This year’s harvest....

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JoyfulNoise

JoyfulNoise

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May 23, 2015
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Tucson, AZ
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Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
We’re getting some overnight freezes so I’ve decided not to risk it and I took in all my navel oranges. I prefer to leave them on the tree but I also don’t want to lose them to a frost. This year my little navel tree by the pool put out about 24 oranges. A perfect amount.

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They are sweet, juicy and have a little bit of tang to them ...

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Just to be sure, I sent the joke to the Global Institute for Funniness* to have it certified and graded. It was graded at 98% funny. So, you can't argue with science.

*Their motto is "We take funny seriously".
 
I had picked all my citrus before our prolonged freeze. First year for our oranges. They were okay, not super sweet. I noticed a bit of damaged to the leaves of my 4 citrus trees even though I covered them all, but think they’ll be okay.

Are your oranges a specific kind? Mine are Texas Republic.
 
Marlahoutex said:
I had picked all my citrus before our prolonged freeze. First year for our oranges. They were okay, not super sweet. I noticed a bit of damaged to the leaves of my 4 citrus trees even though I covered them all, but think they’ll be okay.

Are your oranges a specific kind? Mine are Texas Republic.
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Costco $20 cheapo orange tree (unspecified naval variety). I also have a cheapo Costco $20 lime tree (Persian lime) out front and it has been producing amazingly good limes since year 2.

For sweetness, once the blooms set to fruit, fertilize 3 times after that with a specialty citrus fertilizer. Also add extra phosphate and potassium, as the phosphate is necessary for sugar production. Potassium is needed for leaf and structural growth. I have VERY HEAVY clay soil with lots of caliche so my soil pH (8.5) is all wrong for iron and magnesium absorption. Therefore I use a special chelated iron (EDDHA-Fe) and magnesium sulphate to help with leaf chlorosis. I also usually add a heavy dose of straight sulfur to the soil along with organic compost to acidify the soil over the long term.

The “burned” leaves happen and they will die off and fall but should be replaced by new growth once the spring hits. I would not worry about it. Always flood irrigate the tree then no water until the soil dries out. Citrus does not like wet soil as root fungus can develop.
 
Thanks for the info! Hopefully Spring is just around the corner! I hate this cold weather. I’ll take 90 and high humidity any day over cold and damp!

My pink lemons and Meyers had wonderful fruit this year as well as my Mexican thornless lime. They were all in pots (for years!) until just after the pool was finished. Then we planted them near the pool and they have taken off. The orange tree is new so this was its first fruits, so to speak.

I do need to trim up my Meyer because it looks like a bush, but just the branches that are close to the ground. I’m guessing that early Spring is when I should trim?
 

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I’ve decided against planting anymore fruit trees. While I’d love to have grapefruits and lemons, citrus trees are very water intensive crops and I already get panic attacks every time my water bill shows up. So my plan is to let’s lots of my landscaping that can’t handle low water use die back and then replace it with desert tolerant species. My queen palms by the pool have gotten hammered this winter and they are just sad trees.

Citrus doesn’t like to be pruned heavily and I usually avoid pruning except to remove dead or unhealthy looking wood. Also, you absolutely need to prune away sucker growth at the base. All citrus plants are sold as varieties (scion wood) grafted onto root stock. The root stock is usually from varieties of the fruit that are inedible. For example, most lemon varieties are grafted onto sour-lemon root stock. The root stock is heartier than the scion and the tree will usually try to push out lots of growth around the base. That growth will overtake the tree if you don’t keep it pruned back to the trunk. The graft line between the root stock and the scion is usually pretty obvious so you can tell what is sucker growth and what is scion growth.
 
I am thinking I should prune the bottom of the bushy one right after the freeze/frost threat has past. Is that correct?

I can see what you mean about the water. Here in Houston we don’t normally have a water problem, except when we get too much. :lol:
 
BattleOfYakima said:
Seriously? Is this a thing? If so, I am so going to try smoking some...
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I was joking. You can’t dry citrus very well. When you dry citrus it’s only good for herbal teas.

Smoking citrus .... um, no. Smoking “herbs” .... only if you have one of those fancy laminated “prescription” cards AND you live in either Colorado, Washington State or California ...
 
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