Need advice about a Carambola(star fruit tree)?

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Tplant Pembroke Pines, FL(Zone 10a) Nov 04, 2006

I have a Star fruit tree that I purchased from a nursery last summer and it doesn't seem to do so well in the growth department. I googled but could not find what I need to know? The nurseryman told me to fertilize with palm food which is a formula of low nitrogen 8-10-6 by spreading two cups around the 3' tall tree. The leaves yellowed shortly after so I assume it was too much fertilizer. Three months have gone buy and it is a lot greener with some yellow but no real growth. I just remembered that there was a large tree where I planted the star tree and the stump was ground-out leaving some chips in the ground. We cleaned out a lot of chips but couldn't get them all. Do you think by using dolomite lime would help to sweeten the soil. I don't know what ph the tree would prefer? Any info would be appreciated. Now if you need advice on tomato growing that is my forte...

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Yuska San Antonio, TX(Zone 8b) Nov 04, 2006

Carambolas by nature are slow growing. Here's a good article from the California Rare Fruit Growers -
http://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/carambola.html

And here's one from Purdue University:
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/carambola.html

Yuska

This message was edited Nov 4, 2006 12:39 PM

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Tplant Pembroke Pines, FL(Zone 10a) Nov 04, 2006

Thank you Yuska.

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kwetz South Venice, FL(Zone 9b) Nov 05, 2006

I'm willing to bet your soil may not be acid so I'd stay away from the lime without testing. I babied a star fruit the last 3 years and it's finally on its own. Mine seemed to need watering every few days during the dry seasons . It likes a small amount of azalea fertilizer every so often, But my soil is very basic and my well water is full of minerals so I have to cheat a bit. I'm starting pruning now so I can keep the crop down to an amount we can eat and give away. I like to eat a few of them but I had one in Hollywood years ago that produced garbage cans full of fruit.

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Tplant Pembroke Pines, FL(Zone 10a) Nov 05, 2006

Wow! And to think my supermarket (Publix) charges $1.50 each?

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