Walking Around. Fruit. 6.7.15

Bagged Apples.  6.7.15

Chinese Haw "Red Sun".  6.7.15

 Walking Around.

For most of the fruits, there isn't a lot that needs to be done, from now to fall.   If I am up to it, I can cut weeds, re-mulch, and do some summer pruning.  Some will need watering.

The zipper lock fruit bags always seem steamed.  I don't know if that hurts anything.  I have not seen that mentioned as an issue.

Ning's Chinese Haw has a nice crop of fruit, still small and green.  First year for that.  Deer like any branches within reach.

Almaden Duke Cherry multigraft.  I finished grafting yesterday.   Nothing to do until about 3 weeks from now, when the ties need to be removed.

Jonared apple multigraft.  Not much to do.  Re-mulch.  Tie down the branches for better spread of scaffold.  Any time this summer.

Fig row.  Lattarula is the most vigorous at the moment.  They will get water, but no fertilizer.

Meyer Lemon, in container.  Blooming nicely.  The fragrance is present even when not in sight.  Very sweet.  Leaves look yellow, but that doesn't seem to hurt.  Just needs water this summer. I do give it some acid-loving plant miracle grow, dilute.

Other citrus, unknown seedling, about 18 years old, just for decoration.  No bloom, not surprised.  Kumquat, no bloom.  I thought it might.  Same treatment as Meyer lemon.

Yates Persimmon.  Now that it's summer, I will back down  on the nitrogen boost.  This is first-leaf, so it will need regular watering.  Same with Mango Pawpaw and Sweet Treat Pluerry.  Speaking of which, the leaves are insect magnets.  Full of holes.  If it continues like that, I may not keep it.

Genetic dwarf peach seedling.  Very lush.  I think it's in it's 3rd or 4th year.  No idea if or when it will bloom.  Kept out of rain all winter.  Zero leaf curl.  Genetic dwarf peaches that were in the rain - covered with leaf curl.

Amaden Duke Cherry multigraft.  6.7.15

Jonared Apple Multigraft.  6.7.15

Lattarula Fig.  2nd year from cutting.  6.7.15

Meyer Lemon.  6.7.15

Yates Persimmon.  6.7.15

Genetic Dwarf Peach Seedling.  6.7.15

Random photos from today

Mostly fruits

 Wild blackberries, cherry tomatoes, strawberries, Black Prince tomato, Hungarian Wax pepper, and a Parisian Market round carrot.

Buddleia X Lilac Chip

Meyer Lemon

 Miniature buddleia hybrid "Lilac Chip".  This one is in a bed that I have not been caring for, only a few flowers.  If I give it better care next year, it might be dramatic.

Meyer Lemon

Meyer Lemon grew nicely this year.  Often in bloom and when it is, the honeybees are there.

Nagami Kumquat

Kumquot Illustration 1906

 Kumquots are citrus-like small fruits.  They may be classified as citrus or as Fortunella margarita. 

Via Monrovia, Kumquots are native to China.  Small tree, fruit with thin sweet rind and sour juicy flesh. 

Kumquat flowers

Last year, I bought a 1 foot tall Nagami kumquot and kept it on the deck.  If I remember correctly it did have some fruit at the time.  I don't know why I didn't taste them.  It overwintered OK indoors.  Now it's on the deck at the Battleground place.  It did not look enthusiastic this Spring.  About 2 weeks ago I repotted it into a larger, wooden container, watered, and am feeding with a diluted acid-loving plant fertilizer.  1/4 teaspoon per gallon, same as for Meyer Lemon.

Via Wikipedia, Kumquats are Citrus japopica "margarita": or Fortunella japonica.  They are more cold tolerant than most citrus, survive down to 18F. 

The flowers are small and fragrant, similar to other citrus.  The trees bloom in late Spring and the fruit matures in early fall. 

Kumquat at Corfu

From the Purdue horticulture website, Kumquats were mentioned in Chinese literature in 1178 AD and in Western literature in 1646.  Nagami was introduced to London in 1846. 

For growth in containers, Kumquats need to be on dwarfing rootstock (trifoliate orange, Poncirus trifoliata, flying dragon), not rootbound, and have regular watering and feeding.  I did let mine dry out rather badly last winter, and it survived.

Via gardening.ktsa.com,  Kumquats are later blooming than other citrus.  The fruit is aromatic and spicy.  The fruit matures in November.

From greenzonelife.com, kumquats grow poorly on their own roots.  Kumquat dormancy is profound, and they break dormancy later than other citrus. 

All photos here are cropped from photos on commons.wikimedia.org.

Citrus. Zone Inappropriate. Not letting that stop me.

Meyer Lemon

Kumquat

I rescued the Meyer Lemon from my own neglect last year.  I had let it frost the winter before, which killed most of it.  Then last winter I let it dryout, to the point of crispy leaves, a few times.  It's recovered nicely.  Blooming.  One lemon is set, maybe more to come.  I should take better care of it.  They are delicious.  The blossoms smell very sweet.  I can smell them 10 feet away.

There have not been fruit on this Kumquat. After repotting I found the label - Nagami Kumquot.   Repotted, giving some blueberry mineral based fertilizer, same as the other citrus.  Maybe this year it will put on some good growth for flowers and fruit next year.  I bought the kumquat last year at Home Depot.  If I remember correctly, it did have fruit at the time.

The remaining citrus bush came from seeds Ning planted 15 years ago in another plant, in Chicago.  We brought it with us to Vancouver.  I don't remember what it is.  Probably lemon or grapefruit.  It had the same neglect as the Meyer lemon, dropped leaves after they were crispified.  I repotted it, giving some TLC.  It is recovering nicely.  I don't expect it to bloom or bear fruit, but I keep thinking that would be interesting.

These trees get more sunlight at the Battleground place.  So maybe they will do better.  I think the wooden containers will do a better job of insulating the roots, compared to plastic containers.

Seedling Grown Citrus

Progress Report: Citrus

Today I repotted the Meyer Lemon. It was fairly neglected through the winter, then developed some sunburn when I sat it out on the deck. Two weeks ago I pruned it for shape and to remove some dead branches, and started feeding it with a rhododendron plant food for the acidity. Now it's growing and has produced several flower buds. I've repotted it in a somewhat larger container. I hope to have lemons this summer.

Generic citrus trees, grown from seed about 13 years ago. I don't remember what it is - lemon, maybe, but could be orange or grapefruit. It has never bloomed. Probably wont. It also suffered from neglect, but got the same treatment as the Meyer lemon, and is sending out new leaves.