sunshine - does it look like I have any room out there for more? LOL LOL!

I've actually grown figs in containers before a bunch of years ago on my balcony (Conandria, Brown Turkey, VDB and some others that I forgot). One thing that is different living here now is the overhead sun. OMG it has just doubled the heights of all my plants!

Just popped by quickly to see how everyone's doing! Beautiful trees everyone :) I am loving the figs mine is definitely root bound but I'm not sure I can find a larger pot that the one it's already in how is everyone growing figs in pots lol they grow like weeds!

Brian I was told that if the leaf falls along with the petiole then it's an old leaf that it's shedding and that's normal but if it drops without the petiole then its stressed I'm not sure if that's true but your shiranui is besutiful!! I can't wait until mine get that big. Thank you so much for the pic :) I haven't been out much lately I'll try to post pics of my trees in the August 2018 thread! Oh and I can't wait for the boukhobza Brian you are too too kind!! I have been practicing on a trifoliate with a Santa Theresa branch since they grow so fast!lol I'm not sure if it took but I'm crossing my fingers Which are still intact after the clumsy attempt at grafting :)

amy they're beautiful!!! congrats you know it's funny I saw the exact same one at Phoenix and thinking to myself I wonder if it's going to go to Amy in a couple weeks and sure enough theren it is lol They had two leftover premium NZL sizes that are a little bald and Not as nice as your little tree! I'm so glad it's found a home with you :) me too Amy with the fertilizing dynagro and miracle grow as well! Lol you know I've been watering everything every three days now because they're starting to wilt now on the 4th day! Anyways ill try to post some pics on the 2018 August pics thread!

Oh Brian i quickly want to mention I went out to look in the garden today and the satsuma tree I took out of the 511 and into the promix is growing like gangbusters! I lifted it from the pot and saw many white roots! I'll try and take a pic and post if when I can :) loving that promix right now and to think I almost threw out that satsuma Last year When I saw it's rotted roots in 511 Lol anyways hope you're having a great weekend Brian! Hugs!

Hey Jan thankyou for the info on the leaf drop interesting. The leaf drop always seem to happen just before a flush of new growth. Good for you glad to hear that your trying your hand at grafting your way ahead of me lol. The Boukhobza cutting no problem now if I could only get that darn tree to grow, I will take a pic of that stubborn tree . Sure glad that you've found time to relax that's my plan for the rest of the day . It took me 3hrs to water all the tree's this morning so tired . Nice to hear that the pro mix worked out for you Jan !!!! and that you were able to save your Satsuma!!!!! . I hope that the smoke situation is getting better in Vancouver I can't imagine , we had a little bit of that yesterday. Oh Jan I saw a black Squirrel eating all my Sumo’s this morning I had about 10 now I have only 2 left I'm so discouraged :( . Hugs right back Jan and have a terrific Sunday

Wow everyone's fig tree's look great . They do grow rapid and will out grow a pot in one season .

Brian

Oh no Brian!!! Not your price shiranui!! Oh.. I also live in fear that the squirrels will attack my two beautiful cocktail grapefruits!!!!! Did you put the tree near your house now?

Can you guys cover the fruit with a small breathable baggie, to protect it?

sunshine - I put my lemons in organza bags when I had a squirrel running around digging in my pots and making mischief.

Oddly enough, I haven't seen it lately but I was considering sticking one those bags on my one Shiranui fruit. The one thing that might have helped so far though, is that we have had so much rain here in my area this summer, that the squirrels and other critters haven't needed to steal the fruit or veggies to get water...

Sunshine and Jenny you guy's are awsome great idea!!!. I went to the wedding section at the dollar store yesterday and picked a bunch of those bags up . I wrapped the remaining 2 fruit on my Shiranui yesterday let's see how they work out maybe I should have put on a double bag lol those squirrel's are so smart . Hello Amy !!!

Brian

Good luck with that Brian! Hopefully the squirrels will be confused by the bag and will ignore the fruit inside.

My fruit is safe from squirrels on the 11 floor balcony :) but I am amazed that the large population of tree sparrows do not fly or land on my trees. They always hang around lilac trees down below on the ground and are very noisy. The squirrel population down there is also out of control. My figs are safe FOR NOW :)

Jenny hopefully they are pretty smart!!!!

