April 2020

Print this entry

A new book out in 2005 published by Hyland House which I borrowed from our library and can highly recommend. “Just Nuts” by Allen Gilbert who lives on Bruny Island, Tasmania.  Anyway, take a look at the book as I found it interesting. A number of nut trees available to us in the sub-tropics are featured along with other more temperate types. Now I know that perhaps one of the reasons why our Pecan hasn’t set well for the last 5 years:  It says the climate is too warm!  

Also mentioned in Allen’s book was the Quandong Santalum acuminalum which needs a host plant in order to propagate. Because of the parasitism needs of the Quandong, propagation has been difficult and it is only recently that there has been some success using a common grass species for the developing seedling to parasitise. However, the seeds can be germinated quite readily before being placed with a host plant.

Propagating the Quandong plant can be done using uncracked nuts but one of the problems has been the amount of bacterial and fungal organisms adhering to the shell surface or naturally occurring in soil mixes; these often infect the developing seedling or tend to cause the kernel to rot. For best results it is best to crack open the nut, extract the seed and then clean it thoroughly with a bleach or antiseptic material before rinsing with pure, clean water.

Put the seed in a sterile medium (steam if necessary) such as palm peat, perlite or peat moss insided a plastic bag or in a pot and place the container in a warm, dark place. Allen has used a sealed plastic bag containing damp but not wet peat moss and placed the plant material in it with good results. Seed germination can also be assisted with the use of plant auxins such as Gibberellic Acid but these materials are not readily available to home gardeners. Seeds (kernels) should germinate within 3-8 weeks of sowing and can then be transferred to pots. Whole seeds may take over one year to germinate as the seed coat has to break down and there may also be some seed germination inhibitors within the shell that prevent fast germination.

Once germinated the young plants are best transferred into a pot containing the root of another plant as a host. I’d never read what the host was exactly but Allen says that couch grass and lucerne are two plants that have been used in pots containing the seedlings. The potting mix used should be low in phosphate as too much will kill the plant. The developing roots are very sensitive and care must be taken when transferring the germinating seedling in the pot. The pots used to grow plants should be deep, not squat, as the roots of seedlings are vigorous and grow deeply.

Once seedlings have developed, they can be grafted with a selected scion cultivar but because the stems of the plant are usually thin, some grafting methods are unsuitable. In the wild, Quandongs grow by seeding so there is naturally a large variation within the species. 

Print this entry

Pruning is required to maintain the shape and size of the plants as they can quickly become unruly and top heavy. Pruning also enables access to the plant which assists harvesting. Care should be taken to dispose of the cuttings as they have the potential to become weeds.
Refer to the Pitaya Growing Note – FG1 for more information.

Step 1 – Before: Pruning should occur after the last harvest in May-June.

Step 2 – Clean main stem: Branches growing up the main stem must be removed.

Step 3 – Remove old growth: Selectively remove the older branches from underneath.

Step 4 – Cut back clean: Cut branches back to the original stem.

Step 5 – Set canopy size: Keep at the most 50 main branches leaving only 1-2 sub-branches per main branch.

Step 6 – After: Pruning is needed to maintain fruit production and size ready for September-October flowering.

Varieties: There are no varieties in the proper sense, but there are many clones which can differ in the stem type, colour, fruit shape, skin thickness and scale expression. There are however two different species, H. undatus which has white flesh and H. polyrhizus which has red flesh. There are also several other fruiting cactus genera that are called ‘pitaya’ one of these is Selenicereus megalanthus which has smaller fruit with yellow skin, white flesh and clusters of spines on the fruit that brush off when ripe.

DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRY, FISHERIES AND MINES, Crops, Forestry and Horticulture Division, GPO Box 3000 Darwin NT 0801
Tel: 08 8999 2357  Fax: 08 8999 2049  Email: horticulture@nt.gov.au   Web: www.nt.gov.au/dpifm

Disclaimer:  While all reasonable efforts have been made to ensure that the information contained in this publication is correct, the information covered is subject to change. The Northern Territory Government does not assume and hereby disclaims any express or implied liability whatsoever to any party for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions, whether these errors or omissions result from negligence, accident or any other cause.

