FOOD FOREST (Gopher style)

No I just pick them in the morning and again in the evening.
The birds will only eat them if their ripe so I get up before they do! If they do get some, that's ok, birds gotta eat too. I have plenty. I have has to pick my tomatoes as soon as the begin to blush, and ripen them on the window cill. There is some kind of insect out there that waits till the start getting ripe and lays an eggs and turns the fruit into a water balloon.

 

Got my wood chips today!
Holy Crap, this is going to be like work! I'll probably need 2 or 3 more loads. Cost $200 delivered. 16' x 30 'x 4 1/2'.

 

I bought 3 Jujube Trees from a private party, I if you have trouble growing Apples where you live these are the ticket!
They have basically the same texture and taste as an Apple. They come in a variety of flavors as well, depending on the species.
They can also be left right on the tree until they dry out and are eaten like dates.
It's way too hot, and we don't get the chill hours either for Apples to thrive here. They also propagate by runners. I forgot to mention they are extremely soil, heat and drought tolerant, perfect fruit to plant and forget!

 

I have never head of these trees. I am sure they grow like weeds a your house but could you give a bit more detail. How big were they when you bought them? How long ago did you plant them and is that first year harvest??

 

I just bought them and they are small. Transfered them to a larger pot and fertilized and they are already showing new growth. They are a prolific fruiter and as you'l read require very little support.Perfect for me, I can't possibly kill it!
Perfect for you because it can handle -28* below weather.
JUJUBE Fruit Facts
JUJUBE

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Ziziphus jujuba Mill.
Rhamnaceae
Common Names: Jujube, Chinese Date, Tsao.
Related Specie: Indian Jujube (Ziziphus mauritiana).

Distant Affinity: Purple Haw (Colubrina texensis), Raisin Tree (Hovenia dulcis).

Origin: The jujube originated in China where they have been cultivated for more than 4,000 years and where there are over 400 cultivars. The plants traveled beyond Asia centuries ago and today are grown to some extent in Russia, northern Africa, southern Europe, the Middle East and the southwestern United States. Jujube seedlings, inferior to the Chinese cultivars, were introduced into Europe at the beginning of the Christian era and carried to the U. S. in 1837. It wasn't until 1908 that improved Chinese selections were introduced by the USDA.

Adaptation: The jujube can withstand a wide range of temperatures; virtually no temperature seems to be too high in summertime. Winter dormancy allows it to withstand temperatures to about -28° F, yet it requires only a small amount of winter chill in order for it to set fruit. The plant revels in summer sun and heat, with the lack of either limiting fruit production more than winter cold. Yet jujubes have fruited in the Puget Sound and low Cascade regions of Washington State as well as in Pennsylvania. Fruiting of some cultivars has also been reported in northern Florida.The Indian jujube, which is more sensitive to frost, is grown in Florida, but the fruit is considered inferior. Jujube trees are not particularly suitable for container culture, but can be grown in this manner in a large container.

DESCRIPTION
Growth Habit: The jujube is a small, deciduous tree, growing to 40 feet tall in Florida, but smaller in size in California. The naturally drooping tree is graceful, ornamental and often thorny with branches growing in a zig-zag pattern. The wood is very hard and strong. Jujube cultivars vary in size and conformation, with some being very narrow in habit and others being more widespread. One cultivar, the So, seems to be fairly dwarfing in habit. After 30 years of growth in an average site, trees can be 30 feet tall with a crown diameter of up to 15 feet. Plants send up suckers (often with intimidating spines) from their roots, and these suckers can appear many feet from the mother plant. Currently, these root suckers must be controlled by mowing or hoeing.
Foliage: The small, ovate or oval leaves are 1-2 inches long and a shiny bright green. In the autumn, the leaves turn bright yellow before falling. There are usually two spines at the base of each leaf. Some spines may be hooked while others are long daggers. Virtually thornless cultivars are known. As the growing season commences, each node of a woody branch produces one to ten branchlets. Most of these are deciduous, falling from the plant in autumn.

Flowers: The inconspicuous, 1/5 inch diameter, white to greenish-yellow flowers are somewhat fragrant and produced in large numbers in the leaf axils. The flowering period extends over several months from late spring into summer. However, individual flowers are receptive to pollen for only one day or less. Pollination needs of the jujube are not clearly defined, but appear to be done by ants or other insects and possibly by the wind. Most jujube cultivars produce fruit without cross-pollination . The jujube is well protected from late spring frosts by delayed budding until all chance of cold weather has passed.

Fruit: The fruit is a drupe, varying from round to elongate and from cherry-size to plum-size depending on cultivar. It has a thin, edible skin surrounding whitish flesh of sweet, agreeable flavor. The single hard stone contains two seeds. The immature fruit is green in color, but as it ripens it goes through a yellow-green stage with mahogany-colored spots appearing on the skin as the fruit ripens further. The fully mature fruit is entirely red. Shortly after becoming fully red, the fruit begins to soften and wrinkle. The fruit can be eaten after it becomes wrinkled, but most people prefer them during the interval between the yellow-green stage and the full red stage. At this stage the flesh is crisp and sweet, reminiscent of an apple. Under dry conditions jujubes lose moisture, shrivel and become spongy inside. Tests in Russia indicate a very high vitamin C content. The fruit has been used medicinally for millennia by many cultures. One of its most popular uses is as a tea for sore throat

CULTURE
Location: Jujubes should be given a warm, sunny location, but are otherwise relatively undemanding. Given adequate heat and sun, the trees will thrive without any special care. They should not be planted in the shade of other trees
Soils: Jujubes tolerate many types of soils, but prefer a sandy, well-drained soils and do less well in heavy, poorly drained soil. They are able to grow in soils with high salinity or high alkalinity.