Sunshine your hilarious obviously you haven't heard of flying squirrel's lol.

Brian

Thanks again guy's!!!!

sunshine - up until 2 years ago, I lived on the 18th floor and gardened on a balcony. I used to get all sorts of creatures including smaller birds (sparrows, pigeons, finches, hummers), cats, and even a hawk that used to perch on the western corner of the balcony in order to dive-bomb rabbits or pigeons (I was the end balcony on the row). Thankfully no squirrels.

This was a neighbor's kitten (named "Miss Kitty") who liked to nap on my lilac -

Flying squirrels? Lolll Brian! Don’t scare Sunshine!

Brian, how is your tree doing now? I hope that the black squirrel had the good sense to pick the fruits delicately from the tree and didn’t damage it any further! How big are the two left shiranuis?

Oh I will need to go to the dollarstore soon to get some bags before the squirrels attack my cocktail grapefruit. I really want to taste this one because it’s supposed to be very sweet!

oh guys, I was outside this morning looking at all my trees. Oh... we will need to put them inside soon. All the hard work must start in a couple of weeks. This is the “not fun” part of our hobby!

Hello Amy sunshine lives a nice life no squirrel's no chipmunks not so many birds and no mosquitoes lol. Amy at least the Black Squirrel didn't damage the new branches yet . It didn't chew the fruit off the tree he chewed the branch right above the fruit smart guy . I was so discouraged yesterday those are my most valued fruit I've been watching them grow all summer. I am hoping those small bags worked all I needed was 2 lol. Amy protect your fruit if you really want to try it this winter lesson learned for me . The tree is flowering now so maybe some fruit by next spring . Amy so hard to believe within 6 weeks the tree's will be in their winter resting home , probably safer lol . When do you start bringing all the tree's in and have you bought a new grow tent for your new tree's?

Brian

Couple of pics for my friends. Bee going to town on my Shiranui blossom's.

Bag over fruit.

Bee-utiful Shiranui, Brian! :) Hope the bags work for you.

Lol Jinnylea Bee's are beautiful what would life bee like without them . Jinnylea I so hope the bag works out seems it did today .

Brian

Brian, your Shiranui looks nice! I tried Dekopon last year in August and fell in love with it's taste. Sweet and complex taste and that fruit was from Asia. Two days ago I got Dekopons for $3.00 a piece and it tasted sour, not like the one I tasted last year. It was not clear were it was grown (South America? ), here are the pictures:

Sunshine, maybe the shiranuis from South Africa are not cured? I know that in Japan they store the dekopons a couple of weeks in order to increase the sweetness!!

Brian, it’s nice to know that shiranui can flower more than once a year! Mine has a lot of flowers not long ago but has only one fruit now so maybe if I am lucky I can get it to flower another time before winter!

Erggh Brian, we (mostly my husband) just set up my new grow tent last week end and it was a little bit smaller than what I thought lolllll... I have three south facing windows so it’s time to start negociating with my family so a “few” of my trees could benefit from them.

Forecast for the next two weeks looks great with temperature still around 22-25celsius. I will probably repot my new trees tomorrow and start to spray my orchids for the great journey to my basement already. I think that I can wait after labor day before I need to spray my citrus trees. What do you think?

Brian, Jan, here is something that could be interesting for your greenhouse to control pests

https://www.costco.ca/Ladybug-and-Ladybug-Food-Garden-Pack.product.100350819.html

Brian - glad the bees are enjoying the flowers and they'll hopefully make up for the mean squirrels! LOL

Amy my Shiranui has been going through another bloom too - mainly on a branch that is getting the most sun (the first bloom/growth flush was at the end of May and first part of June not long after I got the tree). Here is the result so far as of this morning -

I'm not sure if any of them will hold but we'll see! I still have the one from the first flush. I expect the amount of sun on the tree probably helps in any case. The first bloom/growth flush resulted in over a dozen fruitlets and all dropped at smaller than pea size, but one.

Sunshine wow that is really strange I've never heard of Shiranui being sour . I've had at least a half a dozen from my tree and they were ridiculous sweet . Maybe the environment they grew in didn't get enough cool weather to sweeten them up . Beautiful pic though.

