Fruit Trees

[Rahik]

This summer I am hoping to grow some Mulberry (Morus Nigra) from seed as rootstock. By next year the plants will be big enough to take graft from a more mature plant - this way I could probably have fruit within the following year or two. I remember tasting mulberry when I was in Bangladesh - I can't remember the exact year but it was around 89 or 90. I think it goes by the name of toot (dood) phol in Bangla, although it very well could be the colloquial name for it. In persian it is known as the Shah Toot or something to that extent.

The downside is that over here the winters can be rather chilly so I probably won't be able to get the plants out in the garden until they have a healthy few summers behind them.

I had previously grown guava from shop bought fruits. It grew quite a bit within a few years before it died out when it was planted outside: I was in Bangladesh at that time and had entrusted the plant to a family friend.

I am lookign for more Bangladesh fruit trees that could be grown inside or in a greenhouse. There are so many different fruits that I can't remember the names of from childhood that I would love to grow. Does anyone share this fascination with fruit trees and exotic fruit trees growing in adverse conditions?

[bujhee kom]

A very good thread Rahik bhai, hold on, we have a lot to talk about here!....Dear mod bhais and Rahik bhai, please don't think I am spamming here, I am in a rush deadline pressure, be right back very soon....the reason I posted this, to let you know how excited I am about this thread and for the moment even I coul not ignore this thread!

Be right back!

[Rahik]

Originally Posted by bujhee kom
A very good thread Rahik bhai, hold on, we have a lot to talk about here!.
Be right back!

Glad you liked the thread. Not sure that others share greenfingers here. Perhaps I will give mangoes a go this year for indoor growing. I am actually scouting for the rare types of fruit especially berries or aggregate fruits. I just hope the mulberry seeds propogate; I recently planted the seeds outside and am eagerly awaiting their germination. On a side note, the gooseberry is doing well - the shrub is producing a significant amount of flowers.

[Purbasha T]

Damm my dad will love to have you. He's trying to grow all sorts of amra-kumra (mostly vegetables) in whatever space we have in our backyard here in the UK. Today I went to a B&Q shop to get about 150 litres of farmyard manure (gufor or gubor that is, in kacha Bengali). Coz now that the summer is returning, he gotta sort out the place (digging, cleaning up the weeds and the stones, softening the soil, sowing the seeds etc. etc.). Even in BD (where we went to visit for about a month recently), wherever he saw (from the car or the rickshaw) a plant of interest, he just stopped there and collected some seeds or the branches of those plants (so that he can come back here and try making those grow in whatever special ways he knows about).

Grrr...though I love to see the veges, flowers or the fruits that grow afterwards; I hate all these gardenwork.

But you lot garden-geeks can carry on.

[Tigers_eye]

One thing I enjoy living in the south is my summer and my gardens. P_T, Yes, I am in to vegetables mostly. I have already got my manure, HHS (gobor), created my beds and some plants are already sprouting, al hamdulillah. Kumra, lal Shak, tomato, red onions, zuccini, yellow squash, crooked neck yellow squash and deshi borboti.

[Tigers_eye]

As for tackling the winter, papaya, guava and such plants can be planted in to big pots/tob and moved into the garrage when it gets cold. Making a greenhouse in the back yard would be effective if the land is flat and you have plenty of them.

[Beamer]

I had so many tomatoes last year that I had to give it away. Kacha morich grows well as well.

[shaad]

Originally Posted by Tigers_eye
One thing I enjoy living in the south is my summer and my gardens. P_T, Yes, I am in to vegetables mostly. I have already got my manure, HHS (gobor), created my beds and some plants are already sprouting, al hamdulillah. Kumra, lal Shak, tomato, red onions, zuccini, yellow squash, crooked neck yellow squash and deshi borboti.

Miju, ekhon BC-te online Bangali shak-shobjir byabsha shuru koro. Especially for us poor Bangalis in colder climes.

[Tigers_eye]

Originally Posted by shaad
Miju, ekhon BC-te online Bangali shak-shobjir byabsha shuru koro. Especially for us poor Bangalis in colder climes.

