Need advice about a Carambola(star fruit tree)?

I have a Star fruit tree that I purchased from a nursery last summer and it doesn't seem to do so well in the growth department. I googled but could not find what I need to know? The nurseryman told me to fertilize with palm food which is a formula of low nitrogen 8-10-6 by spreading two cups around the 3' tall tree. The leaves yellowed shortly after so I assume it was too much fertilizer. Three months have gone buy and it is a lot greener with some yellow but no real growth. I just remembered that there was a large tree where I planted the star tree and the stump was ground-out leaving some chips in the ground. We cleaned out a lot of chips but couldn't get them all. Do you think by using dolomite lime would help to sweeten the soil. I don't know what ph the tree would prefer? Any info would be appreciated. Now if you need advice on tomato growing that is my forte...

Carambolas by nature are slow growing. Here's a good article from the California Rare Fruit Growers -
http://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/carambola.html

And here's one from Purdue University:
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/carambola.html

Yuska

This message was edited Nov 4, 2006 12:39 PM

Thank you Yuska.

I'm willing to bet your soil may not be acid so I'd stay away from the lime without testing. I babied a star fruit the last 3 years and it's finally on its own. Mine seemed to need watering every few days during the dry seasons . It likes a small amount of azalea fertilizer every so often, But my soil is very basic and my well water is full of minerals so I have to cheat a bit. I'm starting pruning now so I can keep the crop down to an amount we can eat and give away. I like to eat a few of them but I had one in Hollywood years ago that produced garbage cans full of fruit.

Wow! And to think my supermarket (Publix) charges $1.50 each?