Author Topic: Disappointed in my Moro blood orange  (Read 1827 times)

Yorgos

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Disappointed in my Moro blood orange
« on: January 25, 2020, 02:57:38 PM »
My 10 yr old, in ground Moro only produced a handful of fruit this year.  Pic is of a just picked orange. Winter has not been that cold but we have had quite a few low 40’s to 60 hi days but as you can see no color at all.  Last year had a fairly large crop from this 18’ tall tree.  Also, rust mites love this tree more than any other of my citrus

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brian

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Re: Disappointed in my Moro blood orange
« Reply #1 on: January 26, 2020, 02:10:05 PM »
How was last year's crop?

Millet

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Re: Disappointed in my Moro blood orange
« Reply #2 on: January 26, 2020, 04:37:35 PM »
The color change of Moro is totally due to the amount of cold hours the fruit attain.  Looking at the pictures you posted, it is easy to  see that the fruit shown has been subject to a very heavily feeding attack by mites. One of the biggest causes for alternate bearing is a heavy crop crop one year causing a lite cop the next.  Also late harvest dates and the presence of fruit on the tree during flowering also causes alternate bearing.
« Last Edit: January 26, 2020, 04:58:53 PM by Millet »

Yorgos

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Re: Disappointed in my Moro blood orange
« Reply #3 on: January 27, 2020, 01:48:10 PM »
How was last year's crop?
Last year was a moderately heavy crop, hence the manifestation of alternate bearing on this tree.  The mite infestation is not helped by my reticence to spray in July, August and September when the temps are in the 90's all day long (which, sadly, coincides with the mite population explosion). 

I usually use a neem/spinosad regimen in the spring, alternating between the two when I do spray. I read that neem and insecticidal soap are the worst sprays during hot weather.  So is my choice only spinosad?  Any other treatment recommendation?   
 
Last years Moro crop did color up some but only with some reddish streaks. Toracco and Sanguineli's have never shown even the slightest hint that they are blood oranges.
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Oolie

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Re: Disappointed in my Moro blood orange
« Reply #4 on: January 27, 2020, 03:20:31 PM »
If the anthocyanin type oranges aren't coloring up, you may try the other kinds like Cara Cara that only require intense summer heat for color, similar to pink grapefruit.

I grow Smith's Red Valencia, and it gets very dark some years, and streaks in other years.

Millet

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Re: Disappointed in my Moro blood orange
« Reply #5 on: January 27, 2020, 03:34:50 PM »
yorgos, can't you spray in the evening?

Yorgos

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Re: Disappointed in my Moro blood orange
« Reply #6 on: February 25, 2020, 02:24:27 PM »
yorgos, can't you spray in the evening?
It often doesn't get below 90 until 10-11 pm here in the summer. I can't imagine spraying at midnight or later because 1: I couldn't see what I was doing, 2: neighbors would peg me as crazy and 3: I need my sleep.

Very few flower buts on my moro this year (2nd year in row)  :(,  but my ruby/sanguinelli have a lot of flowers buds.




 
Near NRG Stadium, Houston Texas. USDA zone 9a

Jabba The Hutt

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Re: Disappointed in my Moro blood orange
« Reply #7 on: February 29, 2020, 01:02:23 AM »
yorgos, can't you spray in the evening?
It often doesn't get below 90 until 10-11 pm here in the summer. I can't imagine spraying at midnight or later because 1: I couldn't see what I was doing, 2: neighbors would peg me as crazy and 3: I need my sleep.

Very few flower buts on my moro this year (2nd year in row)  :(,  but my ruby/sanguinelli have a lot of flowers buds.




 

Correct me if I missed something but what does temperature have to do with foliar spraying? It's not like the tree is going to get moonburn :P I would think temperature is irrelevant and we are just tying to avoid potentiating the cooking UV rays of the sun right?

Yorgos

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Re: Disappointed in my Moro blood orange
« Reply #8 on: March 01, 2020, 01:14:46 PM »
That is good news. So spraying in the evening, regardless of ambient temperatures, is go!
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lebmung

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Re: Disappointed in my Moro blood orange
« Reply #9 on: March 01, 2020, 02:22:59 PM »
That is good news. So spraying in the evening, regardless of ambient temperatures, is go!

Maybe with a lower concentration. I sprayed in the night when in the day was very hot and they still got sunburns. I spray in the night and leave it 2-3 hours to suffocate the insects then wash away in the early morning.