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bananafan

Do you have a Soursop that is producing fruit for you?

bananafan
10 years ago

I purchased a Soursop back in 2009 and it has always been kept in the pot. I don't think it will survive in the ground. Even with protection, the plant keeps dying back in the Winter, but it always comes back in the Spring. It was about 3-4 tall when I got it. Now it's about 6 ft in height. So, this is the fourth year I've got it and I haven't seen it bloom and I don't know what to make of it.

Has anyone here successfully grown Soursop where you are? Is this plant an ultra tropical fruit tree that doesn't fruit where I am? Would appreciate hearing your experience with this fruit tree.

Comments (77)

  • bananafan2
    6 years ago

    Princesoursop,

    So excited to hear many of you are having an exciting time with your soursops! What an inspiration! Yours, Princesoursop, must be happy with the warmer weather you have there. So, you're saying these trees thrive on neglect? Wow, that's one good news. It's amazing that you're even having a harvest right now.

    Please do share some pictures of your trees and fruit, if you are able to post some--would love to see your mature trees and the cool harvest.

  • bananafan2
    6 years ago

    tr0055,

    I'm a little surprised to hear that your soursops aren't doing as well in the tropical weather that you have there. Soursops are supposed to do very well in the tropics ... I'm just wondering if they'll need more watering, but in the tropics, that shouldn't be a problem since there will be lots of rainfall and the humidity is also high. So, really not sure what's the problems ... except that it might be having some kind of disease? (not sure about that though)

    You also said they would die off few years after flowering/fruiting ... that's also something new I did not know before. Anyway, thank you for sharing about your soursops. I definitely hope those that flower for you will develop into some nice fruit for you soon :)



  • bananafan2
    6 years ago

    I see that some of the postings on this tract were way back to 2015. Somehow just missed keeping up ... How time flies!

    Dwlawson and Kevin, I hope your Soursops are still doing well for you and fruiting for you as they survive your weather there.

    Mine has actually died down to half of its size in the pot. I did not always protect it when the weather got colder. Last year, I decided I couldn't keep up with remembering when to bring it in and decided to just plant it close to the north side of the house. This year, our Winter here isn't too bad, so right now it's showing some new growth. We'll have to see how things go. Here's a picture of it today at about 5ft in height.






  • Lily Hau
    6 years ago

    Diana Thanh -Hue Nguyen...Do you have some fresh seed I can have some. I live in Southern California (L.A) . I can meet you up in OC. Or can you send to me, I paid for shipping..

  • bananafan2
    6 years ago

    Lily, I suggest you stop by at a Asian grocery in your area. They may carry the fruit in the fresh form. While you can enjoy the taste of the fruit, you can also collect the seeds to plant. I've tried that before in the past with Rambutans, Lychees and Longans and I was able to start some seedlings that way. To me, that's the quickest and easiest way to get to what you want. Hope that will work for you.


  • C Wes
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago


    Here is my 3 yo potted Soursop from seed. I am waiting for it to start to flower next year as it has to grow bigger in order to support a potentially 3-7 lbs fruit.

  • longanluva
    6 years ago

    Diana Thanh-Hue Nguyen

    Nice job with your soursop! Very excited for you too! Haven't heard of anyone in Socal fruiting a soursop before. Do you know if your trees are grafted name varieties or seedlings? Also, did the fruits set on it's own naturally or did you had to hand pollinate? Would you be able to share a few cuttings? I'd be more then happy to buy or trade with you. I have Cuban fiberless soursop(newly grafted, no fruit yet) and alot of mangos, annonas, you can choose from. I'm in the city of San Gabriel. Thanks!

    Max



  • Diana Thanh-Hue Nguyen
    6 years ago

    Hello to all friends, here are my soursop fruits right now it getting bigger and like I said this is my first year my tree have fruit so I don't know how big it is going to be. I love to share. And my trees is growing from seed not grafted and not pollinate needed. Remember to cover it when cold weather or it may not survie.

