A Tale of Two Ackee

[uglywhitedude]

I have two ackee trees in my yard. Typically, when they flower at this time a year, a hurricane, tropical storm, or wave comes thru and blows off the flowers. However, this year has been exceptionally calm (so far) and we've also recieved about twice the norm in rainfall. So, from August, one of the trees became loaded with ackee while the other appeared to be really struggling. In fact, I was a little worried that it might be dying.

Here is a picture of them...






Beginning last week, the ackees started opening. Started out with about a dozen, the next couple of days about two dozen each day, then all this week I've been getting no less than three dozen a day.

Suffice to say we've been eating <span style="font-weight: bold"> a lot </span> of ackee. And we've probably given ackee to every Jamaican in the upper keys.

Today was a little over five dozen. A little boiled bananna, dasheen, yellow yam, and we're good to go!!!



Hurricane Wilma had knocked this tree over and we had to cut all the limbs back to the trunk in order to set it back upright.

And a couple of days ago, I noticed the other tree putting out more flowers than ever. When I stepped into the yard this morning the most incredible aroma was in the air: I just sat out there under the trees and marveled.






so, God willing, around Christmas time feel free to stop by for breakfast....or lunch....or dinner

[missus_vegas]

Re: A Tale of Two Ackee

mi never know seh ackee grow a farrin.

[diabolical_Tanya]

Re: A Tale of Two Ackee

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: missus_vegas</div><div class="ubbcode-body">mi never know seh ackee grow a farrin. </div></div>yes Vegas it grow in Fla

UWD a feel fi juss shat yu a

is only nawsty tinnackee mi eva get waaaiiieeee

a hope yu a freeze what you cant eat

[julie*mango]

Re: A Tale of Two Ackee

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: uglywhitedude</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
so, God willing, around Christmas time feel free to stop by for breakfast....or lunch....or dinner

</div></div>

I will take you upon that!

[kia027]

Re: A Tale of Two Ackee

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Mrs___Diabolical</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: uglywhitedude</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
so, God willing, around Christmas time feel free to stop by for breakfast....or lunch....or dinner

</div></div>

I will take you upon that! </div></div>

mi too cause mi hear seh mrs______diabolical aka skells a get one huge vehicle and can pick wi up pon ar way dunga florida

how far down the keys are you?

bring up mapquest pon a next browser

[uglywhitedude]

Re: A Tale of Two Ackee

We live in Key Largo, Kia...(first key off the mainland)

...we don't usually freeze them...rather, we try to give as much away as people will take, and the rest...eat, eat, eat.

can't believe a tin of ackee is around 12 dollars here...

and, almost everything that grows in Jamaica will survive here in the Keys.

[23JAM00]

Re: A Tale of Two Ackee

mout a wahta for all that ackee

[Seveen]

Re: A Tale of Two Ackee

thanks for sharing - i didn't know the tree got such pretty flowers

i love me some ackee (they can hold the saltfish)

[Dr.Dudd]

Re: A Tale of Two Ackee

In Jamaican ackee actually bear all year round, but have a tendency to do so in waves. That mean as soon as the crop is ending somewhere,it start in the other.

One problem is that the trees are much too close.

The proximity may be affecting the nourishment, so while one is using up all the nourishment to produce, the pther, is starving.
So as soon as the first one is resting, after fruiting, the other get enough energy to produce fruits..
eventually unless they are separated,9which may be too late, one will stifle the other.
They grow to be very tall and wide wingspan, so that distance is simply not appropriate.

[missus_vegas]

Re: A Tale of Two Ackee

boy u can mek some absolute statments sah. mi use to have two ackee tree inna mi yard close enuff together dat as a child i could do the splits and balance btwn each tree.....dem use to bear like crazy.

tink mi granny kill dem now doe cus she cyan badda wid the leaves.

[Dr.Dudd]

Re: A Tale of Two Ackee

Them dead now though??
Ok you no know why you granny kill them, One probably always bear and then the next and as soon as drought take them the simply lack enough nutrients and then died, because enough space did not exist to share the density of nutrients in the soil.
If they were bearing as they normally would of properly spaced, she would not kill them, since the fruits would justify the leaves.

That is absolute too. <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: missus_vegas</div><div class="ubbcode-body">boy u can mek some absolute statements sah. mi use to have two ackee tree inna mi yard close enuff together dat as a child i could do the splits and balance between each tree.....dem use to bear like crazy.

tink mi granny kill dem now doe cus she cyan badda with the leaves. </div></div>

[uglywhitedude]

Re: A Tale of Two Ackee

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Dr.Dudd</div><div class="ubbcode-body">One problem is that the trees are much too close.</div></div>

The trunks are around 15 ft apart which can't be avoided cause land cost an arm and leg here...and two inches into the soil is coral rock which makes it hard for trees (like ackee) that send a tap root.

[uglywhitedude]

Re: A Tale of Two Ackee

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Seveen</div><div class="ubbcode-body">...i didn't know the tree got such pretty flowers</div></div>

and the fragrance is soo enticing...the other cool thing is the hundred of bees...they pay you no mind as if they're at their favorite smorgaboard...

[Dr.Dudd]

Re: A Tale of Two Ackee

I realize you did the best you could.
but I was just suggesting that if they are thatclose the nuytion density, and with the shallow depth of the fertile soil will influence the vitality of2 trees. In Jamaic athey would have tried to transplant oine (space allowed) even if it is killed inthe process.One ackee tree in such lilited area, will bear much more fruits than 2 will.
Anyway good luck and enjoy your ackees.<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: uglywhitedude</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Dr.Dudd</div><div class="ubbcode-body">One problem is that the trees are much too close.</div></div>

The trunks are around 15 ft apart which can't be avoided cause land cost an arm and leg here...and two inches into the soil is coral rock which makes it hard for trees (like ackee) that send a tap root. </div></div>

[Seveen]

Re: A Tale of Two Ackee

i wonder if ackee grows in my zone

i promise only to plant one