Print this entry

Conventional Mix

20 litres Peat Moss,  20 litres Vermiculite – Grade 3,  120 gms Superphosphate (grind to a powder)

90 gms Lime or Dolomite,  27 grams Sulphate of Ammonia (grind to a powder), 7 gms Trace Element Mix,  9 gms Sulphate of Iron

Organic Mix

20 ltrs Peat Moss,  20 ltrs Vermiculite – Grade 3,  70 gms Guano,  60 gms Dolomite

10 gms Organic Potassium (grind to a powder),  1 ltr Blood and Bone

Guano and Organic Potassium are available from Nutri-tech Solutions – Ph:  07 5472 9900

Wet mixture in a bucket before filling pots. Pots need to be sterilized before use with a 3:1 water/chlorine solution. Seed should be soaked in water for 24-36 hours, changing water as it discolours, before being planted no deeper than 10mm. This soaking allows faster germination, replacing the moisture removed in the drying process. Pots should be placed in a shadehouse, 30%-40% shadecloth is ideal and protected from rain. Bench tops made from mesh are ideal to ensure good air circulation around pots. An easy way to rain-proof your shadehouse is to buy “builders film” from any hardware store and fix under the shadecloth with short lengths of thin gauge wire. The biggest danger to seedlings is from being too wet; wet conditions encourage Pythium and Phytophthora so seedlings should be damp not wet. I find that one watering a day in the morning is sufficient. If a small number of seedlings are being grown, then best control is gained by hand watering. If an overhead system is used, then turn it off just as the water starts to drip from the bottom of the pots. The fertilizer in the conventional mix should last 4 weeks if the seedlings appear a little yellow then a dose of soluable fertilizer such as Thrive will help. Email or call if you need help.

Red Lady Papaya seed from Garry Grant called RB5

It throws both bisexual and female seed.

The bisexual flower is about 3 inches long and is skinny.

The female flower is about 2 ins. long and is short and round.

Bisexual fruit is thin, long and has a smaller hole in the centre so professional growers prefer them because they give more weight but they are also more tropical so they won’t perform in a colder climate whereas the female is more cold tolerant. They also have a different flower. For the backyard, it is better to have one bisexual and two females so you can hand pollinate.   

About Hybrids

Hybrids are the result of crossing 2 “fixed” (stable) parent lines. Hybrids are more vigorous than their parents, produce more fruit and are less susceptible to disease. All papaya are affected by climatic changes but when grown under stable conditions hybrids are very consistent in fruit shape and size. Hybrid seed for sale here is only the first cross of the parent lines, producing F1 hybrids. Hybrids cannot be successfully grown from seed collected from F1 fruit and will be inconsistent in shape, size and yield.

Bisexual papaya are affected by a condition known as carpellody or “cat-facing” and is caused by the fusing of the ovary and stamens during adverse weather conditions. This fruit is deformed and unmarketable. Carpellody is one of the reasons bisexual varieties are not normally grown in sub-tropical areas.

With dioecious varieties growers generally plant 4 seedlings to the site, thinning sites to 1 male site to 10 female sites. Planting density varies between growers but on average is 750 sites to the acre, or 1850 to the hectare. The amount of seed required is 50 grams per acre or 125 grams per hectare.

With bisexual varieties growers generally plant 2 or 3 seedlings to the site, thinning to 1 bisexual tree per site. Some growers market the female fruit of the bisexual, although the flesh is not as thick. Seed required is 40 grams per acre or 100 grams per hectare.

Germination is tested before dispatch and we guarantee a minimum germination rate of 50%.

