Babaco (forum)

Peter Allen starts with ...
I have had so much sucess growing Babaco up here in Olinda where it snows at least Once a year, that I had to make wine from the fruit. Being a permaculture designer we just made a suitable micoclimate and they have never looked back.
Note: it takes longer to ripen fruti so it is nessisary to have two leading branches down here.
Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1

Time: 26th June 2007 9:16am

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kath says...
This is a beautiful babaco you have growing Peter. Can I ask is it on the northern side of your building?

Time: 26th June 2007 12:31pm

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Correy says...
This makes me very excited to have a baby babaco.

What do you mean "it takes longer to ripen fruit so it is necessary to have two leading branches?"

Time: 27th June 2007 5:26pm

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Jan says...
Hi Peter Allen.
Forgive me if I sound dumb, but is a Babaco a type of PawPaw.It looks like it.
What is the taste like. If I can't get a tree , would you be able to send me some seeds please. Regards Jan.

Also Daleys, Do you stock Babaco.I checked your list but did not see it there.

Time: 29th June 2007 10:06pm

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Correy says...
Hi Jan,

Daleys does sell the Babaco - Carica pentagona You will need to go to the Babaco Page and click email me when available and we will notify you as soon as they are ready.

They definitely look like a relative of the paw paw, they also do well in pots. All the fruits are seedless and the one I got from daleys is a grafted babaco.

Here are some links about the babaco you might like to look at

http://www.daleysfruit.com.au/fruit%20pages/babaco.htm

http://www.daleysfruit.com.au/plant/Babaco.htm



Time: 29th June 2007 10:40pm

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Peter Allen says...
Hi to Kath, this Babaco gets full Eastern aspect as we are on the east of the Melb ranges, it would be OK to the north but North East is probably the best aspect, the west would be too hot.

to Jan, It is a Hybrid mountain pawpaw species, see "The complete book of fruit groing in Australia" by Loius Glowinski P: 277 this book is excellent for all sorts of fruit from all climates and is simple to read with good detail.

to Correy, It will flower and fruit in one season in the sub tropics but here it has flowers and green fruit in Summer/ Autumn then from Sept to Dec they ripen, while the next set start growing above this lot.
This means you dont get to cut down the tree to a stump for it to shoot again (if you do you lose a years fruit) so I run two branches and cut them alt years to get fruit every year.

Time: 30th June 2007 9:02am

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Correy says...
That is a great idea cutting alternate branches. Something I will have to do with my one.

Time: 30th June 2007 10:36am

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Kath says...
"The babaco is thought to originate from a hybrid of two mountain or highland pawpaw species Carica pubescens and Carica stipulata, it has been cultivated in Ecuador since before the arrival of Europeans. Because there are only female babacos it does not produce seeds, it cannot be improved using conventional breeding techniques and it does not require cross pollination."
from Susanna Lyle's book - Discovering Fruit and Nuts.
Peter - We will be recommend a North eastern aspect to our southern customers for their babacos from now on.


Time: 2nd July 2007 2:49pm

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Tran says...
Hi Peter,

I have a fruiting Babaco in pot and it is getting quite big for the pot. In winter I cover the root with plastic sheets and almost all the leaves dropped except the fruits. I wonder if yours (soo beautiful) are on the ground. If so, please tell me if a special location that I should follow. I have a book from Dr Loius Glowinski

Many thanks

Tran

Time: 10th August 2007 1:22pm

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Anonymous says...
Hi Tran mine are in built up beds made of bluestone to store heat and give good drainage ( we get snow here yearly so they are under lazer lite)they have lost all their leaves for now with big frosts and 2 days snow but they will recover well and ripen sept- dec here in Olinda.
if you wish to plant it out i suggest put it against the house or a wall and face east or Nth east so its protected from cold wind/rain and frost, it will like good drainage so wath if you have sticky clay in Clayton ( you may have to build it up) or buy a wine barrel, but hey if it fruits now your going OK already, the next thing is to cut it off so it shoots out again, this is why I keep 2 branches cos you sacrifice those green fruit before they ripen down our way. I have been told you can use the green fruit to cook with such as in a curry to replace green paw paw but i have not tried it yet as they look as interesting as a choko. hey also make lousy wine but a nice spirit.
cheers peter
PS Louis book is great and so is he.

Time: 10th August 2007 7:44pm

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Tran says...
Good morning Peter,

Many thanks for the wonderful advice I will give it a go shortly.
You are right. There are lots of sticky clay underneath my garden so I have to be careful because I don't want to kill my tree.

Regards

Tran

Time: 11th August 2007 8:19am

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Correy says...
Well I am proud to say I have tasted my first babaco. The first bite was nothing like I expected perhaps because I expected it to taste like a paw paw. It certainly isn't sweet however the cultured taste almost like a good glass of wine starts making a great impression on you.

If you give them a bit of a chill in the fridge before eating them they are amazing. There is a lot of juice in each one.

My babaco is nearing it's second year and has 3 babacos forming on it.... I can't wait.

Time: 27th October 2007 5:58pm

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Anonymous says...
Hi Correy, yes there is a suprise if you thing you ae about to bite into a nice red pawpaw, the babaco has an acid taste ( like tamarillo) I suggest you eat it when it still has some green tinges on the edges and its quite firm, other wise we enjoy it teamed with the fleah of a mango as the compliment each other perfectly, just top & Tail the babaco and shove in the blender even with banana and some orange juice, we also freeze this mix for later in plastic cups. I have made wine , it smells like a fruit elexia cask wine but tastes very dry ( not my prefered style of wine) another one was wwe sent it to a freind who makes organic icecream and sorbets, the babaco's sharp aciddity is cut by the milk in icecream it's sensational.
why do you think I'm giving you recipes, well wait till next year we had so many fruit(even after 2 snows we ahd to make recipes)about 20-30 @ 1kg per plant.
they also freeze whole for later juicing.
so enjoy
peter

Time: 27th October 2007 7:20pm

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Banda Grey says...
Does anyone think that a babaco would fruit in south victoria.

Time: 8th November 2007 10:44pm

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Robbie says...
Hi Banda,
I know of a large Babaco plant fruiting at Springwood outside of Melbourne. It was carrying about 20 fruit when l saw it 2 weeks ago. Very healthy plant, growing outside in a raised bed and up against a wall facing east.

Time: 18th December 2007 7:17pm

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Correy says...
Our Babaco has it rock bottom. Before we re-potted it the leaves were turning yellow and falling off then when we took it out of the pot we noticed that the root had a white fungus around it.

Now all the leaves have fallen off and we cut the top off it to see if it was dead. I have got 3 pictures for you to see?

Does anyone have any advise or knowledge about what has happened?
Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1
Picture: 2
Picture: 3

Time: 30th December 2007 9:30am

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Kath says...
Your not over watering it are you Correy?

Time: 7th January 2008 1:13pm

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Correy says...
Yeah I think I must have been. Since those photos it is now shooting back so I am happy.

Time: 7th January 2008 3:22pm

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Scott G says...
I grew (or rather tried to grow) a Babaco here on The Gold Coast and I failed. I didnt have it in a pot so I couldn't control its watering too much. At first I had it planted on a raised bed of normal soil (here clay loam) in full sun. It didn't like the heat and dropped its leaves. Then I replanted it under the bananas for some shade and cool. The soil there was damper and very high in organic matter. It began to recover then its roots rotted. I transplanted the side shoots in various places and some of them took root. Then we had a rainy period and they rotted too.

Correy: are you sure you are right when you said "the one I got from daleys is a grafted babaco"? Do you mean it is/was on a pawpaw rootstock?

A grafted babaco on a pawpaw rootstock might be the answer to my problems.




Time: 8th January 2008 9:44am

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Correy says...
Yes my babaco is grafted onto Papayuelo rootstock. If you have a look at these comments on the babaco page you will notice that drainage is number one priority.

It was my fault because when I first planted the babaco I was just starting out and didn't know the joys of selecting a good quality potting mix.

Now that it has been re-potted it looks like it is getting some great regrowth see picture 1.
Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1

Time: 8th January 2008 10:29am

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Larry says...
Hi Correy,
What you have is root rot. When you have moist conditions with not much sunlight a white fungis appears. They will go up the minor cappileries in your root system and slowly kill your plant. Symptoms are leaves yellowing and/or lower leaves slowly dying and falling off. The only cure is to repot your plant with different potting mix and pot. If wish to reuse the original pot you will have to clean it with bleach. Prevention is always better than the cure, make sure you have excellent drainage at the base of your pot and don't over water in winter.

Time: 27th May 2008 5:39pm

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Bill says...
I would like to buy off someone a few young babaco plants, or even just rooted babaco trunks, and am willing to pay a reasonable price for them. Do please shoot me an email at bill.wailum@bigpond.com if you have some to spare, so that I too can enjoy what you guys are talking about

Time: 1st June 2008 8:32pm

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juanita says...
Bill,

I bought my babaco's from CERES...Email or give them a call.

Time: 7th June 2008 12:28am

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Bill says...
Hi Juanita,

Many thanks for your suggestion. I goggle searched and found CERES Community Invironment Park, is that it? ... they are located in East Brunswick ...

Time: 10th June 2008 9:22pm

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juanita says...
Hi Bill,

Yep, that's the one.I bought my babaco,(also moringa & atemoya for friends) from them on 2005 0r 06...You can get there by tram too.

Good luck..

Time: 11th June 2008 12:50am

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Bill says...
Thanks Juanita, I will call them. Bless you

Time: 11th June 2008 10:15pm

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Kate says...
hi there,
I have bought 2 babaco trees from daleys nursery. planted them both at the same time. One is near the fence protected by a gardenia tree and pepino bush and is doing nicely and has 2 tiny fuit on it and nearly a metre high. the other one though is about 6 foot away and is only half the size. It is more exposed though to the elements, does anyone have any ideas, does anyone companion plant?

Time: 18th June 2008 6:17pm

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Jeff says...
I planted a Babaco tree from Daleys about 10 months ago. Since then it has grown from about 30cm to over 2 metres, and has heaps of fruit on it (about 20). However, for some reason, the fruit do not seem to be ripening. The largest ones have been sitting apparently dormant for about 4 months, with no change in size or colour. The tree is still growing and making more new fruit. Any ideas?

Time: 8th July 2008 10:10am

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Anonymous says...
Dont worry ... mine did the same. the fact is making more new growth and fruit is a good sign. It should ripen up in Spring.

Rich
www.happyearth.com.au


Time: 8th July 2008 4:16pm

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leanne says...
i was wonderring if anyone nows of babaco growing commercially in Aust. if so where?

Time: 26th August 2008 9:30am

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Anonymous says...
No . And the reason is no one would buy it.

Time: 26th August 2008 10:20am

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Scott G says...
Mt Tamborine (behind The Gold Coast) had a commercial grower but the old guy retired due to ill health. I think the orchard that is next to his house now goes untendered! A real shame.

Time: 26th August 2008 4:01pm

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leanne says...
I was wondering if we all like the taste why Sydney anonymous feels that no one would buy the babco fruit???

Time: 28th August 2008 11:19am

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Peter the permie says...
Hi I sell all my fruit at the farmers markets here in melb from Sept to next aopril as they ripen , I dont get to eat any now as they all go ( annd so do the trees I propogate as its dead easy)

cheers peter
www.petethepermie.com

Time: 30th August 2008 6:25pm

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Manda says...
Does anyone in Perth have a Babaco tree in Perth, that they would be prepared to propograte a cutting off it for me???? I would be willing to pay.

Time: 31st August 2008 6:39pm

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leanne says...
Hi Peter, thanks for the feedback. if you do not mind me asking "like how much fruit would you sell and do you sell them on kilo weight or per fruit". have you been selling Babaco's long.