Amy it's beginning to sound that room might be a little tight in the tents . Will you be able to trust anyone with those precious babies of yours lol. I don't think I could I would be so worried all the time . Amy the spring flush of blooms on my Shiranui was very small maybe 15 this flush of blooms much larger at least 30 . I just hope that these fruitlet's continue to grow in the greenhouse all winter . Amy ladybugs great idea I'm going to order some at the end of September if they still have them .

Jinnylea beautiful little fruit's on your Shiranui. Wait until you try the Shiranui fruit right off your own tree , they are incredible. At least you will have one fruit for sure just watch the squirrel's lol.

Brian

Brian, the pictures above are Jenny's. Lol. But, I agree with you, the little fruitlets on her tree are beautiful! :) I do have a tree with three little fruitlets that I hope stay on thru maturity. I have yet to taste one so looking forward to it with your description. I will join in the fun and post a picture of my little Shiranui fruitlet. So cute.

Lol Jinnylea reading comprehension was never my strong point lol thankyou so much Jinnylea for pointing that out lol. Jinnylea I am quit sure that fruitlet is going to make it to maturity, I bet you will be checking in on those 3 fruit's all winter long and dreaming how they will taste.

My apologies Jenny !!!!. Jenny I can see the little top hats forming on your fruitlet's very nice . My Shiranui the first year didn't do much in the growth department but it did give me several delicious fruit . This year it's growing like crazy and supplying all the squirrel's in the neighborhood some pretty delicious fruit . Expect next year a big year for your Shiranui Jenny they grow pretty aggressively once they like the pot their in .

Beautiful pics Jinnylea and Jenny!!!!

Brian

Brian - I hope at least one of those new fruitlets can hang on. Funny but my BIL stopped by with my niece this afternoon and as we were going out to the patio, he saw the squirrel running along the top of the fence and yelled at it (and it took off)! LOL I hadn't seen it in a couple weeks and now it is back! I hope it won't try to leap into my trees although it may hit some thorns if it does. lol

Brian, hello!!! Boy have I missed a lot here(((. I just wanted to say I agree and that the pictures are amazing. What a great bunch of people and friends here. Brian buddy, I have gotten over 6 inches of rain since I seen you last. Three thunder storms, a tornado, and a snow. LOL not the snow part but with the weather the way it's been for us it would not surprise me to see snow before October.ha I can see an image of you trees growing so big that you will have to cut many back drastically or get a larger greenhouse.lol Yup, you give me your greenhouse when you get your next one and we will both be happy. Sugar must be loving the thunder. Brian buddy, what a great idea with the bag over the fruit!! I love it, I was also told that hanging C.D's from fishing line in the trees scares off critters too. All the Asian folks here do it and it works. Keeps the squirrels off the trees.

Last night walking in my drive way I saw the leaves moving on my grape vine loaded with ripening grapes. Millions of them. Well, I put my flash light on and guess what was staring at me hanging upside down??? 3 dam possums! Yup. they stared right at me, growled because they did not like me disturbing their meal of all my grapes, dropped and decided to chase me. Not again. I am taking down that grape vine. It seems that all the fruits that are in my yard draw animals. It's tiring. Even so far as to climb my roof one night, break into my screen and parks it's but on my bed! 11 o'clock at night trying to remove a possum from my bed buddy. Not fun.

Hugs to you buddy and my other friends here. Great job everyone!

Brian. This animal is not very nice budfy

Mike

Mikey buddy lol lol are you planning on getting into the pie business with all those possums hanging around lol . Mikey I can just imagine the trouble your having with these guys and they don't scare off like squirrels . Mikey are they table grapes or do you use them to make wine ? Maybe Possums do some good lol by scaring away the squirrel's just look at those nice white teeth. Honestly Mikey I don't think my heart could have taken finding a possum on my bed I can just imagine your reaction. Say snow lol no Mikey . I would say snow here in about 8 weeks the tears have started . I have so much trimming to do in the upcoming weekends not to forget washing the greenhouse and the tree's , setting up the lighting in there and digging a 3 ft hole in the center of the GH so I can fit my Palm tree in there . Mikey those bags over the fruit really works great the squirrel's have not touched them . Mikey you bring up another good idea with the cd's there are many around here that do that . Glad that you finally had some rain and a good amount I bet everything has become nice and green, a few more rains like that and your drought will be over . It's been pouring rain off and on all afternoon , we are supposed to get big thunderstorms tonight probably your weather tomorrow. It sure seems the rain we get you get a day later . Sleep well tonight Mikey and you might want to board up that window I think I would lol .