Contact:  Garry Grant, 18 Vaughan Road, Darts Creek, Qld  4695     Ph:  07  4975 1317         www.papayaseed.com.au

Print this entry

I met Mr. Zahar who works at the Agricultural Park in Kuantan and has a fruit tree nursery. With Jackfruit he prepares the rootstock in the morning and waits 3 hours before he joins the new scion wood to the rootstock. Remove all the leaves off the rootstock. It is wedge grafted when the buds start shooting. One day before they graft, he will make some scars on the trunk of the rootstock. His sharpening tool is a warm stone, quite chalky – it comes off white in your fingers. Because of the tropical climate he can graft Mango and Chempedak all year round. The scion wood is quite long at about 8 inches – 20cm. He says that if the scion is too short on the mango the success rate is low. You can graft anywhere – either in the green or at the brown hardened off stage. He only wraps the graft and then puts the long plastic cover over the graft. After grafting Duku, Longkong, & Mangosteen he keeps them in 80% shade but once they start to grow, he moves them outside. Carambolas are lopped at 2½ mtrs and grown wide. A side wedge is used for Calamondin and this can be used at any time of the year. Grafted trees sell for 5–10 ringgit (75cents – $3.00) which is very cheap. Aishah said that of the 70 Chempadek seedlings she has, there is no variation in the fruit.

Kwai Muk rootstock can be used for Breadfruit.

Grafting Techniques can be seen on this website:    http://myfruits.mardi.my/main.php

Authored by: 

Sourced from: 

STFC newsletter Aug Sept 2008

Date sourced: 

Print this entry

Most plants can be propagated from cuttings however, some plants are quite difficult to persuade to grow roots, whilst others may take an inordinate length of time (years) to “strike”. Do not let such problems, either real or imagined, prevent you from trying. Propagating mix: Generally, sand, or vermiculite, or a mix of the two will be satisfactory. Even compost and/or composted wood-chips have been used with success.

Soft-Tip Cuttings: Usually taken in Spring. Very few fruit trees are propagated by this method, but generally anything in the Solanum group, such as Pepinos and Tamarillos will be fine. Take a reasonably substantial length (normally not less than 10cm) from the growing tip of the branch [twig]. Make the cut directly below a growth-bud. Remove all but the very top leaves, and reduce the size of the leaves which are left on, this reduces evaporation-loss of liquid from your cutting. Plant your cuttings in the propagating-mix to ¾ of its length. A rooting-hormone powder may be used, but is generally not necessary. Do not allow the propagating mix to dry out, and mist over the cuttings daily. Some method of supplying bottom-heat would be an advantage, such as sitting the container with the cuttings in the top of a hot-working compost heap. The cuttings may be potted-up as soon as the roots appear, often after only 3 weeks. Problems: Fungal infections resulting from the moist, humid conditions may require treatment with a fungicide.

Semi-Mature (Tip) Cuttings: Usually taken in Autumn. Citrus, Feijoa, and other evergreens can be propagated by this method. Note that many Citrus are prone  to soil-born diseases, and therefore only resistant varieties such as Poncirus trifoliata and citrange should be propagated by cuttings, usually for use as rootstocks. Take a reasonably substantial length (normally not less than 10cm) from the tip of a branch [twig] that has ceased its seasonal growth but is still green and soft. Make the cut directly below a growth-bud, or, if the propagating-wood is short enough, tear it off the main branch, leaving a “heel” of older wood attached. Remove all but the very top leaves, and reduce the size of those leaves, to reduce evaporation. Plant the cutting in the propagating mix to ¾ of its length. Do not allow the propagating mix to dry out. Some method of supplying bottom-heat is frequently an advantage. Commercial growers often heat the benches upon which the cutting trays are placed. The little plants should be rooted and ready to pot-up in Spring. Problems: Fungal infections are the worst danger, but watch out for snails and slugs.

Hardwood (Mature) Cuttings:  Usually taken in late Autumn or Winter. Deciduous fruit-trees can usually be grown by this method, but evergreens are also worth trying. Take a substantial length (normally not less than 15 cms long, or less than ½ cm thick). Make a slanting cut just above the terminal growth-bud, just as if you were pruning. Make a horizontal cut immediately below the bottom growth-bud on the cutting. Now you know which way is up, and you won’t plant the cutting upside-down! Remove any leaves. A slight vertical slit in the bottom of the cutting may increase the callous (rooting) area. Plant the cutting in the potting-mix to at least ¾ of its length (some propagators only leave the top bud above the surface). Rooting-hormone is generally a waste of money for hardwood cuttings. Do not allow the propagating mix to dry out. Some form of bottom-heat may help things along. The plants should be ready to pot-up by the following Winter. Some plants can take a very long time to produce roots: just put them back in and wait for another year!

