As I was sitting around the bookstore yesterday, I started browsing a book on growing citrus. I've planted seeds from clementines and key limes, and they're in their little pots not doing too much. Who has had luck with citrus trees?
citrus
Wish I had the space for citrus, so no personal experience. Some friends of mine do grow some beautiful and productive pomegratates.
I have 4, two inground, full sun, and 2 in huge pots, also full sun.
two inground are variegated Meyer Lemon. One potted is Ruby grapefruit and other is a Navel Orange.
have not grown from seed, don't anticipate that I will. I see small trees at the nursery for no less than $20. Sometimes you will find them for a little less but they require lots of TLC.
if you're interested in growing from seeds, you might want to post in the seeds forum and/or fruit trees forum
I have a tangerine and a Meyer lemon that have been producing beautifully for a number of years. Sadly, this year's crop will be light - I was late getting the crop harvested ( the trees need to rest from late December to start of bloom in March) so bloom was sparse. Both trees are in ground and survive freezes. The Meyer is hardier (and milder in flavor) than other varieties because it has either tangerine or Mandarin
orange in its lineage.
I have meyer lemon and improved meyer lemon is gigantic pots. They do very well.
I've seen Meyer lemons at one or another of the home improvement places, and this book said it is the best bet for growing in this area. Maybe I'll do that. It also said satsumas do well, and a guy down the street from my sweetheart has a grove of them. I think growing them from seed is a bad idea; they may or may not grow true. I've heard if you grow grapefruit from seed they taste like kerosene. But this book was saying the flavor and color and texture are totally dependent on microclimate.
I'll keep these going if I can, and probably get a lemon tree. It'll be 10 years before I see anything from my seedlings, I'm sure.
Thanks for the input!
Another citrus that will do well in 8b is the kumquat. The Botanical Gardens here has an established grove of them and they produce enormous crops. The fruits are small, but the rind is sweet so you can eat the whole thing. They are delicious candied. I've been wanting a tree for quite a while but haven't found a supplier.
My daughter has a kumquat tree. It's SO gorgeous -- those big leaves. It looks like something that should be embroidered in a medieval tapestry. And very tasty.
Ah ha! Found a kumquat and ordered it! Thompson Citrus in Weslaco. Remembered a thread in Edible Fruits forum back in March. BettyDee in LaGrange grows citrus and has done considerable research. She had noticed a lead on Thompson. I had neglected to follow through until now. I'll overwinter it in a container since I'm getting it late, but will move it to open ground next season.
Brigidlily, when you refer to large leaves, could you be thinking of the loquat?
Yes, I'm thinking loquat. Duh. Ate those from the neighbor's trees all through my childhood.
Can you have just one or do you need at least two of them? And Yuska can you give me the link?
The fruit is good, isn't it? The flavor to my taste buds is slightly reminiscent of peaches. Maybe I can find a spot in the side yard after I get the rain barrels installed. I grew several of them from seed when I lived in California.
Most citrus is self-fertile ( and the blossom fragrance is wonderful!) and I'm counting on the kumquat to do its thing. There are many sources for citrus trees, but of course we can only order within the state because of shipping restrictions. The link is http://thompsoncitrus.com/ - be forewarned, though, the price tag is on the steep side. I'd like to order a Rio Red grapefruit, but hardiness-wise I'd be pushing my luck.
I have meyer's lemon, meyers improved, tangerine, & a thornless lime.
All survive frost just fine with a row cover. The lime is the most sensitive. I've only had the tangerine for one year, and ate my very first little fruit off of it a few weeks ago. It was really good for a first fruit, and I'm very pleased with it.
Go for it!! Ü
My lemons and limes came from Home Depot. I've also seen them at Lowes. Not too pricey, either. I think I paid $14 for my lemon, and there were two of them in the pot! ...$7 each isn't bad!
My tangerine I had to hunt down, but it was worth it.
It isn't a citrus, but I also REALLY love my pineapple guava. It needs absolutely no protection, and is evergreen/silver all year long. Gorgeous flowers!
-T
I know I'm going to get a satsuma this year when the county extension sells them at the farm and ranch club in January. Been wanting one for years.
d-
Definitely do it! My tangerine is a Satsuma 'Miho'
Here is a great little article by TAMU:
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/patiocitrus/varietiestext.html
When is the best time to put them in the ground? Spring? I'd prefer to do it this fall, but not if it will mess them up.
