North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Shelley Rogers <shelleyrogers@eml.cc>]

Hello NAFEXers,

Has anyone encountered difficulty with mold on goumi? I am in the southeast 
where humidity presents a real challenge for fruit growing.

I have found that goumi are quite astringent until ripe (when they can easily 
be pulled from their stems) but that by the time they are ripe, a black mold 
begins to appear on the surface and quickly spreads between fruit. For the 
two years the plants have been fruiting, I have lost the majority of the crop 
to the mold. This year, I covered the plants with a low-tunnel (with the 
sides open) to keep the plants dry. Even this did not seem to reduce the mold 
spread. I could probably be more cognizant of only harvesting when the dew 
has dried. I am not certain if goumi will continue ripening off the plant. 
Does anyone have experience with this? Any suggestions or recommendations?

I love the taste of goumi and they are popular with my market customers. They 
seem worthwhile if I can figure out a solution to the mold. 

Thank you,
Shelley
 
Orby Dare Orchard
Cedar Grove, NC