Time: 22nd September 2008 9:49am

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juanita says...
Hi Peter, where is farmer's mkt? How far is farmer's from hoppers where i live? I would like to buy 1 or 2 fruits for taste...My babaco tree is too young to bear fruit yet.

Time: 23rd September 2008 1:04am

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clarence says...
Hi guys, I am trying to get my hands on a babaco plant since I first saw it in the Royal Botanical Gardens last week. I thought it was a paw paw tree but was really fascinated when I was told it was babaco. Does anyone have any cuttings to sell or know a nursery in Melbourne where these plants could be obtained ? Please email me at yapc@bigfoot.com if you could assist. Thank you for your assistance.

Time: 7th October 2008 9:52pm

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Jantina says...
Hi Clarence, think I recall seeing babaco in a Diggers catalogue some time ago. Jantina

Time: 7th October 2008 10:18pm

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juanita says...
As i said before , i got mine from CERES in east brunswick

Time: 8th October 2008 12:43am

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Bill says...
Hi Clarence, I bought mine at Garden World on Springvalle Road,Melb last summer

Time: 15th October 2008 9:02pm

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leanne says...
I was recently pleasantly surprised when after a branch with 7 fruit broke off in the wind all but one small one ripened up they had been completely grren it was great. so don't throw your green fruit away there is hope yet.

Time: 13th November 2008 3:04pm

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Anonymous says...
I am looking for a babaco in California any suggestions on where I can find one? A rooted cutting would be fine. Just something to start with. Thanks.


Time: 5th December 2008 4:19am

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Phil says...
Try posting at the Cloudforest Cafe forum. Lots of people in California post there.

Time: 5th December 2008 9:38am

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Anonymous says...
thanks, I've already tried there to no avail unfortunately.

Time: 13th December 2008 9:56am

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Ellen says...
To: Correy
Woolloongabba, QLD


How did you grafted the Babaco onto a papayuelo rootstock ?

And how does the plant turned out now ? (I would like to know).

Time: 14th April 2009 5:55am

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Liz says...
Manda - Joyce (from Boya) offered on another thread to swap some babaco cuttings, so she might alternatively be willing to sell some:
https://www.daleysfruit.com.au/forum/dragon-fruit/?PHPSESSID=649da1b2ad68e6053826ef724e865b40

Time: 3rd May 2009 12:26am

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Dominik says...
I have a half a metre tall, almost mature babaco in a pot, and am prepared to sell it for about $60. If planted into the ground, it will probably bear fruits this year. If you are interested then call me on 0395372854.

Time: 6th June 2009 10:21am

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Michael says...
Anyone living in the Sydney area and wishing to buy Babaco plants - There is a nusery just outside Trash and Treasure ( turn left when exiting )in Casula that was selling them for $25 . I bought two from them and they were around 45 - 60 cm tall and just over a year now and look how tall and how many fruits I have from them already.It is seasonal and if I remember it correctly they were restocking it around August - October ( Sorry I don't recall the name of the nusery )

The small babaco in the orange pot was a purchase from Daleys and frutied in no time at all after purchase.



Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1
Picture: 2
Picture: 3
Picture: 4

Time: 10th June 2009 4:25pm

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Julie says...
Welldone Michael! What did you feed your babaco tree to produce such a healthy and fruity tree like that. Please give me a hint.mine has the same size and fruitless.

Many thanks in advance

Time: 10th June 2009 7:32pm

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Michael says...
Hi Julie,
I didn't do anything special to my babaco apart from putting it into a 55cm pot with premium potting mix bought from bunnings. I added half a kilo of chicken liver into the pot at the beggining and added a layer of mushroom compost at the top. I water it once a week and just a few months later tiny fruits started appearing. I don't think my fruiting babaco was due to any special technique but more to the suitability of the weather and how much sun it gets. Of the two I bought from the same nusery one fruited in 2 months and the other a year later. The earlier frutied plant was in full sun all day while the other one was in part shade . So from two plants bought at the same nursery and being potted with the same potting mix and watering patterns ,one fruited in 2 months and the other frutied a year later with the only difference being the amount of sunlight each plant recieves .

Not sure if this was helpful or not ?

Time: 11th June 2009 1:41pm

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amanda says...
Hi Michael - did u use chicken LIVERS? How did they go in a pot? Did it get all smelly n rotten at all? I am really curious about it!? I would never have thought of putting offal in a pot..there was a lady on the forum recently asking about putting her placenta in a pot too? Info could b of help to her.

Time: 11th June 2009 10:05pm

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juanita says...
I agree w/ Michael,warm weather & plenty of sunshine are needed to initiate fruits set on babaco...I planted mine on the southeast side of the garden instead of northeast w/c i think is more suitable & perhaps will set fruits earlier..

Time: 12th June 2009 1:19am

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Julie says...
Many thanks Michael. when the weather gets warmer I will get some chicken livers and place mine in sunny spot and hopefully it will give me plenty of fruits in the year to come.

Time: 12th June 2009 8:50am

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Julie says...
Years ago it used to be recommended to put an oxheart or liver under passionfruit. My thinking was it was an old-fashioned country idea - offal was probably easily available and free or cheap.

It's not any longer, and I feel sure using a handful of blood and bone would do the same thing, but cheaper.Any thoughts on this?


Time: 14th June 2009 6:21pm

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amanda says...
Julie - that's probly quite true about offal! Liver is full of iron also. Any organics that you can add to your soil is worthwhile.

It's illegal to collect roadkill if it's a native spp but for the rest ok. I pass loads of rabbit roadkill - one day i will get motivated to chuck it in the back the truck for fertiliser!

Bury it deep n put branches on top to stop dogs digging it up - works for me. I am also going to approach my local dog groomers n hairdressers for all the hair n stick in my compost...pure nitrogen for free. Saves $ and recycles.

Time: 17th June 2009 1:13am

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geraldton.WA
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Julie says...
I didn't know that! Why is it illegal to pick up native roadkill? It just sits there. Maybe it is food for birds, but so is any other animal.

I see lots of dead bandicoots round here, but haven't thought to pick them up.

Time: 17th June 2009 2:13pm

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virginny says...
It is illegal to believe what amanda says.

Time: 17th June 2009 2:21pm

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amanda says...
Hi Julie - it's mentioned in one of my many books - haven't confirmed it for myself. I know the dead turtles on the beach in Carnarvon were not allowed to be touched either (we worked in fishing industry there) many people tempted to take the shell. I guess it would be open to abuse by poachers for skins etc.
It's illegal to collect many things (depending on where u live): wildflowers, seaweed, bush plants/seeds, etc

Time: 18th June 2009 9:39am

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geraldton.WA
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TheCastle says...
We search Babaco or champagne fruit - Carica pentagona, we want to buy it, this is our dream of several years, we investigate this plant for our mini-botanical garden:

http://www.sarafovo.net/zamakat/bulgaria/garden.html

We would be very glad if you help us with something, we are ready to pay the required price, we wait eagerly your reply. We are interested in other exotic fruits too such as Sapodilla.
Sincerely, Ani Gencheva

Time: 28th June 2009 7:56pm

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About the Author TheCastle
Bulgaria, Burgas
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TheCastle says...
If someone can help us or sell me Babaco
here is our e-mail: zamakat@yahoo.com
Thank you!

Time: 28th June 2009 7:59pm

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Bulgaria, Burgas
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TheCastle says...
Hi, Juanita! Can you tell me some contact information about CERES, like e-mail or something, I do Goodle search, i tried to find CERES e-mail but nothing .. :/ Please help me, i really need to find this babaco and buy it :)

Time: 28th June 2009 8:24pm

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juanita says...
Hi castle,

You can also get babaco from daley's fruit for the same price...I guess postage can be quite expensive for oversea clients?

http://www.daleysfruit.com.au/fruit%20pages/babaco.htm

Good luck

Time: 1st July 2009 12:21am

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TheCastle says...
Hi, Juanita. We heartily thank you for rapid response. We recently wrote to them on this site, but they didnt have babako and maybe not possible to send for oversea. So we are looking for other ways. It is only one place on earth where you can buy babako? Our hope is that someone at home keeping babako will read our request and we will buy it from him. The price of the plant plus the cost of transport. Is this plant located somewhere in Europe?

Time: 5th July 2009 7:42pm

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Bulgaria, Burgas
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juanita says...
Hi Castle,

Try spain & Italy, you might be able to get it there...It's not that easy to send plants oversea due to quarantine restriction...

Good luck!

Time: 7th July 2009 12:30am

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Speedy says...
hi Castle ,
I reckon Juanita is on the money there.
Try searching these for poeple in Europe with them and go from there.

http://growingontheedge.net/viewforum.php?f=2

http://www.cloudforest.com/

Time: 7th July 2009 12:24pm

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TheCastle says...
Thank you, friends, you are great, thanks for responsiveness. So, my job is really hopeless. I'm goofy entusiasit. I'm sending you a link to see my mini-botanical garden, which is made in our modest bulgarian options, but I made it for a long 20 years period of work and much fantasy.

http://zamakat.com/flash-gallery/
http://zamakat.com/bulgaria/garden.html
http://zamakat.com/bulgaria/page4.html

I hope you like it. I will make the attempts for the guidelines that you gave, but if you hear anything, write me to my e-mail: zamakat@yahoo.com

Oh, I forgot to tell you, that I discovered sometime before Babaco of auction in e-bay, and the price was reached about $ 60, but remained 10 hours to the end of the auction and couldn't get a registration. And so i missed it, it's sold. Now there isn't any of it. ;(

Time: 10th July 2009 8:57pm

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Liz says...
Hi everyone - interesting comments on offal and chicken livers and placentas... long, long ago (well, in the 1970's...) a nurse that I know used to bring placentas home from the hospital and use them to fertilise the roses... they grew really well! ...as Julie alluded, blood and bone is pretty much the same - just processed! ...and I guess which is more expensive depends on circumstances - if you're on a farm, growing chooks or come across lots of roadkill, roadkill or butchering scraps would be cheaper than blood and bone... I think Bill Mollison used to talk about mulching cats, too...

Happy gardening... :-)
Liz

Time: 13th July 2009 10:42pm

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Thornlie (Perth) WA
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amanda says...
Liz- interesting comments! I was always tempted to pilfer the blood donations that got binned due to use-by-date being up - for the garden. Possibly gross thought, I know, by why waste a totally useful and clinically tested "clean" product?

Many blood donations don't get used - I donate blood and would (personally) like to know it was put to good use rather than in landfill?

Time: 17th July 2009 12:49am

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Speedy says...
Yeah, Ive used dead amimals before,
and i know a guy who would collect the dogs and cats from the pound who'd had the 'Green Dream' and he'd bury them and plant trees on them.
he's now got a beautiful food forest.
Were often slaugtering sheep for food and the leftovers come in really handy for adding nutrient to the soil.
This weekend were doing a big pig!
Hmmm ...salami, prociutto, and REAL bacon.
and the left overs (not a real lot) to grow an apple tree for sauce for a pig two yrs from now.
The cycles of life, death, life....;-)


Time: 17th July 2009 10:51am

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amanda says...
Wow speedy - is that home grown pork? Friends of ours had a mangoe farm and two pigs that got fed all the surplus mangoes for months b4 slaughter...the meat was beautiful, tender and "fruity"..(true!). I have have always been keen on marketing roo proscuitto - I tried it once - it was really good!

