The Tropical Fruit Forum

Citrus => Citrus General Discussion => Topic started by: Empoweredandfree on September 21, 2018, 02:39:24 AM

Title: Keeping Kumquats?
Post by: Empoweredandfree on September 21, 2018, 02:39:24 AM
The weather is changing so soon my trees are coming in but space is limited and I'm debating keeping kumquats... Here are two varities I have...

1.) Meiwa-Producing fruit now, perfect compact tree, but never tried the fruit. Heard its good but was curious if its worth the effort to grow indoors..

2.) Centennial Variegated-Beautiful looking but based on my reading some say its great others says its just a Nagami (which I dislike).

Thanks in advance for any feedback..
Title: Re: Keeping Kumquats?
Post by: brian on September 21, 2018, 10:29:05 AM
I am fascinated by kumquats and have collected nearly every variety.   I have a thread I've been updating with my opinion of the various kumquats & their hybrids:   http://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?topic=22406.0 (http://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?topic=22406.0)

Definitely try the meiwa fruit, it is much sweeter than nagami as it has less juice and more pulp. 

If you don't like meiwa either, you probably just don't like kumquats as meiwa and nagami represent the sweetest and most sour ends of the kumquat spectrum. 

Title: Re: Keeping Kumquats?
Post by: 00christian00 on September 21, 2018, 11:59:49 AM
I like Kumquat a lot, they are a easy and fast snack.
On the contrary to most I like the normal small variety, exactly because it's more juicy.
I got a Meiwa, around 2 years ago and I didn't like it much because it was way too dry.
The first batch which came from the nursery was completely dry, like zero juice. The second batch was slightly better but I still prefer the juiciness of normal kumquat.
Plus mine was terribly full of seeds, like 2/3 of the fruit so not so enjoyable.
I have some giant kumquat which is similar to Meiwa( sweeter and dryer) but at least that has few seeds.

One of my favorites is the Orangequat variegated(which looks very similar to the centennial, not sure if they are same), very sweet and tasting like an orange.
The only drawback here is that peel is harder than normal kumquat, and although it's not unpleasant it ruin a little the enjoyment.
Title: Re: Keeping Kumquats?
Post by: Yorgos on September 21, 2018, 12:06:01 PM
I have had a meiwa planted in the ground for almost 20 years without protection here in the Houston, Texas area.  It has done very well. Its about 10 ft high and 6 feet across.  The fruit is great for marmalade, add to salads or just eat straight from the tree. It is sweeter, and drier, than my changshou, which I also like. It just barely gets ripe by thanksgiving but you really need to wait until after New Years for the most consistent, sweetest taste.  How does seedless meiwa taste compared to the one with seeds? 
Title: Re: Keeping Kumquats?
Post by: brian on September 21, 2018, 12:28:52 PM
I'm not aware of any seedless meiwa, only seedless nagami (nordmann).  Is that what you mean?  If there is a seedless meiwa I would love to get one.

My first batch of meiwa was very dry and awful.  However my second crop was more juicy and was excellent.  Because of this I'm hesitant to judge a variety too much until I've had a few crops.  For something in between, Marumi is really good.  I think its better than meiwa and almost on par with fukushu/changshou
Title: Re: Keeping Kumquats?
Post by: brian on September 21, 2018, 12:36:07 PM
...
I have some giant kumquat which is similar to Meiwa( sweeter and dryer) but at least that has few seeds.
...

Can you tell us a bit more about this giant kumquat?  Any idea what variety it might be?  The largest kumquat I'm aware of is the nippon orangequat.  Next largest would be "red lime".
Title: Re: Keeping Kumquats?
Post by: Empoweredandfree on September 21, 2018, 01:33:57 PM
Thanks for the feedback everyone.

Brian-Did the taste of the variegated kumquat ever improve for you?

