Author Topic: Pummelo in container?  (Read 8943 times)

brian

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Pummelo in container?
« on: December 22, 2014, 04:58:02 PM »
Is it reasonable to grow pummelo in a container?  I just tried these for the first time and they are really good.  Better than grapefruit, I think.  Also, I'm not sure if they have higher heat requirements than other citrus.  So far I've had no problems ripening oranges, mandarins, and kumquats.  It would have to weigh less than ~150lbs total, stay under 7ft tall (including container), and survive moving in/out of greenhouse for winter.

Pancrazio

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Re: Pummelo in container?
« Reply #1 on: December 22, 2014, 07:56:56 PM »
As far as i know, pomelo require a good amount of cumulate heat to ripen. If i recall correctly their ripening time is 16 months.
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bangkok

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Re: Pummelo in container?
« Reply #2 on: December 22, 2014, 08:55:57 PM »
I  have a pomelo in a big pot, it bears 3 fruits now (i cut one off). Don't know how long they have to ripen but i guess something like 6 months.

Here it is very hot all year and it grows well. Keeping it under 7 feet is sure possible.


Millet

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Re: Pummelo in container?
« Reply #3 on: December 22, 2014, 09:54:34 PM »
I have a Chandler pummelo in a 30 ARPC gallon container.  It had 8 fruit this year. The flowers were from earlier last spring, and are ready to pick now. - Millet

brian

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Re: Pummelo in container?
« Reply #4 on: December 23, 2014, 12:08:06 AM »
Thank you.

Chandler is actually the one I am looking at.  I'm pretty sure this is type I got at the grocery store, it was pink and matches the description.  I read it has one of the higher heat requirement.  It looks like PA has similar degree day count to CO if it ripens for you I hope I should be able to expect the same result.

Mark in Texas

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Re: Pummelo in container?
« Reply #5 on: December 27, 2014, 08:29:13 AM »
I have a Chandler pummelo in a 30 ARPC gallon container.  It had 8 fruit this year. The flowers were from earlier last spring, and are ready to pick now. - Millet

If that's your average, 8 fruit, is it worth the real estate?  Reason why I ask is my Rio Red on Flying Dragon just doesn't perform, not near the ton of super quality fruit I had in Corpus Christi outdoors on sour orange, so, I'm thinking of pulling it and am looking at pommelo.  When I say "perform", yes the little tree is holding about 30 fruit, but it has no vigor, not enough foliage for my standards.  The more I deal with FD, the more I hate that rootstock.   
« Last Edit: December 27, 2014, 08:32:15 AM by Mark in Texas »

bangkok

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Re: Pummelo in container?
« Reply #6 on: December 27, 2014, 08:46:13 AM »
Mine is a pomelo tabtim Siam, red fleshed and  unknown rootstock. This is the most expensive pomelo in Thailand and costs 3 times more then any other one. It also is the sweetest one.

It is in full sun all day and loves urea.

It doesn't bloom since it has fruit, i handpollinated the blooms and got a bunch of 3 pomelo's and a single one. I cut one off the bunch and now they are a little smaller then the single one.

Actually i have no idea how long they have ripen but last year we had only 1 fruit and picked it too early probably. It wasn't ripe.

Here pomelo's can bloom about the whole year but tabtim siam is not an easy one to grow.

I had another pomelotree which was in shade most of the day and it never bloomed, i culled it. It only bloomed when i purchased it and it was about 40 cm tall then.

I also have a navel orange in a pot, gets sun untill 1 pm and has 2 fruits.



Mark in Texas

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Re: Pummelo in container?
« Reply #7 on: December 27, 2014, 08:57:11 AM »
That's not much production my friend.    :-\

I'm not easy on my fruit trees - if they don't produce they end up on the burn pile.  Life's too short.....

bangkok

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Re: Pummelo in container?
« Reply #8 on: December 27, 2014, 09:09:02 AM »
That's not much production my friend.    :-\

I'm not easy on my fruit trees - if they don't produce they end up on the burn pile.  Life's too short.....

You mean my tree's Mark?

Not much production but they are still young and in a big pot.
I have the pomelo for 2 years now and the navel for about 9 months or so.

