Growing Tropicals in Adelaide (forum)

Danny N1's starts with ...
Heya Guys/Girls,

Thought i'd start a thread on growing tropicals in the Temperate Adelaide climate and have an open discussion as to what success other's have had in the Adelaide region or similar temperate climates. If you view my Edibles Page you will find information on all my tropicals growing at the moment and how i am growing them with great success.

I am somewhat a newbie to growing tropicals but i am very keen to learn from those that have had great success or even great failures as we all can learn from mistakes.

Daleys Nursery have enabled me to start this project, with their vast selection of exotic tropicals which i cannot purchase here in Adelaide from any nursery - i hope to hear from like minded people and happy gardening : D.

If you have any questions i am happy to discuss - Cheers.

Time: 13th February 2016 2:56pm

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Original Post was last edited: 13th February 2016 2:57pm

About the Author Danny N1
Wynn Vale
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Markmelb says...
Hi Danny - seems you got bitten as bad by the bug as many of us.I tested a few plants outside last winter which was a coldest near record - plants that didnt like it much below 5c were Rollinia - Nam Doc Mai - Keit Mango - Sugar Apple -

I brought them inside at night and back out when it wamed up - huge effort etc

Interested how you go with Star Apple and Karambola - others in Melb lost theirs even protected outside.

Mangos that survived really well is my old 15 yo Kensington Pride and Palmer in ground - no effect from minus 0.5c
where they are but was minus 5c on car roof but Tamarillo beside car was ok?

If you suspect a night of 5c or below bring them inside or into a garage - my house doesnt get below 13c in winter.

Avocados as long as have good drainage are fine thru winter - My Jakfruit lives inside by a west facing window for 6 months like an indoor plant but grows well after 1st Nov outside.

All the best with your SUB - Tropical growing - as Tropicals are more suited to North of Mackay etc.

Time: 14th February 2016 6:05pm

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About the Author Markmelb
MOUNT WAVERLEY,3149,VIC
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peter30001 says...
hi danny
if your planning on keeping your d/fruit
long term you will need a much sturdier
pole, better to put a steel post in the
ground and put the pot up against it.
i have 4 pots around each pole.

Time: 14th February 2016 11:43pm

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About the Author peter30001
adelaide
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Pete7 says...
Great idea for a thread Danny. I too have recently been bitten by the bug and am wanting to grow subtropical/tropicals in Adelaide as well.

I'm especially interested to know if anyone's built their own micro-climate, and how successful it's been.

Time: 15th February 2016 10:26am

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About the Author Pete7
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A.C says...
Guys watch out in certain areas in Adelaide
clay soils are a killer. I dig a hole 1m x 1m x 450mm deep .Remove soil and backfill with potting mix and sand to approx 100mm above ground level.I use organic potting mix and washed filling sand both available from jefferies wingfield.I add 20 percent more sand to every batch of potting mix.The sand is critical for suction of water in potting mix to speed up drying time.I would plant mango and avos in front yard near bitumen road .The road charges up with heat during day and releases it at night warming the air.This process is vary handy in winter to help reduce frost damage.If your front yard faces west you will have to put 50 percent shade cloth around your plants to avoid sunburn especially in the first 2 years.As for growing Papaya they will need to have them in a greenhouse of sort in winter to stop leaf damage due to cold nights and keep humidity up. Late afternoon sun in Adelaide in summer is an absolute scorcher.

Time: 16th February 2016 5:34pm

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About the Author AC1
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Bangkok says...
Clay is not a bad soil, just make a mound or raised bed on top of it and make sure water can get away. Make it 30-50 cm high and have holes so water can flow out. Clay has many nutrients.

Also check the waterflow during/after heavy rain, don't plant tree's at the lowest point in the garden. First make sure the water flows away from that spot by creating slopes.

Time: 18th February 2016 12:11pm

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About the Author Bangkok
Thailand
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Danny N1's says...
Good tips people, will take onboard this information, just an update on my latest purchases - i know it's silly but im going to give it a good go!.