Time: 19th July 2009 12:50pm

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Liz says...
...saw on the local tip website last week that they charge $19 to dispose of the body of a "small animal" - might be an opporunity to undercut them and fertilise the garden at the same time! ;-)

Time: 20th July 2009 5:15pm

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Thornlie (Perth)
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amanda says...
Hi Liz..thanks for that info (sincerely)..it's given me a chuckle every time I read it! :) ironic that a tip charges to dispose of something organic I thought.. :)


Time: 20th July 2009 11:33pm

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Speedy says...
Yep, home grown.... nectarines, peaches , grapes, pumpkins and foodscaps turned into pancetta, prosciutto, and salami.
an a few spare ribs while doing all the work.
Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1
Picture: 2
Picture: 3

Time: 22nd July 2009 2:49pm

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Speedy says...
Oh, and ...BABACOn.... ;-P

Time: 22nd July 2009 2:53pm

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amanda says...
MMMnnn..bet those ribs were good too! and no post-weaning systemic wasting syndrome..he he!..Thanks for pics - I'm looking forward to having a cupla breeder sows of my own one day!
Please let me know how u do the proscuitto one day? ..i researched on internet ages ago but it seemed a bit full-on the traditional way (for our climate)I thought it would go off.

Time: 22nd July 2009 7:25pm

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Mike says...
Has anyone planted babaco from cuttings? I've got one babaco and want to take some cuttings from it to plant more. What is the best way for me to achieve this? Also, what season (month) should I do this. I live in Melbourne.

Time: 23rd July 2009 11:19pm

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Melbourne
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Speedy says...
Back on topic...
cuttings is the traditional propagation method, though grafting and micropropagation can be done,
they're more recent methods.

Take cuttings say, about 10 times as long as thick (eg. 2cm dia x 20cm long).
Leave to dry and heal the cut ends.
You can paint the cut ends with potassium permanganate
solution (enough to make water red-purple) as fungicide before drying,
but not essential.
put gently into coarse sandy potting mix
without breaking sealed cut ie. don't just shove them in, rather,
make hole, insert cutting, backfill/ firm down and water.
water once and once only as they're very sensetive to rotting.
Avoid getting the top of cutting wet unnecesarily.
stem cutting that is - tips, no worries

do them in late winter-spring.
they dont like too hot or too cold,
around 25degC is optimum.
closer to winter if further north.

oh yeah, just thought I'd replace the pig pic with the orginal babaco pic.
Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1

Time: 24th July 2009 12:10am

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About the Author Speedy
Swan Hill, Vic
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Mike says...
Thanks so much for the advice Speedy. I'll give it a go. How long will the cutting take to establish roots and sprout leaves after I've put it in the ground?

Time: 24th July 2009 5:18pm

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Melbourne
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Toby says...
Anyone have any babaco in Perth for sale? I'm still looking. Daleys had some a while ago but they won't send to Perth. Diggers will send to Perth but I'd prefer to buy locally. Anyone want to sell a cutting or something?

Time: 24th July 2009 5:50pm

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Perth
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Liz says...
Diggers are out of stock, anyway... I'm looking for some, too, if anyone manages to track them down in Perth or is prepared to sell cuttings! :-)

Liz

Time: 30th July 2009 7:09pm

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Julie2 says...
Ive recently moved from new zealand to brisbane,Australia.25 odd years ago i remember my godmother having a babaco tree in her yard,the fruit was devine.Years have gone by and ive never seen any for sale in n.z and apon going to visit my childhood town the plant had since been dug up and got rid of.I always thought it was weird never seeing anymore plants or fruit available in n.z.Ijust put it down to being a magical plant my godmother had..
Can you get them in Brisbane?if so where?We are in Banyo about 10 minutes from the Brisbane Airport.

Time: 31st July 2009 2:55pm

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new zealand
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Correy says...
Julie2,
They certainly are a bit of a rare fruit. Which is probably why you won't get many in bunnings and typical garden centers.

They are very popular at Daleys I just had a look at the figures for this year and so far we have sold 99 of them.

We added 10 to the website on the 29th of July 09 and they were all purchased within 24 hours. We Send them out to people by mail order.

May I suggest that you put your email address down at this page so you can get a sms or email next time we have some ready.

Babaco or Champagne Fruit

In my household only 2 of us like them. The others don't. I like how they aren't too sweet and when they are chilled they have a great texture. As long as you don't get any of the pulp in your mouth of course.

Time: 31st July 2009 6:38pm

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Woolloongabba, QLD
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Toby says...
If only you could send them to WA you'd sell a few more ...

If Diggers can, surely you guys can too? I.e. they must've found a way for Customs to let them through?

Time: 4th August 2009 9:32am

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Peter the permie says...
Hi Speedy thanks for reinstating the pic I put up 2 years ago, since then I have produced probably 50 plants from my original 2 by using the method described by you.
we have also been selling the fruit when we have excess at farmers markets from Sept to March in Melb.
we have also experimented with these acid fruit, we made wine & snapps but some of our favourite recipes are to make, sorbet, organic Icecream (the milk cut the acid well)smoothy's with a mango or banana. but the best seems to be to 1/4 them lengthways and place in a pan with a little water and 2 spoons of demara sugar and bake on 180c for 1/2 hour. my wife will eat a whole fruit for brekkie with yogurt this way.
cheers and enjoy
pete the permie

Time: 8th August 2009 10:26pm

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monbulk vic
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Michael says...
Hi Peter,
My Babaco plant is growing in a pot with nice green fruits on them . My problem is that they have stop growing in size and have been green for almost a year now. Tiny fruits keep growing on top but the bottom ones don't turn yellow at all. When should I expect the fruit to turn yellow ?
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Picture: 1

Time: 8th August 2009 10:49pm

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snottiegobble says...
Hi guys, dont forget that although the babaco comes from Equador it hails from halfway up the Andes! Cool! & being on Andes mountainsides they dont get WET FEET for long. If anything kills them its WET FEET!
Cheers dave

Time: 10th August 2009 1:50am

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HappyEarth says...
Agreed - Ive lost three babacos to wet feet - you must give them excellant drainage or keep them in a pot.

Hi Michael - the fruits take about a year to fully ripen and will ripen up for you in spring.

BTW, does anyone have any cuttings they are willing to swap for something? I have Miracle fruit at the moment?

Rich
www.happyearth.com.au

Time: 10th August 2009 7:02am

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Wollongong
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Ellen says...
Is this a sign of wet feet ?

as you can see trunk skin is starting to peel off and it is showing the fibrous layer of the trunk .

Can I save it still ?
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Picture: 1

Time: 10th August 2009 7:37am

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JUJUBE FOR SALE IN MELBOURNE says...
Hi Ellen,

It looks to me that your babaco has wet feet. I think it will collapse at that point. You can test it by slight press that bit with your fingers and see it is firm like other part of the trunk or not. If not then it will collapse. If that is the case then chop the green part the still ok and cut into 20cm in length and let it dry up for a week then try to regrow them in propagating sand. Water only once a month untill the weather get warmer. BTW, it looks to me that your soil is a bit clay so please test by making a hole and pour a bit of water in the hole and see how long it disappear? I think you may have to mould your soil to have the best drainage.

Time: 10th August 2009 8:24am

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Ellen says...
Yes Nguyet

2ocm of top soil there is clay like but below is well drain soil, the thing was when I put the tree down, I thought since it a shalow root tree, just to give it a push, I'll plant it down further a bit,,,man,,,disaster .

Yes, the fibrous side of the trunk is quite soft while the other half is still very sturdy .

This propagating sand , should I mix the sand with anything or just plain sand will do ?

Time: 10th August 2009 9:35am

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JUJUBE FOR SALE IN MELBOURNE says...
Hi Ellen,

Babaco can't stand clay soil unless you apply claybreaker to your soil. If I was you, I would either plant in pot or make a mould, apply clay breaker then grow on the ground.

Potting mix or washed sand or sand mix with potting mix will do. I did plant a skinny trunk in a pot in June last year in moist potting mix with no watering at all and 3 months later it had root on it. It was in my laundry room. The tree is one year old now.

I believe when you built your house the bulldoze did turn your soil a bit upside down so the clay soil on top of the normal soil.

Please do not put all cuttings in one pot just in case the rotten bit may spread to the rest. The important bit is to keep the medium moist but not wet.

If your top 20 cm is clay you may want to apply claybreaker to your garden because most trees don't like wet feet in general. BTW, I am not sure about your blueberry trees whether you should apply claybreaker to surrounding area of the trees because they like acid soil and from my memory claybreaker may increase PH but bluberry trees hate wet feet too.

Time: 10th August 2009 9:59am

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Tabs says...
Does anybody have a Mountain Paw Paw (Carica Pubescens)? This is one of the parents of the Babaco. I have a female with loads of flowers but no male to pollinate it. By the way, my 3yo Babaco was really loaded this last year, so much so, that it fell over with the weight. Some of the fruit was huge, about 14" long and too large to get my hands around it. It took three people to lift it up and stake it in place. Its still doing fine with fruit left over from last autumn. It faces north, planted in the ground. We have clay soils here but I have put plenty of organic matter into it. It does however, sit 2 feet away from a steppe as we are on sloping ground and it has been really dry these last few years. It also has a fence protecting it from the westerlies.

Time: 11th September 2009 12:31am

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Beverly Hills
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Ellen says...
Hi Tabs

Can you post a picture up of your Mountain Paw Paw, so we can visualizes :-)

Time: 11th September 2009 6:25am

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Julie says...
I have a mountain paw paw I grew from seed. Quite disappointed in the fruit though - it comes all at once and doesn't keep well. Mine had a slightly bitter aftertaste.

I believe there are named varieties that are better. I haven't watered mine for the last couple of summers, so no fruit!

Time: 11th September 2009 6:21pm

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JUJUBE FOR SALE IN MELBOURNE says...
Hi Julie,

May I please ask how long did it take for your mountain paw paw to produce fruits from seed?. Many thanks in advance.

Time: 11th September 2009 6:46pm

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Tabs says...
Hi Ellen
The last three of these pictures are of the female mountain pawpaw with stacks of flowers and the other one is my babaco with the last of last seasons fruit, it seems to supply fruit continuously throughout the year.
Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1
Picture: 2
Picture: 3
Picture: 4

Time: 12th September 2009 12:14pm

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Beverly Hills (Sydney)
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Ellen says...
Thank You Tabs, your babaco's look superb .

Just a thought. Since you don't have a male mountain paw paw plant (flowers) to set off the female mountain paw paw (flowers), have you tried experimenting with using babaco's flowers in hand pollinating it ? Who knows it could turn out to be a very good experimentation and give you something else really good too .

Time: 12th September 2009 1:38pm

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Julie says...
Oohps! My mistake. Looking through my books, what I have is papaw (Asimona triloba), native to North America. I've had it so long I had forgotten!

Mountain Pawpaw, according to 'The Illustrated Book of Food Plants' is Carica condamarcensis. 'It has similiar but smaller fruits (to Papaya) which need to be cooked before eating or may be made into jam; its virtue is that it can be grown at higher altitudes in the tropics than the papaya'.

So what you have Ellen looks to me like a normal papaya - commonly, but incorrectly, called pawpaw.

Papaw, pawpaw, papaya - it's confusing, isn't it?





Time: 12th September 2009 4:13pm

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Tabs says...
Hi Ellen, I have tried both Babaco and male Paw Paw flowers but to no avail. May be a red bisexual will cross pollinate with it.
I got this Mountain Paw Paw from Diggers but they are no longer selling them. Waiting for a reply from them, may be they can tell me who their supplier was.

