Author Topic: Our 1st Pink verigated lemon bud  (Read 1438 times)

Timbogrow

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Our 1st Pink verigated lemon bud
« on: June 17, 2021, 11:24:19 AM »
This was the 1st plant we installed after purchasing the property last April. We purchased from the blue big box store. It gets imidicloprid soil drench every 3-4 months. Also it gets spray with cold pressed need oil and soap, spinosad, and there's a suffer spray also I just picked up to add in the cycle. I don't do any more citrus needless to say with everything else out there is to grow but still very excited about this plant and the lemons. Anyone have any tips for care when fruiting these plants here in Florida?


Fygee

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Re: Our 1st Pink verigated lemon bud
« Reply #1 on: June 17, 2021, 03:43:46 PM »
Florida is a different animal, but here in Vegas the main keys to success with citrus (particularly picky ones like variegated varieties) are as follows:

1. Keep soil slightly acidic (shouldn't be an issue there at all).
2. Feed with citrus specific fertilizer at least twice a year. Citrus rely heavily on micro-nutrients that are often missing from other fertilizers and soils outside of their native areas. Foliar feeding with citrus spray is a great way to supplement feeding in between major feedings. Don't fertilize while flowering as it causes fruit set to diminish. I do late spring, summer, and early fall, but for your area I'd say quarterly since you don't get cold winters like here.
3. Water less when not fruiting and more when fruit has set and has confirmed set fruit development. You'll know you're watering too much when the leaves get chlorosis, and too little when set fruit drops and/or leaves curl inward and look like green taco shells. Water even less during cooler months (though, again, with Florida you won't have to worry about that as much).
4. Monitor for sun scald. Citrus normally take full sun all day like champions, but variegated varieties can be more sensitive to intense sun, especially in the afternoon. If it becomes an issue, use shade cloth.
Continuing my journey to disprove those who say "You can't grow that in the desert" since 2013.

Timbogrow

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Re: Our 1st Pink verigated lemon bud
« Reply #2 on: June 18, 2021, 06:41:00 AM »
Wow, thank you for sharing all the keys to success with me! That was extremely helpful. I'll update with pictures when it sets fruit. Have a great day, thanks again!

850FL

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Re: Our 1st Pink verigated lemon bud
« Reply #3 on: June 19, 2021, 01:05:03 PM »
I have a couple growing in the understory and they are more cold tolerant than I assumed, and tend to sprawl and grow alright in the shade (have better citrus in more optimum spots), so I take these as traits from one of their mandarin parents.. does anyone know the name of the parent mandarin anyway, I think it was a variegated mandarin crossed with eureka lemon?
I have had more problems with variegated Valencia than pink var lemon.
I mulch well and fertilize sometimes. Haven’t had to spray the ‘lemons’.. different scenario in your location unfortunately

« Last Edit: June 20, 2021, 08:10:50 AM by 850FL »

Timbogrow

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Re: Our 1st Pink verigated lemon bud
« Reply #4 on: June 20, 2021, 01:23:13 PM »
The plant does have very nice looking foliage. Good lookin plant. This one must get about 10hrs of nonstop sun and prune it often to keep it from the ground. It air layers real easy also when we tried and have another now beside it and apple gave between.




spaugh

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Re: Our 1st Pink verigated lemon bud
« Reply #5 on: June 22, 2021, 07:57:20 PM »
This variegated lemon tree is pretty bullet proof.  It doesn't require any extra babying.  Ive never seen it get sun damage here.





Brad Spaugh

Timbogrow

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Re: Our 1st Pink verigated lemon bud
« Reply #6 on: June 25, 2021, 09:25:17 PM »
Those are some beauties right there! Does it have lemons all year on it? Glad to hear it's not so demanding compared to others. The leafminers here are awful but seems I got a good amount of leaves to harden off before they got em lookin bad. Anyone make anything with them? I keep thinking lemon meringue pie.

spaugh

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Re: Our 1st Pink verigated lemon bud
« Reply #7 on: June 25, 2021, 09:29:58 PM »
Yes lemons all year.  More than we could ever use.  I grafted some limes on it also. 
Brad Spaugh

Timbogrow

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Re: Our 1st Pink verigated lemon bud
« Reply #8 on: June 26, 2021, 06:54:56 AM »
That's a cool idea. I'll have to try that some time. Thanks for sharing that with me! Great tree by the way!

spaugh

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Re: Our 1st Pink verigated lemon bud
« Reply #9 on: June 27, 2021, 06:05:54 PM »
Since your tree is still small its even better to multigraft it now so more of the tree can be a 2nd variety if that's something you want to do.

You can grow lemongrass also and make lemongrass chicken with your lemons and lemongrass.  Its super good if you eat meat try it out. 
Brad Spaugh

Timbogrow

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Re: Our 1st Pink verigated lemon bud
« Reply #10 on: June 28, 2021, 08:07:16 AM »
I put a few onto the real small air layered plant to practice. Used stuff laying around the house. I used the z grafting and wrapped them best I could with a thin strip of stretch wrap and a grocery bag. I had Honey tangerine and calamansi lime seedling plants. Sounds so super good! I actually have a bunch of lemon grass growing from seed I want to mix in here and there. There super small, but growing. I was reading garlic is a good companion plant and was thinking of adding some around it also. It's got me wanting to make a multi tree from 1 of my huge mango trees also. The smaller tree that's loaded is starting to drop em. They taste like candy just not sure the variety.

spaugh

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Re: Our 1st Pink verigated lemon bud
« Reply #11 on: June 28, 2021, 04:11:23 PM »
Careful where you put the lemongrass, they get really big.  Make sure it has like 3ft of clearance on all sides. 

Good news is they are really easy to remove if the need arises.  The root system is pretty weak. 
Brad Spaugh

Timbogrow

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Re: Our 1st Pink verigated lemon bud
« Reply #12 on: June 29, 2021, 07:07:56 AM »
Good to know! I was experimenting with some other plants around it like marigolds, borage, basil, and had a bean plant there. All were looking real happy when the weather was cooler out. I'll be sure to distance those when they get big enough.