Just purchased 1 x Village Dwarf Coconut Palm seedling and 1 x Brasillian Dwarf Green coconut seedling and also a Dwarf Mangosteen haha will let you guys know how i go with these plants in Adelaide!!!.

Time: 18th February 2016 2:10pm

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Wynn Vale
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Peter91 says...
Hey Danny, i'm also in Adelaide, i'm currently growing a bunch of sub tropicals, alot of White Sapote varieties, so far i've had nothing die on me over winter, even a Golden Globe W/S in the ground came bouncing back.

I don't mean to be a downer, but I don't think you'll have any luck with that Star Apple, they just die off here, and even the Jakfruit needs a tropical climate to fruit, unsure on carambola though as i've never even bothered trying it.

By rule of thumb I generally stick the more sub tropical fruits as they tend to be able to come out on top after a few years and fruit successfully.

I've currently got two Mangoes for the record (Florigon and Dwarf Irwin), but they haven't really put on much growth over the summer which is weird.

Time: 19th February 2016 12:18am

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About the Author Peter91
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Danny N1's says...
G'day Peter,

Mate im going to give them all a try - if i fail or succeed, well atleast i have given it a go haha. mind you i will be constructing a small greenhouse very soon and plan to house all my tropicals and sub tropicals in the greenhouse for winter.
My wife's friend has a humidifier which she used for her baby ( no longer needs it) so i plan to put this in the greenhouse and also artificial heat during the cold winter days that drops below 10c at night and below 20c during the day. I will update this experiment on this forum and tell you guys how my plants fared.
I think with a bit of ingenuity i may have some success - time will tell.

Time: 19th February 2016 3:43pm

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About the Author Danny N1
Wynn Vale
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Markmelb says...
Danny - was wondering what sort of heater you plan to use? I ran a 2kw glasshouse heater in mine in early 80s until I got my first winter bill - then I built a heat bank made of 20 X 5 gallon drums filled with water and painted matt black under the 3 level side tier - heated up during day and released at night - wish I took it with me and put in storage. 12 X 9ft and real glass with shade cloth for summer and auto cap vent. Heard hay bales work too and get very warm as they decompose but cant stop it during day.

Time: 19th February 2016 5:44pm

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Peter91 says...
Hey Danny, good to hear you're willing to give it a shot, you should try a Sapodilla also if you're going to those lengths.

Do you have personal contact? I'd like to keep in contact with you about progress etc as we're in the same city.

Aussiefig and fruits forum is a good thing to sign up to aswell due to personal messaging, also keeping updates on Daleys is beneficial for a broad selection of members.

Time: 19th February 2016 10:15pm

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About the Author Peter91
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Danny N1's says...
Hi Markmelb,

Mate dont really know what form of heating i will be using in my Greenhouse (Just bought one from Ebay - should arrive by Tuesday), my Village Dwarf Coconut and Dwarf Mangosteen should be arriving this week so if the timing is right the greenhouse will be up and ready for these tropicals that are extremely sensitive to cold. As for the heating of the Greenhouse - shouldn't be an issue just yet but going into April is when i would be seriously looking into it.Your suggestions are great, i do like the idea of a 2kw heater - have read about the water drums but i think it's space taken up that i could squeeze another plant in my greenhouse.

Peter91 - i think i'll hold off on the Sapodilla for now - it is on my list of purchases but im quickly going to run out of room haha. You can contact me via my email kiszmmit@yahoo.com.au and we can exchange phone numbers mate.

Cheers happy gardening people

Time: 21st February 2016 1:54pm

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About the Author Danny N1
Wynn Vale
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Markmelb says...
Danny
Have a look at this video - quite an amazing aquaponic setup using compost for heating greenhouse which i think they also sell along with fish and greens - heard something in video that they make $200,000 Acre?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfScfxkmWw4

Time: 29th February 2016 8:29am

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Boweimar says...
Hello, just wondering if anyone ended up having luck growing a coconut and whether it fruits? I have mangos and bananas fruiting and like the thought of giving a dwarf coconut a go.

