Author Topic: a few pictures from the Pacific Northwest  (Read 8643 times)

SoCal2warm

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a few pictures from the Pacific Northwest
« on: July 09, 2018, 07:55:17 PM »


Bloomsweet grapefruit


Duncan citrumelo


Keraji mandarin (small seedling)


I was told this hybrid (on grafted rootstock) was originally grown from a seedling that was some sort of hybrid that included C. ichangensis and Minneola tangelo in its lineage. It's very probably a M.I.C.

I don't have all the info about this variety, but it's very likely the result of several select hybridizations by cold-hardy citrus grower enthusiasts over many many years, a real labor of love. I'm expecting it will have a good balance of cold hardiness to edibility.

I'm in zone 8a, but we have a long cool season that doesn't really begin warming up until late May. So the growing season for citrus is very short.

Just thought some of you might be interested in some unusual varieties of cold-hardy citrus growing in a part of the country people normally don't try to grow citrus. (Olympia, WA)

Right now it's humid, overcast, and warm, but it hasn't significantly rained for the last few weeks. Very low precipitation in the Summer.


SoCal2warm

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Re: a few pictures from the Pacific Northwest
« Reply #1 on: July 09, 2018, 08:20:55 PM »
I also have 'Arctic Frost' next to "Ten Degree" mandarin, and later hope to eventually make a hybrid.



Arctic Frost is hybrid between an early ripening variety of Satsuma and Changsha.


Ten Degree is a hybrid between Clementine and Yuzu.

maesy

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Re: a few pictures from the Pacific Northwest
« Reply #2 on: July 10, 2018, 11:04:00 AM »
Why are you planting them so young?

They are very frost tender at that young age.
For me they should be at least two or better three years old after grafting.

SoCal2warm

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Re: a few pictures from the Pacific Northwest
« Reply #3 on: July 10, 2018, 03:38:10 PM »
Ideally I should have waited until they were bigger, but I worried if I didn't get them in the ground they might not survive. I haven't been very good about maintaining them well in small containers.
In small containers they need constant attention and care to make sure they don't dry out (and they don't do well with waterlogged soil either). I just have way too many of them to put in larger containers.

The Winters here can actually be pretty mild (though long), so I'll just have to hope the small ones can survive. They have a much better chance in the ground than in a container if they're going to be left outside. The cold here mostly stays slightly above freezing. This January I went out and there were a lot of camellias in bloom, and there were even a few blooms on my rose bush (though they didn't look so well), though it was an unusual Winter this year. There are some people in the neighborhood growing bananas (the ornamental kind) outside.

SoCal2warm

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Re: a few pictures from the Pacific Northwest
« Reply #4 on: July 10, 2018, 04:07:28 PM »
These are some keraji seedlings that will be kept inside:


eyeckr

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Re: a few pictures from the Pacific Northwest
« Reply #5 on: July 13, 2018, 10:03:38 PM »
Nice collection! Good luck with your trees.

SoCal2warm

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Re: a few pictures from the Pacific Northwest
« Reply #6 on: September 27, 2018, 01:03:07 AM »
Cold frame enclosure covered by transparent plastic, with small Satsuma mandarin inside:


Small Yuzu, has put on a fair amount of growth over the last month, but I think the growing season has now coming to an end:


'Dunstan' Citrumelo, not really in the sunniest spot but I think citrumelo, being a trifoliate hybrid, is a bit more vigorous and resilient growing than the others:


If you can believe it, it's the only one I have that has trifoliate leaves. (I tried to avoid the trifoliate hybrids because of their disreputable taste)

SoCal2warm

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Re: a few pictures from the Pacific Northwest
« Reply #7 on: October 03, 2018, 03:55:06 PM »



Yuzu, Pacific Northwest zone 8a

SoCal2warm

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Re: a few pictures from the Pacific Northwest
« Reply #8 on: October 15, 2018, 01:47:29 AM »
Here's another keraji seedling, a bit larger, planted in ground, with a plastic cover:

SoCal2warm

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Re: a few pictures from the Pacific Northwest
« Reply #9 on: October 15, 2018, 04:13:02 PM »
Update on Yuzu seedling, outside in ground, October 15



SoCal2warm

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Re: a few pictures from the Pacific Northwest
« Reply #10 on: November 18, 2018, 02:45:41 AM »
Ten Degree Tangerine

today

SoCal2warm

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Re: a few pictures from the Pacific Northwest
« Reply #11 on: November 18, 2018, 04:45:04 PM »
Bloomsweet with a protective plant cover over it, up against a South-facing wall in a sunny warm spot:


Citradia

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Re: a few pictures from the Pacific Northwest
« Reply #12 on: November 18, 2018, 08:49:11 PM »
Socsl2warm, you’re only covering them before a predicted freeze, right? Or are they covered just for the photos? As you know, they are more cold hardy if allowed to experience temps in 30’s and 40’s and be somewhat dormant before a freeze event, and temps inside enclosure can sore into 90’s causing break in dormancy if daytime temps in 50’s. Sounds like you have a favorable climate if most winter lows are above freezing; should help trees stay dormant. Best of luck!

SoCal2warm

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Re: a few pictures from the Pacific Northwest
« Reply #13 on: November 18, 2018, 09:07:03 PM »
Socal2warm, you’re only covering them before a predicted freeze, right? Or are they covered just for the photos? As you know, they are more cold hardy if allowed to experience temps in 30’s and 40’s and be somewhat dormant before a freeze event
You're forgetting these are growing in the PNW, pretty far latitude North.

I think the particular climate where these are growing makes them particularly suitable to using a plant cover. Relatively mild winters, but pretty constant cool temperatures most of the time. I'm leaving them on all the time at this time into the year, but am pretty confident they're not going to overheat in there. The temperatures on a warm sunny day at this time in the year only get up to 52.
In fact I'm counting on those covers to help raise the daytime temperatures during the early Spring, because otherwise the temperatures are going to be too low to start growing.

I think about November through the start of April is the time when it is appropriate to have the cover on, the danger of overheating doesn't really begin until April here.

These covers might not work so well in somewhere like the South.
« Last Edit: November 18, 2018, 09:16:10 PM by SoCal2warm »

Ilya11

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Re: a few pictures from the Pacific Northwest
« Reply #14 on: November 19, 2018, 03:49:33 AM »
Seattle and Paris have roughly the same climate conditions, with the hermetic cover in a sunny spot  shown for Bloomsweet the death of the plant is guaranteed.
Best regards,
                       Ilya

maesy

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Re: a few pictures from the Pacific Northwest
« Reply #15 on: November 19, 2018, 01:22:05 PM »
Socal2warm I would not cover any of my citrus under a plastic cover for long. For a sudden very cold night or for a  prolonged freeze as an extra protection to keep the artificial warmth from the heating cable, yes or when the particular spot doesn't get much sun in winter.
I use more fleece or hydrophobic fleece bags to keep the water out.

And I'm sure our winter sun is much weaker than yours and its colder here too.




maesy

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Re: a few pictures from the Pacific Northwest
« Reply #16 on: November 19, 2018, 01:27:05 PM »
Btw, here are some of my keraji fruits.



And my yuzu




Grown in Switzerland!

SoCal2warm

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Re: a few pictures from the Pacific Northwest
« Reply #17 on: November 19, 2018, 03:52:04 PM »
Seattle and Paris have roughly the same climate conditions, with the hermetic cover in a sunny spot  shown for Bloomsweet the death of the plant is guaranteed.
Socal2warm I would not cover any of my citrus under a plastic cover for long.
The cover does have a permeable fabric mesh at the top to vent off extra heat. Although I would not be that concerned even if the plant was completely surrounded in the plastic. I'm fairly sure the plant isn't going to overheat during the Winter here, the temperatures stay pretty cool.

I took a measurement and the temperature inside the cover is only 6 degrees F (that's 3.3 degrees C) warmer than the temperature read right outside the cover on a sunny day.

And I'm sure our winter sun is much weaker than yours and its colder here too.
I believe the location here is comparable to the far South of Switzerland, at least during the Winter.
In about late November the climate transitions from a cooler Mediterranean-like climate to a wet temperate rainforest.

I am at the same latitude as you. Just not in the mountains with elevation. Although there is often very cool air blowing in from the Pacific Ocean, that I think approximates a high elevation level, at least more than half the time in the Winter.

Very remarkable that you are able to grow Keraji in Lucerne, although not surprising they haven't seemed to ripen all the way.

I'm sure there must be many culinary uses for green Keraji fruits even if they haven't rippened all the way.
« Last Edit: November 19, 2018, 04:10:14 PM by SoCal2warm »

maesy

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Re: a few pictures from the Pacific Northwest
« Reply #18 on: November 20, 2018, 05:28:43 AM »
They dont seem to be ripe from their appearance, but they taste great eaten
right from the tree!
The ones on the picture have changed from hard fruits to soft with a loose peel.
Thats why I belive they are ripe.