Time: 12th September 2009 8:42pm

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snottiegobble says...
Today I was contacted by Dayleys telling me that they now have babacos in stock & of course I was elated, but hell when I went to order " WA quarantine does not allow import of babacos" met my eyes. I just cannot understand this because "Diggers" (when they have babacos in stock) can send them to WA!
If you read " Grass Roots' mag No 176 page 16 " Tantalising Babaco" you will understand my frustration because I am the author of that article, & as a result I was able to send babaco cuttings to many customers around Aust..( They travel very well as tip & stem cuttings when about 16cm & the ends allowed to dry off for a day before dispatch in AP blister envelopes. Early budding cuttings were the most successful) Of course when I moved to WA 6 months ago I had to leave my babacos behind.
I never thought for a moment there would be quarantine problems with a fruit that CAN ONLY be grown from cuttings!! It just doesnt add up !!
Anyone who can help please contact me on magixan05@yahoo.com.au
cheers Dave


Time: 22nd September 2009 10:37pm

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Wayne says...
The following notice seems to appear on every Nursery site that I have visited of late -- "Because of recently introduced Quarantine requirements we are no longer able to send any seeds to WA customers" -- regardless of what you want to buy. I have been wondering about how you guys are getting on over there, seems pretty stupid to me.

Time: 23rd September 2009 8:08am

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About the Author Wayne
Mackay QLD
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Jimmy says...
babaco is allowed entry, www.agric.wa.gov.au/quarantine.

small shipments under 20 plants are exempt from the spraying requirements but all others apply.

Time: 23rd September 2009 11:14am

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snottiegobble says...
Thanks Jimmy, but i cant find babaco anywhere in that site. I tried Quarantine & alpha index sections.
If you could order some I would happily pay you as would many others in WA. You would make a killing, mate! I am also interested in apricots !!
Cheers Dave
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Time: 29th September 2009 12:29am

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Bunbury
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Jimmy says...
did you find the do it your self search site? Otherwise, 08 9334 1800 and ask for Sue Turner.

Time: 29th September 2009 3:55pm

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Damian says...
Tried my first home grown babaco yesterday. Found it rather sour and tangy. It wasn't unpleasent but not nice to eat either. I did read it's known to have a different taste to papaya, i didn't expect it to be "sour".

The fruit was totally yellow and fragrant. The smell was sweet and nice, but the taste was an unpleasent surprise.

Is this normal or perhaps the quality of my fruit is poor?

Time: 1st December 2009 9:41am

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About the Author Damian1
Melbourne
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JUJUBE FOR SALE IN MELBOURNE says...
Hi Damian,

Yes, It is normal taste of babaco. It is a beautiful tropical tree but average tasting fruit for some. I would slice them up and sprinkle with sugar and leave it overnight and serve as fruit salad. You could stir fry the green fruit with chicken or beef slices or make curry with it.

Time: 1st December 2009 10:10am

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Michael says...
I agree with Damian. I had high expectations for this fruit but find it below par. It tastes sour and soapy to me. Also the pepino is in this category for me. The taste is like an unripe cucumber to me rather than a honey dew.Unfortunately these are two of my most productive plants in the garden.

Time: 1st December 2009 1:27pm

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About the Author Michael
Wakeley
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Diana says...
Hi Michael and Damian,

I agree about the babaco. I bought a few tropical and subtropical fruits that I hadn't tried at tropical fruit world, before I bought the plants. I'm glad I tried the babaco before I bought one, because I didn't like it. YThe same goes for canistel.

I initially thought the same about the pepino, before I discovered eventually that I had been picking them too soon. They have to be really super-ripe and yellow all over, then they will taste sweet (assuming that climate allows where you are- e.g. pawpaws in Melbourne are never really sweet).

I do have quite a few plants in my garden that I have never found for sale, and bought because of the description of their taste, though. I read a posting on the kei apple page recently that someone has pulled theirs up because it tasted horrible (the description is like apricots). On the other hand, some people don't like Atherton raspberries, and I love mine.

Does anyone else have an example of something they thought would taste good based on the description, but actually it does not?

Time: 1st December 2009 5:15pm

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Peter the permie says...
Hi guys , yes the Babaco is an acid fruit more like the Tamarillo, but we have found it very good when used in both Icecream (the milk cuts the acid) and in sorbet,. but the best way to use them has to be Baked- slice a whole fruit longways into 1/4's and place in dish with a touch of juice ( apple) and sprinkle with Demara sugar bake at 150-180C for 1/2 hour my wife eats a whole fruit for breaky like this with yogurt.
my worst experience was making wine ( I had so many fruit here after the snow in the hills above Melbourne) it smelt like a "Tropicana cask" from the 70's but tasted of a very dry white wine, I only drink red (whites for cleaning the BBQ)

cheers peter
PS: I have people line up to buy fruit on my stall at the weekends so I turn mine in to cash to spend on more trees to increase our 1000 vars we grow now.


Time: 5th December 2009 6:37pm

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monbulk vic
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Violet Cactus says...
If you think babaco is tasteless, think again! I got a recipe from a South American. They love babaco over there. You just cut it up and stew it with a tiny squeeze of lemon juice, a good helping of sugar and enough cinnamon for your personal taste.
I do a variation on this recipe with powdered cardamom instead of cinnamon and it tastes heavenly. You can eat it warm or cold. You don;t have to add water before stewing because babacos are so juicy. I also make babaco jam and babaco marmalade. Delicious!
And they grow SO EASILY off cuttings that off my original tree (which took 2 years to fruit, as they all do) I now have six more trees and I could easily take more cuttings. I am giving away babaco trees to friends and relatives while the mother tree is still producing heaps of fruit. This tree is one of the best plants I have ever bought.

Time: 9th December 2009 1:36am

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About the Author VioletCactus1
Melbourne
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Violet Cactus says...
PS We also had the that experience with pepino, of tasting it before it was ripe, before we knew what to look for.

It tasted like bland cucumber and we were not impressed.

Later we found one on the plant that had turned golden all over and it tasted TOTALLY different.

It was a sweet, juicy, honeylike flavour, and we wished the rest would ripen in a hurry so we could eat more of this scrumptious fruit.

Time: 9th December 2009 1:40am

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About the Author VioletCactus1
Melbourne
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Jantina says...
Hi Violet Cactus, do you know which variety of pepino you have?

Time: 9th December 2009 11:06am

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About the Author Jantina
Mt. Gambier S.A.
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Violet Cactus says...
Jantina, I'm pretty sure it's something with the word 'gold' in the title, and I am pretty sure I bought it from Daleys.
I have so many edibles that sometimes I can't remember where I got them.

Time: 9th December 2009 7:34pm

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About the Author VioletCactus1
Melbourne
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Michael says...
I'm still not convince about the taste of the pepino and babaco but I don't want to get rid of them because they are two of the best performing plants in my garden.
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Time: 9th December 2009 9:32pm

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Wakeley
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Jantina says...
Thanks for that Violet Cactus, it's probably Kendall Gold which Daleys sell. Thanks for the tip about leaving the fruit on longer.

Time: 9th December 2009 9:33pm

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About the Author Jantina
Mt. Gambier S.A.
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Ellen says...
Hi Michael

Do you know that Indian Chilli Plant that I gave you last winter ? And you said that it had died .

Well you have to nurture it, in winter it is only going dormant, occasionally you still need to water it, to keep the root system going.

Anyway, mine have just been trimmed, and another plant had just sprung up as well in the other pot. Do you still want to give it another go Michael ?

Time: 10th December 2009 5:04am

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About the Author Ellen
Fairfield
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Michael says...
Hi Ellen,
Are you refering to the orange one ? Mine actually died with the stems going all hollow. I manage to purchase 2 more of that plant from a nusery in Casula and they are currently fruiting . How is the Dorsert Naga plant I gave you doing ? Mine is fruting at the moment .

Time: 10th December 2009 12:52pm

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Wakeley
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Ellen says...
yes,I've meant the orange colored one.

Since I've put your D.Naga in the ground, it just started to fruit now.

BTW, how is your star fruit tree (Khe) have it ever flower for you yet ?



Time: 10th December 2009 1:49pm

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About the Author Ellen
Fairfield
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Michael says...
Hi Ellen,
My star fruit is still small I think to have fruits. It put out some flowers last year but I pinched it all off. I've attached pictures of it over the winter and how it looks now.

I'm also trying to grow ambarella and soursop. The amberella is in the ground and is looking very healthy. The soursop is in a large pot and is putting out new growth. Also the jujube that I got from Nguyet has produced some small fruits . The tree is very small but I'm excited about the fruits so I'm leaving it on .If the tree get's bigger and the fruits are tasty then I'm going to plant it into the ground.
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Time: 10th December 2009 9:13pm

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Wakeley
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Kylie says...
Hi just found this site I have a babaco growing in TAS it's 1yr old growing in a pot on my varandah here is a pic of the inside of the fruit. this one is a little bruised.
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Time: 11th December 2009 10:48am

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About the Author Kylie4
Devonport TAS
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josh says...
hi everyone i recently bought a babaco and planted it in a pot that had an inbuilt water reservoir. the soil was a mix of potting mix and compost. I dont think it was able to drain properly because within a week of planting the roots had completley rotted off.
Ive divided the stem into 3 sections which i am planing to pot up with the hope of salvaging something from my mistake. Ill replant them in a different type of pot. anyone else had this sort of thing happen to them?

Time: 23rd December 2009 12:16pm

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About the Author J1
sydney
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Violet Cactus says...
The one thing babaco hates most of all is wet feet.
They love good drainage. Just grow them in the ground, is my recommendation.
Mine are growing like they're on steroids. I now have six plants in the ground, all starting with one tree.
Dip your cuttings in rooting hormone and just put them in normal pots until they get roots and big enough to plant out.

Time: 27th December 2009 8:19pm

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About the Author VioletCactus1
Melbourne
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Gardener says...
Hi Violet Cactus

We have a Babaco, fruiting in its first year and already it is getting very tall. Has about 10 fruit on it (not ripe as yet) and is about 180 cm tall. We have never cut the stem at all and were wondering where we cut the Babaco trunk? Could you advise?

Thanks in advance.

Time: 26th February 2010 9:50am

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About the Author Gardener
Montrose, Vic
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Violet_Cactus says...
Hi Gardener,

To begin with, just lop off the top of the tree. Take a cutting approx. 7 to 8 inches long.

You will have to chop some of the leaves and buds off the cutting. Make sure the lower part of the stem is free of leaves and buds, and just leave a couple of small, young leaves at the top.

I usually dip the end of the cutting in a little rooting hormone, then dibble a hole in some good quality potting mix in a large pot, insert the cutting, press the soil firmly around the stem then water it in with seaweed solution.
Keep the water up to the pot; don't let the soil dry out, but don't get it water-logged either.

Your mother tree will begin to form side-shoots as a result of this head-chopping. She will, over time, form side-shoots all up and down her trunk.

Each side-shoot can be cut off when it grows long enough, and potted up with rooting hormone as described, and made into a new tree.

When the baby trees have grown large and strong they can be planted in the garden.

This is a good way to stop your Babaco from becoming top-heavy with fruit and just keeling over.

"The tree can grow to about 6 feet high, and as the trunk is rather long and thin, with fruit growing in clusters towards the top, it can topple easily in high winds. In addition, the babaco fruit itself is quite heavy, and weaker branches may break off if too many fruits accumulate at one site."



Time: 26th February 2010 9:13pm

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About the Author VioletCactus1
Melbourne
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Violet_Cactus says...
BABACO RECIPES (from the Internet):

Harvesting the Fruit

"The fruit should be harvested at the first sign of yellowing. It will ripen off the plant and has a long shelf-life, keeping for up to a month. The fruit is ripe and ready to eat when it is uniformly yellow."

"Babaco is best appreciated when cooked with a little sugar, as it is a bit bland when raw. Dulce de babaco, an easy recipe using just three ingredients, is one of the most popular ways Ecuadorians enjoy this papaya-like fruit."

Babaco in Syrup (Dulce de babaco)
Ingredients:

* 1 whole babaco, peeled and cubed
* 1

Time: 26th February 2010 9:21pm

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About the Author VioletCactus1
Melbourne
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John Mc says...
I agree Violet Cactus, they certainly grow like they're on steroids. The pic below is of a plant out of the pot first year 9 months in the ground. Hope they ripen before it gets too cold. I've never tried one before. Can't wait.
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Time: 26th February 2010 9:32pm

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Warnervale NSW
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JUJUBE FOR SALE IN MELBOURNE says...
Hi John,

Wow! very beautiful and productive trees.


