My impression is that anywhere from around regular room temp up to somewhere in the 90's is equally adequate for curing but that higher temperatures just cure the potatoes faster. For most varieties I figure about a month at room temp, although some (especially drier fleshed white potatoes) seem to take longer, and others (especially standard baby-food textured orange potatoes) seem to reach their full taste potential in barely just a week at room temperature. I think higher temperatures can cut those times in half or more, but I'd be especially careful about maintaining adequate humidity at higher temperatures.

Never thin a fig. Eat them as soon as they ripen! If you can't handle them all, ask around and you'll easily find someone who would love to make jam out of your extras. I have one 10 yr-old fig that is enormous but I sell out of fig jam as fast as I can make it, with standing orders for dozens more jars, so -- I planted 12 more 5 yr-old bearing fig trees this winter. Gonna have lots of fruit in August and tons next year. Grapes - I never thin. The branches are sturdy enough to hold all the fruit. It is also best not to remove any leaves as the fruit does need to be shaded by them. Cherry - I never thin. Never get enough to have to worry about broken branches. LOL Lowland Southern climate is not suited for cherries, but I try. Strawberries should not be allowed to set fruit the first year of planting (pull off the flowers), but the next years (up to 3) can be thinned of flowers if you want to. I don't think it makes a difference in the size of the remaining fruit, that is up to the variety and amount of fertilizing they get, but some people do it. Cane berries' fruits are never thinned. They are gobbled up as fast as they ripen. Old canes should have been removed before the new canes get any size on them. Heavy fruit on trees (apple, plum, peach family) must be thinned or, like me, you'll risk broken tree branches. I even tried to prop them up and was determined to get all the crop I could from them. Ended up with a broken tree and not much fruit after all. Bummer. "fruitnut" has a good formula for thinning these fruit trees. I must go thin tomorrow, I must go thin tomorrow, I must go thin tomorrow. I planted paw-paw trees and now I need to know if these should be thinned, not that I have to worry this year as they are only 3' tall, but the fruit is huge and I hope someone on the GW has an answer for me about thinning them. Nancy the nancedar

I am on the same mission for a Hass "substitute" for Florida. My research has already ruled out ALL Hass and similar varities as being a futile exercise according to the input from the experts. The trees will grow, but there are fruit problems I haven't tasted one yet, but Oro Negro may be the best option for Hass lovers living in Florida. Oro Negro may have some yield and early drop production issues that might effect its commercial importance from what I have read. Too soon to say, but two Hawaiian varieties Nishikawa and Yamagata may have some promise and are starting to be sold at some Florida nurseries. Both are excellent tasting varieties (in Hawaii), but little info on how they will do in Florida.

Flfishie - You can not go wrong with the Brogdon avocado, it is a good choice. Here is a ripe Brogdon going to be part of my lunch today On the mangoes it gets difficult to choose, lol. After I went to the tasting at Fairchild, I was confused like when you smell too many perfumes. I do prefer fruits that are small size and have no fiber, so that leaves me with fewer options if it was for me, also I found that is best to sample 1 variety at the time. So everyday I do only 1 mango from the varieties that I took home and here are my new favorites: 1. Alphonso 2. Fairchild 3. Champagne 4. Pairi I still have to sample the others... Silvia