Edited to say I checked out the Thompson website. Don't they look wonderful! But they sure are proud of them.
This message was edited Aug 17, 2006 9:41 AM
I think you could safely plant a citrus now, and get it established before cold weather. The principal reason I'm planning a container for the kumquat is that I am facing major fence repair and removal of some decaying trash trees from the "no man's land" strip behind my lot. Portions of the side fence repair must be coordinated with the neighbors on both sides and they want to wait until October - too late to chance inground planting.
I found a very comprehensive TAMU article on citrus growing - http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/extension/homefruit/citrus/citrus.html - and bookmarked it. The suggestion on removing some of the container plant material from the surface of the root ball is helpful in getting the peripheral roots to enter the surrounding soil of the planting hole. The tree can then steady itself more quickly. Yuska
I would LOVE a satsuma and a kumquat but I don't really have room for any more citrus.
Yuska, I printed that article out -- VERY helpful. Thanks.
And I'm realizing I could put the citrus along the back of the house. The termites and fireants are SO bad down here I don't want to plant an edging that would allow them to build along the foundation unseen. The former owners put sod up so high, I had fireants in the house! Ugh. I stirrup-hoed the sod along the back (the only place they'd put the deep sod) and have about a foot-and-a-half-wide strip of white rocks. That would be good for extra heat reflected from the sun in winter for citrus. And they'd be high enough that I could still keep an eye on the foundation. If I got dwarfs, I suppose I could put them, say, four feet from the house?
The loquat is self fertile. I remember one year when mine was heavy with fruit and the cedar wax wings loved it. It was such fun to watch those birds and my small son thought the "mask" on them looked funny and always called them bandit birds after that. All trees are messy to some extent, but beware that you will have baby loquat trees popping up every where from the seeds.
Do all the citrus trees have bad thorns? I've heard of the Mexican thornless lime, but are there any lemons or oranges/clementines that are thronless that will grow here?
Hmm..m - four feet seems reasonable, but I have zero experience with dwarf citrus. Do you have a Master Gardeners chapter in your area? Very helpful folks. You might also dmail BettyDee.
Regular limes and key limes have nasty thorns. My meyers lemon isn't too bad, and my mandarin hardly has any at all.
Brigidlilly-
Mine is even closer to the house than that(and yes, on a brick wall facing west. I just will keep mine like a very large bush, not tree. Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to cover it very easily, in the winter...
Bridgidlily, keep in mind that dwarf is relative and also depends on the rootstock. 'Flying Dragon' trifoliata produces the dwarfest trees, but that rootstock is usually not used in Texas. It is more cold hardy than other rootstock, but doesn't do well in alkaline soils. Depending on the dwarfing stock and citrus variety, a dwarf can get up to 18' tall. Since 'Improved Meyer' Lemons are naturally smaller, they normally stay below 12'. I would place the trees mo closer than 8' to allow for mature width.
Whee! The kumquat is here! And it's a beauty. Even has little kumquats and some blooms on it. I'm going to have to rethink the container issue. It's nearly four feet tall and would be happier inground, most likely. The spot I had planned for it is in the general area where the workmen will be tramping in and out.......decisions, decisions.
Two day service.........amazing.
This message was edited Aug 17, 2006 8:10 PM
Yay! I hope you love it. Can you just leave it in its container as is, until the workmen are done.
Okay, that's assuming workmen ever get done...
And I've checked other places for citrus, and the Thompson's prices are well in line, especially for the maturity of the plants they send.
I'm thinking Meyer lemon and a satsuma. They don't need a "mate," right?
Mine haven't...
Decidedly self-fertile. My trees are the only citrus in the neighborhood, so I know they don't get any extra help. Don't know what kind of tangerine my tree is, but it has been producing enormous crops for years now. It was so small when I got it that I misjudged and planted it too close to the corner of the house. It has forgiven me and flourishes as a very robust large specimen. And oh! the fragrance of those blossoms.
Here is an article on the satsuma from the Univ. of Florida. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/BODY_CH116
I've decided on an alternate spot for the kumquat and it will be away from the fence repair activity. I'll have it inground this weekend. Hard work but great fun.