The tase is sweet and sour, I find it somehow unique.
« Last Edit: November 20, 2018, 06:39:53 AM by maesy »

SoCal2warm

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Re: a few pictures from the Pacific Northwest
« Reply #19 on: November 21, 2018, 05:03:15 PM »
The tase is sweet and sour, I find it somehow unique.
Probably reminiscent of Satsuma, I would imagine, though more sour and like lemonade.

SoCal2warm

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Re: a few pictures from the Pacific Northwest
« Reply #20 on: December 06, 2018, 03:27:25 PM »
Frost on the plastic container cover over the keraji



Arctic Frost, you can seen frost on it


SoCal2warm

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Re: a few pictures from the Pacific Northwest
« Reply #21 on: January 17, 2019, 02:59:43 PM »
Pictures taken just now, January 17

Yuzu

(Notice those little blooming white flowers in the background! It's the middle of Winter!)

Dunstan citrumelo


Arctic Frost mandarin (doesn't look like it's doing as well)


Satsuma mandarin
It had a frame cover over it but the winds broke apart the cover in early January and it's been exposed since then. No extremely cold frosts during this time, however.


Here's the "MIC" hybrid,
leaves mostly all yellow, a few greenish-yellow


small Keraji seedling,
it has a little plastic cover over it but I took it off so you could see.

seems to be managing to survive in ground


Here are some non-citrus ones.

Hardy gardenia 'Crown Jewel'


Yellow camellia hybrid
because it's a nitidissima cross it's not as hardy as normal camellias, but it seems to be doing okay so far.


Those "weeds" surrounding it are actually foxgloves that had been popping up everywhere.
Note all the leaves are still green. The leaves on the bamboo are still green as well, and don't seem to have dropped. (That's not even something you'd see in the Tokyo region, strange)

Cork Oak,
these are said to only be hardy to zone 8 (or 9)
but it still has all its leaves


Most of the roses still have all of their leaves as well (at least the ones the deer didn't eat).

This is in Olympia, WA, middle of Winter. (very far north in latitude, by the way)
Compared to other parts on the East Coast it's more like an early cold Spring.
I don't think regular camellias can even survive outside of a greenhouse north of Virginia, and certainly not gardenias.
But last year here I saw several 12 foot tall camellia bushes blooming on New Years Day.
« Last Edit: January 17, 2019, 04:23:28 PM by SoCal2warm »

SoCal2warm

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Re: a few pictures from the Pacific Northwest
« Reply #22 on: January 24, 2019, 03:48:08 PM »
Update on Yuzu seedling in ground

Jan 24

It still has all its leaves and is looking pretty good.



SoCal2warm

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Re: a few pictures from the Pacific Northwest
« Reply #23 on: January 28, 2019, 04:48:18 PM »
They all look like they're going to survive:

Satsuma


Ten Degree
it doesn't look any worse than it did in November


the Keraji seedling seemed to suffer some minor damage to its outer leaves. it's been under a plastic cover, which has blown off a few times. You can tell it hasn't liked the cold, but still looks green like it may likely survive


Here's the MIC hybrid
most of the leaves are pretty yellow but a few towards the bottom inside are yellowish green. It looks like it will survive.


As you can see, the foxgloves all surrounding it still have green leaves and are slowly growing.
Just for comparison, so you have a better idea what the temperatures are like, most of the rose bushes still have most of their leaves and are now beginning to send out new bud growth (I even saw some tiny little leaflets growing on one).

SoCal2warm

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Re: a few pictures from the Pacific Northwest
« Reply #24 on: March 20, 2019, 07:38:33 PM »
Here's a picture of a Changsha mandarin just planted outside



Only taking a picture of it now so I can show you what it looks like in three days after it goes through the stress of suddenly being moved outside with cold nights and sun.
It was previously inside a grow tent with fairly high levels of humidity, fairly stable temperatures and artificial light.

Previously I have discovered citrus, even cold hardy citrus, initially struggles to adapt from being moved inside to outside, even though daytime temperatures may still be warm and the nights, while cold, are still above freezing. I don't know if it's the cold temperature, change in light level, or maybe sun causing evaporation losses that the leaves are not adapted to.