Bob I totally agree!!! :) I think self sufficiency is the key to our future! Anyways today its my first day of freedom and retirement for me bob and hope everyone else chimes in! Where is amy and Brian anyways and laura and everyone else seems so quiet this summer!

yes this has been an unprecedented year and I'm guessing peoples priorities have changed a bit, but gardening keeps my sanity in check. :)

Bob there are not 3 billion people in the US. The US population is about 320 million.

Families with children have very hard time, My guess, citrus is not as important as other fruits. Apple/pears/peaches/plums, these are more of interest to the majority of growers.

I grow them too but not in a big way. I am tired of given away lots of stuff every year.

This winter, several tree’s will be cut down and not be replaced.

My inground tree’s produces over a 1000 fruits, a lot end up on the compost pile.

Not even in the days of Soylent Green were there close to 3 billion in the united states.

Steve

Bob, do you remember Susanne Michigan Z5/6. She was very active, but I think she came down with a very serious medical problem. Came back after an absence of a month or so, posted twice about a rare citrus variety she received from a person she never identified, then never again. I hope she survived. She seemed very nice.

There are several reasons why I prefer citrus specifically mandarins over other fruits besides taste. They are evergreen and also hold on the tree much longer than stonefruits.

Just making a point, Silica.

Bob wrote "Just making a point, Silica"............Bob I don't understand your meaning.

The meaning? Simple, a forum this old should have a lot more members I mean active members, I mean knowledgable members. On the other hand, some like a more clickee approach, just a small group. It’s hard to read members mind. I already give up, just doing my part. I do thing very basic.

Susanne Michigan I believe had a serious illness that is corrected medically. While dangerous, after treatment and recovery she continued on with her life. I believe that most people north of the Mandarin Dekopon line give up and unload their trees and disappear.

Steve

Jan, congratulations on your retirement and enjoy it! Bob, good thread. I hope Suzanne is ok. I think what happens sometimes (and I speak from experience) is that people get overly enthusiastic with the citrus and get more than they can handle well indoors. They get overwhelmed and give up. I’m in that boat myself. I am trying to thin down my trees and only keep those varieties I really love. I still have many though and those I will keep and enjoy for many years, God-willing. :)

Same here Laura, just like you. Too much, than reduce or go a different direction. If you own a greenhouse, you are pretty much stuck. You have to continue. I myself don’t know,it might be months but not years.

Hope Susanne will be much better and hope others that I knew here will do better also.

This harvest season will be important to position myself for the next growing season. It’s not important to grow 16 different mandarins that taste the same or close to it.

My venture in citrus started in 2016, has collected the finest varieties already. Learning to appreciate your own efforts is most satisfactory. This will be the end of my fruit growing career.

50 years.“ Perfect “,!!

Laura Can I assume that Alexander is NOT up for adoption. LOL

Steve

This year we cut down my collection a bit. Should have reduced more. So plants that I want to keep have grown bigger and some of the pots are bigger than before. Some I pruned heavily and then they grow back to the same size or bigger.

Have not heard from Susanne Michigan for quite a while. 2 or 3 years back I had sent her a few rooted citrus cuttings. She kept me updated for a few months and then it was blackout. She did show up on the forum for a very short while later and vanished again.

Laura it’s so good to hear from you and know you’re alright :) thank you Laura! I’m enjoying every minute of it :)

i hope susanne is alright too. I guess people downsize their collection or get busy with other stuff I can’t imagine my life without citrus though.

Hello all)

Yes, I hope Suzzane is ok too. Along with Brian and many others I have seen and then vanished. Bob is right, where is everyone? Not those that leave for a season or two, or that get busy.

I am so glad to see the few that do stop by and those that contribute on a regular basis. It is great not just only to share what we know, nut to see that everyone is doing ok. Just goes to show you how much we appreciate those that take a share here.

Me too. I am about to cut my collection way back and I have already been throwing or giving away a plant or two for the entire summer. I am just tired of all the upkeep. I think many of us are getting so good at growing our trees now, that we are keeping more and moire each year that are growing bigger and bigger! Running out of room and space.

Mike

Mike I hear you! I gave away all my kumquats and all my doubles except I still have 2 of the shiranui Tree but even then I have 24 trees still lol! I think the calamansi will be the next to go! The goal is to get it to around 20 lol

Jan, too funny) I also have two, Those I won't get rid of in case one dies. Also called Dekopan, right? I also LOVE the fruit. My mom too. I did get rid of all my kumquats too.lol There use to nbe a person here named Pip whom I miss that gave me a Kishu and those I can I can never get to many of.

Yup instead of replacing all of our trees at the end of winters, we are getting so good at growing them that now we have them plus new ones. lol 20? I don't think so. lol Check your e-mail))

Mike