Time: 26th February 2010 9:36pm

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Melbourne
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John Mc says...
Thank you Lucy.

Time: 26th February 2010 9:40pm

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Warnervale NSW
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Gardener says...
Thanks Violet Cactus. We now know what to do, and thanks for the recipes. Can't wait to try them.

Time: 27th February 2010 12:22pm

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Montrose, Vic
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John Mc says...
Me also, Thanks Violet Cactus I had no backup plan if the Babaco turned out too sour for my liking.

Time: 27th February 2010 3:49pm

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Warnervale NSW
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Violet_Cactus says...
John, Babaco fruits take up to two years to ripen. With our first tree we couldn't believe how long it took and thought there must be something wrong. Now we're used to it.
Melbourne winters never bother them at all. Up there in NSW you should have no problems whatsoever during the cooler months.
Yes Jujube, they are nice trees of John's!
Gardener, I have also made Babaco Jam and Babaco marmalade, using the usual recipes plus lemon peel and lemon juice to add pectin. Delicious!

Time: 27th February 2010 9:35pm

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About the Author VioletCactus1
Melbourne
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Gardener says...
Can't wait to try the fruit. We didn't know about the length of time it takes for the fruit to ripen. Thanks for that info.

Time: 28th February 2010 8:52am

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denise says...
Because they flower and start fruiting from the top of the plant they can get top heavy and break.Once they reach 1.8 meters angle cut the stem down at 50 to 75cms.Wash all sap off the cut to avoid rot and watch out for snails that chew into the cut.Days before taking cuttings,cut the leafstalks 5cms out from the stem and leave them to shrivel off and the stem heals and avoids rot that would destroy cuttings. Also after taking cuttings-let the wound dry a coupla days to harden up before growing.

Time: 3rd March 2010 8:23am

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Gardener says...
Thanks Denise, we're new at this. Only hope we don't kill ours. Thanks again for the info.

Time: 4th March 2010 2:38pm

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John Mc says...
From memory, Daley's graft their Babaco's onto another rootstock. I have a spare Babaco from Daley's and I can see a thickening of the trunk just above ground level, before it thins into the main trunk. Sooo, just for fun, I've cut the Babaco so I have only the rootstock above ground. It will be interesting to see what sprouts from this rootstock, if anything.
I bought 7 or 8 Babaco's from a nursery closing down last winter. I think the nurseryman thought they were all frost bitten. There was only the trunk left. I knew better. He let me have them all for $5 each. Some that were really bad he gave them to me for free. Woohoo, their all going great guns now.

Time: 5th March 2010 8:50pm

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Warnervale NSW
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Violet_Cactus says...
Peter Allen, if you are still here, would you mind posting your recipe for Babaco Wine?

Denise, yeah that's excellent advice about letting the cuts harden off before planting.

Time: 5th March 2010 9:51pm

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About the Author VioletCactus1
Melbourne
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herman says...
hi there ,do you know how where to access babaco plants ???

Time: 23rd March 2010 9:23am

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About the Author seaacre
rye vic
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John Mc says...
Right here mate. It looks like stock is low but they're comming in all the time.
http://www.daleysfruit.com.au/fruit%20pages/babaco.htm

Time: 23rd March 2010 9:30am

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John I says...
Herman, I got mine from diggers. They won't be available until May. You can try their website ( www.diggersgardenclub.com.au/pc-1365-25-babaco-champagne-fruit.aspx ) or drop into Heronswood in Dromana.

Time: 23rd March 2010 9:39am

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About the Author JohnI
Melbourne
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sally says...
If Mandy still wants a babaco come to Margaret river. My friend has a couple to give away. they're easy to propogate.Or we could probably bring one to Perth and you could pick up fron there.

Time: 12th May 2010 2:42pm

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Margaret river
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snottiegobble says...
Hey Sally whats my chances?? I would gladly come to M.R & pay well for a babaco as I am only in Capel.

Time: 12th May 2010 6:01pm

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About the Author snottiegobble
bunbury
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snottiegobble says...
Sally,if you dont want payment for a babaco I can offer you a bottle of delicious mangosteen juice.( Xango) worth $55!

Time: 12th May 2010 6:06pm

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bunbury
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snottiegobble says...
Hi Sally, If you or your friend would like to contact me re.a babaco my email address is magixan05@yahoo.com.au
Cheers Dave

Time: 14th May 2010 7:24pm

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bunbury
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rev says...
ive never had luck with babaco
its got a narrow tolerance

im trying its parent
c pubescens

ill be sure to post pics if they survive

if so itd be nice to backcross babaco with pubescens

Time: 7th June 2010 1:11am

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About the Author rev1
nth qld
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John Mc says...
Babaco are sterile Rev, oh I get it, it would be nice to backcross babaco with pubescens.

BTW, little off topic, I struck some sublimes if you were still chasing one.

Time: 7th June 2010 5:47pm

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Rev says...
Thanks mate

they have arrived and are enjoying their new home!
thanks heaps

yes babaco is a sterile hybrid
however...

glowinski says that when grown near one of its relatives they can get a few seeds

i have C pubescens seed
which is i believe the pollen parent of babaco

hence my comments on back cross

Time: 21st June 2010 10:24pm

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About the Author Rev
north qld
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John Mc says...
You're welcome Rev, enjoy them mate.
It looks like my immediate climate is quite good for Babaco. They are large and ripening up inside 12 months of planting out from a pot. They taste very good indeed. I can see now why they call it the champagne fruit, and sweet enough for my liking too, highly recommended.

Time: 22nd June 2010 2:12pm

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CrazyFisherwomanRye says...
Hi all, An elderly man I know feeds his Babaco plant dried cow manure (available in bags)and his has produced heaps of large fruit. I've got two which are thriving under tea trees by the coast and enjoy filtered sunlight, the second year not as prolific as first year and they are in black sandy soil. I will try the cow manure and see how they go. Amazing tree with one fruit every leaf, and the possums haven't taken a liking to them YET! I've found when the fruit were very yellow they tasted over ripe and not pleasant, almost off. I've tried them with green and yellow tinge much better for my taste.

Also I believe the skin is used as a meat tenderiser in Asian cuisine also used on the face to soften the skin. So many uses for this Babaco which is my pride and joy.

I now just need to get my Goji berry plants to fruit as they are a few years old now and nothing except healthy growth.


Time: 4th July 2010 11:20am

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Rye
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Jason says...
I prefer to leave babaco's on until the drop, then leave them ripen until they are 100% yellow and making a good fragrance. I haven't found anyone that doesn't like to eat them yet so that's a good sign.

Once I read that in the tropics when growing red papaya a good soil recipe calls for 20-30% manure so clearly they can take bulk nitrogen. I have a male Carica quercifolia and pubescens growing very close to babaco and never had a seeded fruit.

Grafting them seems to be the way to go, to get them to produce seeds under influence from the rootstock, Ben in NZ has wrote some interesting stuff about this before is you search it up

Time: 5th July 2010 3:03am

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epiphany says...
I'm wondering when the best time to prune out the top of my babaco would be? My tree is about as tall as I am - 5'3"...almost a year old (I put it in last winter...it was only about 10cm tall) & laden with fruit (hopefully should all ripen this Nov-Dec). It's also just one straight trunk - no side shoots. Should I be cutting the top off to encourage side shoots? And if so, when would be the best time...now?

It's still flowering & setting fruit even though it's the middle of winter & we've had a few frosts already (although the babaco may have been protected enough that it didn't get hit - not sure).

Thanks for any advice.

Time: 6th July 2010 2:06am

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Jason says...
It'll slow down with the fruiting once it's taller, that's when you want to chop it but not yet, they never really seem to fruit as well once they are old with huge trunks so make sure you get some cuttings in for fresh plants

Time: 6th July 2010 2:46am

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denise says...
I have a babaco about 15 years old that has several dense bunches of prime big fruit. It is between a jaboticaba and a grape arbor so has shelter and it gets watered in summer.I have to climb to reach the fruit, and the stems are against a pole so they wont break off.

Time: 12th July 2010 7:57am

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snottiegobble says...
Are you sure its a babaco Denise? Babacos typically grow their fruit in the leaf axil close to the trunk & because of this are seen never in bunches. Even if the tree was allowed to do its thing without pruning the fruit would progressively get a lot smaller & still be growing up the stems in the same manner. Could you post a photo of your tree please?

Time: 12th July 2010 1:22pm

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Rob says...
Hey Jason,
My family is in Portland too. I am wondering if next time you prune your Babaco if i could attempt to grow some from your cuttings? Should probably ask if growing from cuttings is possible first.
I am trying to get a fruit forest going on a budget...not easy.
Let me know what you think,
Cheers.

Time: 20th July 2010 10:01pm

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Torquay
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Ellen says...
Hi Rob in Torquay,

YES you can grow Babaco from cutting(S).

last summer my babaco took off pretty well,but when we had those heat waves, i fed it with pools of water every 3 days, which ended up having roots rot, and fallen down.
I took it and cut off the rotting end of it.

With the remaining trunk, i dipped the bottom end into the root acting propagation powder.then i planted them in a pot and i sticked the pot in an area with plenty of light during the day but sunlight doesn't get through. As i dont want heat there.
I only water it once a week.


Now after 4 months it has rooted now, i am waiting for spring to put them back inground.


Time: 21st July 2010 2:38am

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Jason says...
Rob, I haven't done anything with my babacos for several years but this Spring I need to cut them back and make some cuttings so I can start fresh, I started with one plant but I guess I have 5 old worn out ones at the moment :). I'll see how I go but if I don't have any disaster I should be able to give you a plant in Summer. Taking cuttings from them is the only way to grow them since they are a infertile/self fertile oddity without seed :).

If you want to grow a fruit forest for free, keep an eye out for Apricot/Peach/Plum/anything prunus seed this summer and grow as many rootstock as you can, then go around and find yourself some scions that are hanging over fences from the notable trees you found earlier on :). Also you might find Loquat seed and cuttings from Fejoia's and things like that. I'm sure you can do several hundred trees for next to zero money pretty easy if you put your mind to it. I mean things like apples, dead easy to grow hundreds of them for cheap. But it might be better to buy commercial rootstocks from an apple grower in that case though since they are fairly big and aggressive grafted onto seedlings but at least with apples you can easily get hundreds of scions every time someone prunes their trees and they are very easy to graft.

Avocados are harder to graft but I'm sure if you grow 20 seed you'll definitely get one grafted tree going, if you get lucky maybe 10-15, but in general if you have acres to fill, just plant every seed you can get your hands on

Time: 21st July 2010 4:46am

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About the Author Jason10
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Rob says...
That would be great Jason. Keep in contact when you get there. Rstock@ripcurl.com.au

When i said fruit forest i should have mentioned "urban" ha ha not acres.
Already have a few apples, peaches, nectarines, limes, lemon, feijoas, blueberries, pepino, black sapote, white sapote, loquat, longan, guava, banana and regular passionfruit as well as a mulberry but they are all still quite small. We should be able to get a Portland fruit swap going in about 5 years or so ha ha.

Next on the list is avacado, kaffir lime, babaco and might even try for some bananas!