Print this entry

Like many of the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern fruits, pomegranates (Punica granatum) grow well in South East Queensland. However, they do not seem to enjoy very great popularity as a fruit.  Perhaps this is because people don’t like the fuss involved in extracting the seeds, or don’t realise what can be done with the fruits, which can be made into jam, wine or the sweet syrup called grenadine. They may have forgotten what a delightful treat it is for small children to sit down with a large, red, juicy pomegranate and carefully extract the sweet, flesh-covered seeds, and then be allowed to spit the seeds out over the veranda rails.

I think it is time for a renaissance of the pomegranate, especially as there are now some superb cultivars available, with very large fruit – and even a seedless variety.  They have many benefits – being hardy, attractive, manageable bushes or small trees that tolerate a wide range of soil conditions, as well as wind, heat, cold and drought. Being ‘self-fruitful’, they can pollinate themselves. They have dense green foliage in all conditions (there are also variegated types), although in our climate, they are semi-deciduous. The distinctive flaming orange/red flowers are produced profusely in spring in our region. They can be grown as a hedge if planted about 2m apart.

I have taken an interest in pomegranates after I was given some cuttings of a cultivar described as having large, sweet fruit. These came from a woman whose family come from Dubrovnik in Croatia, and had brought the original tree to Australia many decades ago.  Pomegranates grow well in that region and around Italy, where they are much more appreciated as a fruit than here in Australia.

I found that the cuttings that I was given (about pencil thickness) struck very easily. The cuttings are best started in winter. All I did was strip most of the leaves, shave the cambium layer of bark from the bottom 40mm or so of the cutting, dip the base in rooting powder, and plant in good potting soil, with plastic bags over the tops of the pots to retain moisture. The cuttings produced new leaves within 2 weeks, and had good root systems in another 3 – 4 weeks.  A year later, I have sturdy trees in the ground that are now up to one metre in height, and growing vigorously. However, we will have to wait up to three more years to see how the fruit turn out, as the usual age for fruiting with pomegranates is 3 – 5 years. 

The pomegranate needs full sun and a long hot summer for good fruiting. However, they can also withstand low temperatures of -9° to -12°C and are very drought-tolerant (Tous and Ferguson 1996). Because they are adapted to dry summers, I think it is good idea to plant them in well-drained areas in our subtropical climate. A site with a slight slope would be ideal. Although there should be adequate rainfall in South East Queensland for fully established pomegranate trees, we have been having some very dry summers lately. In this situation, additional watering to maintain soil moisture in late summer and early autumn will help reduce the chance of the fruit splitting.

Another good thing about pomegranates is that they don’t need much care in the way of pruning. All you really need to do is some minimal pruning, such as removing any suckers at the base of the plant. Fruit is borne on the spurs which arise from 2 – 3 year old wood, so any pruning should retain sufficient of this older wood on the tree. They do have a tendency to produce suckers from the roots. You can also prune pomegranates to a particular desired shape. For a tree-shape, only allow one trunk to develop. If you are concentrating on fruit development rather than ornamental values, it is a good idea to cut the plant off at 50cm when planting out, and then allow three to five shoots that arise from the stem to develop into a framework (NSW Department of Agriculture, 1983). Alternatively, you can allow them to become bushy, or shape them into a hedge. A light annual pruning will encourage good quality fruit. According to Sheets, Du Bois and Williamson, pomegranates are adapted to many soil types from pure sand to heavy clay, but produce fruit the best when grown on deep, heavy, moist loams with a pH in the range of 5.5-7.0.  Fertilise in early spring and early summer. It’s best not to fertilise too close to fruit maturity (they ripen throughout autumn in South East Queensland)

There are now several varieties to choose from. ‘Wonderful’ has a very red fleshed, sweet fruit. It was developed in California and is available in Queensland. ‘Elcite’ is a variety that we have growing, which has produced well since its third year. Another that is readily available locally is ‘Galusha Rosavaya’. All these are currently in stock at Daley’s Nursery (www.daleysfruit.com.au). There is a nursery in Western Australia called ‘Fixed Stars, that specialises only in pomegranates – and will ship cuttings around Australia during June to August. They have at least a dozen different varieties, including a seedless one called ‘Jallore Seedless’(www.fixedstars.com.au).

