Fruit Trees: Income Generating Plant Materials for Windbreaks, Vegetative Barriers, & Hedgerows

1. Fruit Trees: Income Generating Plant Materials for Windbreaks, Vegetative Barriers, & Hedgerows Prepared by L. Robert Barber, Roland Quitugua, & Ilene Iriarte For: University of Guam, Cooperative Extension Service & Guam Department of Agriculture Funding provided by: United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service, Western Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Administration for Native Americans,, & Sanctuary Incorporated

2. Fruit Tree Windbreaks • Primary function is wind protection • Tree spacing is much closer than normal (orchard) • Fruit yield will be reduced dramatically once the plants are mature, if irrigation and nutrients are not provided along with a pruning program • May require thinning in about 5-10 years depending on species

3. Land Preparation • If planting on new or overgrown land clear unwanted vegetation taking care not to remove the top soil • If using a bulldozer do not scrape the soil • Steeply sloping land should not be stripped of plant cover due to susceptibility to erosion • Do not operate any machinery on wet soil because it will cause compaction affecting plant growth and development

4. Planting & Care • Minimum: • Dig a hole the same depth and twice as wide as the root ball • You want the crown (point where root & stem meet) level with the ground surface • Keep soil and mulch away from the base of the plant to avoid rot

5. Planting & Care • Break up any of the roots that are circling the root ball “pot bound roots” • Inspect roots for “j”root make sure tap root is straight • “Its better to plant a $1 plant in a $10 hole than it is to plant $10 plant in a $1 hole”

6. Mulch • Mulch Your Plants • Weed barrier • Slow release nutrients • Conserves water • Protects your plants from bush cutters • Bush cutters • Often damages desired plants • Physically harms plants – Bush cutter disease (careless cuts girdle tree) kills huge numbers of trees on Guam.

7. Mulched Yoga surrounded by chicken wire

8. Common Causes of Plant Death • Planted too deep • Mulched too deep • Over watering or under watered • Bush cutter damage • Mulch or soil up against plant base (stem)

9. Species Height • Short Species: 20 feet and under • Calamansi - Noni • Soursop - Lemon China • Surinam Cherry • Medium Species: 20-50 feet • Avocado - Binalo • Saba/Palau banana • Dwarf coconut • Large Species: 50 feet and over • Breadfruit - Tamarind • Mango

10. Spacing

11. Propagation

12. Calamansi • Can not tolerate water logged soils • Can be used as living fences • Good bee forage • Flowers & fruits most of the year if irrigated • Peel can be used in animal feed mixes

13. Lemon China • Can not tolerate water logged soils • Can be used as living fences • Good bee forage • Flowers & fruits most of the year if irrigated

14. Lemon China

15. Soursop • Seeds are poisonous causing severe eye inflammation • If soils are too dry the tree will drop all it’s leaves, mulching & irrigation are recommended • Flowers and fruits more or less throughout the year • Juice & pulp can be used in drinks or dried fruit • Fruit & pulp may be used as animal fodder if seeds are removed

17. Avocado • Does not tolerate water logging • Tolerates salt spray • Used as animal fodder • Avocados will not ripen while still attached to tree • Full grown avocados will ripen 2 days to 1 week at room temperature • Season can be extended by selecting different varieties

19. Saba/Palau Banana • Tolerant to most diseases • For Nurseries • Light well drained growing medium (pathogen free) • Irrigate after planting • Not a tree, has a pseudostem • Sap permanently stains clothes • Flower is a vegetable

20. Breadfruit • Fruits can weigh 0.5 – 13 lbs. • Fruit yield is extremely variable & can range from 100 -700 fruits per tree. • Average yield is 150 – 200 fruits per tree • Does well interplanted with other species • Surface roots can be easily damaged by mowers & other equipment (heavy mulching recommended)

22. Breadfruit • Fruits are high in carbohydrates, vitamins, & minerals • Seeds are high in protein, low in fat • Salt and drought tolerant • Can be potentially used as erosion control

23. Dokdok (Seeded breadfruit) • Do not produce root shoots & cannot be grown from root cuttings • Seeds are viable for several weeks • Seeds cannot be stored, damaged by chilling, or drying • Collect seeds from soft ripe fruits • Seed should be firm, shinny & does not give way when squeezed • Seeds germinate within 10-14 days • Transplant to 1-2 gallon pots when true leaves have hardened • Ready to transplant in the field in one year • Will bear fruit in 6 – 10 years

24. Tamarind • Slow growing, long lived • Wind resistant • Withstands salt sprays • There are many food uses: • Curries, sauces, seasonings, drinks, & roasted • Pulp is rich in calcium, phosphorus, iron, thiamine, & riboflavin

25. Tamarind

26. Surinam Cherry • Can grow in most soil types • Can withstand waterlogged soils for a time • Does not tolerate salt • Seedlings grow slowly • May fruit from 2 -5 years, depends on conditions • Fruits rapidly become larger & sweeter after a good watering

27. Surinam Cherry

28. Lada or Noni • Noni flowers & fruits throughout the year • Grows in a wide range of soils • Can tolerate drought and water logged soils for long periods of time • Very salt tolerant • Regenerates rapidly • Fruit, leaves, stems, & roots are used for medicinal purposes

30. Mango • Tolerate a wide range of soil types • Considered to be drought tolerant • During fruiting season will cause fruit drop & low yields • Wind resistant & are used as windbreaks • Sap is slightly caustic & toxic & can cause: • Rash, blisters, swelling of lips, throat, face, & other parts of skin • Sap burn on fruits

31. Mango Seeds • Monoembryonic: • Contains only one embryo • Cross between maternal & paternal parents • Fruits vary • Polyembryonic: • Contains many embryos • Normally identical to mother plant

32. Binalo (Pacific Rosewood) • Grows naturally only in the Mariana Islands and throughout tropical areas of the Pacific • It is commonly found on the beach strand, along river, mouths, and can be found on limestone terraces not far from the coast. • Binalo produces attractive yellow flowers and fruits that mature from green to brown. • Wood has been used for tool handles, and its bark for medicine, fence stalks, and its inner bark for cordage  

33. Binalo

34. Summary • For more information contact your local Cooperative Extension Service at 735-2080