Garden-Florida

According to the description at Pine Island Nursery.

‘Mallika’ is a “condo mango” native to India. It has become a favorite here at PIN due to its superb flavor, unparalleled disease resistance, and small but extremely productive habit. There is a catch however. The fruit must be picked mature green for optimum flavor, and they are traditionally ripened in camel dung while on the way to market in India. They can also be packed in a cardboard box and kept at room temperature if camel dung is difficult to come by in your part of the world. Ripening typically takes ten to fourteen days. The season is from June to July.

This is my first year growing Mallika, and the plant is still fairly small. As is my habit, I prefer to encourage newly-planted fruit tress to put their energy into growth for the first couple of years. So, I only allowed one fruit to grow to maturity.

More than likely I could have picked the fruit a couple of weeks sooner, but wanted to make sure it had filled out as much as possible. The fruit was still green when picked; mostly green, swollen and heavy. Since I don’t have access to camel dung, I stored in a paper bag on my kitchen counter. Nine days later the fruit has developed a fragrant, mango aroma, has grown soft, but still a little green. I monitor progress every day. I think it should be ready to slice in a couple of days.

The main reason I wanted Mallika was the due to the need to pick mature-green. Seemed like an excellent choice for a mango to send to my sisters.

Speaking of mangoes, last week I overheard a guy at Publix telling how a thief stole all the mangoes from his tree. I didn’t hear all the details, or how he knew who took the fruit. He went to see the guy and the thief said, “Want to buy some mangoes?”

The man responded, “Why would I buy mangoes that came off my own tree?”

I didn’t hear how the story ended because you can only spend so much time eavesdropping in a crowded produce section.

But it occurs to me that if Mallika tastes as good as it already smells, the picking-mature-green requirement could act as a potential deterrent to thieves. And it is a variety that can be maintained at only ten feet.

Watch for an update in a few days. Mmmm! Can’t wait!

Book Review: The Essential Wild Food Survival Guide
by Linda Runyon

The Essential Wild Food Survival Guide

Linda Runyon. Wild Food Company 2009, Paperback, 320 pages, $14.95

An excellent reference guide to the most commonly found wild edibles across the US

The number of wild edibles described in this guide is fairly limited; however, the author does an excellent job of detailing the plants covered. A recipe section is also included – Crabgrass Muffins, anyone? The author also includes information about preserving wild foods, and a section on poisonous look-alikes.

Since the book includes plants from every region of the country, you’ll find a little something for everyone. Here in Florida it is highly unlikely I will be making Tumbleweed Soup or cooking with Queen Anne’s Lace. On the other hand, I do have a healthy crop of crabgrass for most of the year, and I might try the Blackberry Bramble Tea.

Wherever you live, it makes sense to become familiar with the wild edibles on your property and around the neighborhood.

For those of us interested in edible landscaping, it is worth remembering that some edibles plant themselves in our garden beds and lawns.

While this book would serve as an excellent introduction to wild edibles, it also contains enough unique content to become an instant favorite for those who have studied edibles for a long time. I highly recommend this book.

This is the first year I’ve grown longan.

This is a highly-prized fruit in Asia, and appears to grow quite well in my Florida garden. So far.

When ripe the small fruit are slightly larger than my white Muscadine grapes. They have a thin, hard husk that peels easily revealing a whitish, translucent flesh around a large pit.

longan peeled, fruit and pit

How to describe the taste?

The fruit is sweet and jucy. I can’t think of another fruit to compare the flavor. It is pleasant and mild, but not really like anything else. My first thought was a little bland, but I think what I meant was not at all tangy.

I’m not sure how large the tree will grow, but have given it plenty of room with plenty of sun.

Like most of my fruit trees, I fertilize with citrus fertilizer.

Will try to get some better pics of the ripe fruit today.

I’ve been giving a lot of thought to adding rain barrels lately.

Here is a video showing how to build a really basic one cheap.

Here’s a more sophisticated one to build