Saw on the post in Sue’s no-dig garden about planting out citrus trees.

I’d like to know the name of a some good varieties of orange and mandarin trees thanks.

We’d like a good eating orange……. maybe if juicing can be included in the eating orange this would be good.

Going to start to prepare the areas for these 2 trees, this coming week and then plant them out late winter early spring.

Any info you think would be good for a successful planting of these trees would be greatly appreciated.

you cant go past Imperial Mandies and the good old fashion navel oranges in my opinion.

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a322/Cheryl1960/Wheelbarrows/IMG_2263.jpg

The Estate said:

you cant go past Imperial Mandies and the good old fashion navel oranges in my opinion.

What months does the fruit get pick in Thee???

The Estate said:

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a322/Cheryl1960/Wheelbarrows/IMG_2263.jpg

Mandy tree??? how old Thee??

Thee is right (navel oranges and imperial mandarin).
…..but ‘Japanese seedless’ mandarins are spectacular in taste and loose skins for easy peel.
With the navels you can easily buy ‘Washington’ or ‘New Hall’ – and, if you can find them, ‘Valencia’ would be interesting.
I spent $25 per tree, and didn’t go to the Riverland specialist citrus nurseries, where the choice is better (but the cost is about $80 per tree plus a lot of travel). The specialists would sell better quality trees but i bought from s/marts, Home hardware and M10, and consequently my trees needed quite a bit of shaping.

Lucky1 said:

The Estate said:

you cant go past Imperial Mandies and the good old fashion navel oranges in my opinion.

What months does the fruit get pick in Thee???

I have just started picking mine now, only as required, last many months on the tree.

Lucky1 said:

The Estate said:

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a322/Cheryl1960/Wheelbarrows/IMG_2263.jpg

Mandy tree??? how old Thee??

10 years but was in a pot for around 4 – 5

I paid $25 for my orange tree and it is in a pot and doing well, 2 years old and picked around 20 oranges this year

Fannnnnnnnntastic, Thee

Lucky, one thing I have to watch out for out here, and Peter Bennett mentioned it in his book, I think (or was it Brian Burke???) is the rootstock.

Certain rootstocks suit certain soils, or more particularly, certain rootstocks can cope better with certain soils.

If you have a lovely sandy loam, any rootstock should cope I think…

When we are “allowed” to have citrus trees in our backyards again, I’m pretty sure I need to look for “Troyer” (not sure of name) rootstock for my cracking black clay…or dig an HUGE hole and backfill with sandy loam….

When you think of how our forbears just planted a seed of a fruit they thought was very nice, and ran the bath and laundry water past them for wonderful 5 – 6 metre high trees, the rootstock argument loses some shine…

The Estate said:

Lucky1 said:

The Estate said:

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a322/Cheryl1960/Wheelbarrows/IMG_2263.jpg

Mandy tree??? how old Thee??

10 years but was in a pot for around 4 – 5

Okay thanks,.

The Estate said:

I paid $25 for my orange tree and it is in a pot and doing well, 2 years old and picked around 20 oranges this year

Oh sweet:D

Great photos Thee and it has given me an idea of what I can expect from mine.

Dinetta said:

Fannnnnnnnntastic, Thee

Lucky, one thing I have to watch out for out here, and Peter Bennett mentioned it in his book, I think (or was it Brian Burke???) is the rootstock.

Certain rootstocks suit certain soils, or more particularly, certain rootstocks can cope better with certain soils.

If you have a lovely sandy loam, any rootstock should cope I think…

When we are “allowed” to have citrus trees in our backyards again, I’m pretty sure I need to look for “Troyer” (not sure of name) rootstock for my cracking black clay…or dig an HUGE hole and backfill with sandy loam….

When you think of how our forbears just planted a seed of a fruit they thought was very nice, and ran the bath and laundry water past them for wonderful 5 – 6 metre high trees, the rootstock argument loses some shine…

Thanks Dinetta… very good point about the roots.

Today we saw a multi grafted orange tree.

Part Washington and part Valencia. I wonder how this tree would grow???

Lucky1 said:

Dinetta said:

Fannnnnnnnntastic, Thee

Lucky, one thing I have to watch out for out here, and Peter Bennett mentioned it in his book, I think (or was it Brian Burke???) is the rootstock.

Certain rootstocks suit certain soils, or more particularly, certain rootstocks can cope better with certain soils.

If you have a lovely sandy loam, any rootstock should cope I think…

When we are “allowed” to have citrus trees in our backyards again, I’m pretty sure I need to look for “Troyer” (not sure of name) rootstock for my cracking black clay…or dig an HUGE hole and backfill with sandy loam….

When you think of how our forbears just planted a seed of a fruit they thought was very nice, and ran the bath and laundry water past them for wonderful 5 – 6 metre high trees, the rootstock argument loses some shine…

Thanks Dinetta… very good point about the roots.

Today we saw a multi grafted orange tree.

Part Washington and part Valencia. I wonder how this tree would grow???

I’d go for the multi graft.. I have a washington navel and the fruit is the best for eating, but the squeezed juice doesn’t keep at all , if it’s left for even 2 hours it goes bitter, and thats where the valencia shines.
Citrus are thirsty, watering a large bowl shape around the tree once a week is nessesary. The best orange tree I ever saw is on a rellies small farm in Little River ,it gets flooded daily with grey water overflow, the ground is quite boggy but the tree is magnificent.

yes they do like their water and food for best result, if not watered properley you get very dry fruit !

I think the Green Harvest citrus page is pretty hard to beat. There’s even a table to help you choose the right variety.

http://www.greenharvest.com.au/greennotes/Organic_Citrus_Care.html

Remember that even with all these opinions you need to choose for your climate. What works for me might not for you.

>What works for me might not for you.

On the net this is commonly abbreviated to YMMV (your mileage may vary).

I made a last minute dash to the market this morning – forgot this was the Saturday it’s on. I went for soap. Came home with an Imperial Mandarin !! Well it makes a change from roses – you should have seen the relief on Mr O40’s face LOL
Apparently I’ll have to wait about 3 yrs for fruit, ah well I hope to still be around then :) I paid $20 for it and wondered if I’d been ripped off, but I saw much smaller ones for $25 elsewhere so I’m happy.

orchid40 said:

I made a last minute dash to the market this morning – forgot this was the Saturday it’s on. I went for soap. Came home with an Imperial Mandarin !! Well it makes a change from roses – you should have seen the relief on Mr O40’s face LOL
Apparently I’ll have to wait about 3 yrs for fruit, ah well I hope to still be around then :) I paid $20 for it and wondered if I’d been ripped off, but I saw much smaller ones for $25 elsewhere so I’m happy.

Oh way to go o40:)

Thank you so much Bubba for your mput and link about the citrus trees and their roots in soil.

Now calling the duck run……duck run/ orchard :D

Lucky1 said:

Thank you so much Bubba for your mput and link about the citrus trees and their roots in soil.

Now calling the duck run……duck run/ orchard :D

Like mine I call the potted orchard grove LOL