Irrigation: One of the outstanding qualities of the jujube tree are its tolerance of drought conditions. Regular watering, though, is important to assure a quality fruit crop.

Fertilization: Fertilizer requirements have not been studied, but jujubes appear to do well with little or no fertilization. Light broadcast applications of a balanced fertilizer such as 8-8-8 NPK at two-month intervals during the growing season would probably speed growth. Do not fertilize until the newly planted tree has several months to get established.

Pruning: Unpruned trees produce as well as trees that have been pruned. Extensive winter pruning, however, will keep the plants in better health and produce more easily obtainable fruit.

Propagation: Most Chinese cultivars in the U.S. are grafted or budded onto a thorny rootstalk which produces many suckers from the roots. There is evidence that jujube cultivars will root on hard or soft wood cuttings. However, successes have been limited to date with this process of plant reproduction. Jujubes also can be propagated from seed, although they do not come true. Most jujube cultivars produce fruit without cross-pollination, but seeds from such self-pollination are usually not viable (such as from the Li or Lang cultivars)

Jujubes should be set out 10 to 15 feet apart since they require high light intensities for good production. Upon setting out new, bare root trees, top the plant to 3 or 4 feet and remove all side branches to leave only a whip. New, stronger branches will emerge from each bud just below the point where the old branches were pruned.

Pests and diseases: The Chinese jujube appears to have no serious disease, insect, or nematode pests in the U.S., hence, no spraying is necessary. Only the pocket gopher has shown a liking for the roots. One disease, witches broom, is prevalent in China and Korea and could be destructive to a new industry if allowed to enter into non-endemic areas.

Harvest: The crop ripens non-simultaneously, and fruit can be picked for several weeks from a single tree. If picked green, jujubes will not ripen. Ripe fruits may be stored at room temperature for about a week.The fruit may be eaten fresh, dried or candied. Fresh fruit is much prized by certain cultures and is easily sold in Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, and Indian markets. Tree dried fruit stores indefinitely and may have good marketing potential as it dries on the tree without the use of a sulfur preservative.

 

This plant sounds like a winner. I think I will have more success then the passion fruit or even apple trees. Sounds like the perfect fruit plant.

 

Here's a couple pics of my Jujube's

These are what Goji Berriy cuttings look like after 2 weeks in the potting soil
These are Tumeric bulbs bought at whole foods placed with the little bumps facing up and under about an inch of soil. Keep them warm and moist. These are less than a month old! Talk about an impressive first leaf! If I remember correctly Tumeric sells for about $32 a pound.

 

@Gopherman Will the turmeric be able to winter outside or will you be putting them in the greenhouse? Beautiful healthy plants.

 

They are a perennial, dormant root crop.The leaves will die off but the rhizome will stay in alive. One video I watched, the guy left it for 18 months and ended up with around 40 lbs off 3 plants.

 

Here's an
update for those trying to grow Moringa.
I posted some pics about a month or so ago and since then I now have one tree about 7' tall and the little one has caught up to the middle one and now stands around 4 and a 1/2' tall. Best advice to you is Put Them In The Ground Quickly! They are a Tap Root Plant.
Passion fruit taking off to the races as well!

Here are the six single stalks of Lemon Grass I sprouted last year.I have repeatedly harvested these already this year for my Tea blend.

 

next we will see peanut grass! the plants look lovely. Are you keeping the moringa chopped down so that they don't get tall?

your jujubees are in the hawthorn family, can you make syrup for sore throat out of them? and how thorny are they? (Hawthorn's are thorny and make a good perimeter plant)

 

Mine are still really small, so I haven't seen any thorns yet. But yes some of the varieties are "QUITE THORNY" and I already have a runners plant popping up!
I pruned about 6-8" off the tops of my Moringa yesterday to encourage bushing out of branches/ Usually it only takes about a week and new growth is abundant.
How are yours coming along?

 

Why are your passion fruits in pots? That is a really small pot for the size of the plant. Is it happier to be root bound like that? Or do you clip them and bring inside for the winter?

 

That was the plan this year.
I'll put them in the ground next year and pot the new ones from this season. Hopefully they'll grow faster with a big root system in the spring.
Found new way to root cuttings. remove the leaves from a section of vine and bury it in dirt, let it go for a month or so and it will root in the pot but will still be fed from the mother plant. It's very much like air layering. Once the roots are established I can cut it loose and have a completely new vine.
It works on Passion flower, Kiwi Berry, grapes, as well as almost any vine plant, also works on herbs.

 

I replanted as I killed my moringa last year. I planted them and monsoon season got to them.

 

Actually its a 20 gallon pot for a tree.They seem to be doing fine if size of the plant is any indication!

 

I bought some fresh Horse Radish root at Whole Foods the other day.
We made horse Radish Sauce out of most of it but one of the roots I cut into 3 pieces and placed it into a bowl of water, not quite covering it.
I actually forgot about it until a couple days ago and to my great pleasure, there were multiple little plants sprouting out all over it.
We love horseradish on Goat and Lamb so this is a great thing to add to my Spice Raised Bed. Just in case any one was curious for a faster way to grow it other than seeds.

 

I notice you start many of your plants from ones that you get at Whole Foods. Are they all organics? Whole foods does seem to have fresher produce then what I see in the grocery store or Sprouts market.