Edible Dates

[soidog2]

Just curious, anybody growing or has experience growing edible dates?

Here is a nice picture, taken today in my garden, showing side-by-side male & female flowers.

Regards

[drtreelove]

Edible dates from the date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) is an arid zone crop (dry deserts). They probably would not do well here long term in the monsoon climate. I have seen mature date palms transplanted into a moist air climate; they do okay for a couple of years and then the trees start to decline due to opportunistic fungus diseases.

[soidog2]

Edible dates from the date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) is an arid zone crop (dry deserts). They probably would not do well here long term in the monsoon climate. I have seen mature date palms transplanted into a moist air climate; they do okay for a couple of years and then the trees start to decline due to opportunistic fungus diseases.

Thanks for answering, I have 8 trees ( 6yo ) last year I had my first crop, see enclosed picture.

The trees are doing rather well, in Buriram province.

My question and only difficulty is with drying the fruit. They do mature during rainy season when it’s very humid outside so natural drying is out of the question.

I dried some in the oven at low temperature, it was more or less OK but it’s not a permanent solution..

The lowest temperature possible is still too high, it dries them too fast.

Looks like I have to make some smokehouse type gadget, any ideas more than welcome.

Regards!

[drtreelove]

Edible dates from the date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) is an arid zone crop (dry deserts). They probably would not do well here long term in the monsoon climate. I have seen mature date palms transplanted into a moist air climate; they do okay for a couple of years and then the trees start to decline due to opportunistic fungus diseases.

Thanks for answering, I have 8 trees ( 6yo ) last year I had my first crop, see enclosed picture.

The trees are doing rather well, in Buriram province.

My question and only difficulty is with drying the fruit. They do mature during rainy season when it's very humid outside so natural drying is out of the question.

I dried some in the oven at low temperature, it was more or less OK but it's not a permanent solution..

The lowest temperature possible is still too high, it dries them too fast.

Looks like I have to make some smokehouse type gadget, any ideas more than welcome.

Regards!

That's good to know, that your date palms are doing well and producing. Where did you get the trees?

I grew up in the Arizona desert and have eaten a lot of dates, climbed and pruned the trees for years, but never had occasion to dry the fruit. I know that there are simple designs that I've seen in the past for build it yourself food dryers. Or order one: http://www.alibaba.com/showroom/Food_Dryer.html

[soidog2]

Edible dates from the date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) is an arid zone crop (dry deserts). They probably would not do well here long term in the monsoon climate. I have seen mature date palms transplanted into a moist air climate; they do okay for a couple of years and then the trees start to decline due to opportunistic fungus diseases.

Thanks for answering, I have 8 trees ( 6yo ) last year I had my first crop, see enclosed picture.

The trees are doing rather well, in Buriram province.

My question and only difficulty is with drying the fruit. They do mature during rainy season when it's very humid outside so natural drying is out of the question.

I dried some in the oven at low temperature, it was more or less OK but it's not a permanent solution..

The lowest temperature possible is still too high, it dries them too fast.

Looks like I have to make some smokehouse type gadget, any ideas more than welcome.

Regards!

That's good to know, that your date palms are doing well and producing. Where did you get the trees?

I grew up in the Arizona desert and have eaten a lot of dates, climbed and pruned the trees for years, but never had occasion to dry the fruit. I know that there are simple designs that I've seen in the past for build it yourself food dryers. Or order one: http://www.alibaba.com/showroom/Food_Dryer.html

I grew them from California seeds (Medjool dates), August to September you are welcome to try some. Got lucky with a good percentage of females !

Edited January 23, 2009 by soidog2

[lannarebirth]

The reason you find dates in the Coachella Valley and the Middle East is because they like a hot head and wet feet. It is just too wet here to grow them. I have and continue to try it.

There is a commercial date growing operation up near Chaiprakhan I have visited. He tends to harvest when unripe, and mostly gets yellow, hard dates. Mai aroi.

