Neem Oil Please!

I was observing my bananas when I noticed some little bugs making a meal of the new growth on one of my seedlings tangerines.  I guess its time to spray my plants with my homemade Neem oil solution.

Pineapples of December 2011 Update

My pineapples were looking bedraggled, and two were a little moist, moldy, and mushy towards the center.  I cut off dead leaf tissue to allow better air circulation.  I'm positive that the plant in the black pot is on its way to recovery.  Its remaining leaves are deep green and firmly anchored.  I'm not sure about the other two plants yet.

Induce Pineapple Fruiting

These pineapple plants are 2 years old and mature enough to fruit.  Sometimes pineapple plants are reluctant fruiters.  I have placed apples, which produce ethylene gas, around the plant so that the gas will trigger fruiting.  This method would be even more effective if I enclosed the plant and apples in a plastic bag so the gas could concentrate more.

Meyer Lemon is Sick

I think I may have watered or fertilized my Meyer Lemon too much.  Over the past two days the leaves have become discoloured.  I'm not sure of the exact diagnosis.

Citrus Propagation

These are cuttings that I am trying to root.  The 2 tall cuttings on the left are dwarf tangerine.  The 2-3 in the center are Meyer lemon.  The 3 short cuttings on the right are clementine orange.  I dip the cuttings in rooting hormone, plant them in vermiculite, water, and tent with plastic to keep in moisture.  The cuttings should be partially shaded until they are stronger.

Bonsai Key Lime Flush

Look at the cute little leaves and limbs flushing from my Bonsai Key Lime.

Lime Seedlings

These are lime seedlings grown from a polyembronic seed.  Around June 2010, I was squeezing lime juice on my tacos de cabeza and a seed fell from the lime.  I stuck the seed in a pot, and this is the result.

Tangerine Seedling: Alexandria

This is Alexandria, my tangerine accidentally grown from a seed.  I was eating tangerines back in February of 2010, and I was too lazy to get up and throw the seeds away, so I threw them in a pot with a pineapple plant sitting on the sidetable.  Alexandra and her sister Elizabeth resulted.  I culled the other seedlings.

Seedling Tangerine: Elizabeth

This is Elizabeth, my tangerine accidentally grown from a seed.  I was eating tangerines back in February of 2010, and I was too lazy to get up and throw the seeds away, so I threw them in a pot with a pineapple plant sitting on the sidetable.  Elizabeth and her sister Alexandria resulted.  I culled the other seedlings.

Dwarf tangerine tree: Extreme Prune

I was taking a photo so I could blog about Twiggy, my dwarf tangerine tree when I decided I didn't like her bushy shape. Even though I pruned most of the excess twigs off when I received her from Gurney's back in November 2010, she is still wanting to become a bush and not a tree.  I don't have room to overwinter a bunch or wide bushes, so a slender tree is preferable.  I couldn't really find a branch that seemed a suitable central leader.  I cut off all branches but one.  I'm hoping a strong branch will grow out near the center and become the lead branch.  She's never flowered, so I probably just set her back a year.

Clementine Orange: Soil Change and Prune

I decided to get rid of my clementine's centipede infestation by changing the soil.  I sterilized the pot and my gardening tools.  Then I dumped out all the old soil.  Next I rinsed the roots just in case of renegade centipedes.  I tightly wrapped the roots in moist sphagnum moss because it's supposed to have healing properties.  I added new soil, about 1 part sand, 2 parts garden soil, and 1 part vermiculite.  I hard pruned her and added water.  I hope she bounces back abundantly.