After Julie's comment about her 50ft tall sapodilla, I had to make a difficult decision, shall I leave it and let it grow too big and then take care of it, or remove it while its only 5 feet tall.
The tree is truly beautiful and already starting to sport the pyramid shape they are known for.
Since it will take a very long to bear fruit and is occupying prime real estate, I decided to replace it with something that will fruit sooner and that I really like and have been thinking of planting for a long time.
So on Saturday, I went to Home Depot in Lake Worth to get some painting supplies and I looked in the outdoor section and they had a couple of Mallika mango trees. I have been reading up a lot on the mallika and have read so many good things about it.
What I really like is the fact that the tree is a real dwarf variety and can even be grown in a container on a patio for example. I don't know what I was thinking when I planted the sapodilla tree, maybe it will take 20 years to grow 50ft tall and by then I won't be living here and it will be someone else's problem, but with our under water mortgage, who knows, it just might become my problem. So after coming home with the mallika I still deliberated and tried finding a different spot, but after a long time, I finally decided that the sapodilla had to go.
So I removed some more of the sod and planted the mallika, then dug around the root ball of the sapodilla and replanted it in the same container and placed it under the deep shade of the litchi tree where it can recover from the shock. I just feel too sorry to get rid of it. Maybe I'll go and plant it in a public spot like they do in some communities in California. People find unused, waisted public spaces then plant fruit trees for everyone to enjoy.
OMG! I can't believe I influenced you to this extent!!! I do understand what you are saying though, and I am amazed you found out about the Mallika Mango (I Had never heard of it before). Our neighbors have such HUGH, tall, mango trees, I wish I could have one, but don't want to, due to size. I had just cleaned a mango seed yesterday and saved it, thinking I would plant it, and then I thought "WHERE"????? These samller trees sound perfect, and I am so excited to learn about them. I would like to taste some of the fruit.
ReplyDeleteWell, thankyou for this wonderful information.
In defense of the Sapodilla...it is a fantastic shade tree in our back yard, and NEVER has lost branches or sent anything crashing through our roof or windows during a hurricane! Thank God.
Take care...Julie