Fruit tree beginner (forum)

Gregted starts with ...
Hi, I have just been given a Paxton Prolific custard apple for fathers day from Bunnings and have no idea hoe to care for it.
It came with the soil wrapped in black plastic.
I would like to keep it indoors in a very sunny laundry most of the time.
I have some blue 200 liter plastic barrels I was going to cut in half and repot to this with potting mix.
Do I add fertilizer and how much sun will it need.
Do I prune it when it touches the roof?
Sorry for all the questions straight up but I love custard apples and want to grow this right.
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Time: 6th September 2014 4:42pm

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About the Author Gregted
Gowrie Junction
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sternus1 says...
Plastic barrel will be fine, make sure you drill a bunch of holes in the bottom otherwise it will get waterlogged.

As for the potting mix itself, mix premium potting mix (osmocote) with pearlite and washed river sand. 60% potting mix, 20% pearlite and 20% sand.
After you've mixed this, mix in 5 good handfuls of large pine bark chips to give your soil some structure.

If you want, you can add a couple of handfuls of osmocote slow release granular fertiliser in with the mix. Seasol will get your plant moving faster, and keep it happier.

Don't water the pot until you've layed down the mulch. Read below:


Put in full sun. Make sure you mulch it in the pot; use the leftover pine bark. Make sure you get large pine chips-- nothing fine. Fine particle mulches become water repellant mats over time.

Time: 6th September 2014 6:35pm

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Original Post was last edited: 6th September 2014 6:34pm

About the Author sternus1
Australia
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A.C says...
I am growing one of these outside.If you want grow them in a pot you will need Premium potting mix and you will have to add 20 percent more sand to the mix to get a bit more drainage.Here in Adelaide I managed to get hold of some washed filling sand from a big landscape supplier.Its the sand they use in potting mixes.Try to get potting mix sand first. If you go to a builders supply yard you can buy washed sand or the 7mm gravel sand mix I suggest you wash these sands under a tap.Put a piece of tightly woven fabric cotton ie bedsheet or tea towel into a 200mm pot,piece big enough to overhang pot 200mm all round.Put 1 or 2 handfuls of sand into pot at a time and open water and rinse till water runs clear.This exercise is to flush out any remaining clay in sand.Wash enough sand to make up the 20 percent and blend this into potting mix with a handful of dynamic lifter pellets.This is the first reply to your request on the forum wait till you get other replies to decide what to do.The tree tag I got with the tree did suggest to use Nitrophoska Fertiliser which has a low salt residue ,again a small handful to mix Im unable to suggest pruning ideas as my tree is 2 years old approx 1.6m high and outside,havent had to prune it.Im unsure if a tree like this will fruit in a pot.I cant see why it wouldnt.If you leave outside on lawn areas you will have to cover them all round and over with 50 percent cream color shadecloth to reduce sunburn/frost damage.Stay tuned to forum for more info. In the bottom of the pot I would put a piece of shadecloth to cover holes and a layer of approx 20mm thick of 14-20mm gravel to help with drainage in the pot.

Time: 6th September 2014 6:45pm

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Original Post was last edited: 6th September 2014 6:44pm
About the Author AC1
Cowandilla S.A
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Brain says...
I have a pp in a 50 cm pot, it seems happy but i feel it wants a bigger space. Had 2 custard apples over 2 last 2 season, so you will get fruit. Only thing is, full sun and you will need to hand pollinate indoors. Potting mix wise, the above suggestions are fine.

I see from your pic, you have a wicking system/pot in place. Or hydroponics? Anyway, Nice! Would you mind sharing some of your construction tips, as i would like to build one as well.

Question though, where did you get the blue barrels and do you use gravel as the potting mix?

Time: 8th September 2014 12:55pm

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About the Author Brain
Brisbane
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Gregted says...
Thanks all for the suggestions/advice. I will visit the landscapers today.
Brian, That is a 1 blue barrel aquaponics system. It was copied from this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ge8fncATSbY
I get the barrels from a mate. They are great to work with. Easy to cut drill etc.
Basics to aquaponics are... Fish in bottom of barrel do their business in water, pond pump pumps water up to 20mm gravel in top grow bed, plants absorb nutrient rich water, gravel filters water which returns to fish tank clean and cycle repeats. Only way to have a garden for me now... No watering, no weeding, no fertilizing, no bending and plants and fish love it.. Tomatoes growing at least twice as fast as in dirt control bed beside it.
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Time: 9th September 2014 4:43am

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About the Author Gregted
Gowrie Junction
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JohnMc1 says...
My two cents worth
I'd paint the outside of the barrels with a sunscreen paint of some type if you are planning on keeping it in the sun. That blue plastic is very susceptible to UV. I have one unpainted one that disintegrates every time I try and move it.

Time: 9th September 2014 2:12pm

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About the Author JohnMc1
Warnervale NSW
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Waterfall says...
I wrap mine in shade cloth, it looks nice too.

Time: 9th September 2014 2:39pm

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About the Author Waterfall
Waterfall
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Brain says...
thanks for the tips, looks pretty cool, i'll file the idea at the back of my head, heh.

Time: 12th September 2014 10:04pm

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About the Author Brain
Brisbane
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