Edited January 25, 2009 by lannarebirth

[thaidrav]

In Florida dates are grown as ornamentals. They grow well but the humid climate makes them unacceptable for commercial use. But if you can figure how to produce Medjools here, I'll buy some!!! As far as dryers go you need some mellow heat source. Solar usually does not work well in humid climates for fruit drying. (My experience in Florida) Keep us posted on your progress please. How long did it take for the seed to sprout? Did you use any seed treatment? What did you fertilize with?

[bina]

the yellow dates are different -- not sure if they are a different species or unripe types; here in israel we freeze them before eating (we put them in the freezer and then eat them frozen!! they are hard, cold, and sweet), the kids love them... and as for other dates, we eat them fresh... the yellow kind are sold as a delicacy actually.

while dates do love arid areas notably the dead sea and eilat, they also do well in humid -- at least israeli humid-- like around tiberius (SEA OF GALILEE/kinneret on the southern sides) and haifa as well as the coastal areas; they dont like heights like where i live although they do grow here as it is often too cold, its sporadic in people' gardens not as a fruit crop. btw, if u can find any thai that have worked in the south of israel or in haifa, they do know how to grow them as they work the date orchards and are the main date pickers... although they hate them. they dont like the taste, anon complains that they are too too sweet. but thais seem to like any fruit unripe and not sweet. thai that have worked in the arava area also will know about growing them including irrigation that is used, when to cut them down, etc. anon's brother's friend is now working date farm near the dead sea.

bina

israel

[Pond Life]

Congratulations on getting the dates to grow, I didnt even try after reading what conditions they prefer.

I guess Buriram is prone to droughts so maybe the best place in thailand.

As for drying the fruit maybe this solar dryer is what you need.

I havnt built one yet, but plan to.

They claim it will work even in humid conditions.

http://www.geopathfinder.com/9473.html?*se...session*id*val*

[soidog2]

Congratulations on getting the dates to grow, I didnt even try after reading what conditions they prefer.

I guess Buriram is prone to droughts so maybe the best place in thailand.

As for drying the fruit maybe this solar dryer is what you need.

I havnt built one yet, but plan to.

They claim it will work even in humid conditions.

http://www.geopathfinder.com/9473.html?*se...session*id*val*

Thanks for all the enthusiasm !

In the beginning post , I mistakenly showed two male flowers ( one open, another closed ) as a male & female.

Nobody noticed !

Attached are the real females after pollination, spreading out to start growing the dates.

First flowered after 5/6 years, commercially of course it does not make sense to grow them.

As a hobby in my garden, lot’s of fun.

My wife’s Thai parents, at first, did not quite know what to do with the dates, now they got a sweet tooth for them and waiting for the next crop !

They sprout easily (4-6 weeks or more ! ) in regular potting soil, keep them warm & moist.

Now during flowering season, I fertilize them with a slow release organic fruit tree fertilizer & some cow manure. Later every few month I give them some.

Regards

[jandtaa]

Congratulations on getting the dates to grow, I didnt even try after reading what conditions they prefer.

I guess Buriram is prone to droughts so maybe the best place in thailand.

As for drying the fruit maybe this solar dryer is what you need.

I havnt built one yet, but plan to.

They claim it will work even in humid conditions.

http://www.geopathfinder.com/9473.html?*se...session*id*val*

Thanks for all the enthusiasm !

In the beginning post , I mistakenly showed two male flowers ( one open, another closed ) as a male & female.

Nobody noticed !

Attached are the real females after pollination, spreading out to start growing the dates.

First flowered after 5/6 years, commercially of course it does not make sense to grow them.

As a hobby in my garden, lot's of fun.

My wife's Thai parents, at first, did not quite know what to do with the dates, now they got a sweet tooth for them and waiting for the next crop !

They sprout easily (4-6 weeks or more ! ) in regular potting soil, keep them warm & moist.