Time: 12th March 2019 7:05pm

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About the Author Boweimar
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denise1 says...
Shop bought coconuts without a husk can often grow if conditions are warm enough. Outside the tropics you need a heatboard and greenhouse to start it. A coconut was established outdoors in NZs far north in wild shrubbery of sand dune near to a beach. It never got any frost. Where coconut is grown in Florida the temperature often gets around freezing point at nights during the several cooler months.It has been noted that below 9 degrees celcius the growth of coconut palm ceases. I would say that if you can provide a practically frost free microclimate with a limited temp below 9 degrees and have a protective thicket ( maybe 3 to 5m)then you have a chance as it has been done before. The best thicket I can think of would provide some shade but allow good light and you could include a wind barrier around the general area. Just hope some kid brats dont come and chop them down as happened to the palms in nz. A sandy soil is possibly the best

Time: 14th March 2019 8:49pm

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About the Author denise1
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David01 says...
Hi Boweimar,

Coconut may survive in the heated green house without fruits. As it needs a temp range 20c to 35c. Cheers

Time: 15th March 2019 12:45pm

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About the Author David01
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Anand Rathod says...
Hi
I am in South Australia and i have lots of tropical/subtropical fruit trees except coconut tree, i was thinking to grow one but read enough about them and learn they won't survive SA winter, so didn't bother trying them.. anyway, i grew a mango tree, few papaya tree, an avocado tree, star fruit , banana trees and sapodilla tree and most of them are 2 years old and growing healthy..no problem with SA winter,I also managed to air layering a mango branch and got new one which is still small in mini green house, also couple seed grown avocados in mini green house... So many tropical/subtropical fruits are growing well in my backyard..love to hear about your coconut plant if they grow well.. I can give give it a go if anything positive results come up...
Cheers..

Time: 3rd July 2019 12:34am

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Boweimar says...
Hi, I decided against a coconut too given the literature available. But have had success with Banana, black sapote and mangos. I think growing coconut will remain a dream unfortunately.


Time: 3rd July 2019 10:15am

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About the Author Boweimar
West Croydon
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Mike Tr says...
Coconuts might be too tropical for anywhere south of the 30 latitude line. All of the sub tropicals mentioned are not surprising in the right Adelaide microclimate and/or greenhouse with winter management. I imagine that jackfruit,various sapotes,achachas,longan and lychees are worth a shot but longkong,wax apples,chempadek,Durios and pulasan are not.

Time: 4th July 2019 8:39am

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About the Author Mike Tr
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MichaelF says...
Hey Danny,
How did your mangosteen hold up so far? I'm about to plant some seeds from fresh fruit but I've heard they are a 'strict' ultra tropical plant. Cheers.

Time: 10th July 2019 5:58pm

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About the Author MichaelF
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LiLiHollyHock says...
Hi Danny.
I'm just starting out and hoping a glass house might help.
I'm in the Adelaide Hills and hoping to grow papaya, mangoes, hass avocados.
Any tips about your experiences would be greatly appreciated.
LiLi 🌸

Time: 24th September 2024 6:42pm

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About the Author LiLiHollyHock
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LiLiHollyHock says...
Hi Danny.
I'm just starting out and hoping a glass house might help.
I'm in the Adelaide Hills and hoping to grow papaya, mangoes, hass avocados.
Any tips about your experiences would be greatly appreciated.
LiLi 🌸

Time: 4th October 2024 5:06am

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About the Author LiLiHollyHock
CRAIGBURN FARM,5051,SA
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LiLiHollyHock says...
Hi Danny.
I'm just starting out and hoping a glass house might help.
I'm in the Adelaide Hills and hoping to grow papaya, mangoes, hass avocados.
Any tips about your experiences would be greatly appreciated.
LiLi 🌸

Time: 4th October 2024 5:09am

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