  • Diana Thanh-Hue Nguyen
    6 years ago

    I don't have any fresh seed, I grow 15 seeds and I only have 10 out of 15 and I gave some to my relative and I got stole 6 trees so I don't have any left (yeah its so sad I put out all my effort excited to take care of the trees and watch it growing bigger everyday :(...) my mom and family against me when I growing this trees in my back yard, yes I got the point why they do that because I have fell first 2 trees it can't survie in the winter and I am not give up yet. But hey now my tree have fruit and it live well with my care in the winter. Since I love this fruit trees and it can grow here so I go buy more young trees. Its grow fast if you put it in the ground.

  • Diana Thanh-Hue Nguyen
    6 years ago

    I have 2 in the ground but I sold one trees that have 5 fruits in June 10, 2017. I keep the one with 14 fruits. Well I don't want to tell it but they came to my house they saw it and begging and offer want to buy it from me since I have 2 big trees in the ground and 5 young trees in the pot so I decided to sell one and grow another one back to that spot.

  • bananafan2
    6 years ago

    Diana,

    Fantastic soursop trees you've got there and all grown from seeds! I'm speechless. So, what are you feeding them to make them grown so huge, robust and productive? Mine is still struggling from year to year. It has been in the ground for 2 years now, but this is how it looks like today ... not much growth since I posted a picture this March. Even though it has been fed with organic fertilizer, it hasn't shown any growth ....


    I see yours are even grown in a concrete patio ground. I'm really
    impressed with how yours are doing so well. Do you mind sharing
    your secret for having grown such super looking soursops. Anypictures to share of the others in the pots? I heard soursop has a
    lot of health benefits--including cancer prevention, besides the fact
    that it has a wonderfully refreshing taste to it. Great job, Diana, with all your soursops!



  • Diana Thanh-Hue Nguyen
    6 years ago

    Ha there is no secret at all maybe I got lucky for somehow, I just put it in the ground and maybe I make a big hole 24" by 24" all around and deep is 24" and I used potting mix and mixed with the soil after I remove it from hole in the ground after that I feed them with 14.14.14 fertilizer in March and June and September I cover it in the winter around late November depend the weather in the area I lived in. I hope it help you some idea. Oh and I heard that feed them fish fertilize it help the fruit bigger I don't know but I try to feed them a little by little to see if they like it so far I don't see any reaction yet but the fruit is stiil look green and healthy for now.

  • bananafan2
    6 years ago

    So, where are you located and what's your planting zone? I'm in FL 9b. I started out with a bigger plant, but since it died down during the Winter, it spent a lot of time recuperating and starting back up again. I only fertilize it once in March. Perhaps I should do so again right about now. What do you use to cover yours and how low does your temp get where you are?

    By the way, does Soursop only fruit once a year? The fruit in the picture you posted looks close to maturity. You must be looking forward to the harvest.


  • C Wes
    6 years ago

    Diana THN

    I envy you. I wish I live in a warmer place so I could plant my soursop. I live in one of the suburbs of Dallas 8b and our temp goes down 24F or colder at times and lasts at least half a day. With that temp, soursop will bear significant damage and may possibly die. Anyone here has soursop in container that has successfully fruited?

  • greenmd09
    6 years ago

    @Diana Thanh-Hue Nguyen:

    Wow! Congrats on your little soursop growing up! I can't wait for when they will ripen and you get to taste it! Update us with pictures of the fruit!


    Although I don't have a soursop, I do have a cherimoya that is fruiting right now. I bought it at Home Depot two years ago, it finally started flowering in April.

    Baby cherimoya (June 10, 2017)


    June 24, 2017 ( a little bigger)

    Its brothers and sisters:

  • Francesco Delvillani
    6 years ago

    Among tropical Annona.....Cherimoya is the most cold-hardy....A. muricata is not ultra-tropical as Durian, but neither cold-hardy as Mango.

    As I know in Sicily (South Italy), where there are commercial Mango field, A. muricata doesn't withstand Winter..

  • greenmd09
    6 years ago

    How long does cherimoya take to fully grow and harvest? I' m wondering how long my currently 10mm baby cherimoyas will be ready.

  • Diana Thanh-Hue Nguyen
    6 years ago

    I live in California (Orange County) the coldest in winter is 40 - 45F. This is my first year to have fruit it getting bigger than the picture now but its still green. I don't know when it ripe.