Thanks for the advice, will keep my eyes open on walks.
Rob

Time: 21st July 2010 6:25pm

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Torquay
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Jason says...
The Banana of choice in the South is Dwarf Ducase, you remember that one :)

Time: 22nd July 2010 3:03am

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Rob says...
Hey Jason,
Sorry to hassle you but do you know of anywhere in the area to buy the Dwarf Ducase? I am struggling to find some.
Thanks


Time: 26th July 2010 7:44pm

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Jason says...
It took me 8 years to find a source for them, then finally came along this website. You'll pay a lot for a tiny tiny plant but sometimes you just have to do these things.

http://www.backyardbananas.com.au/order.html

Sometimes a company called coolbananas sell bananas into nurserys and bunnings, but not all the variety's they sell are in fact cool tolerant. They do however sell the full size ducasse and that goes good :)



Time: 26th July 2010 8:52pm

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allybanana says...
I have a large babaco 10 years old 2 and a half meters high just blew over in the wind there are planty of little branches to strike is someone wants one.

Time: 27th July 2010 12:34pm

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Rob says...
Thanks for saving me 8 years Jason shall check it out!

Allybanana - Sorry to hear about your wind damage but I would love some cuttings of your babaco if you would be willing to send them. Happy to pay for postage etc.
My email is Inhernest@live.com



Time: 27th July 2010 8:06pm

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allybanana says...
No worries rob i will email, The wind damage is okay tree will poke its head up from were its having a snooze come spring, we have another two big plants anyway. We also have a Mountain Papaya (Vasconcellea pubescens) hermaphridite it is over 20 years old and about 1 m across at the base it is more cold hardy than babaco no die back with cold winter winds like babaco. but the fruits are smaller and less juicy ok but not brilliant flavour we had a better flavoured female but it died does any one else have else have this variety.

Time: 27th July 2010 11:06pm

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Jason says...
allybanana, I have one plant of pubescens, it's about 5 years old I guess, it flowers male most of the time, then once in a while flowers female which catches a few remaining male flowers and pollinates itself. Then flowers all male again :0 crazy plant. I can't eat the fruit though, deadly stuff. Sometimes I've seen those growing in the most unlikely of gardens in the most unlikely of towns among totally normal gardens, go figure? I don't know where these people find them

Time: 28th July 2010 6:27am

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allybanana says...
Holey goodness!, your pubesencens sounds like it tastes even worse than mine. At least we have gotten a reasonable quantity of passably edible fruit. Actually I am after some wood from a fair tasting female.

Time: 28th July 2010 1:45pm

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Tabs says...
Allybanana, I have a Mountain Paw Paw that only has female flowers on it. Can't get any male flowers, so if you're interested I'd love to swap cuttings.

Time: 29th July 2010 9:54pm

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Andy says...
Hi allybanana, I would be very interested in a little piece of your babaco. If a piece or two is left it would be great if you could contact me on a05_andy@yahoo.com.au

Time: 3rd August 2010 1:34pm

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allybanana says...
This is great, the internet is such a handy tool my email is allydalton.sculpture@gmail.com

yes i have lots of shoots of Babaco i am wondering if it would be best to wrap them in wet paper then in a bag or just in bag to let the cut dry a bit and seal to reduce rot as i have found they rot if overwatered. I plan to go up postoffice monday and do some plant posting.

No worries Andy send adress to email i will post you a couple of shoots, there is no shortage.

Tabs this sounds like a great swap hermaphrodite for female shoots i have a couple big ones spare that have flowers and lots of little shoots i will give them a bit of stalk.

I would like to swap a few pieces if you have the wood and try stiking them in a couple of different places as i am not always sucessfull with them. This tree is a favorite whith my little brother when he visits he eats the pulp around the seeds.



Time: 4th August 2010 4:04pm

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Tabs says...
Allybanana, I haven't struck cuttings from Mountain Pawpaw before, have taken some pictures to show you what is available and maybe some advice as to whether it needs to be lopped at the top? The first picture is a bit confusing as it is in front of an ordinary paw paw tree (looking very forlorn from the cold winter temps here in Sydney). The Mountain Pawpaw has only one main stem and maybe a bit top heavy? It has only just started to shoot again and most shoots are only 3-4inches long with plenty of female flowers growing up and down the trunk. If you like I can grow them a bit longer. Let me know.
Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1
Picture: 2
Picture: 3

Time: 7th August 2010 4:34pm

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allybanana says...
I am no expert a stiking them i have had mixed success before overwatering and rot i think is my biggest problem . I am not even sure of the best time to strike in southern Australia.

Yes a couple of those little branches would be great take them as high in the tree as possible as its probably a good ideaa to save low branches if you do plan to cut off the top.

As for cutting off the top i dont do it mysealf but it seems to work for some.

Time: 8th August 2010 6:53pm

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Tabs says...
allybanana
How about I strike them first then send them on when they're growing? I suspect that they would be better struck in spring when they start to shoot. Save you some postage and grief. Most paw paws need to dry out before you put them in soil. That's what I did with the Babaco. Two cuttings died and one is now growing well. Giving it to my Doc 'cause he fell in love with the fruit - chops them up and eats them straight. Makes my tongue curl just thinking about it.

Time: 8th August 2010 11:29pm

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Tabs says...
I was just surfing away when I came across Mountain Paw Paw info that says they grow from 10 feet to 40 feet. I wonder if I'll have to skinny up the tree like a coconut palm to get the fruit?

Time: 8th August 2010 11:35pm

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Jason says...
They seem to live almost forever so I guess any size is possible :) but normally they don't get very big, they don't grow straight up with one branch when they are old either

Time: 9th August 2010 12:33am

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allybanana says...
Thanks Tabs your warmer climate would probably be better than mine for striking at the moment. I will strike a couple of hermaphrodites to swap, i could send herm. with flowerring male now if you want to try setting fruit. but if babaco makes your toungh curl mountain paw paw is likly to twist it off.

Time: 10th August 2010 8:34pm

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Elke says...
Mine dies this winter, and I had it in a raised bed on top of very sandy soil. just rained too much, it was gone too far, i could not even keep the cuttings..
A shame, quite liked it. The green fruit will ripen over time in a fruit bowl (might take up to 6 weeks, though)

Time: 13th August 2010 12:06pm

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Sydney
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Violet_Cactus says...
That's a shame, Elke. If you get another tree, try keeping the cuttings in pots over winter, in very open potting mix.

Time: 17th August 2010 8:14pm

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epiphany says...
Well...thought I'd pop in to report I had my first babaco today (our tree is just over a year old & we harvested our first two fruit the other day). The taste is not unpleasant...sort of lemon vanilla in taste but sharp & not sweet. As a fresh fruit, they're not too bad. But as a milkshake...wow! So divine. And the fruit are big enough you can make some for the whole family & still have some left over. Personally, I think mine were definitely worth the wait...& I see more milkshakes in my not too distant future!

Time: 4th December 2010 5:24pm

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John Mc says...
I leave the fruit on the ground for a couple of weeks after they fall off the tree. I think the fruit needs that little bit extra time to convert all the starch to sugar. They turn fully yellow and become very soft. They tast very sweet and have an excellent flavour and are very juicy. I have a sweet tooth so it must be super sweet for me to like it. Very enjoyable. Never a complaint from any visitors having it that way either.

epiphany: what goes into your milkshakes?
Ice
Honey
Banana + other Fruit
Milk?

Time: 4th December 2010 9:54pm

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snottiegobble says...
Any babaco fruit of mine that sat on the ground over night would have holes in them by morning from slugs then slaters!

Time: 5th December 2010 2:56pm

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John Mc says...
Yeah I thought they would here also. They have to be nearly rotten before anything starts to nibble on them here.

Time: 5th December 2010 5:12pm

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allybanana says...
I just ate a babaco it was so good, last autumns flowers that are ripening now, tastes so much more lush than the ones that ripen in winter. I picked it when it was starting to yellow and brought it inside until completely yellow.

Time: 5th December 2010 11:52pm

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epiphany says...
Hmmm...maybe I'll try leaving the next one on the bench for a while to see if I can get it to go sweet. These ones were yellow but still had a little bit of green on them. If I left them on the ground for that long, the chooks would eat them.

The milkshakes were very simple...milk, ice cream & babaco. Blend till smooth. They're really nice with banana as well...& last night my daughter made some with some silvanberries & babaco (we're getting so many cane berries at the moment). That one tasted more of berries than babaco but the babaco still provided a very nice top note to the milkshake.

Time: 6th December 2010 11:10am

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John I. says...
My first Babaco dropped from the tree over night. i'm dying to taste it but after reading a number negative first impressions of the fruit I think I will take John Mc's advice and let it ist on the ground for a while.
Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1

Time: 8th December 2010 10:15am

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John Mc says...
Hey John I,
I don't know about recommending it to be left on the ground. It's just what I do here and it works well.
as a matter of fact I have just ate a whole one a bit larger than the one you have pictured. They don't take long to go down that's for sure. Mine are really sweet with the slightest hint of a subacid taste, hence the likeness to a sweet Champayne like taste. I hate Champayne the drink, to me it's as bitter as hell, can't stand the stuff.
I let them go fully yellow. Not a sign of green anywhere on the fruit.
Here, on the Central Coast, NSW the fallen fruit are quite robust. They can stay on the ground untouched and unscaythed for two to three weeks. After that, they gradually become too soft and start to rot away.

Time: 8th December 2010 8:11pm

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allybanana says...
Mine are only slightly sweet but a good flavour, I wonder if they are sweeter the further north they grow. They can get attacked if left on the ground.

Time: 8th December 2010 8:21pm

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snottiegobble says...
allybanana, I used to sell babaco cuttings in spring when they are just sprouting. Summer & autumn cuttings are too difficult to strike & if they do you have to nurse them thru a winter before they take off. For posting cuttings they should be about 2cm in diam & 16cm long. Always give them a day to seal the ends & for those that are not tip cuttings slant the top cuts & straight across at the bottom so your recipients will know which way up to plant. Padded postal bags are recommended.

Time: 10th December 2010 4:02pm

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John I. says...
Well I tried my first Babaco this morning. I think Champagne is the best description of the taste. But a cheap Brut that's been on the shelf too long. Ok that might be a little harsh but I don't like Champagne, and after several tries liked the Babaco even less. But I'm not done with the fruit yet. It was the first fruit of the tree (and hence may have been a little premature) and I am still looking forward to trying it in a smoothie. By the way like a Brut champagne the fruit was not sweet at all but at the same time not sour.

Time: 14th December 2010 9:24am

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John Mc says...
You can leave them till they're yellow all over and if your's are still not sweet enough, leave them a little longer again. I've left some till they felt very squishy on the inside, but on a hot day, it's one of the best thirst quenches around, even beats a coldie in my opinion, and they go down just as quick.

Time: 14th December 2010 9:58am

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BJ says...
with Ice, lime, cane juice and mint, it goes down a treat!

Time: 14th December 2010 12:30pm

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allybanana says...
BJ That sounds perfect for a hot day i just planted some sugar cane, this autumni will try it.

I had Babaco the other day, diced with mango, a superb contrast of flavours the sour is refreshing after the sweet of the mango and it emphasised the aroma of the babaco.

Time: 25th December 2010 9:01pm

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Lissa says...
Wow, many postings on the Babaco.

I was wondering how long they live for (short lived lie a pawpaw?) but someone mentioned they live forever, someone said his trees were old and tired.

I belong to a group and we're interested in growing some trees for ourselves from cuttings and have someones tree in our sight.

The info I have found indicated you cut the entire tree back to within 30cm of the ground and cut the trunk into portions.

What does this do to the parent plant? Does it regrow?
Some people mentioned cuttings from branches - never having seen a plant in the flesh, I'm thinking they look like a pawpaw plant which would make this diffucult.
Any feedback would be appreciated.

Time: 3rd February 2011 7:39am

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John Mc says...
Yes Lissa, the plant has a skinny pawpaw looking trunk I suppose. When it gets too high, just cut it off 300mm from the ground and let the one strongest trunk grow. The trunk portions of babaco strike much easier than pawpaw. You strike it a bit like a frangipanny ie leave the cut portions a week or so to heal, then plant them into a very well drained potting mix. Add course river sand 50/50 to a potting mix to ensure good drainage.


