Hi all I live in the subtropic part of Australia and am hoping to get some garden beds set up and start growing some food plants. I have chickens baby dragon fruit and lemon grass at present. The possums ate my pawpaw, and mulberry plants. the tomatoes grew like crazy and then did not bother to produce any tomatoes, my pineapple needs water (bring on the wet) and the limes have never fruited. The mango produced two mangoes that the wallabies did not eat. (the lower hanging ones were all nibbled by them but as it is a mum and joey I don't mind) I do tend to have a black thumb rather than a green one but am trying.
A source you might use for info [freshplaza.com] this is the Austrailian edition
Trick with the tomatoes? Cut them back...often.
It's tough getting fruit trees growing when you're surrounded with wildlife.
My son and Daughter in law are going through similar struggles on a 2 acre farm in Jupiter Farms Florida.
Good luck with keeping the wild ones away from your fruit....it's a constant. struggle....world wide.
Not just the fruit the possums at the pawpaw plant, I came out to a stick out of the ground. The mulberries it ate all of the leaves and bark so it died. I have mesh for when I try again. We don't have county fairs here once a year there is a local show but it is mainly for those that are industrial gardeners and local interest groups. I am going to attempt to grow bananas this year but am waiting for the rain to start so that they don't need to be watered.
What variety did you plant, and how hot did it get?
Some kind of cherry tomato, in a pot regularly watered but then the season changed and it was getting a massive amount of sun, I was also told that as I was hand watering that may have been the problem. I have only just got my dragon fruit it is in a big planter along side the chicken coop. I have it in a shaded area and water it infrequently and it seems to be surviving. It was cut from some plants at my friend's house where it was not getting any water apart from dew and was in full sun.
Cherry tomatoes need about 8-10 gallons of soil in a bucket, most people put them in too small a container. It needs to be under 27C at night for fruit to set, You can use blossom set if you are getting good blooms, then shake the plant.
@Budgie I started doing some reseach, there are special hybrids that are specifically for the tropic/subtopical areas, also You need a 15-20 gallon container (60-80 L) a little larger than we need here. With tomatoes started from seed, plant them as neart the bottom of the pot as you can, back fill with soil/mix as they grow, that will give you a much more robust root system.
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