Gardening with Tropical Fruit

February 2005

By Gene Joyner, Extension Agent
Palm Beach County Cooperative Extension Service

At the end of this month we can pretty much feel safe from any threat of cold weather and many plants are already starting spring growth. Most tropical fruits should be fertilized towards the middle or end of this month to get them off to a good start for the upcoming spring season.

If you’re lucky enough to have mango trees coming into bloom, check carefully for signs of anthracnose and spray appropriately if this fungus disease threatens.

If you have container tropical fruits, by the end of the month it’s safe to place these in permanent landscape areas.

Most people are not doing a lot of propagation this time of year, but at the end of the month it’s safe to start budding and grafting, air layering, or rooting cuttings.

Many areas have received very low rainfall totals in the last month or two so make sure as you see plants beginning to wake up and start growth that you supply sufficient water so they’re not held back.