White Sapote (McDill) Quick update 11th December 2023

[@lyonheart84]

Your success rate already with grafting those is amazing AND the adult plants have grown so well and flowered so early in Winter. Really looks incredibly promising for next year Dom. Great to have propagated a peanut butter plant as well 🍾👍

[@MoebiusUK]

Cheers, Brett ... Really happy with my first grafting of the White Sapote. I'm definetly encouraged to do more. I'm so relieved to have been able to root cuttings of the peanut butter fruit tree ... I took about 10 cuttings, 3 have definetly taken, 2 failed early on, and the rest look promising. They're fast growing plants so should be nice specimens by spring / summer.

[@PeterEntwistle]

They are all looking incredibly healthy, love the dark green leaves on the McDill. Incredible to see the fruits developing on it too 👍. I hope I can eventually graft onto my seedlings, assuming I can keep them healthy lol. It's also great to see how well that graft took, looks very promising! The peanut butter fruit cutting is doing very well too, great to see that they can be rooted 👍

[@MoebiusUK]

Thanks, Peter. I'm super happy that graft took ... I did it at around 2 in the morning and my eyes were struggling to see clearly. The wood was super easy to get straight cuts because its quite dense. I used my grafting knife to cut the scions cleft and I used a razor blade to cut down the middle of the rootstock. I saw a video where the veteran grafter said these plants are easy to graft ... going by the success of my first White Sapote graft, I wouldn't disagree. I'm over the moon with the peanut butter fruit cuttings ... I took a bunch and most of them seem good so far.

[@PeterEntwistle]

@@MoebiusUK Looks like you did a really good job! I was also wondering did you only wrap parafilm around the graft union and not the whole scion?

[@MoebiusUK]

@@PeterEntwistle Yes, I only wrapped the graft union. It's what I did with all my citrus grafts and my Hass avocado graft. If I wasn't using a very humid heated propagator I might wrap the whole scion and place a plastic bag over the plant but with the Vitopod propagator I don't feel it's necessary.

[@PeterEntwistle]

@@MoebiusUK oh yeah, that makes sense if you are using a heated propagator. I have looked into getting a vitopod. They aren’t cheap, but they do seem very handy to have.

[@garycard1456]

@@MoebiusUK Grafting plants at 2am? Now that's dedication!

[@myexoticfoodplants6727]

Great to see this Dominic. I have just bought myself a seedling from Jurassic plants so I would be grateful for any tips on the compost you use for repotting.

[@MoebiusUK]

Cheers, Mike ... Yes, I noticed Jurassic Plants were selling them. Congrats on making the purchase. I don't believe these plants are particularly fussy when it comes to the substrate ... I think a regular, airy compost with added perlite, should be fine. However, I use a premium, ready mixed substrate for most of my plants, including my White Sapote ... It's called 'Gold Label Special Mix' It's probably not always necesary but I like it because it's always given me excellent results.

[@VirginiaFruitGrower]

Wow they look so deep green and healthy

[@MoebiusUK]

Thanks G, maybe a little too much nitrogen. lol.

[@garycard1456]

Great results with the grafting and cuttings, and those are lush-looking plants, Dom! Are you keeping them under growlights while they're indoors? Sometimes I lose interest with my 'McDill', as it has never flowered for me. I reckon I was sold a seedling (I bought it from 'Frutales Tropicales', who ceased trading a few years ago). It is not nutrient deficient (the leaves are not chlorotic, for example), so I am at a loss as to why it has not yet flowered in the years that I've had it. You mentioned previously that my plant might be in too small a pot. Well, I'll pot it up in Spring to see if that encourages more foliar growth. Casimiroa edulis has a very vigorous root system- far more vigorous than the related Citrus. Interesting that your Peanut Jam Fruit cutting is evidently doing well in a peat-rich substrate. As you know, I had some root rot on mine and found that it instantly perked up after I barerooted it and transferred it to a substrate without any organic matter like peat. I am thinking that the mix might have been infested with fungus gnat larvae, which love organic matter. Although, the previous substrate only had a small amount of peat relative to perlite and pumice.

[@MoebiusUK]

Thanks, Gary. 🙏 atm The White Sapote are benefitting from Indoor growlights but they need to share with some other plants which have priority at the moment. I tend to prioritise plants according to which ones I can propagate easy. Since my Miracle berries produce a lot of fruit, they get the best spot. Its a shame Fruitales Tropicale closed down, I was hoping to visit them in the South Spain someday. I actually planned out the trip. You are 100% right, Casimora edulis do have a vigourous root system, I don't want to up-pot them to early but at the same time, I want the roots to spread and behave as though they are in the ground. ... I get an idea about the right time to up-pot by the frequency I need to add water to the substrate. .. I think it may be a good idea for you to increase the pot size. The peatmoss and rainwater works very well for my specimen as they like a slightly acidic substrate. Is it possible that your specimen was just thirsty as opposed to suffering rootrot? I understand why you would be cautious but from experience I know the leaves on my plant will droop if I allow the substrate to dry out too much.

[@garycard1456]

@@MoebiusUK Oh, it definitely was not dehydrated: the perlite-pumice-peat-coconut husk chip mix was moist to the touch and the pot had a 'heaviness' to it when I lifted it. Also, when I looked at the roots, most were healthy, but some were clearly rotten- they were discoloured and fell apart in my hand when I gently tugged at them. What do you think of the 'New Safety Tread' granulate? The root growth in this is incredible. I think I will include it in the perlite-pumice mix, in place of peat and cocnut husk chips.

[@MoebiusUK]

@@garycard1456 Wow, that does sound pretty definetive then. I'm really pleased it made a recovery for you. I haven't used NST to grow plants in yet ... Personally I prefer Seramis as a clay substrate product. I still have a bucket full of each (Seramis and NST) I like the NST to use as a base for my Vitopods ... it holds onto a lot of water and releases it slowly. Perfect to keep a humid environment.

[@MoebiusUK]

@@garycard1456 I would like to start using pumice more ... particularly in my citrus substrate mix. I imagine it's not cheap so this might not be so cost effective in plants that eventually require large pots.

[@SussexTropicals]

I got one white sapote from Frutales tropicales I was told it was a Pike as it’s the most common one in southern Spain. I had fruit the last 2 years, but very small ones…

[@edark94]

Consider me a buyer of any grafted white sapote if you continue to have success with them... would love to get one, but struggling to figure out how to get them shipped to the UK 🤣

[@MoebiusUK]

Thanks , Emil. It's good to know there are local buyers for when I start selling grafted White Sapote. It's crazy that they're so difficult to get over here.

[@edark94]

@@MoebiusUK Indeed, especially crazy considering them being potentially cold hardy enough to survive outdoors in a accomodating microclimate!!! Fingers crossed you can graft more, hopefully I'll be able to see the fruit of your labour in person next year! 😁