Time: 3rd February 2011 8:15am

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Lissa says...
Thanks John. I'm going tomorrow to take some cuttings from the tree volunteered by a friend of a friend.
I won't be able to cut the trunk, so will just go for something smaller.

Have you grown from cutting yourself?
Do you think regular seedling mix, which is quite sandy, would do the trick as a propogating mix. I've read that using rooting powder is a good idea also.




Time: 3rd February 2011 7:11pm

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Jason says...
Lissa, I'm not sure how long they live but more than 10 years for sure. Other species of papaya keep growing for something like 50 years at least so I wouldn't be surprised if they keep going for that long. But they are much better fruiting when young (first couple of years)

Time: 3rd February 2011 7:31pm

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John Mc says...
You're right on the button there Jason. They punch a flower out at every leaf axil and as the fruit matures, the trunk is completely hidden by hanging fruit.
I propagate mine in course fly ash. You might be better off propagating them in straight course river sand. They rot soooo easily if you're not careful.

Time: 3rd February 2011 8:43pm

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Jason says...
I planted about 50 cuttings a couple months ago straight in the ground, I used the hose to bore a hole in the dirt about 30cm deep and then poked them into the hole. Seems about half survived. Not a very good hit rate but when I had 50, I didn't care. I actually had 100ish cuttings but the hose boing job took longer than I expect so the rest just went rotten laying in the sun once I was over it

Time: 3rd February 2011 9:34pm

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Sarah says...
Hi,
when I was about 7 we went on an outing with school to a farm and we given a taste of babaco. I cant remember where it was, but I loved it and have been trying to find somewhere in Perth I can buy one but have never seen them or heard of them since?
Does anyone know if they are available in the northern suburbs - Im in Mindarie

Thanks

Time: 7th February 2011 4:24pm

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Perth
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Jim says...
Hi Sarah

I feel like a parrot as it seems to be my answer to every query on where to buy exotic plants locally, but try Tass1.

Jim


Time: 7th February 2011 4:57pm

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About the Author electra
Freo
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Lissa says...
Cuttings are in and doing well so far, but hope it's not like the Tamarillo I tried growing from cutting recently.

I planted a Tamarillo cutting a few months back and it sat looking healthy for about 2mths or more. I decided it must have grown roots by then and dug it out to transplant into the garden. Not a root in sight! Have had success growing them from seed since.
Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1

Time: 17th February 2011 7:26pm

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About the Author Lissa
Brisbane
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John Mc says...
Hi Lissa,
If they start to rot off before you get roots could I suggest mixing half your potting mix with coarse river sand for extra drainage.
That potting medium looks a bit heavy from where I'm standing for striking Babaco. I'm risking my reputation as being a bit of a know all but I've had rot problems with mine in the past.

Time: 17th February 2011 9:18pm

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snottiegobble says...
John Mc is absolutely right! The only thing that can kill babaco is dampness &/or wet feet. Even frost is only temporary when the tree loses all its leaves. Babaco comes from the temperate forests of the Equadorian Andes so it is not tropical by any means. In fact in Darwin & most of Qld I think you would be wasting your time planting one.
Its the wet season that does them in.
Again Tassie in the winter would be a challenge. Best time to take cuttings is in the early spring when the branch tips are just sprouting ( thats for southern areas anyway!)

Time: 17th February 2011 10:48pm

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Bunbury/Busselton ( smack in the middle)
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Jason says...
The main thing with babaco at least in cooler climates is have them really dosed up with nitrogen otherwise they don't tend to hold onto the flowers. I've had them root just throwing cuttings away, they root on the side that lays on the dirt and then shoot up off the horizontal bit. A babaco cutting will last months and months, maybe 6 months+ just laying around on the dirt if it's in the shade so they have plenty of time to do their thing.

Sometimes they rot in heavy potting mix full of water like but most of them should take

Time: 18th February 2011 5:55am

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Portland
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Rob says...
Babaco plant now in it's 3rd year at Smythesdale (just outside of Ballarat)and has it's first fruit growing nicely. Has survived heavy frost and the odd snowfall under a bit of shadecloth. Growing in a large tub as l'm not game to put it straight into the ground in case it rots. Has 3 trunks so going to keep the fruiting one and try to propagate from the other 2 smaller ones.

Time: 18th February 2011 8:37pm

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About the Author Robbie
Smythesdale
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Lissa says...
Thanks John Mc - it's seed raising mix that the cuttings are in - lots of sand in it.

So far so good - all the cuttings are showing signs of new growth.

I give them a tiny drink of weed tea every couple of days. Perhaps considering what Jason has said about the cuttings lying around viable for months on the ground, I should stop even that.

Don't want to get everyones hopes up (I'm growing on behalf of Brisbane Local Food group)just to kill the plants off with too much moisture.

Time: 9th March 2011 6:25am

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Brisbane
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John Mc says...
How good is that weed tea? I have one of those large flexible plastic carrying containers in the garden full of weed tea. I just throw in any and all weeds pulled and keep it topped up with water when watering the garden. Even the odd fallen fruit goes in there.

Time: 9th March 2011 8:55am

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snottiegobble says...
Hi John Mc, do have any trouble with mozzies in the container or do you keep a lid on it?

Time: 10th March 2011 4:01pm

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Bunbury/Busso (smack in the middle)
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John Mc says...
I keep a lid of weeds on the water. No, the mozzies are probably making their way through to the water anyway, it's densely packed down with plant material but I'm constantly tipping it out and refilling it. There's so many sources of stagnant water lying around I figure it's just another one. I am mindfull of the problem though.

Time: 10th March 2011 9:23pm

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Lissa says...
Hi Snottie (great name) I use one of those big flexible tubs for weed tea also. I keep mozzies out with a piece of flyscreen kept in place with some elastic rope. Sometimes they get in and lay larvae, but the adults can't get out again and just add to the goodie. I also add fallen fruit to mine (throw in the toms with caterpillars in them - karma).

Just wanted to post a pic of the Babaco cuttings now in individual pots (still in the sandy seed raising mix) and all apparently doing well. New growth on each cutting, but only root growth on about half of them when I took them out.
I've planted one cutting directly into the garden in it's spot - one that doesn't get too wet.
Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1

Time: 14th March 2011 10:08am

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snottiegobble says...
Wow Lissa, Even though your cuttings are a lot longer & thicker than what I would use they appear very healthy! Maybe thats the way to go up north by reducing the chance of rot! If you plant them out into mounds of very sandy soil( when the time comes) & just feed them chicken manure pellets ( dynamic lifter) they should thrive depending on air humidity. Good Luck!

Time: 21st March 2011 12:41am

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Jason says...
I usually use babaco cuttings of between that thickness and twice that thickness. The larger the cutting the easier it is I think? seems that way to me. These are the ones I talk about that last for months and months laying around the garden, you can hardly kill them when they have so much energy reserves in the cutting

Time: 21st March 2011 3:51pm

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About the Author Jason13
Portland
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Lissa says...
The instructions I found online recommended cutting the TRUNK into diagonal pieces and growing from these!

I was pleased to see the donor plant had lots of small branches when I came to take the cuttings (I thought the plant would look like a pawpaw). Didn't want to ruin the guys tree when he was so good as to offer us cuttings.


Time: 25th March 2011 4:26pm

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Strathpine Qld
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epiphany says...
My babaco is still growing well & is setting fruit for next summer. But I have a question. When should I cut the top off to encourage branching? It's now near the end of it's 2nd year & is around 6' high. Do I top it now in autumn or wait until winter?

It's also suddenly started leaning at an alarming angle. I have it staked up until I can get back to it but I'm quite concerned about it. There's no reason for it to start leaning (it's in a sheltered area that gets little strong wind & not a lot of people traveling past it to damage it). It's almost like it's top heavy.

As an aside (& following on from my previous posts about the flavour), I left one fruit on the bench/fridge until it was way beyond mushy (but not quite yet looking 'off'...or as off as a babaco can get)...tried it...& it was sweet! The others had been quite pleasant (& they were a tad mushy) but none had been sweet like this one. Next year, I'll keep the ones we plan to eat fresh out on the bench for a lot longer than I had been doing.

Edited to add: my tree is never without fruit (because it takes so long for them to ripen here in VIC), so I don't want to cut it back down to 30cm from the ground or else I wouldn't get fruit for a year. What do other Victorians do with theirs?

Time: 26th March 2011 2:41pm

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About the Author epiphany2
Melbourne
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Jason says...
Mine only fruit well for 1 or 2 years so then I chop them. Even cut I they dont seem to do as well as a fresh cutting. I let mine ripen on the plant until they drop off then leave them until they start to smell really fruity and then eat them. You can leave them for ages before they start to go off, maybe that's the error the people that don't like them make?. Just not letting them ripen properly. I actually left one in my car for ages once and was going to throw it out when I guy I worked with wanted to eat it so I gave it to him and he loved it :P

Time: 26th March 2011 7:25pm

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Portland
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John Mc says...
I prefer to grow them to a single trunk. Thats just my opinion. I think you get better value in the first two years. Even with a single trunk they get very top heavy with not enough roots for support. I had another one fall over yesterday full of fruit, with support, obviously still not enough, sheeesh!
When choosing cuttings, I get the best results from young tips, and there are plenty of them growing on older trunks.

Time: 26th March 2011 9:23pm

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snottiegobble says...
Epiphany, I would cut it back to around a metre now before winter so it can heal. Make sure you cut it at about 45 degrees so that any rain can run off.
Next spring the trunk will produce lots of growing tips, but keep just 2 for insurance until they are strong then remove the weakest. It is preferable to choose sproutings near ( but not on) the stump in case there is any initial die-back.

Time: 27th March 2011 12:05am

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krazykangaroo says...
Hows this - Daleys just sent me a SMS saying that they have babaco in stock so I come in and my email says that they have only one in stock. I click on the link and it is gone. HUH. :( Really, what was the point.

Time: 5th April 2011 4:48pm

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About the Author krazykangaroo1
Casterton, vic
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Jason says...
The new growth on mine are almost hardened up, I'll chop a bit off and stick it in a pot for you in spring

Time: 5th April 2011 6:07pm

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Portland
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krazykangaroo says...
Thanks, that would be great - and you are close enough for me to come over and pick it up. rowan.99@gmail.com

Time: 5th April 2011 7:57pm

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About the Author krazykangaroo1
Casterton, vic
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John I. says...
Anyone had experience forcing a Babaco to branch. I want to keep the main stem for fruit this year but need a replacement branch for the following year.

Attached is a picture of a leaf at the base of the plant. If I cut the bark just above it to stop the sap flow will this cause a branch to develop?
Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1

Time: 7th April 2011 2:55pm

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Melbourne
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Lissa says...
I was given a green fruit from the donor tree and left it in the fruit bowl for many, many weeks. It didn't change but also didn't rot, so I just left it. It eventually did go yellow and I ate it - very nice too.

Time: 7th April 2011 5:49pm

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Strathpine Qld
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Mark says...
The only time I have ever seen a Babaco, was in Gardenworld,in Keysborough Victoria. (actually, it wasn't in the Gardenworld nursery part, it was in the Hydroponic Gardening Section.) They had it growing hydroponically in a container that looked like a cut down drum. It was fruiting & was supported by an overhead trellis. ... I have never seen another one, but I have 'heard' that they will grow here in Mildura. (but I haven't seen one up here, ..... yet. .... So in answer to your question,, I would take a Guess at Yes. If you can provide the right conditions for them. (whatever they may be.)

