OT - Citrus

[Visceral]

While I wait for fig cuttings later in the year, I decided to go get some citrus trees. I picked up a Kishu mandarin, a Page mandarin, a Miho satsuma, and a Meyer lemon. I got them from some local nurseries.

I'm in Houston and have the gumbo clay dirt, so I just put them about half-way in ground into tilled clay, and filled around them with pine bark, compost and sand to help with drainage. I've kept the mulch away from the base of the tree to prevent rot.

Does anyone have any experience with these varieties or other varieties of citrus?


Thanks!

[Hershell]

Kishu is good but really small. It's a short wide weeping tree. Page is a really sweet orange that's small difficult to peel but it's still good. Milo is a good Satsuma and Meyer is a cross between a lemon and an orange, in my opinion it to sour to be an orange but not sour enough to be a lemon but it does well where lemons won't produce.

[WillsC]

I love the Kishu, it is the only citrus variety I have two of. All you have to do is glare at the Kishu and the skin falls off, well maybe not quite.

[Blueboy1977]

I'm in South Houston and growing Kishu (15 gallon pot) and Golden Grape fruit (in ground). Citrus grows well here but you will have to spray with Spinosad every two weeks from about June-Oct on new growth to keep citrus leaf minors at bay. Once the leafs harden off and mature you can quit spraying them. Basically only during growth spurts. They will wreck new growth and really slow down your tree. They won't kill them but the leafs will look very distorted. Other than that they grow great here. Hard to over fertilize citrus in ground so don't be shy.

[Hershell]

Golden Grapefruit, that's one of my favorites.

[Gina]

I'm growing traditional California favorites. Naval orange, Bears lime, Valencia orange, and Eureka lemon. My property is immediately adjacent to a former commercial lemon grove. Now they mostly grow avocados.

[Visceral]

Great information. Thanks a lot!

I got the Meyer because it is supposed to be prolific. I really wanted a NZ Lemonade tree, but don't know if it is cold hardy enough. I also thought about getting another Kishu based on all I've read about it, but I'll try a little variety first.

For trees that are already about 2-3 years old, how long would you guess for some decent fruit?

The Miho is very clean, but the others trees show CLM damage. I've got a nice population of green lacewings right now in my yard, so I'm going to let nature do its thing the rest of this year. Next year, I'll be doing the spinosad starting in June or so.

It seems you can grow anything in that zone 10 Gina! I love orange juice, but don't like peeling oranges so much

[Blueboy1977]

I've got a bunch of lace wings aswell but don't depend on them or lady bugs to control CLM or thrips. You will be sorely disappointed! So your first growth flush of citrus will be fine in the spring. No need to spray then as CLM is still dormant. From the second growth flush on you will need to spray.

If your referring to decent fruit on a satsuma, I can't comment as I haven't had a decent satsuma fruit yet. I grew Mr. Mac and Brown Select at my last house for 3 years. Never got a good fruit from them. They both were grainy and dry for me. I've read they get better with age but these were purchased at Home Depot. I chose not to buy from box stores ever again.

Hershall, I tried Golden Grapefruit last year for the first time and it was awesome! Made my tongue slap my brains out!!! Only one place any where around here that I know of to purchase this variety, John Panzerella in Lake Jackson Tx. He's got a mature tree he uses for graft wood. I bought one from him that day. Been in ground for a year now. I will let it fruit in 2 more years after it gets a little more size to it. Anyone in the Houston area who likes to grow citrus should make a trip to Johns house. It's well worth it!

[Visceral]

Yes, I saw John does a tasting each December. I think it would be a great opportunity to try many different citrus.

[Blueboy1977]

John also has got TX-BA1 fig. Big tree! He gave me cuttings off it a couple years ago. He also sells a white Italian loquat that puts out huge white fleshed fruit. They are delicious! He sells seedlings and grafted trees. The grafted trees sell out quick. I got one planted in the front yard.