Is hand pollination required for chermioya (sofia) (forum)

Rob19 starts with ...
Hi, I was wondering if anyone has had any luck with getting cherimoyas to grow without hand pollination. I'm quite keen on getting a sofia based on the description but am not sure I'd ever get around to pollinating it at the right time. Does anyone have any experience on the effect of not hand pollinating?


Time: 20th February 2014 4:50pm

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WEST FOOTSCRAY,3012,VIC
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Jantina says...
I think somewhere on this forum someone
says their White sets some self pollinated fruit but otherwise it's people that have to do the pollinating with a little brush. Alas I mess up my pollinating every year. I'm either too early or too late. Perhaps I need a bit more dedication. If you type "pollinating cherimoyas " in the little search box up above there is quite a bit on it including a great link on doing the actual deed.

Time: 20th February 2014 5:56pm

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Jason says...
You have to get the pollen just when the flower petals are very open and will bend without breaking. That's usually in the late afternoon for me. So I have to put it in a container in the fridge and wake up early and pollinate the flowers that are JUST open enough to accept pollen. All in all it's too much effort and I just don't do it most years. But it does work if you try hard enough. The timing to find the live pollen is pretty fine though. The Californians put misting sprinklers under their trees, seems to make them self pollinate. Without hand pollination I get about 2 small misshapen fruit a year however I've seen a tree in Melbourne fruiting heavily without hand pollination. Specifically the "southern knights" variety in Glowinski's front yard.

Time: 20th February 2014 6:06pm

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Original Post was last edited: 20th February 2014 6:05pm

About the Author Jason
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JohnMc1 says...
There's a massive 40? + year old seedling grown Cherimoya near my place that must be self pollinating. I don't know how it's getting pollinated so well, could be the wind? There's clusters of fruit on nearly every branch. Pity it's not palatable, the fruit is large but rots from the inside out. The only good from this specimen is the roostock from it's seeds.

Time: 20th February 2014 7:00pm

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Original Post was last edited: 20th February 2014 6:57pm

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Robdemaid@yahoo.com.au says...
Thank you all for your advice. Given my small garden and it's low reliability I might gun for something more reliable.... That sue bell white sapote is slowly climbing my list.

Time: 20th February 2014 8:20pm

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About the Author Robdemaid@yahoo.com.au
West footscray
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Jason says...
Hass Avocados are $4 EACH at safeway right now, something to think about :). I almost need to install razor wire fences around my trees at those prices

Time: 20th February 2014 8:28pm

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MaryT says...
Yes, Jason. What's your address again ? :) They're $4 each at our local Woolies too.

Time: 21st February 2014 2:32pm

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About the Author MaryT
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