Time: 9th April 2011 10:25pm

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Mildura
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snottiegobble says...
In spite of the babaco being a temperate forest tree of the Andes it seems to adapt to just about anything! Mine as a sappling has gone thru almost constant daytime heat of 30+ for over 3 months & still managed to flower & produce fruit that will ripen next spring! It had minimum shadecloth cover from about 11.30am till 2pm then the shed it is next to provided shade for the rest of the day! Compared to my babacos in Sth W Vic. it is not as tall for its age & I put it down to being in sand.( well fed but still sand ) & the lower leaves are slightly sunburnt.

Time: 11th April 2011 10:27am

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Bunbury/Busso ( smack in the middle)
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Lissa says...
Well, once I have a tree growing I can send out cuttings in the post (are we allowed to do that within Aus?).

If they are that hardy they won't mind travelling in a bag for a few days.

Time: 20th April 2011 1:04pm

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Strathpine Qld
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Evo says...
Here is a picture of my babaco. I'm in Melbourne and can confirm that they grow really well. They are in pots as their final home is not quite ready. I'm not sure how long they take to ripen, but they continue to grow larger and larger. Some yellowing of the leaves shows they they are working pretty hard. It is a rich soil filled with mushroom compost, and manure.
Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1

Time: 21st April 2011 12:08pm

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About the Author lionfish
 
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Ady says...
Has anyone east of Melb. got any Babaco cuttings they could spare or would like to sell ?

Time: 25th April 2011 9:27am

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About the Author Ady
Hoddles Creek , Vic
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snottiegobble says...
Ady, Babaco cuttings travel so well in padded post envelopes so dont restrict your search too much, but what I would suggest is that you now wait until spring when the new growth is just starting to show. I used to post them all over the country from Sth W Vic with good results. Autumn cuttings are inclined to just sit there until spring even in a greenhouse & some even rot away!

Time: 27th April 2011 7:54pm

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Ady says...
Thanks Snottiegobble, I'll Wait until spring


Time: 7th May 2011 5:16pm

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Hoddles Creek , Vic
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Nev says...
Some months back I purchased one of your Babaco and planted it near my pawapw tree. It did not flourish so today I dug it up only to find that most of the rootstock had rooted and no roots had developed. I cut the rootstock about 25mm above the rot. That left around 100mm of green rootstock. I dipped that in rooting powder and potted the tree into a 160mm pot in potting mix. Will it survive?

Time: 8th May 2011 12:11pm

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About the Author Nev
Esk
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Mark says...
Has anyone tried the 'Findhorn method' of gardening? If so,what were your results? ... The veggie patch I've started in my backyard here in the red sand of Mildura,, I'm going to Try that method. I'm even using seeds that I bought in the early 1980's & 1990's,Opened & used some then,& have kept all these years. (I dd buy a few new packs of seed also,about a month ago too.) ... So far,, the seedlings from these older & opened packets Are growing, but are just taking longer to germinate. .... I was just wondering, if anyone else has tried this method of growing veggies? ie;; Talking to the plants, instead of using fertilzers & so forth. If so,, What happened?

Time: 9th May 2011 1:07am

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Mildura
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snottiegobble says...
Nev, are you saying you bought a babaco from Daleys or one of us forum users? Babacos dont need rootstock, they grow well enough with their own roots.
I presume Esk is the one in Tassie where you would need to protect against frost & cold dampness in the winter.

Time: 10th May 2011 8:27pm

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Nev says...
Yes. I purchased from Daleys some months back. It looked healthy but never grew any leaves. As I am moving to Toowoomba I thought It would transplant easily. That is the reason I dug it up. I say rootstock as the trunk appeared to shoot from the side of the main stem but it could be it's own trunk as I am no expert. Esk is in Qld in the Brisbane Valley.

Time: 11th May 2011 3:29pm

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snottiegobble says...
Nev, I would say that where it was it wasnt happy at root level so has sprouted further up the stem. reasons could be: it was planted too deep, or disease of the root system,or very wet conditions which is why the roots rotted. Babacos grow naturally in mountainous conditions so they hate wet feet. I would trim off the old roots up to the root regrowth & plant in a very open mix even on a mound if the soil is inclined to be moisture retaining.

Time: 11th May 2011 7:36pm

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Mark says...
"Geeeeez,sorry for asking!... I thought there were intelligent & helpfull people on here. .. I must have been mistaken!!" (as your responses indicate :-PPPPP ) ...... I leave you all to each other.

Time: 12th May 2011 12:24am

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amanda says...
YAY!! is that a pinkie promise mark..?

Time: 12th May 2011 12:38am

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About the Author amanda19
Gerladton. Mid West WA
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Rastus says...
Mark!
What sort of response did you really expect to your post RE:> "Findhorn method of gardening"?
Something I don't understand with Mark is, in one post he mentioned about having the "best garden in the neighbourhood"(without any pics etc) then in other posts he doesn't seem to have a clue.

Don't get too excited yet Amamda.

Time: 12th May 2011 7:55am

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BJ says...
Easy rastus.
Mark - I dont think many will respond to you re: talking to plants in the babaco thread. Maybe try making a new topic.

I did try talking to my babaco the other week though. The conversation went something like: 'Either you get better at being a fruit tree or you're compost!'...

Time: 12th May 2011 9:11am

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About the Author Theposterformerlyknownas
Brisbane
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kert says...
Do you suppose you can tone down your vulgar ad hominem responses , Ratsus.

Time: 12th May 2011 10:35am

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snottiegobble says...
See what I mean?? We are back to classroom bickering!

Time: 12th May 2011 11:30am

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Nev says...
I cut if off aboe the rotted roots to clean, green stalk, dipped in rooting hormone and planted into a pot. See what happens.

Time: 19th May 2011 9:23am

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Esk
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Planting Justice says...
Hey everyone! Wow, thank you all so much for sharing so much great info about these babacos. We run a food justice organization in Oakland, CA, and I'd be so thankful if someone could send us cuttings of babacos if they have extra. I can pay for shipping, and the more the merrier. We help low-income families grow healthy food for themselves in the city, and have built more than 95 urban permaculture gardens!

thanks.
Gavin
Planting Justice
996 B 62nd Street, Oakland, CA 94608
gavin@plantingjustice.org

Time: 19th May 2011 7:22pm

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Oakland, CA
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snottiegobble says...
Hi Gavin, Dont know what your quarantine regulations are like in USA, but ours are dynamite. We get away with some botanicals sent interstate, but international stuff gets the X-ray a lot!

Time: 23rd May 2011 7:51pm

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cole says...
Hi All, happily I just stumbled across this forum. After growing Babaco and other subtropicals for several years in this area a couple of house moves on I have to start again. Is there anyone in the south of WA willing to sell me a plant or two?

Time: 4th June 2011 1:50pm

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Bunbury / Dalyellup
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snottiegobble says...
Nothing as yet cole cos we have just started with a new babaco plant ourselves after leaving Vic.,& it usually takes 2 -3 years for the tree to branch out so we can take cuttings. As they are natural hybrids they dont produce seeds so only cuttings & maybe tissue culture is used for propagation.

Time: 6th June 2011 8:05pm

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Mike says...
I would love to grow babaco and had some when I was young.Does anyone know if they can grow in coastal queensland or how they handle humidity or heat?

Time: 22nd June 2011 7:40pm

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Cairns
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snottiegobble says...
This year in SW WA I proved that babacos can survive the heat under shade, but struggle to put on any real growth until autumn. As for humidity I dont really know but I do know they hate wet feet & will succumb very quickly as a result!

Time: 22nd June 2011 7:56pm

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Mike says...
If I mound them it might just work.Papaya does not like wet feet either.December to March might test them but it would be worth a try.It rarely gets over 36 celcius but can be very rainy and have full on humidity.

Time: 22nd June 2011 8:09pm

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John Mc says...
I have a small struck Babaco cutting with your name on it here Mike if you wanted to try growing one.

Time: 22nd June 2011 8:15pm

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Mike says...
You bet, I would be delighted to relieve you of that.Mmmmmm.. now what could I have of interest to you? Did you see the seeds I offerred Phil for the sicna seeds? Anyway what are you in the market for?

Time: 22nd June 2011 8:25pm

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John Mc says...
That's OK Mike. Just send me your addy and I'll get it off Next Monday.

Time: 22nd June 2011 8:39pm

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Mike says...
Excellent Iam at 231 Toogood Road,Bayview Heights, Cairns. 4868.
Seeds that I can have ready to roll after strolling around the garden thisarvo are aussie red bisexual paw paws and other good ones,jicamas,big tasty black sapotes,super productive narajillas,kang kung,wing beans,kaffir limes,bangkok luffah,sapodillas and quite a few herbs.

Time: 22nd June 2011 8:48pm

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Lissa says...
Hi Mike.
You mention using seeds from the bisexual pawpaw - do these grow true to type do you know? My plant is still developing it's first fruit.

Going to put in some Jicama seeds this year for the first time - any pointers?
The ones I bought from the market were small, tasty and perfect. The ones friends are growing are huge.

Bangkok Luffa? Different from regular Luffa? Can't find anything with a search.

Perhaps we should start some new discussions for these plants....
Thanks, Lissa


Time: 27th June 2011 5:06am

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Mike says...
I am a bit erratic and answered some of your questions in the paw paw thread.Bangkok luffah maybe maxes at 1.3m and look like zuccini but you eat them at half that.They are better at thickening in dishes than the standard angled luffah.I don't know what you call regular luffah.

Time: 27th June 2011 8:50pm

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snottiegobble says...
Silly question no doubt,Mike but are these the same luffas as the ones used in the bath as skin "defoliants' ??

Time: 28th June 2011 12:26pm

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Zady says...
Hi Snottie, yes, you are right.

http://www.greendrinkreviews.com/wp/2008/11/09/exotic-cures-loofah-and-its-benefits/


Time: 28th June 2011 2:27pm

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snottiegobble says...
Thanks Zady, thats great info & now I cant wait to grow some loofas for medicinal, kitchen sink & shower. Anything that replaces manmade plastics really appeals to me! Are you able to grow them in Portland?

Time: 28th June 2011 4:33pm

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Zady says...
Hi Snottie, I don't know yet, but when I move into my own place shortly I will find out and let you know! :D

Time: 28th June 2011 7:00pm

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Mike says...
They are the same species but bred for different purposes.The edible ones don't give good bath luffahs and the bath ones aren't as good to eat.

Time: 28th June 2011 11:09pm

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Lissa says...
I have a luffa plant which came up all by itself, so not sure which variety it is. I grow them for the sponges usually but ate a small one of these in a soup.

Pretty bland but not unlike a zuchinni.

Time: 4th July 2011 5:16am

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Mike says...
Lyssa they are a bit like zuchini and good for thickening dishes.The edible ones have softer skin, a little more taste and no fibre.

Time: 4th July 2011 6:04pm

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Lissa says...
It's always good to learn about something new that is edible (in case the A. falls out of the world as we know it) - my latest OMG's! were Wandering Jew and Cobblers Pegs, so no problem eating small loofah no matter how bland.

Time: 8th July 2011 6:50pm

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Mike says...
That's right when the starving hoardes take to the streets with pitchforks you can be safe at home secure and nourished by cobblers pegs,wandering jew and luffah.
Luffah is actually pretty good in a luffah and pork stir fry.Zucchini,eggplant and squash also don't set the world on fire.

Time: 8th July 2011 11:03pm

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Lissa says...
Yech, I hope not.

Oddly enough I just love roasted eggplant. The black one preferably.

I pulled out the zucchini even though they were doing fine as they were taking up a lot of space I could use for something I actually liked the taste and texture of! I don't mind the little firm yellow squash either, quite a nice flavour but I've had little success growing them so far - will persist.

I find a lot the tropical type veg that are now being introduced to our backyards in Brisbane are blandish and not much fibre.
Pictures - Click to enlarge

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Time: 19th July 2011 5:51am

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