Pollinator Needed To Get A Really Good Fruit Set On A Tango Mandarin?

7 years ago

last modified: 7 years ago

After getting an Improved Meyer Lemon and a Persian Lime, my wife casually mentions that actually her favorite citrus are mandarins. So, I'm now looking at a Tango Mandarin... I live in Seattle, WA and don't have a greenhouse, so my current citrus lives inside during colder weather, and I don't have much room left for over-wintering too many more trees.

If I add another mandarin as a pollinator, how much better will the fruit set be as compared to only having a single Tango tree? If the fruit set goes from (Hypothetical example) 15% to 85% (all other things being equal) with a second pollinator, I'll get a second mandarin, but if there's only a slightly higher fruit set (say 15% to 18%) then I'll skip a separate tree as a pollinator.

If a pollinator tree is recommended, what other mandarin varieties would be recommended as a pollinator for Tangos?

Thanks!

Ken

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (3)

Dee
7 years ago
Where did you get the idea it needs a pollinator? Most mandarins are self fertile. I have a Tango and find it to be over and alternate bearing. https://citrusvariety.ucr.edu/citrus/tango.html
Kenneth Abrahamsen thanked Dee
Kenneth Abrahamsen
Original Author
7 years ago
Not specifically for Tango, but https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/pollination-requirement-and-seeds-in-citrus/ states" ... Some citrus varieties, such as many of the clementines and mandarin hybrids, are not parthenocarpic and require cross pollination by another variety to produce fruit, ..." I realize this is not a 'peer-reviewed article' and may be inaccurate, but since I'm quite new to growing citrus, I have no personal experience to determine what is accurate and what is not. Hence, I thought I'd ask here as many people here have much more experience and knowledge about citrus than I currently have.

Thanks!

Ken
Related Professionals
Fort Smith Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Stamford Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Albany Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Akron Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Cleveland Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Sanford Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Mobile Landscape Contractors · Great Bend Landscape Contractors · Bartlesville Landscape Contractors · Erie Landscape Contractors · Burlington Landscape Contractors · Salinas Landscape Contractors · Valdosta Home Builders · Durango Home Builders · Wenatchee Home Builders
uncle molewacker z9b Danville CA (E.SF Bay)
7 years ago
No pollinator is needed.

Tangos are seed-less not always seed free.. even in the presence of bees. Interestingly, my Tango has produced a greater percentage of seed free fruit the older it gets.
Kenneth Abrahamsen thanked uncle molewacker z9b Danville CA (E.SF Bay)