Don’t be discouraged if your pomegranates drop their fruits in the first year or two. This is common in the first few years. However, it is worth noting that fruit drop is aggravated by over-fertilization or excess irrigation, both of which favour vegetative growth (Sheets, Du Bois and Williamson). When you do get fruit, it is best picked just before the fruit splits. Note that they do continue to sweeten off the tree. If dried out in sun, the shell becomes quite hard, and as long as the fruit has no damage on the skin, they will keep like this for up to 4 months.

Italians call the pomegranate ‘miela granata’ which means ‘grainy apple’. This is because of the multiple small segments contained in the fruit. These ‘grains’, which have red, pink or scarlet flesh surrounding a small seed, is technically called an ‘aril’. Because of the very high juice content (76% to 85% of the arils), it is well worth juicing. However, you do need to separate the arils from the rind before juicing, otherwise the juice will have a high tannin content, and be unpalatable. Interestingly, for commercial production, the whole fruit is juiced, and then the tannins are removed with the addition of gelatine. To make grenadine, add sugar in equal parts by volume to the juice, leave for two days, then bring to the boil, simmer five minutes, and bottle it hot in sterile bottles (Wilson).

Overall the pomegranate is versatile, attractive, tasty, and can adapt easily to the range of conditions in South East Queensland. The fruit is great fun to eat fresh from the tree, and is a good conversation starter for guests – most of whom will remember eating pomegranates in their childhood.

References:     NSW Department of Agriculture, 1983. Pomegranate Growing, AgFacts H3 1.42.

Sheets, M.D., Du Bois M.L., Williamson, J.G., 2004. The Pomegranate, Fact Sheet HS-44, Horticultural Sciences Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida.

Tous, J. and L. Ferguson. 1996. Mediterranean fruits. p. 416-430. In: J. Janick (ed.), Progress in New Crops. ASHS Press, Arlington, VA.

Wilson, P. The Pomegranate: More than a Multitude of Pips, Grassroots 19.

Print this entry

On a recent visit to the Museum here in Brisbane, I saw an exhibit on the Pituri bush which was used by the Aborigines. It grows to around 2.5mtrs. and is classified as a clonal shrub ie not propagated by seed. 

Our early European explorers in the Simpson Desert noticed the Aborigines chewing the leaves of the Pituri and discovered that it made them forget their thirst and hunger and made them happier. The leaves were moistened with saliva, roasted over a low fire then rolled to form a plug which they would carry behind the ear and used when necessary. The dried leaves were also mixed with ash of a certain Acacia and the mixture was believed to be more potent and as the ash had an alkaline effect, it released the active alkaloids in the plant so it could be absorbed more readily. The only member of the Burke & Wills expedition to survive, John King, admitted that it was chewing the Pituri that enabled him to survive. He said that by chewing the Pituri with the Aborigines he met, he became “perfectly indifferent to his miserable conditions”.

Besides being a reliever of hunger and thirst, the Pituri is also an hallucinogenic. Only the elders of a tribe were allowed to chew the leaves and this obviously helped them maintain their position within the tribe. Under the influence of Pituri, they claimed they could communicate with the spirits of their ancestors and were able to forecast the future. The plant does not grow in many areas of Australia and appears to be common in the south-west where Spinifex grows and is rare in the east so it became an important item of trade. Another way of use was to drill a small hole in the trunk, pour in some water, plug it and the following day it would become a strong liquor.

Emus were an important source of food so leaves were placed in a small dammed-off section of a waterhole and the rest concealed by a brush fence and the emu would become intoxicated and walk around in circles which would then make them very easy prey to catch. There are conflicting reports as to whether the poisoned emu’s stomach was eaten but the records show that humans can drink the affected water without ill effects, if not immediately then within a day or so. Other animals and birds were also captured by this method. The leaves are known to be particularly poisonous to stock and a few mouthfuls will kill an adult cow. The toxins are known to be nicotine or nor-nicotine and concentrations vary between plants. It is considered a narcotic plant in Queensland but is rarely used in the Northern Territory.

