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#31 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Brantford, ON, Canada
Posts: 1,341
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#32 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Laurinburg, North Carolina, zone 7
Posts: 3,207
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I think if I want an ornamental spiny plant, I'll stick with cardoons. I know they can also be invasive but at least they're good to eat from what I've heard.
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#33 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Mckinney, TX
Posts: 41
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Anyone harvesting Litchis yet? Mine has plenty of fruit but are taking forever. Do they fall? How to pick them? Thanks...
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#34 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Slovenia, EU
Posts: 249
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The fruits do not fall, but the husks open and 'curl' back somewhat for easier picking.
I do recommend using gloves while picking single fruits as the thorns are quite nasty. Or you can use scissors and cut off entire fruit branches when most of the fruits on them are ripe. It is easier to pick out single fruits off when away from the very prickly plant... |
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#35 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Mckinney, TX
Posts: 41
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Just tried our first Litchi's and after the extra work around the thorns its just not worth it. So many more varieties worth the time and effort.
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#36 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Houston, TX - 9a
Posts: 211
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Weird how much the opinions vary on this one. Maybe its different cultivars?
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#37 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 4,488
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![]() No ripe fruit yet............ So I am withholding my opinion for now.
__________________
Scott AKA The Redbaron "Permaculture is a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of protracted & thoughtful observation rather than protracted & thoughtless labour; & of looking at plants & animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single-product system." Bill Mollison co-founder of permaculture |
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#38 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Jacksonville, Fl
Posts: 820
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I have a love/hate feeling about this plant. Every year I promise myself I am not going to grow it again because I really do not like the taste at all. But the blooms are pretty and it attracts pollinators. And since I have been saving seeds I guess I am not done with it yet.
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#39 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Mckinney, TX
Posts: 41
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It does flower a lot and had about 30 fruit in process. But between getting tangled in its thorns and sub-standard taste I will try something else...
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#40 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Slovenia, EU
Posts: 249
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With Litchi Tomato, taste varies from season to season for sure.
Sometimes it tastes EXACTLY like cherries and sometimes it is simply blah. I noticed it tastes better when it gets enough water throughout the growing season as that makes the fruits juicier. With more juice comes more taste. In dry years it is just a bunch of seeds inside a red skin and no taste whatsoever... So irrigation might help with taste... |
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#41 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Mckinney, TX
Posts: 41
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I had drip irrigation. None of the other plants complained. Tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and melons all did/doing fine. Unless they need even more than the rest; I dont see a reason.
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#42 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: SC
Posts: 10
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Mine are in full bloom (thanks Zeedman for the seeds). I had one plant grow much faster then the rest and put on flowers 4-5 weeks earlier. The majority of the flowers fell off since there wasn't a pollination buddy, but strangley it did set 3 fruit. I'll be saving seeds from them with the hope of getting self pollinating offspring. Now that I have 10+ plants blooming they seem to be polinating easily.
I had some leftover soil from my raspberry pots so I have some growing in normal soil and some in acidic soil. They seem to be growing at the same rate, I was curious if it would affect growth and flavor. Bumblebees love these things, I'd probally grow a couple just for the flowers even if the fruit wasn't edible. ![]() |
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#43 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: west central ohio
Posts: 172
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I grew it this past year 2014 for the first time and the taste was very good, yes the spines can be difficult, I used my tongs for the grill and a scissors to remove the fruit . Made a pie today and used a cup of blue berries with 3 cups litchi, very tasty! Louie
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#44 |
BANNED FOR LIFE
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 13,333
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Louie, that sounds really good. I've got 5 litchi plants wanting to go in ground. I wish I knew if another freeze is coming or not.
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#45 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 4,488
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__________________
Scott AKA The Redbaron "Permaculture is a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of protracted & thoughtful observation rather than protracted & thoughtless labour; & of looking at plants & animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single-product system." Bill Mollison co-founder of permaculture |
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