I m happy the branches can hold 2 pomelo's because it is not a very big tree yet.

But if the fruit is not nice this year then i probably cull it and will grow something else which i can't buy on the markets. I want to grow so much that i have to make decisions. All Thai told me i can't grow this red pomelo in Bangkok, only in south Thailand, well they were wrong.
I have plenty other tree's who will thrive in that pot and location and are not in Thailand at all.

Mark in Texas

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Re: Pummelo in container?
« Reply #9 on: December 27, 2014, 09:26:27 AM »
If they're young I can understand that.  What has always amazed me is no matter what variety it is, the 1 meter tall trees in 3 gallon pots usually have not only flowers in the spring but later on are full of fruit.  I'll buy one, put it in the ground and the tree turns to crap.    ;D

bangkok

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Re: Pummelo in container?
« Reply #10 on: December 27, 2014, 10:01:39 AM »
If they're young I can understand that.  What has always amazed me is no matter what variety it is, the 1 meter tall trees in 3 gallon pots usually have not only flowers in the spring but later on are full of fruit.  I'll buy one, put it in the ground and the tree turns to crap.    ;D

Oh i have seen pomelo tree's from 30 cm tall (1 foot) and they had a full size pomelo onto them. Also jackfruit tree's from 3 feet with flowers in a 1-2 litre growbag.

This pomelo grew well since i bought it but only when i give it urea.

 The navel never grew but only bloomed and kept 2 oranges. I don't see the navels though but 1 of them is full size now. (still green though).

Tree's here are always in growbags from maximum 2 litre (half gallon). Then they can be like 1 metre tall and grafted.

That pomelo has copper/latex paint inside the pot so i want to see what happens. It looks healthy and flushes all the time after a dosis urea.

But taking care of a tree for a year and only getting 3 fruits is not worth it. I think i will replace it for wax apple.




Bush2Beach

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Re: Pummelo in container?
« Reply #11 on: December 27, 2014, 12:30:33 PM »
Oro Blanco is a cross between acid less Pommelo and white Grapefruit. It is early maturing and holds well.
I have one in a 45 or 65 G holding 10-15 fruits .
  My climate is challenging for ripening Pommelo & Grapefruit and this is the one I was steered towards for a few reasons.

Here's the description from sun kist
Oro Blancos are a cross between a white grapefruit and an acidless pummelo. Early in the season they can be readily identified by their bright green exterior. With this variety, green is good. As the season progresses, green turns to golden yellow. In either case the Oro Blanco is ripe, sweet, and ready to eat. Oro Blancos are as big or bigger than a medium sized grapefruit, generally round to flat round, with a slightly thicker rind than a grapefruit. The most notable characteristic of an Oro Blanco is the flavor. It eats sweet and the flesh lacks the bitterness sometimes associated with grapefruit. Those that have sampled them describe the flavor as a grapefruit with the sugar already added. Oro Blancos are available from the end of October to mid April.[9]

brian

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Re: Pummelo in container?
« Reply #12 on: December 27, 2014, 04:11:53 PM »
I just tried oroblanco recently and didn't like it much.  It seems like it inherits the bitterness of a grapefruit and the dryness of a pummelo.  I think I am going to get a chandler and possibly a ruby grapefruit and see how it works out.

bsbullie

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Re: Pummelo in container?
« Reply #13 on: December 27, 2014, 04:20:42 PM »
I just tried oroblanco recently and didn't like it much.  It seems like it inherits the bitterness of a grapefruit and the dryness of a pummelo.  I think I am going to get a chandler and possibly a ruby grapefruit and see how it works out.

Hirado Buntan is a better choice.  As far as red grapefruit,  look for a Flame Red Grapefruit.
- Rob

marklee

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Re: Pummelo in container?
« Reply #14 on: December 28, 2014, 04:14:01 AM »
I just tried oroblanco recently and didn't like it much.  It seems like it inherits the bitterness of a grapefruit and the dryness of a pummelo.  I think I am going to get a chandler and possibly a ruby grapefruit and see how it works out.

