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insipidtoast
Stranger


Registered: 01/17/06
Posts: 745
Last seen: 12 years, 2 months
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Miracle Fruit Grow Log (Pictures)
#14284883 - 04/13/11 04:20 PM (12 years, 9 months ago) |
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For those who don't know the growing parameters please read this before giving growing advice: http://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/miraclefruit.html
I'm using all organic methods to grow this plant.
The pH range listed in the above document says 4.5-5.8 but I imagine that is a bit conservative and this plant would do fine all the way down to 4.0
I received this plant bareroot back in late August and shortly potted it up into the 3 gallon pot that it is in right now. I used foxfarm ocean forest potting soil. Almost as soon as I got the plant, it started to decline.
Here's what I believe contributed to its current poor condition over the past nine months:
-Did not clean off the raw peat moss from the roots used during the shipping process. -Fox farm ocean forest doesn't provide enough drainage out of the bag. -Did not remove the duct tape from the root ball either (What was I thinking?!) -Scorched a couple of the top leaves on a flourescent grow hood. -Added too much of the Happy Frog Acid Lovers fertilizer and ruined the drainage, which probably contributed to root rot to some extent. -Used pine bark tea to irrigate a couple months after I messed up the drainage. (My pine bark tea has a pH of 4.0). This was a smart move, but the surplus tea water waterlogged the plant big time, and the pine bark sitting on the top of the soil didn't allow much moisture to evaporate. -Over winter I didn't humidify the grow space at all.
This plant definitely needs better care than the craziness I've subjected it to. This plant needs to be coddled, so these are some changes I have made in the past week:
-Threw out the thick, over-fertilized soil, and added some fresh ocean forest. -Added a small amount of the Acid lovers fertilizer as per the instructions. -Turned on the old humidifier again. -Got a pH meter (unfortunately only for water samples, not soil) and a cheap soil pH kit. The top inch of the soil is now in the 5.5-6.0 range. I'm really trying to get the soil down to 4.5 (the lower end of the acid range of this plant). -Made some pine bark fines (look it up). I worked about 3-4 cups worth of this and pine micro chips into the soil to improve drainage and lower pH. -Brewed another batch of pine bark tea (pH 4.0), which I use to mist the foliage a few times/day. -Spring has arrived! The plant is now getting more sunlight.
A couple things I will do by the end of the month: -Fertilize again -Irrigate with pure lemon juice (pH 2.3) -Create a humidity tent just for this plant.
What are the best materials and best design to assemble a humidity tent around a single, potted plant?
At present, this is how the plant looks:


Ideally, I want my Synsepalum dulcificum to look like this:
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insipidtoast
Stranger


Registered: 01/17/06
Posts: 745
Last seen: 12 years, 2 months
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Re: Miracle Fruit Grow Log (Pictures) [Re: insipidtoast]
#14295984 - 04/15/11 02:38 PM (12 years, 9 months ago) |
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bump
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cole2684
Gamer



Registered: 02/17/10
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Last seen: 8 years, 1 month
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Re: Miracle Fruit Grow Log (Pictures) [Re: insipidtoast]
#14297717 - 04/15/11 08:17 PM (12 years, 9 months ago) |
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My miracles are barely surviving as well. The tips of the leaves are dead much like yours. Would love to know the cause so I can fix.
-------------------- --------------------------------------------- I'm a man who really enjoys his taffy. ---------------------------------------------
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Ralafe
Whistling Pot
Registered: 09/13/10
Posts: 143
Last seen: 5 years, 3 months
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Re: Miracle Fruit Grow Log (Pictures) [Re: insipidtoast]
#14297750 - 04/15/11 08:23 PM (12 years, 9 months ago) |
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Hey, just wanted to thank you for posting this. Been having a shitty day, but you reminded me that I have some Miracle Fruit seeds on order...
Anyway, to answer one of your questions, I've always used plastic bags for a humidity tent for a single plant. My tented plants were much smaller (I used to grow salvia cuttings back when it was legal in my state... sadly not anymore), but I think you'd do great with some 14 gauge electric fence wire (real cheap at tractor supply, should be able to make do with stuff from the hardware store) and painter's plastic.
Good luck, hope to see your plants get better!
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insipidtoast
Stranger


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Re: Miracle Fruit Grow Log (Pictures) [Re: Ralafe]
#14298168 - 04/15/11 09:39 PM (12 years, 9 months ago) |
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Quote:
Ralafe said: Hey, just wanted to thank you for posting this. Been having a shitty day, but you reminded me that I have some Miracle Fruit seeds on order...
Anyway, to answer one of your questions, I've always used plastic bags for a humidity tent for a single plant. My tented plants were much smaller (I used to grow salvia cuttings back when it was legal in my state... sadly not anymore), but I think you'd do great with some 14 gauge electric fence wire (real cheap at tractor supply, should be able to make do with stuff from the hardware store) and painter's plastic.
Good luck, hope to see your plants get better!

