Karyn, Did you let your Tamarillo die in the cold? If so, when did it go? I'm curious partly because Annie's Annuals claims that they are only hardy to 41 F. I passed on one last time I was there partly because of that: http://www.anniesannuals.com/plants/plant_display.asp?prodid=306&account=none The only Physalis fruit I've tasted are tomatillos--so the cape gooseberry will be new to me assuming it fruits. I started a few of the seeds early since I have more than I'll need--they germinate quite well and I have a few very young seedlings both inside and outside. I'm really interested in seeing how these turn out. Purdue has a nice collection of articles on them. From one: http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=1398&page=241 "Goldenberry fruits are succulent golden spheres the size of marbles with a pleasing taste. They are protected by papery husks resembling Chinese lanterns. The attractive and symmetrical husk with its edible yellow fruit inside gives it an eye-catching appearance and potential market appeal. In most places where they are grown, goldenberries are now considered fruits only for backyard gardens or for children to pluck and eat. Given research, however, they could become commercial fruits of particular interest to the world's up-scale restaurants and bakeries. This is the strategy that established markets for kiwifruit in the 1960s and led to a multimillion dollar annual crop. Goldenberries already carry prestige in some international markets. Europeans, for example, often pay premium prices to dip them in chocolate or decorate cakes and tortes. In addition to having a future as fresh fruits, goldenberries make excellent jam; in fact, in India, they are known commonly as "jam fruit." In the United States they are best known as preserves marketed under the Hawaiian name "poha."" Another article, titled "Goldenberry, Passionfruit, & White Sapote: Potential Fruits for Cool Subtropical Areas" describes their apparently easy cultivation as annuals in Watsonville, about 50 miles South of me (similar climate, slightly cooler highs in summer): http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/proceedings1993/v2-479.html And yet another: http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/cape_gooseberry.html Great to hear about the giant passionfruit. I have a vague memory of reading somewhere that plants arise that produce giant fruit but that it wasn't as tasty. So do you think this is the product of another bud sport? Were there other fruits on that same branch? I guess I'm curious what the chance is that the seedlings will give giant fruit. Grapefruit size--off a regular P. edulis f. edulis plant? I guess I don't know enough to know how unusual that is. Weightwise, how much bigger would you say it was than the others from that vine? We have a loquat that got hundreds of fruits this year. Then I pruned it back literally about 75%--it was necessary and the trees tolerate pretty much anything. I saw one flower spike a week or two ago, I've been meaning to check again to see how well the tree is going to do after all that trauma.

Charley was a no-show here. 20 hours before his arrival the forecast was for Savannah's islands to have 118 MPH winds...so I shipped the wife and kids up to Dublin, as my house is surrounded by lots of large sand live oaks and they were calling for 6-8 inches of rain...which would "float" the roots and if that happened, hell, a 50 mph wind would send them on the house. I did, however, make it to the beach to surf early that next morning and caught the biggest waves i have ever seen on off of Tybee. Easily 8 footers. I caught several curls and was having my best day of surfing in many years...until...I got rolled severley and nearly dislocated my shoulder..and had enough strawberries on my body to put a farm out of business. It just goes to show you that "you can't surf ahead of the wave, or behind it". It was a very rough spill that was a sobering experience, but, I can't wait for the next big swells to come!. We had maybe 12-15 days where it dropped below freezing here, with only 4 or 5 frosts. Our low was 26 as well...and that wasn't a frost. Our lowest frost was 27 and defoliated about 1/3 of the leaves on one of my passionfruit vines.

I've never seen root rot on a jaboticaba. Mine, which are in ground of course, are in the lowest point in my entire property. There have been some multi-day rain events that have left standing water in this area for a full 10 days without any root issues. During dry season, I'll let the hose run completely flooding the area. That doesn't leave any standing water for more than a day, but I usually have to do it a day or two in a row before flowering commences. Good luck. Harry

Hello Joshp..I bought my neighbour one last week ( Panama Red ) for a get well present so I reckon this is the right time to plant them if Big W is selling them I dont think they are the grafted ones though at $4.95.. You are able to plant potted plants any time of the year.. Your 2YO one is too young to go, has it had enough water, do you give it a little prune, they like to be grown facing the East, maybe you should give it a prune to just below where it is dieing off, and a good water for a while then if it starts sprouting new shoots give it a feed. They will not tolerate poor drainage ( a raised garden bed will help ) poor air circulation, crowding and lack of pruning will increase problems..I dont know if this will help but give the plant a chance you never know .....Cheers...MM.