    Cherrimoya fruit ready to harvest is in the from December to April depend. My friends tree still have fruit but it out season it tast not as good.

  • bananafan2
    6 years ago

    Diana,

    What's your planting zone there? Mine here is 9b in FL. I think where you are might be a little warmer than here. Sometimes it also helps to be close to some water body which offers an environment of a micro climate. Your Soursop certainly looks like a happy camper there. Do share more pix when your fruit is ripe.

  • bananafan2
    6 years ago

    Greenmd,

    Nice pictures of your Cherimoya! Does it taste somewhat like the Soursop? I might consider planting one since I don't have much results growing Sousop here. With your planting zone there, it looks like your Cherimoya is going to do well. Do update again when the fruit further develops.

  • C Wes
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    bananafan2

    Is your soursop getting enough sunlight. Mine are in containers and growing too fast for me. Our Texas summer is too hot for my soursop so mine gets morning sun till noon then shade afterwards. Check the drainage as well. You may have to move it to a different location with better drainage. Mine have grown 1-11/2 foot since spring this year. Check for presence of pests and diseases. Based on your picture it looks to me that it's leaves are not as green as it should be and not as vigorous looking so it tells me that something is off. Find out what it is.

  • bananafan2
    6 years ago

    C Wes,

    You might be right about the sunlight. Since it's planted close to the house on the north side of my house, it doesn't get as much sunlight. I think the drainage might have been a problem as well. Here's a picture of it with its surrounding.

    I've placed some concrete patio blocks close to it ... maybe that's not so good an idea.

    I'll try to see if there's another place I can relocate it. Meanwhile, I've checked on it for disease and don't seem to spot anything on it. The leaves do look stunted and not as green even though I've been feeding it. I'll try pruning it to give it a little jump start and see what happens. I did that to some of my other plants and fruit trees and they seem to have worked sometimes.

    Yes, I'm really impressed with the growth rate of your Soursop. Even though you're in Zone 8, you've really kept it looking so good. I hope it will soak in all the heat this Summer and do something for you soon before your cool weather comes.

    By the way, I heard Epsom salt is very good in helping plants bloom and push production. I've been feeding it to all my plants--edible and and non edible species. They seem to have done very well so far. All my Hibiscus have been flowering non stop this year. I also fed it to my Chocolate Sapote which was stalling for some years. This year, it has put out a lot of blooms and some of the blooms are starting to develop into tiny fruitlets. Although it's too early to tell if the fruitlets will keep, but I'm happy to see things are improving. I'll start another post on my Chocolate Sapote later.

    Thanks C West for all your valuable suggestions and nice job on your Soursop! Do update more how your plant is doing--especially when it starts to bloom. Hopefully that will be soon for you :)







  • Diana Thanh-Hue Nguyen
    6 years ago

    Bananafan2

    my zone here is 10a and 10b

  • Diana Thanh-Hue Nguyen
    6 years ago

    Greenmd

    Cherrimoya fruit ready to harvest is in the from December to April depend. My friends tree still have fruit but it out season it tast not as good.

    Here is picture from last year from my Atemoya tree. I don't have Cherimoya, all baby Cherimoya trees I grafted with Annona or atemoya.

  • Diana Thanh-Hue Nguyen
    6 years ago

    I don't if you can see the fruit hanging in there

  • C Wes
    6 years ago

    Beautiful soursop flowers. Thanks for sharing. Still waiting for mine to bloom.

  • Diana Thanh-Hue Nguyen
    6 years ago

    Yeah, share if you have picture of your tree.

  • Diana Thanh-Hue Nguyen
    6 years ago


    Here is the picture I took in June 30, compare the one in March the fruit is much bigger.

  • bananafan2
    6 years ago

    Diana,

    Love all those pictures you shared. Very beautiful fruit--what an inspiration :) The 10a and b planting zone is a great plus for these tropical exotics too. I think in the U.S., the warmest planting zone is 11. Elsewhere say in South East Asia and Africa, perhaps zone 13 which is the most ideal for any tropical fruit. Still to be able to do what you're doing here is an amazing thing. Keep up with the good work!