Thanks for the advice and comments. I'll do some shopping tomorrow morning to see what I can throw together with some painter's drop cloth, fence wire, and an impulse sealer.
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insipidtoast
Stranger


Registered: 01/17/06
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Re: Miracle Fruit Grow Log (Pictures) [Re: insipidtoast]
#14300687 - 04/16/11 12:37 PM (12 years, 9 months ago) |
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I used some three foot sections of 10 gauge copper wiring and cut a long section of .7mm painter's drop cloth then sealed the ends with an impulse sealer. The result is a pretty makeshift humidity tent.
I gave the soil and foliage a good misting with pine bark tea and covered the plant up with the drop cloth. I'm planning on just leaving it in this state for at least another week. As of now, I only poked one pen size hole in the plastic. Ideally, how many holes of this size should there be?
Edited by insipidtoast (04/16/11 12:38 PM)
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BlindBat
learning to see

Registered: 02/16/11
Posts: 287
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Re: Miracle Fruit Grow Log (Pictures) [Re: insipidtoast]
#14314114 - 04/18/11 09:46 PM (12 years, 9 months ago) |
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.
Edited by BlindBat (04/29/12 01:54 PM)
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Horticulture
Mycocurious



Registered: 04/30/09
Posts: 1,102
Loc: Midwest
Last seen: 9 years, 7 days
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Re: Miracle Fruit Grow Log (Pictures) [Re: BlindBat]
#14319499 - 04/19/11 08:01 PM (12 years, 9 months ago) |
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Sounds like you are loving them too much. Also... 4.0 is really low? Why would you even exceed 4.5?
-------------------- The Plant Mage Guild
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insipidtoast
Stranger


Registered: 01/17/06
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Last seen: 12 years, 2 months
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Re: Miracle Fruit Grow Log (Pictures) [Re: Horticulture]
#14353673 - 04/26/11 05:58 AM (12 years, 9 months ago) |
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Don't put a bag around them. Here's what mine looked like after one week of the bag treatment. That's right! Worse....much worse.

Quote:
Horticulture said: Sounds like you are loving them too much.
Don't worry. I stopped loving it. Can't you tell?
Edited by insipidtoast (04/26/11 06:01 AM)
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BlindBat
learning to see

Registered: 02/16/11
Posts: 287
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Re: Miracle Fruit Grow Log (Pictures) [Re: insipidtoast]
#14354685 - 04/26/11 11:30 AM (12 years, 9 months ago) |
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.
Edited by BlindBat (04/29/12 02:04 PM)
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insipidtoast
Stranger


Registered: 01/17/06
Posts: 745
Last seen: 12 years, 2 months
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Re: Miracle Fruit Grow Log (Pictures) [Re: BlindBat]
#14405192 - 05/05/11 01:09 PM (12 years, 8 months ago) |
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now ya tell me!
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hugger-mugger

Registered: 10/14/09
Posts: 201
Loc: Dallas
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Re: Miracle Fruit Grow Log (Pictures) [Re: insipidtoast]
#14797069 - 07/20/11 10:21 AM (12 years, 6 months ago) |
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Glad to find some fellow MF lovers.
I started out with 2 older plants (~3 yrs), and proceeded to experience an explosion of growth followed immediately by sudden decline, and death.
This consumed me for weeks, and through extensive research found the problem. These plants are often "over-containerized", simply grown in small containers too long.
During this time, the deepest roots hit the bottom, and being unable to continue downwards, begin to circle the pot relentlessly.
These roots cause no problem until the plant gets older, especially after a period of explosive growth. The circling roots become woody and rigid, and upon growth of fine roots, strangle the plant. The soil beneath the girdling roots never dries, due to lack of fresh air, and the roots are incapable of drawing nutrients, water, and air.
The only solution is to inspect roots carefully before planting. Circling roots should be dealt with before planting, whether by pruning or training. The roots will continue downward if given a chance, but as in my case, sometimes it's already too late.
I've learned my lesson. Even seedlings 4" tall sometimes have a 6" taproot already beginning to circle the bottom.
Repotting and root pruning are your friends!
PM me for MF plants. Hope this helps
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insipidtoast
Stranger


Registered: 01/17/06
Posts: 745
Last seen: 12 years, 2 months
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Re: Miracle Fruit Grow Log (Pictures) [Re: hugger-mugger]
#14817248 - 07/24/11 11:09 AM (12 years, 6 months ago) |
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They have taproots?!
Under-development of roots was the problem in my case from the get-go. I wouldn't try to bare-root this plant. I'd also give it excellent drainage. And water it somewhat infrequently.
Part of the problem I had was transplanting it too early to a bigger pot. There simply wasn't enough root mass to soak up the constant moisture in the soil.
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kadakuda
The Great"Green".......East



Registered: 05/21/04
Posts: 7,048
Loc: Asia
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Re: Miracle Fruit Grow Log (Pictures) [Re: insipidtoast]
#14818649 - 07/24/11 04:33 PM (12 years, 6 months ago) |
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they need humidity sure, but they also need air exchange. If you can provide fresh air, high humidity, and hot weather they are super easy plants. all mine grow in damn near clay just fine. Soil i soften over rated with MF plants, most problems are due to heat/moisture/air/nutrients. when hungry they drop leaves, but you should notice before it comes to that.
-------------------- The seeds you won't sow are the plants you dont grow.
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hugger-mugger

Registered: 10/14/09
Posts: 201
Loc: Dallas
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Re: Miracle Fruit Grow Log (Pictures) [Re: kadakuda]
#14879779 - 08/06/11 02:54 AM (12 years, 5 months ago) |
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Sorry for the earlier post that was considered spam. I'll do better next time, promise!
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