How are your orange trees doing? (live, restaurants, eat)

[Voebe]

I have a lone little orange tree that is very unhappy.

It was traumatized by the summer heat, the oranges are about half the usual size, and I'm finding a bunch on the ground with tiny holes, which I figure means they've been drilled by birds. (if the holes were larger, I might have guessed roof rats, but not with this.)

If you have orange trees, are you experiencing anything similar, and is there any way to combat the birds?

[take57]

My crop was fewer but the fruit much sweeter and somewhat larger. Not much loss to pests. Harvested a couple of weeks ago and had the branches trimmed two days ago. I think part of the lower yield was because I left the fruit on a few weeks later than I should have last year. My lemon tree once again produced like crazy.

[fluffythewondercat]

Citrus is doing OK. We didn't feed the trees as often as we should have but OTOH we don't eat the citrus, either. At least I don't.

The lemons look great. Ditto the grapefruit. We even have these kumquats and limequats, though we don't know what to do with them.

[hikernut]

Originally Posted by fluffythewondercat

Citrus is doing OK. We didn't feed the trees as often as we should have but OTOH we don't eat the citrus, either. At least I don't.

The lemons look great. Ditto the grapefruit. We even have these kumquats and limequats, though we don't know what to do with them.

https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/rest...-today-6521865

[FlurryCat]

Our orange tree had no fruit and no blossoms, but looks very healthy otherwise. It grew a lot and sprouted a bunch of new branches this year, so maybe all its energy went to that.

My lemon tree has more and larger lemons than usual and lots of blossoms.

The lime has very few limes but blossomed well.

The grapefruit tree was over-aggressively pruned right before the heat hit in 2020 and never recovered. I tried to save it but it faded away and I cut it down last month. I bought a new one yesterday.

[locolobo13]

Boreworms got mine.

[phetaroi]

I have one tree that is doing terribly...but has been not doing well for the 3 years I lived here. The other orange tree looks great, although the oranges seem a bit small.

To my surprise, I have what appears to be a Thai pomelo tree and it is heavy with large fruit this year. Benefit to my neighbors.

One grapefruit tree also seems to have somewhat small fruits, although the tree looks healthy.

My lemon bush is full to bursting with large lemons.

[marchewka959]

Originally Posted by take57

My crop was fewer but the fruit much sweeter and somewhat larger. Not much loss to pests. Harvested a couple of weeks ago and had the branches trimmed two days ago. I think part of the lower yield was because I left the fruit on a few weeks later than I should have last year. My lemon tree once again produced like crazy.

Mine were smaller and sweeter too. Fewer seeds. So when are you supposed to take the oranges off the tree?

[take57]

Originally Posted by marchewka959

Mine were smaller and sweeter too. Fewer seeds. So when are you supposed to take the oranges off the tree?

Depends on the variety. I usually harvest when the color looks right and the fruit is easily removed from the tree. If the fruit is falling off the tree that's an indication you may have waited too long. YMMV.

[Arktikos]

Originally Posted by take57

Depends on the variety. I usually harvest when the color looks right and the fruit is easily removed from the tree. If the fruit is falling off the tree that's an indication you may have waited too long. YMMV.

That's what I do too. Fallen from the tree are usually OK with my navel orange. Cara Cara, I don't think this works.

I'm not in Arizona though. It might be helpful for dry area growers to know that it's practically impossible to overwater these trees. (Well, perhaps it depends upon soil type)

The area I grow citrus is in Puna, HI where the average annual rainfall is 150+ inches. All citrus does very well here. My cousin visiting from Seattle remarked that the oranges were the best she's ever tasted. But then, perhaps she's never had an orange fresh off a tree in Arizona!