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itsmeveve

Brewster Lychee

itsmeveve
11 years ago

I have a Brewster Lychee tree, I bought it several months ago, I became worried about the leaves in the store. The clerk said they are not allowed to fertilize them and that it probably just needed a bit of food. I brought it home and fed it, I put it in a larger pot. I have seen new growth several times, it doesn't look like its dying. I do think it looks stressed, its like droopy and scrunched together. Now I only knew about lychee trees because one of my landlords had one and guess who got all the extra fruit? ME!! I loved those things! And I crave them! Thing is I really don't remember what the tree looked like. So I wouldn't really know if its supposed to look like mine or not. To me I would describe this tree as a self conscious tree!

Comments (20)

  • brute
    11 years ago

    I think it'll be fine as long as you don't back your car over it. :-)
    Are you going to put it in the ground, or what? I think it will be happier there.
    I have three lychees and their leaf tips turn brown when the only water they get is from my nasty old well. On the other hand, during a very rainy summer, all the leaves are bright green and shiny. They prefer rainwater over well water.
    Good luck with your very own lychee!

  • itsmeveve
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thanks for the feedback! I wrote this message at night time, then I figured no one would figure out what I am talking about without a picture. So I dragged it over to the driveway where the spotlight is to get a picture :) The only brown leaves are at the top. They are not really brown they are kind of like copper. I am not sure why the bottom ones look gray, must have something to do with the light. there are a few brown tips, it does get well water! I will see about how to get my rain water from the back yard to it!
    I was planning to try to keep it in the pot, but lately I have been giving thought to planting in the ground. I just don't want to have to leave it if I move to a different house. I am not sure what to do about winter. Do I leave it outside? I know it needs some cold to produce fruit,can it get to cold in Florida? What do you feed your tree?

  • Doglips
    11 years ago

    Tough to tell from the photo.
    The brown leaves at the top looks like a flush of new leaves.

  • brute
    11 years ago

    I agree the the "copper-colored" leaves appear to simply be new growth. I wouldn't worry too much. When young trees die, they die VERY quickly. Everything turns brown all at once and twigs will snap instead of bend. Your tree looks healthy enough for now.

  • itsmeveve
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Yes they are new leaves at the top! This tree has had plenty new leaves since I got it. What do I feed this tree? Its just been getting plain water this past several months. Also what temp should I bring it indoors? I know it needs cold to produce fruit. Do I leave it out all south Florida winter?

  • brute
    11 years ago

    How far "south" are you? I have no experience with potted trees, but they say that with in-ground trees, you shouldn't fertilize them for three (or is it six?) months after planting them to allow for establishing a good root system. From what I hear, once lychees have some age to them, they're pretty cold hardy.

  • itsmeveve
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    I have had it about 8 or 9 months now. I don't think its lost any leaves yet and new growth has been ongoing. If you ever heard of North Port thats where we are, its south of Sarasota.

  • brute
    11 years ago

    Heck, we're practically neighbors! I live in the boonies between North Port and Englewood.
    You're definitely far enough south not to worry about your lychee outdoors during the winter, unless we are cursed with another freeze like January 2010.
    Lychee trees eventually get pretty big, so I'm not sure keeping it potted is a good idea for the long run. If you put it in the ground and then later move, you can always try digging it up for transport. My neighbor successfully did this with a mango tree recently.

  • itsmeveve
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    LOL Well Hello Neighbor! One day I hope to be eating Lychee and smelling my plumerias! My dream paradise!
    What about what to feed my Lychee tree? and when?

  • brute
    11 years ago

    I have about twenty tropical fruit trees of various types, three lychees among them, and I just feed the whole bunch Sunniland Citrus and Avacado Fertilizer four times a year.
    They seem to like it.

  • itsmeveve
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thanks for your time and info! My next question is how to keep the animals from eating the fruit? When / If that time ever comes?

  • brute
    11 years ago

    It might sound heartless, but the more coons and possums you can kill, the better! I have personally seen them STRIP a lychee or mango tree IN ONE NIGHT!
    Actually, I must correct that last sentence. If I had actually SEEN them in the act during the night, the whole neighborhood would have been jolted awake by gunfire. What I actually saw was the RESULT of their nocturnal raid.
    If you wish to have any hope of growing and eating your own fruit, you've got to buy a cage trap and a .22 rifle (if you don't already have one), and USE them!
    Walmart sells a .22 round called CCI Quiets for $2.97 for a box of fifty. With these, you won't disturb the neighbors when you execute your trapped coon.

  • itsmeveve
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Oh my! I was thinking squirrel they will not leave my bird feeder alone! Figured they would go after fruit also. We do have something that makes holes in the yard at night. Maybe I can just bring it in at night time and back out in the morning since its in a pot. I couldn't see myself hitting a target, But I bet I could accidentally get something I wasn't supposed to get! LOL

    I was looking at a scare crow sprinkler on you tube, that could be a lot of laughs! We already have night vision camera out there. Could get some interesting movies!

  • yonip69
    11 years ago

    Brute, You are Dirty Harry...ha.. ha..ha ...Just joking only.

  • Doglips
    11 years ago

    Be prepared for loss. The tree is going to have to get much, much bigger before it can produce more fruit than a squirrel can take/destroy in a day.

    You probably have gophers or moles, shouldn't be an issue, but don't be suprised when you create the first fruit eating hybrid. Squirrels are not nocturnal, they don't feed at night. Racoons and opossums are a different story. I've seen shows talk about how racoon populations have exploded, they thrive in urban environments. They even live in Manhattan and can judge traffic (probably use the cross-walk buttons). I don't know what the population of opossums is doing, going up I would assume.

    Unless you setup a sniper tower in your backyard and man-it 24-7 you are going to take losses before you get the offending party.

    There are a ton of threads on this subject and I don't think any of them have the perfect solution. Dogs are actually are one of the better deterrents, except on squirrels, who thrive on torturing dogs. But they can at least sound the alarm.

    One thing is for sure, once they get their first taste of the sweet juicy goodness they will be back and bring friends. LYCHEE PARTY AT EVE's house!!!

  • itsmeveve
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    LOL @ the LYCHEE party!
    I bought my tree because I was told it can grow and fruit in the house. I have never had it in the house yet, I have been trying to give it a good start. I know we have caught a few racoons at the trash in the past. I saw a thread yesterday and found the scarecrow(link below) That could be fun to watch since we already have a night vision camera out there might get some interesting movies.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Scarecrow

  • Doglips
    11 years ago

    Coons do like to wash up after a meal.

  • itsmeveve
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    LOL you are set on doing away with them I see! I have no experience with trees and you probably tried everything (:

    We shall see

  • brute
    11 years ago

    On a related note: I work construction and was doing a job on North Avenue in Englewood a couple of days ago. While there I noticed a HUGE lychee tree at another house. This tree was enormous and took up half the yard! I was tempted to ring the doorbell and ask the homeowner how old the tree is, and other questions. Perhaps on my next day off I'll go back with my camera and satisfy my curiosity. If my little lychees ever get THAT big, there won't be room for my other trees!

  • itsmeveve
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Wow I hope you share that photo here. My landlord's tree was very tall and skinny. Maybe different kinds grow different sizes. Hope the homeowner invites you back to help pick the fruit!

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