I'm in zone 7 so I'm wondering to what month/temp I can keep the kumquats outside?
Title: Re: Keeping Kumquats?
Post by: 00christian00 on September 21, 2018, 01:48:08 PM
Not sure about the real variety name, they are just called Gigante( giant).
It could be a Nordmann seedless(although sometime there are seeds).
It's very elongated with a pointy bottom:
(http://www.giambopiante.it/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/slide-08.jpg)
Title: Re: Keeping Kumquats?
Post by: brian on September 21, 2018, 05:47:19 PM
Hah - I was going to say that picture looks like a closeup of a nordmann seedless nagami kumquat, with a lemon photoshopped in on the top center.  And indeed that seems to be the case... first google result I found for kumquat grosso is http://www.giambopiante.it/en/project/kumquat-grosso/ (http://www.giambopiante.it/en/project/kumquat-grosso/)

(http://www.giambopiante.it/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/feat-kumquat-grosso-930x387.jpg)

Title: Re: Keeping Kumquats?
Post by: brian on September 21, 2018, 05:50:35 PM
The name given on that link is "Giant Kumquat (Fortunella margarita Nordmann seedless)"  so i assume it is the usual nordmann seedless which I've never had seeds show up in.  The fruit is elongated just like that.

Unless there is a giant version of nordmann I'm unaware of I believe this is just being embellished a bit in Italy :)
Title: Re: Keeping Kumquats?
Post by: brian on September 21, 2018, 05:55:52 PM
...
Brian-Did the taste of the variegated kumquat ever improve for you?

I'm in zone 7 so I'm wondering to what month/temp I can keep the kumquats outside?

I lost last years crop as the tree had an unhealthy spell.  It has a good number of fruits on it now that aren't ripe yet.  I will find out fairly soon and report back.

Kumquats go into a semi dormant state as it gets colder.  They have done very well for me when other citrus have struggled when I was carrying them indoors in the winter, before I had a greenhouse.   They are listed as being able to handle temperatures in the mid-20s I believe but if you have small trees in containers I would avoid letting them freeze at all.  I always brought mine in when nights started dropping below 40F.  Be mindful that if your house is warm enough they will break dormancy and then may struggle from lack of light. 
Title: Re: Keeping Kumquats?
Post by: Citradia on September 21, 2018, 08:29:18 PM
I like my Meiwa. I eat them like citrus gum balls. Someone on here mentioned making marmalade out of them. Mine just started blooming now. Much later than  last year. I think it didn't like the cold January we had and some of my fruit froze on tree.
Title: Re: Keeping Kumquats?
Post by: Millet on September 21, 2018, 09:07:11 PM
Meiwa is my favorite kumquat.  I enjoy eating them directly off the tree as I pass by,
Title: Re: Keeping Kumquats?
Post by: 00christian00 on September 22, 2018, 02:35:45 AM
The name given on that link is "Giant Kumquat (Fortunella margarita Nordmann seedless)"  so i assume it is the usual nordmann seedless which I've never had seeds show up in.  The fruit is elongated just like that.

Unless there is a giant version of nordmann I'm unaware of I believe this is just being embellished a bit in Italy :)
Strange, that's the same website where I took the picture and there was no mention of Normann seedless in the Italian version. Lol, damn Italian.
Title: Re: Keeping Kumquats?
Post by: CA Hockey on September 22, 2018, 07:45:58 PM
Meiwa are more sweet (or more accurately speaking they are less bitter) than the other kumquats , in my humble yet highly accurate opinion 😀
Title: Re: Keeping Kumquats?
Post by: laidbackdood on September 23, 2018, 06:09:44 PM
wow ...so cool...all these varieties......i think the best we get in western australlia is the nagami....dont recognize any of these other ones......but id like to grow the best tasting and sweetest i can....i have a couple of calamondins and they are good for marmalade...not eaten whole and they are not a kumquat anyway....i think.....i will have a sniff around but nagami is quite common here....they might have the meiwa one here...i will have a sniff.
Title: Re: Keeping Kumquats?
Post by: Empoweredandfree on September 27, 2018, 03:13:32 AM
I think I'm going to keep the Meiwa and sell the variegated kumquat.