Black Sapote Cultural Calendar



From the Horticultural Sciences Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service
Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida


Cultural calendar for black sapote production of mature (bearing) trees in the home landscape

Operation Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec.
General NPK 1 Apply NPK Apply NPK Apply NPK
Nutritional sprays 2 Apply 2 to 3 foliar nutritional sprays during the warm period of the year.
Iron applications 3 Apply iron during the warm period of the year.
Watering Water only during prolonged dry periods.  Water only during prolonged dry periods. 
Insect control Monitor for insect infestations. Contact your local UF/IFAS Extension agent for current control recommendations.
Disease control Monitor for disease infestations. Contact your local UF/IFAS Extension agent for current control recommendations.
Pruning Selectively prune to limit tree size and open the canopy to wind movement.
1 NPK, nitrogen-phosphate-potash. Many formulations also contain magnesium (Mg).
2 Nutritional sprays should contain manganese, zinc, and other micronutrients.
3 Dry ferrous (iron) sulfate may be applied to trees growing in low-pH soils; use chelated iron soil drenches for trees growing in high-pH soils.


Suggested fertilizer recommendations for black sapote trees for Florida

Year Times per year Amount/tree/application (lbs)1 Total amount/tree/year (lbs) Minor element sprays (times/ year)2 Iron chelate drenches (oz/tree/year) 3
1 4-6 0.25-0.5 1.0-3.0 4-6 0.5-0.75
2 4-6 0.5-1.0 2.0-6.0 4-6 0.75-1.0
3 4-6 1.0-1.5 4.0-9.0 4-6 1.0-1.5
4 2-3 2.0-2.5 4.0-7.5 2-3 1.5-2
5 2-3 2.5-3.0 5.0-9.0  2-3 2-4
6 2-3 3.0-4.0 6.0-12.0 2-3 2-4
7+ 2-3 4.0-4.5 8.0-13.5 2-3 2-4
1 Use 6-6-6, 8-3-9, or a young-tree or slow-release fertilizer
2 The sprays should contain zinc, manganese, boron, molybdenum; they may also contain iron. Foliar sprays are most efficient from April to September.
3 Iron chelate soil drenches (iron plus water) will prevent iron deficiency; foliar sprays are generally not effective. Apply soil drenches from June to September.



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Bibliography

Crane, Jonathan H., and Carlos Balerdi. "Black Sapote Growing in the Florida Home Garden." Horticultural Sciences Dept., UF/ IFAS Extension, HS1055, Original Pub. Nov. 2005, Revised Oct. 2006 and Nov. 2016, Reviewed Dec. 2019, AskIFAS, edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs305. Accessed 16 Dec. 2014, 24 Jan. 2018, 19 June 2020.

Published 16 Dec. 2014 LR. Last update 22 Nov. 2021 LR
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