persimmon after this round of seed failures and i guess sapodilla are done for me after this too. i cannot find good directions for their care at all and have spent too much time and money now. unless i find free seeds/seedlings like i did with the persimmon, I’ll give up

these apples were germinating inside the fruit, a really good apple despite long long storage. they might be good.

6 Likes