This bush reminds me of another plant found in India which has similar properties. The Trichopus zetlanicus ssp. travancoricus belongs to the family Trichopodaceae and is a rare, herbaceous, perennial and rhizomatous wild plant which is endemic to the Agasthyar Hills of Western Ghats (Kerala). Among the “Kani” tribes of Kerala, Trichopus zeylanicus is known as “Arogyappacha”, meaning green health and vitality. The tribes claim that one can go for days without food and still remain energetic and even go on performing very vigorous physical work or exercise by eating a few of the fresh fruit of Trichopus. They also claim that to remain healthy, agile, young and resistant to various diseases or infections, one should consume the fresh fruits of “Arogyappacha.

Print this entry

The way to dry Pitaya is very simple. Peel the skin and slice in ¼” thick slices and place on a wire rack so the fruit does not rest on a tray (the wire rack is very important). This helps the heat to circulate around the top and lower part of the fruit and not stick to the tray. Place the trays in the oven at 90ºC for 12 -15 hours – do this overnight so the kitchen is not being tied up. Once the slices are dried you can bag them in plastic bags. They are now ready to be saved or sold to the public.

This system allows the Pitaya to last for many months. You can put 3 racks at a time in your oven so if you have 20 slices per rack you will have a large finished product – 60 slices per night. If the fruit is not marketable because of cracks or production of fruit comes all at once and it cannot all be sold fresh, drying gives you the option of selling in that form. Drying improves the flavour considerably. This is because the water evaporates and you are left with a very sweet tasting fruit as the sugar remains in the dried fruit.

If you have dried red pitaya and have eaten in abundance, do not be alarmed if the colour of your stool becomes red as this is normal, much like when you eat beets. Most of the red coloured fruits are filled with antioxidants which are good for your health (pomegranate, beets, watermelon, tomatoes, berries). If you go to the section of photos in our `pitaya groups’, look in my folder of pictures. You will see how I have prepared the pitaya for drying or you can go to my website: www.edvaldivia.com

Hope you are successful and soon we will see more dried pitaya in the markets all year round.

Authored by: 

Edgar Valdivia from California

Sourced from: 

Sub-Tropical Fruit Club of Qld. Inc Newsletter October – November 2007

Print this entry

Having read Bob Baxter’s article on Pinto Peanut in the last newsletter I was prompted to submit the following to share some of my experiences with this plant. I have been using Pinto Peanut on my property for a number of years, my most recent planting of seed being in September 1999.

The seed is quite expensive ($15 kg in 1999) especially if you are planting large areas at the suggested sowing rates. My experience with direct sowing is that seed is slow to germinate, up to three years in some cases, and with a low germination rate – maybe rodents took the seed or maybe they just dried out, as I do not irrigate. Best time to plant is spring-summer in SE Qld, all year round in the tropics. Seed needs to be planted 2-3 cm deep, recommended sowing rates are lower than Nutri-Tech’s suggestion at 10-20 kg hectare.

This summer, having established a few vigorous areas of the plant, I experimented with transplants. A small section of plant with roots attached was potted into a 50mm pot, kept shaded and well watered until re-established (a matter of weeks) then transplanted to the new location. Success rate has been in the order of 70- 80% and probably would have been higher had we not had such hot dry conditions, I will be planting out more plants in late summer when (hopefully) the temperature has dropped a little and the rains are more regular.

I would recommend anyone wanting to establish this wonderful plant should obtain a small quantity of seed and try planting (1) in situ, (2) in a prepared seed bed (maybe under shade cloth or netting to deter rodents) and (3) in pots (again under cover). Once established after 1-2 years, transplant to other areas.

Best source for seed would be Primac or Grow Force, an information sheet I have from Seed Grain & Biotechnology Australia has a Qld contact of Paul Hinder – Phone (07) 5485 2425, Fax (07) 5485 2471.