Hugs buddy

Jenny I can just imagine the expression your face when you heard your BIL yelling at the squirrel lol . Jenny I don't even think a tree full of thorns would work lol maybe if Mikey would loan us a few of his Possum friends with the big white teeth , maybe lol .

Brian

Oh wow... who would have known that our hobby could be that dangerous!!! From the beginning of this thread, we have to fight caterpillars that look like snake, squirrels and now possums! Oh my the possum’s teeth look so sharp. I wonder if we have possums in Canada. I knowcthat we have couotes in montreal but they are safe for my citrus unless they develop a taste for something sweet! Lolll

Brian, your Variegated Calamondin is incredible! So nice to see it as a large tree with pretty fruit.

My brother has that kind, I took this pic a month ago before we went to Logee's together. I wanted to buy one but they didn't have any in stock. Maybe next time I visit my brother, I'll take a cutting and try rooting it.

Mike, what a pain those possums have been for you!! Glad you didn't get bit. I've seen them here in the crabapple tree at night having a snack, but there's more room so wasn't a problem. I like how they eat ticks, and we have many of those unfortunately.

At least we don't have giant squirrels like in India, 3ft long head to tail! I think they are somewhat cute, why do I want to pat it like a cat? lol.

Photo is from: https://www.thedodo.com/in-the-wild/indian-giant-squirrel-pictures

You would have loved my childhood cat, George, he showed up as a stray, he was such a great hunter. He loved squirrels. I feel it's too gross to say on the forum how I'd find them but one can guess.

Jenny, hello and beautiful blooms on your Shiranui!

I will get pics of my citrus soon.

-Nancy

Nancy now that's one beautiful squirrel lol I would pat it too lol its probably as big as a cat . Your brothers tree is very nice !!! . The variegated Calamondin is a gorgeous tree for sure and the fruit's are great in drinks . I really hope that your able to find one !!!! . I took 2 cuttings of mine several weeks ago I think they took Yippee. Thank you so much for your very nice complement !!!!

Here is a pic of this huge moth on my Shiranui yesterday evening it was the size of a small bird . For some reason the pic is not going through so I will try later.

Brian

Brian

Nancy, the squirrel is so cute! It looks like a punk version of a squirrel lol! Oh you should definitly try to root the your brother’s variegated calamondin! You will see that is quite addictive and they grow so fast! I will take a picture of my two Persian limes that I rooted last fall so you can see.

Brian, I have started to spray some of my trees with neem oil so they can go inside in a couple weeks (Two or three) and I saw that my lee x nova and gold nugget from phoenix perrenials are carrying some flower buds! Amazing!!!

Brian - your "moth" is actually a butterfly and I originally thought it might be a black swallowtail, but based on the pattern on its wings and the large size, that suggests that it might be a giant swallowtail. And guess what the giant swallowtail caterpillars (larva) like to eat? Yup. Citrus leaves (one of their host plants). The butterfly will lay eggs on the host plant so the hatchlings will be able to crawl around on their food (your citrus leaves). So if you see holes on the leaves in the future, check for the caterpillars of that butterfly (looking at pics of them, they really look wild)!

Brian, I'm so happy to see another pic of your Variegated Calamondin! Gorgeous and the blooms are beautiful, wonder how they smell... no doubt good though.

Amy, Ha! A punk squirrel, I can see that... just needs a spiked collar! I had a couple Persian limes from the grocery store, and I was surprised there weren't any seeds! Darn it, I thought I could try to sew the seeds.

Sorry not the best photo but otherwise it may take me days to get a good one...

Ponderosa, Kaffir Lime, Buddha's Hand, Var. Pink Lemon.

-nancy

Jenny you are amazing !!!!! thankyou so much for the info on the butterfly. I looked at it's North American range and it's not even close to where I live so how the heck did it get this far north ? What is really amazing they are normally found in citrus groves well I guess I have the grove lol. Jenny about a month ago I saw the caterpillar to this butterfly and it's not pretty it kind of looked like a snake it actually startled me . Just a thought of having these caterpillars in my Greenhouse this winter gross lol . Next weekend I am going to take the pressure washer to my citrus tree's for sure . Thanks again Jenny !!!!