Apney miya ekta bhuwa. Ashen south'a baraitey amader bashai or Dallas'a ashen long weekend'a (4th of july or something) Omi bhai'ar bashai. fresh lal shak niya ashbo. tarpor chingri diya ....uuuuufff. Shatey borboti, kumra bhorta.

[Rahik]

Originally Posted by Tigers_eye
One thing I enjoy living in the south is my summer and my gardens. P_T, Yes, I am in to vegetables mostly. I have already got my manure, HHS (gobor), created my beds and some plants are already sprouting, al hamdulillah. Kumra, lal Shak, tomato, red onions, zuccini, yellow squash, crooked neck yellow squash and deshi borboti.

I envy you. Lal shak doesn't seem to like the rain here and their growth becomes stunted for some reason. Last year they grew roughly 10-15cm. I am not much of a veg fan although my father loves to grow things like kumra, tomato and onions. I love garden grown peas... the taste is so much better than the supermarket stale produce. Peas grow well here because the rain makes them all the tastier; sugary peas off the pod, priceless.

Aside from manure, what about other natural fertilizers? I read that tea is good source of nitrogen as well as coffee. I am going to try the nettle drink for plants this year. Apparently nettles steeped for a few days in water is a great plant food, which isn't so bad seeing as how nettles aren't hard to find. A word of caution, if you are going to pick nettles bare handed (strongly not advisable) be rough with them; the gentler you are the likelier you will get stung.

What about deshi berries? I forgot the English name of orboroi (not sure if it is the Bangla of it) I would love to obtain seeds to grow as an ornamental plant as the leaves are nice. How can I propogate jujube (boroi)? Would seeds work or need I mature branches? My sister and brother inlaw will be going to Bangladesh this summer, I could ask them to bring some seeds back.

[Purbasha T]

Wooot...more vege-daddies are appearing.

Here are some of the kumras my dad grew last summer:

[Purbasha T]

And I've told my dad to go for some fruits this summer, though he said there aren't many to grow in small space. Any suggestions?

[Rahik]

Originally Posted by Purbasha T
And I've told my dad to go for some fruits this summer, though he said there aren't many to grow in small space. Any suggestions?

Are you sure they are kumras... looks like laus to me and some serious size at that. As for planting in small space, strawberries do well in large pots - slugs have a hard time getting to them. You could also try watermelon (seeing as how you managed to grow lau, watermelon should grow just as fine). They generally take up to three or four months to fruit. Just buy a watermelon and plant its seeds. I made the mistake last year of planting them out (on the veg patch and not in pot) early at the mercy of slugs. Maybe this year I will let them grow a bit before I plant outside.

If you wanted berries then this summer might be expecting too much unless you buy a well established mature plant. I find gooseberries produce a good amount of fruit - it pickles great too! So you could get a gooseberry plant this year and look forwards to its fruit next year. Gooseberry shrubs don't grow too vigorously and are perfect for small patios and whatnot.

[Purbasha T]

Thanks for those tips. Yep, we've talked about strawberries. But watermelon sounds like a tastier idea.

And yes, those are laus indeed. I mix them up when saying (but I do know the difference..lol!).

[auntu]

We are awaiting for the king: Mango.

[auntu]

We would start with Gopal Bhog.
2nd Himshagor
3rd Langra
4th Apro Pali
Last Fazli.....

[Rahik]

Originally Posted by auntu
We are awaiting for the king: Mango.

Not a fan of mangoes... and I beg to differ I don't think mangoes are king. I would rate watermelon over mango any day.

[auntu]

^^^Watermelon!!!! Ki bolen Rahik bhai.

[bujhee kom]

How about Panifal and Amloki, Rahik bhai?

[Rahik]

Originally Posted by bujhee kom
How about Panifal and Amloki, Rahik bhai?

Whats a panifal? Do you have any pictures of it? Not fond of amlokkhi.

[Tigers_eye]

Juicy, very light green, looks like (shape) between Guava and pears.

[auntu]

^^^ The fruit is white. Watery test.

[Rahik]

What about Syzygium samarangense (Java Apple - jamrul), can these be grown from seed? I know that Syzygium cumini (java plum - jaam) grows fine from seed but the question is how long can the seeds be stored before it will not germinate?