This time of the year our citrus are at their peak. We keep a bowl of it on the table, and I love passing by and snagging me an orange smiley as I go about the day.
The only citrus tree that has produced for me is the kumquat. Hopefully since this is the 4th year for the orange, it will start to produce. There's so many orange trees around here that are so full it makes me jealous.
A few helpful thoughts about back yard citrus: When you first but a tree it is very helpful if you pinch all the fruit off for the first year possably 2 this allows the tree to concentrate on growing and it will pay off later. Small trees need to be protected from the rare freeze we have in the deep south. A good rule if its too big to wrap a blanket around then It probably doesn't need wrapping. Do not let branches grow up from the ground or very low on the tree. Citrus are grafted and the root stock is not a good fruit usually all seed and bitter. Citrus trees need lots of water during fruit production. This usually isn't a problem in soggy south but you may hafta water in dry spells. They need fertilizer. Trees that work hard making fruit need help. I use 13 13 13 which was recommended to me for my yard by the county agent. I punch holes at the drip line and poor in a bl of fertilizer our big trees get as much as 10 holes I heard some where 1 lb per year old but I aint sure. We just walk around the tree punching holes at the drip line till you are all the way around. February is fertilizer Suggested things Meyer lemons, naval orange, ruby red grapefruit, Satsuma marinades. If there are citrus in the area ask folks who grow them what tricks they know and varieties they like. As ya know folks love talking about their yards. I offer this lil video for your entertainment and maybe ya may learn what 1 unruly unpruned lemon tree can do. ;
I've been thinking about adding a Meyer Lemon. They grow really well down here. But I'm kinda waiting to see how the Mandarin will do this year. It suffered alot from 2 winters ago and looks like a mini Charlie Brown Christmas tree! Sad looking thing. I'll give it another year or so to see if it will bounce back. If not, then I'd get that lemon in its place.
they are very sturdy and bounce back well just make sure nothing sprouts from below the graft. The late frost we had last year and record cold snap wiped out our lemons, and plums so very little to no crop this the trees survived and we have high hopes for a yard this year full of lemon blossoms and out loquat plum trees are loaded with baby plums The problem with a lush semi tropical environment is the semi part. This year looks good so far and I just came in from cutting the grass.
I'll be getting out the mower this weekend. The clover and weeds are loving this weather. Hope the mower doesn't bog down!
Good luck! I had suprisingly very little trouble the push mower was a lil ssluggish at first but , we got er done. Today I am looking around getting ready for future projects.
Would you consider it pedantic of me to mention that Citrus is a genus and cumquats aren't actually found in it? Sorry, I know they are citrus-like, but at the same time it can be helpful to know such things: it could give clues to explain why these are doing well while real citrus trees are doing poorly, for example.
Thanks Brisbane... I never really gave it any thought. My brother planted these around 4 years ago. So they are fairly young. The orange tree is healthy and growing, just hasn't produced yet. The Mandarin is only about 2-3 foot tall. It really is a sad little thing... but I can't give up on it yet.