Amy I'm kind of jealous of your Lee X Nova lol great work . Mine had one flush and that's it , I would have loved to have seen it flower !!! I believe the Lee X Nova is a little slow to fruit so your way ahead of the game congratulations . Great news your Gold Nugget is flowering also I hope it can hold onto a couple of fruits !!!! . My Gold Nugget has one fruit on it lol . Phoenix Perennials have great tree's, like you I can hardly wait to see what Gary brings in next spring . Amy let me know when you would like the cuttings.

Nancy very nice looking tree's , I just love your variegated lemon!!!!! Nancy if the Persian Lime is similar to Bearss lime you will be lucky to find a seed . I've not seen a seed in any of my Bearss limes. Nancy the Calamondin flowers are smelling really nice right now , the tree was coated in bee's today .

Brian

Brian - remember that your wonderful nurseries north of the border, are getting their trees from nurseries like FW in California (and possibly others) and the trees may have come with some eggs on the leaves. I remember your post about the giant "snake-looking" bug you discovered and that sounds like the larva (caterpillar) of that butterfly. They also use rue as a host (which is pretty cold-hardy) and the adult will nectar on milkweed and other popular butterfly plants... Apparently there are more and more northern sightings, and your greenhouse was like the ultimate feasting place for them!

Brian, for the cuttings, I am ready when you are ready! Can you message me your email so I can contact you?

Tomorrow, it will be ready hot! They forecast 40 celsius with humidex. Oh boy..

Hello Amy I'm on holiday's next week and I will be preparing my tree's for the greenhouse so that means major trimming so if next week is ok with you . We will have to figure out the email thing . Amy it was 42 C with the humidity this afternoon pretty incredible, the tree's are loving it !!!!. We are in for much the same tomorrow. .

Hi Jenny your very right tropical plants are huge accent plants up here everyone has some kind of tropical on their patio palm trees etc etc and they all come from Florida or California . Jenny your right that explains that not very nice looking caterpillar I had , your caterpillars are much nicer lol . Apparently this butterfly was going from tree to tree yesterday when I was not home oh no !!! Thankyou for the great info Jenny .

Brian

Brian, next week will be perfect! Could you send me a mrssage via houzz with your email? You only need to click on mu name andyou will see my profile with an option to message me. I would have message you but tou didn’t activatevthis option in your profile.

Oh it was a really really hot and humid day! I was sweating for my life here! It’s hardcto believe that we will be in September next week when we have this kind of temperature!!

Thanks Brian and I will keep a lookout for those Persian lime seeds, maybe one will break the seedless rule and magically appear. I'll probably buy a few more and make some guacamole.

Yesterday and today have been super hot and humid, at least someone's happy about it... miss Variegated Pink Lemon has new growth! I thought it was going to be flower blossoms but now looking at the pic I realize they are small branches with little leaves. The sun was blinding me plus not wearing glasses oh lord I can't believe it. I can't wait for blossoms.

Sunshine,

MY GOD, so many figs. I never get that many. Do you have any secrets in growing them to get that many? Do you fertilize them? Often? Are they in big pots? Do they sleep all winter? Fantastic job my friend)

Brian buddy, can you feel fall in the air? At least smell it? I'm so depressed buddy. I know these beautiful warm nights will be over soon. Many complain it's too hot here, but I love the temps warm enough at night to wear sandals and a t-shirt! I love getting out of this a.c. building to be enveloped into the warm air when I get out and hear the birds flying over head and the crickets at night on a windless night. So tranquil and relaxing. I am not looking forward to the winds and change buddy, sad. The mornings are dark now and the nights dark so much earlier than a week ago. I am beginning to feel like I don't want to make room for my trees in fall. I would love to just bring in my favorite and let the rest go buddy. Although young, I don't think I can muster up energy to even try to grow them all winter. Yes, that thing scared me half to death buddy! To be trying to get rid of one in my room with my boxers on at 10 at night, and to get chased by one after work. Yuk! Then when I went to water my plants on my flat roof, wouldn't you know they crapped on my favorite jades. I am going to get rid of them. It has not rained here for a few days buddy and today it reached a whopping 98 degrees! Hot and no rain. Back to drought again buddy((

Hugs right back at you. By the way, what a beautiful picture of that butterfly and your trees!! I am getting into the butterfly thingy and growing milk weed for that purpose not to say the flowers smell so sweet too))

Brian, question? I was wondering if you think it's better if we cut our trees way back in Spring so that they are manageable to bring in without cutting back in fall? Does cutting them back in fall encourage them to put out poor spindly growth for winter like candy for bugs? What do you think? I was wondering this the other day buddy.

