Author Topic: My satsuma has most fruit on low limbs ?  (Read 3543 times)

Tom

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 358
    • USA, Alabama,Montgomery, zone 8
    • View Profile
My satsuma has most fruit on low limbs ?
« on: June 18, 2015, 06:21:16 PM »
I have a large in ground Satsuma maybe 7 years old and it has not had many fruit over the years but the tree looks good. A soil test last year surprised me with a VL 45 for potash eight months ago. I've put out a little potash several times and a new soil test this week says potash is now H 366. All other nutrients levels fine. The tree has more fruit than ever this year but almost all fruit are on very low limbs. A few fruit are higher in the tree but they are in the interior of the tree and not in the sunshine. Why isn't the fruit dispersed all over the tree, especially in the sunshine ? Again, the tree looks very healthy. Thanks. Tom

Millet

  • Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4794
    • Colorado
    • View Profile
Re: My satsuma has most fruit on low limbs ?
« Reply #1 on: June 29, 2015, 02:54:07 PM »
Tom I don't know the answer to your question, but I did look at my Satsuma trees, and all the fruit on my trees are also on the lower branches.  - Millet

Tom

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 358
    • USA, Alabama,Montgomery, zone 8
    • View Profile
Re: My satsuma has most fruit on low limbs ?
« Reply #2 on: June 29, 2015, 10:44:51 PM »
Thanks Millet, that makes me feel better ! Tom

Millet

  • Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4794
    • Colorado
    • View Profile
Re: My satsuma has most fruit on low limbs ?
« Reply #3 on: August 15, 2015, 11:50:35 AM »
Tom I found the answer to the question you asked in this post.  Citrus growth occurs in several flushes during each year.  The 1st growth occurs as straight vertical shoots.  No side branches or flowering occur on these new shoots during this initial growth period .  The growth  will eventually stop and the tree will enter a rest period.  Side branching and flowering develops on these vertical shoots during the next growth flush.  These side branches fill out to produce a round canopy, and produce the blooms for the next crop. During the next flush following the blooming flush only straight vertical shoots are once again produced which push through the preceding canopy to reach upward and outward. These shoots once again following another rest period eventually produce side branches and flowers to form a new canopy which is above and beyond the preceding canopy layer. Of course the first to reach the branching and flowering phase are the first branches that the tree produced,(on grafted trees) which of course are the lower branches.  Each year the flowering (thus the crop) will move up the tree as those branches enter the branching and flowering phase. Therefore, on young growing trees the lower portion of the tree will always have more fruit than the upper parts.  The crop location on the tree gradually equals outs as the tree  gets older and older and becomes fully mature. Thanks for the post, it helped us all out encluding myself. - Millet
« Last Edit: August 15, 2015, 10:31:42 PM by Millet »

Tom

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 358
    • USA, Alabama,Montgomery, zone 8
    • View Profile
Re: My satsuma has most fruit on low limbs ?
« Reply #4 on: August 15, 2015, 09:22:48 PM »
Great answer. Thanks !

Millet

  • Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4794
    • Colorado
    • View Profile
Re: My satsuma has most fruit on low limbs ?
« Reply #5 on: August 15, 2015, 09:52:15 PM »
Tom this year's Citrus Expo is going to be held in Charleston, SC in latter part of November .  I think I will attend this one, do you think you might attend? - Millet

Tom

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 358
    • USA, Alabama,Montgomery, zone 8
    • View Profile
Re: My satsuma has most fruit on low limbs ?
« Reply #6 on: August 16, 2015, 09:02:02 PM »
My wife says yes ! Will see a little closer to actual date. I see the dates are November 20 and 21 for 2015. Wife wants to know where to stay ie convention headquarters. Thanks. - Tom
« Last Edit: August 16, 2015, 09:14:25 PM by Tom »