Hirado Buntan is a better choice.  As far as red grapefruit,  look for a Flame Red Grapefruit.
Or the "valentine"


Bush2Beach

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Re: Pummelo in container?
« Reply #15 on: December 29, 2014, 01:22:24 PM »
I recomend Valentine as well based on flavor. It is growing side by side with my Oro Blanco and has not set fruit the last 2 years while the Oro Blanco is loaded.
   The Oro Blanco was recommended,  as stated in the description , due to the fact it is possible to ripen it in marginal citrus growing areas and has good flavor if not dead ripe. Hirado Bunton, Chandler , ruby red are all delicious fruit but will not ripen for me properly and the Oro blanco will. I haven't had a great store bought one either  ;)

brian

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Re: Pummelo in container?
« Reply #16 on: December 29, 2014, 02:03:46 PM »
Too many options!

I was looking into mangoes and avocados also but the folks on the non-citrus tropical forum were mostly saying it won't ripen in my climate.  I may just try one of each anyway and hope for the best.  Most of the information that comes up in searches for temperature requirements just talks about minimum temps to survive, not to ripen fruit. 

brian

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Re: Pummelo in container?
« Reply #17 on: March 16, 2020, 10:37:19 AM »
It seems you can *definitely* fruit grafted pummelo in a container.   My scraggly chandler pummelo that nearly died a few times made its first full size fruit.  It was delicious.  Not anything like I was expecting from store bought pummelos which are usually dry flesh, this was extremely juicy but still sweet despite not coloring up



and because I can't resist MSPaint, here's how the whole tree/container/fruit looked together while it was hanging

zephian

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Re: Pummelo in container?
« Reply #18 on: March 16, 2020, 03:33:02 PM »
It seems you can *definitely* fruit grafted pummelo in a container.   My scraggly chandler pummelo that nearly died a few times made its first full size fruit.  It was delicious.  Not anything like I was expecting from store bought pummelos which are usually dry flesh, this was extremely juicy but still sweet despite not coloring up



and because I can't resist MSPaint, here's how the whole tree/container/fruit looked together while it was hanging

Congrats.
My in ground tree produced more pommello than I could possibly eat. The tree is only a few years old to my knowledge and I get wheelbarrows full. They start flowering usually in march and I harvest fully ripe from the tree as early as january but I recently harvested the last few on my tree before beheading it. They were perfect. Though pomello isn't a fruit I want to keep (Wife and I don't enjoy them that much) it is a nice fruit. I would keep a tree if I had the room but I just like mandarins way more...
-Kris

Millet

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Re: Pummelo in container?
« Reply #19 on: March 16, 2020, 03:55:57 PM »
Chandler's pulp can be pink to dark red depending where it is grown.  You must keep your greenhouse too warm for your chandler  pummelo to color up.
« Last Edit: March 19, 2020, 01:31:44 PM by Millet »

brian

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Re: Pummelo in container?
« Reply #20 on: March 16, 2020, 05:31:47 PM »
My greenhouse gets very hot on sunny days, easily 90F in spring/summer/fall.  However the low temps at night are much cooler except for midsummer. 

I'm looking forward to trying the next batch of fruit from this tree.

Luisport

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Re: Pummelo in container?
« Reply #21 on: March 16, 2020, 07:06:28 PM »
Congratulations, it's beautifull!    :P

sunny

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Re: Pummelo in container?
« Reply #22 on: March 18, 2020, 11:44:03 PM »
My greenhouse gets very hot on sunny days, easily 90F in spring/summer/fall.  However the low temps at night are much cooler except for midsummer. 

I'm looking forward to trying the next batch of fruit from this tree.

That's not hot for a pomelo...on the pomelo farms here it gets 35-38 celcius daily with very high humidity and they love it.

I think pomelo is the citrus which can produce good fruit in the warmest climates. Other citrus can fruit as well but are not sweet/nice....have to see how my fingerlimes will taste soon...limes can also do well in this ultra warm climate.

Viking Guy

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Re: Pummelo in container?
« Reply #23 on: April 02, 2020, 12:16:59 AM »
65+ gallon fabric container for best results.

Yes, it will do just fine in a container.