I'm back about my Valencia Orange Juice tree again ...

8 years ago

last modified: 8 years ago

When my tree began to ripen its fruit last year it was in June/July, and the fruit load was fairly light. While watching the tree I have been concerned about how heavy the fruit has become and how much it is drawing the limbs down.

I didn't come running with my concerns because I figured I was worrying over nothing.

This year The fruit are ripening much sooner, October in stead of waiting until next summer.

The tree has dropped its first orange.

It, and many of the fruit on the tree are beginning to soften.

They feel as if they are getting close to being ready to begin picking the riper ones.

Last season all the fruit was nicely orange in color.

This season they are still quite green.

As you can see even the lilikoi are still quite green, but still dropping from the vines.

I do understand that the color does not necessarily denote ripeness.

We have had several weeks of very rainy, cloudy weather recently, which might have affected the fruit's color.

I'm finding a few fruit that are much younger than the main group.

And, a very few new blossoms.

I have heard that our climate can confuse citrus as to what the actual time of year it is.

Plus, I gather that young trees can show a lot of variation in what they do, and when and how they do it.

Comments and advice on what is going on would be appreciated.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (5)

Dee
8 years ago
Have you cut one open and tasted it?
Solo Voyager
Original Author
8 years ago
I'm thinking about cutting and juicing the one that fell to check it out.

I'm just wishy-washing around about waiting for a couple of days to see if it softens up a bit more. Plus, maybe one or two more may fall to add to the first juice test.
Related Professionals
Oklahoma City Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Huntington Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · New London Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Springfield Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Miami Landscape Contractors · Harrisburg Landscape Contractors · Rapid City Landscape Contractors · Lawton Home Builders · Woodward Home Builders · Charleston Home Builders · Lansing Home Builders · Saginaw Home Builders · Westerly Home Builders · Medford Home Builders · Jackson Home Builders
Dee
8 years ago
My Tango mandarin had 1 full orangey colored piece of fruit on Sunday and it was calling my name. I knew it should remain on the tree until January, but it was orange. lol. I picked and ate it. The piece was juicy but had no flavor. I should have waited. You won't know until you try it.
Solo Voyager
Original Author
8 years ago
I have several Tangerines also, a Satsuma, 2x Honey and what I believe is a Fremont.

The Fremont and Satsuma are growing nicely but just beginning to produce a few fruit.

The Fremont:

It does feel as if it is getting very close to being ripe.
The fruit does show some canker on it.

The Honey's are not doing as well. They are very susceptible to canker and something else I don't remember right now. I am reluctant to use pesticides, and have read that they are quite susceptible to these things when young, but become more resistant as they get older. Time will tell what happens and how I'll deal with it.
Solo Voyager
Original Author
8 years ago
I picked 3 more oranges from the tree taking the softest I could find and juiced them with the one that had fallen. The juice was good but a bit tart. I will let those still on the tree sit longer to see if they will sweeten up some.