  • C Wes
    6 years ago

    Diana

    How long does it take for the flower to set into a fruitlet and for the fruitlet to ripen.

  • C Wes
    6 years ago

    Diana

    Here is one of my 3 yo potted soursop from seed which I repotted twice this year. This pic is taken today.It is 6ft and the other six are 4-5ft. This is the most vigorous obviously.


  • Francesco Delvillani
    6 years ago

    Amazing....it very healthy to have been grown in pot :) Congratulation

  • jnlaraujo
    6 years ago

    I have a tree purchased at Home Depot about 2 yrs. ago. I fertilize it with fish/kelp about 1-2 times a year. This year it was covered with fruit weighing 1 lb. It is still producing. I live in Palm Beach and I am looking for a soursop tree/seed that produces big fruit. I have NS-1 and seed grown jackfruit that are producing but I have a hard time telling when it's ripe.

  • C Wes
    6 years ago

    There are three things you need to watch for to determine if jackfruit is ripe. First, the color changes from green to yellow green, second when you feel it, it feels softer, third there is a fruity smell where none existed before.

  • Diana Thanh-Hue Nguyen
    6 years ago

    c Wes

    My fruit that you see is from December 9, 2016 I took the picture when the fruit is start setting. Here is the picture. And the one I posted I took picture on June 30, 2017. I don't know when it going to ripen this is my first year my tree set fruit so I have to check it every day.

  • Diana Thanh-Hue Nguyen
    6 years ago

    c Wes,

    Your tree look healthy grow in the pot. Amazing, nice work.

  • C Wes
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    So it's been seven months since it flowered. Wow it has taken that long and now the fruit is still hanging. I am not too familiar with how to tell when it is ripe but it should be the same as most fruits. Check for presence of fruity scent, change of color, change of how it feels when you squeeze it lightly and try to move it a little bit if it comes off from the tree easily then definitely it is ready. I remember when I was little we had to set the fruit out in the counter and wait for few days to ripen just like pears.

  • Diana Thanh-Hue Nguyen
    6 years ago

    Hello everyone, I like to share my first harvest of soursop fruit, I am so happy it turn out so good but it sour hahaha. It is soursop so it sour right.

  • Diana Thanh-Hue Nguyen
    6 years ago

    Good luck with all soursop grower, everyone can do it. I hope next year my tree will set more fruits than this year.

  • C Wes
    6 years ago

    Those are awesome pictures. Thanks for taking the time to post them. By the way, did you make sure that they were soft before you cut open the fruit. My experience was the softer the fruit the sweeter it was. Now I can't wait for mine to start fruiting.

  • Diana Thanh-Hue Nguyen
    6 years ago

    Yes, if soft and chewy, I just blend it with little sugar and ice and it taste soooo good.

  • bananafan2
    6 years ago

    Diana,

    Beautiful fruit and beautiful owner too :) Just a complement ... no other meaning, but seriously great job with your Soursop and I'm looking forward to the day when mine would "behave" for me as well.

  • Diana Thanh-Hue Nguyen
    6 years ago

    Thank you :) I am not experience to this soursop it just the luck my tree set fruit this year. I know many of you are experience, well good luck to all.

  • Bright Orchard
    6 years ago

    Awesome job Diana.

  • Cherry Lucero
    5 years ago

    C Wes, I live in Fort Worth Tx. I want to find out how is your soupsop tree? The last post was in 2017. I’m interested to plant one for my mom. I’ve heard a lot of good medicinal use about this tree especially the leaves.

    Thank you.

  • C Wes
    5 years ago

    The tree on the picture had blooms last fall but the blooms did not turn into fruit for the temperature was falling so I had to take it into my kitchen. No sun and low humidity made the flowers dry and eventually dropped. I am hoping for it to bloom again at the right time this year.

  • Erik Gonzalez
    4 years ago

    C Wes, I also live in Dallas and am interested in growing one, did you have any luck growing fruit?

  • Luis C
    3 years ago

    bannanafan2 where are you located in Fl? I am also in 9b and in Land O lakes. I have 3 trees at 4-6 feet tall myself.

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