What are the best fruit trees for florida backyard gardens?

Question

I live in SE Florida, Palm Beach Gardens, and it is HOT AND SUNNY most of the time, with storms on and off from May thru Oct, then gorgeous San Diego type weather from Oct thru April….also the time for birding and photographing birds! So far I’m struggling with gardening in sandy soil that is mostly open sun with some areas in shade about 3/4 of the day. When I plant a tree I use Miracle Grow Potting soil for moisture control and then about a month in I topsoil every year and I’m fertalizing with Osmocote now…just because someone recommended it over Miracle grow and I haven’t seen any edible fruit yet.

I have One mango tree (~3), 3 papaya trees which are about a year old, but have not produced yet, a Caracara tree, which only produces tiny pea sized fruit, (its only about 3′ tall and wide), an orange/lemon grafted patio potted tree, which hasn’t produced. I finally found a great natural pesticide (NEEM), but now I need advice on what else to grow with success. So all but the mango tree are around a year old.

Sure could use some good organic gardening advice on this and Passion Flowers….which are the edible ones?

Answer 1

It sounds like you have some of the best trees suited for your area. It also sounds like what you are using has a high nitrogen content, and slow release as well. This paired with the fact that the tree is probably too young to produce, may just need time to tell. Still it is good to use correct fertilization.

You should be using a low nitrogen, but high potassium and phosphorus fertilizer during flower and fruit production, as high nitrogen content keeps flowers from forming.

This will likely solve your fruiting issue with the mango. This article will help to recommend other possible issues: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/mango/mango-tree-not-producing.htm

This article will help with the care of Papaya: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/papaya/growing-papaya-fruit.htm

This article will help you to feed citrus correctly: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/citrus/fertilizing-citrus-trees-best-practices-for-citrus-fertilizing.htm

There are many recipes for pest control, and they are quite effective, but this article will go over three of the best: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/special/organic/natural-home-pesticides-organic-garden-pest-control.htm

Last, the most commonly eaten Passion Flower (except for the toxic seeds) will be Passiflora edulis. This article will help you to grow these: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/vines/passion-flower/passion-flower-care.htm