Now during flowering season, I fertilize them with a slow release organic fruit tree fertilizer & some cow manure. Later every few month I give them some.

Regards

looks good may I ask the brand name of the organic fertiliser (NPK values) you are using picture would be even better if poss!!

cheers Jandtaa

Edited March 13, 2009 by jandtaa

[jandtaa]

Here's an organic guide to date cultivation for anyone who's interested

date palms

cheers jandtaa

[teletiger]

I obtained some palms saplings from our local ranger station, about 18 months ago.(free ) We were told that they were palm oil and "Arab date" palms. The palm oils have sprung up and are flourishing well (1 even produced mini fruits at Christmas ). The Arab dates have grown, but very slowly.

During the winter we water them with bore water, which alot of our plants don't like. It keeps them alive, but any significant growth is out of the question. Except for the palm oil plants. they seem to love it. 5/6 new leaves coming through the whole winter. Date palms just seem to go dormant. The wet season is just getting under way here, so I'll keep you posted and my fingers crossed.

I've notice that some plants will go dormant after transplanting, as in bourgainvillea and after a year will really spring into life. The best oil palm we've got is the one planted in our lawn. We flood it 3 times a week during the winter. From it's sapling stage 18 months ago (3 leaves), Its now 2.5 metres tall.

Regards

[soidog2]

looks good may I ask the brand name of the organic fertiliser (NPK values) you are using picture would be even better if poss!!

cheers Jandtaa

I'll get you a picture later , it's raining today !

Most fertilizer supply houses will carry one brand or another of Organic slow release fertilizer. Around Baht 400-500 per sack.

The crucial part is : complete micronutrients & slow release.

Best.

[jandtaa]

^cheers SD

wish it would rain here its too dam_n hot and I want to get planting !! yeah its the slow release that I'm interested in, got a nice pile of EM compost plenty of micronutrients in that but I want to plant up some fruit tree saplings as well as some agroferestry species and give them a little headstart as well as insure they have nutrients available throughout the wet season. Guessing with the amount of rainfall here a lot of nutrients from the compost will be leached from the compost over the season and as I am returning to the UK for six months cannot guarantee they will be taken care of !!

many thanks and certainly don't get wet on my account !

cheers Jandtaa

[soidog2]

^cheers SD

wish it would rain here its too dam_n hot and I want to get planting !! yeah its the slow release that I'm interested in, got a nice pile of EM compost plenty of micronutrients in that but I want to plant up some fruit tree saplings as well as some agroferestry species and give them a little headstart as well as insure they have nutrients available throughout the wet season. Guessing with the amount of rainfall here a lot of nutrients from the compost will be leached from the compost over the season and as I am returning to the UK for six months cannot guarantee they will be taken care of !!

many thanks and certainly don't get wet on my account !

cheers Jandtaa

OK, here’s the pictures for you; the fertilizer and the baby dates today !

Please note , the fertilizer brand is immaterial ; you will rarely find the same one when you return to buy again.

I’ve changed it many times.

PS, my citrus trees really love this stuff, about a cup, per small to med. tree a month !

[jandtaa]

^cheers SD

wish it would rain here its too dam_n hot and I want to get planting !! yeah its the slow release that I'm interested in, got a nice pile of EM compost plenty of micronutrients in that but I want to plant up some fruit tree saplings as well as some agroferestry species and give them a little headstart as well as insure they have nutrients available throughout the wet season. Guessing with the amount of rainfall here a lot of nutrients from the compost will be leached from the compost over the season and as I am returning to the UK for six months cannot guarantee they will be taken care of !!

many thanks and certainly don't get wet on my account !

cheers Jandtaa

OK, here's the pictures for you; the fertilizer and the baby dates today !

Please note , the fertilizer brand is immaterial ; you will rarely find the same one when you return to buy again.

I've changed it many times.

PS, my citrus trees really love this stuff, about a cup, per small to med. tree a month !

cheers I'll look out for some (didn't expect to see any english on the bag !!)