Nancy,

well look at that! It's amazing what warm sunny weather will do. That's why it's so depressing to not be able to stick them in a nice large greenhouse all winter. I can't stand subjecting them to less than ideal conditions for months on end((( Great job! Nancy, you are a riot. That big wow. Oh yeah, beach weather here we come lol

Amy, wow....It wouldn't surprise me if they took a liking to citrus.lol Who knows these days. Stay cool and make sure to hydrate.

Jenny you are a gem. Precious in my eyes. Thanks for all you do here.

Mike

Mike, sorry to hear that creatures are bothering you and your plants! I too get affected by gloomy, dark and cold days sometimes, in the winter especially.

The only thing I do different for my figs is I gather and dry all the leaves that fall from my trees, plants and crash them into very small pieces and place them in my fig containers, it all gets composted fast. I fertilize my figs less than my citrus trees. Hopefully the fig fruit will ripen before the cold hits. I overwinter them in a small dark room which is not heated, but they wake up too early. My figs are about 3 years old and they are in 4-5 gallon containers.

Hello Nancy beautiful colors on your Variegated Pink Lemon and the growth is a good thing it's probably loving the sun and heat as we all have been. Nancy Home Depot or Lowe's sometime carry lemon and lime tree's you might want to check them out they might have that Persian lime your looking for and they might be trying to get rid of them as summer is almost over :(

Mikey buddy lol those darn Possum 's are still at it. I couldn't deal with those guys lol. I'm having a hard enough time dealing with the squirrel's around here they are all over the place my poor Shiranui is taking a beating another huge branch broken yesterday :( . Maybe you will let me borrow that beautiful cat of yours Bo .Mikey I am like you I love sitting out at night taking in the humidity and the sounds of the Crickets and Cicada's . I'm afraid Mikey that it's coming to an end soon what a change overnight it's 54 right now and I'm actually freezing. I hear you with the plants buddy it can get overwhelming when there are to many the overcrowding isn't nice . I am going to really cut my tree's back next week more than last year. Mikey the only tree that grew after the trim last September was my Tango and did it grow all the others nothing . That growth on the Tango was not spindly or weak it was just healthy growth . Mikey you better go dig out some sweaters now the cold air I'm sure is heading your way now . Take care my friend. Hugs buddy.

Amy I tried messaging you last night on houzz please let me know if it went through.

Brian

Hey Mike, wow the clouds are beautiful so big n' fluffy though there is some darkness too, it wouldn't surprise me if a storm popped up. Sure could use some rain too. I too am wicked down that summer is ending, I just want to hibernate, please wake me next Spring. I too will have to say bye bye to some common plants that could easily be found in stores, I just can't keep up with them in an indoor environment plus never enough window space. I kind of just want the favorites and ones friends sent me. I bought a bunch of small 6" hanging baskets for the hoyas and other dangling plants. Sorry to hear about what those possums did to your favorite jades ;(. Ohh... I think you missed it... please be sure to check out my post from Thursday with the squirrel photo!

Hi Brian, the funny thing is I just thought it would be neat to grow one from seed, and the Persian sounded exotic!

Just bought 3 Persian limes, 1 grapefruit, 1 cara cara and a bag of clementines and a very small baby pineapple because it smelled so fruity good thought I'd try it. I'll get a pic later of the cutie. We'll see what seeds I find in the next few days.

Nancy

Nancy, try to find some key limes! They are seedy and I heard that they can fruit after teo or three years!

Brian, I received your message and replied to you!!

Mike, thank you for caring! It’s so hard right now for me to eat or drink anything at all but I am trying very hard!!

Sunshine, here is a picture of the sugarbelle that I want to send you for your friendship tree. Do you thing that it’s ready or should I wait a little bit more for it to harden?

Hi Amy, I don't see the picture.

Amy, I will message you the list of cuttings/ plants I can send you.

Oh sunshine, so clumsy of me. Here is the picture

Let it grow for couple more weeks and it's good to go, Amy!