Author Topic: Favorite citrus options...  (Read 2022 times)

chris1

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 127
    • Brevard county, Florida zone 9b
    • View Profile
Favorite citrus options...
« on: August 10, 2017, 10:53:58 PM »
So I have bananas, figs, mangos, avocado, guava, even Atemoya but no citrus.  I have a great spot for a citrus but what to grow?  I want prolific, preferably a long season and a fruit that stays on the tree well so I can pick at my leasure. A healthy grower, tolerant of disease and drought if need be. Basically the Toyota of citrus with a long season and a delicious fruit. Brown's select satsuma has been recommended as well as owari.  I'm open to ideas and I appreciate all your help! What do I grow and just as important as that is where do I get it? I'm in brevard county FL.

SoCal2warm

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1554
    • zone 10 and zone 8a
    • View Profile
Re: Favorite citrus options...
« Reply #1 on: August 10, 2017, 11:04:41 PM »
Well if you're looking for some unusuals I might recommend a wekiwa tangelolo or dekopon. Satsuma mandarin is always a good one to have in the yard or pummelo (if you like those). Oroblanco is popular with home growers because they are sweet and juicy.

It's hard to tell you what to get because in many cases it can be a matter of personal preference.

Millet

  • Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4798
    • Colorado
    • View Profile
Re: Favorite citrus options...
« Reply #2 on: August 11, 2017, 09:51:44 AM »
First you ask to much of citrus, or for any fruit for that  manner.  If you want long season (almost year around) citrus you can get it from just two trees.  A Washington Navel, and Valencia orange. Valencias can hand on the tree in good shape for a long time. 
« Last Edit: August 11, 2017, 03:13:25 PM by Millet »

Tom

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 358
    • USA, Alabama,Montgomery, zone 8
    • View Profile
Re: Favorite citrus options...
« Reply #3 on: August 11, 2017, 01:04:17 PM »
Chris, I think your questions for citrus in Brevard county Florida need to start with how to keep your new trees from catching the devastating citrus disease called citrus greening. There are a few varieties thought to be resistant right now. Sugar Belle comes to mind but there may be others. Millet is correct about the two varieties he mentioned. With them you'd have oranges theoretically 12 months a year but you'd need to keep them in a controlled environment like a green house and greening could still get to you I'm afraid. It's not easy where you are. Greening has changed about everything where you are I'm sorry to say. Good luck ! Tom

chris1

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 127
    • Brevard county, Florida zone 9b
    • View Profile
Re: Favorite citrus options...
« Reply #4 on: August 11, 2017, 03:09:26 PM »
Tom thanks for the reply. I had no idea that it was that big of an issue. Thanks for bringing it to my attention. Any idea where I can find a list that is resistant? I will do some research on Sugar Belle. What can you tell me about it if you have experience with this? Thanks!

Tom

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 358
    • USA, Alabama,Montgomery, zone 8
    • View Profile
Re: Favorite citrus options...
« Reply #5 on: August 11, 2017, 08:56:59 PM »
Chris1, somewhere I recently read that it estimated that every mature orange tree in Florida is infected with Greening Disease. You can google Citrus Greening disease and read about it here and other places for days. I don't have any experience way with it up here in central alabama. It has been found in Alabama too but has not spread to the center part of the state yet. Lots of people and many dollars are being spent in various areas of research.

What is a good citrus for me doesn't mean it will be good for you in central Florida. You are in what I think of as the heart of citrus country. If you keep listening and reading you will know the answer down there because that's where I think all the research is going on. Your local extension service would be able to suggest what to do and best varieties for your situation.

All of us here on this site love citrus but most of us see a terrible storm coming and you are unfortunately right in the middle of it right now.

Sugar Belle is a fairly new variety and from what I've heard it's highly touted for your area. I don't have any experience with it. It's much colder up here far from mouse land !

I hope this helps but you are opening a huge box of worms. Again I'd turn to your local extension people. They are charged with the responsibility of education of the public. They are an excellent resource. Use them. They are an arm of the University of Florida. The University of Florida is working diligently on this problem 24 hours a day. We are all hoping somebody can come up with some answers for Greening.

The name is even misleading. To most people green means good. This thing is not good. It's horrible.

Tom
« Last Edit: August 11, 2017, 08:59:48 PM by Tom »

bsbullie

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9621
    • USA, Boynton Beach, FL 33472, Zone 10a
    • View Profile
Re: Favorite citrus options...
« Reply #6 on: August 12, 2017, 09:45:30 AM »
A Red Lime will give fruit year round.

If you must grow a mandarin, I would go witb Shiranui forbyour area.  If you like pomelo, I would seek out a Melovold.  It is a hybrid similar to Oro Blanco but far suoerior.

Then there is the greening issie...if it were me, other than the Red Lime (which is a dwarf-ljke tree maxing out around 7 - 8 feet),  I would buy my citrus and grow something out of the citrus family.
- Rob