What Millet & Tom said.  I had this happen with my Improved Meyer, when I first moved into our current home.  It was languishing due to no water source.  Lost a lot of leaves, and has since been restored to health, but now prefers to alternate bear to some degree.  I have heavier seasons and lighter seasons, often with a second smaller season.  So, this will probably be the bearing habit of this tree from now on out.

I have one.  It is good, tastes more like an orange than a grapefruit.  Very little "grapefruit" taste.

Heh.  I'm printing off your comment, Millet, and mailing it to each of my three daughters, lol!!      I'm only right on this one because the first visit I had to the UC Riverside Citrus Variety Collection was probably in mid to late February.  This was a few years ago, when Valentine was first making its way to retail citrus sellers.  I got to taste it, and to me, clearly it wasn't quite ripe.  BUT, I could tell it had promise.  You could very clearly taste all 3 genetic parents - blood orange, mandarin and pummelo.  I found that to be very fascinating, and, I figured if really ripe, it might be sweet enough for my palette.  I love the taste of grapefruit, just hate that bitter aftertaste.  I decided that I would test mine in March.  Still a little "not quite ripe" to me.  So, tried again in April, and voila, delicious.  And I'm picking the last of mine, and so very happy to say they hold quite well on the tree, and did not develop that off taste some blood oranges can get if left too long on the tree.  For me, the Valentine is one of my "Top 10" citrus.  I adore it. 

As an aside, for those of you who have had to strike grapefruit and pummelos off your diet due to conflicts with statin medications such as lovastatin, atorvastatin, and simvastatin (and so many folks over the age of 40 are on a statin), talk to your doctor about whether or not you might be able to switch up your statin to Rosuvastatin (Crestor), pravastatin (Pravachol) or fluvastatin (Lescol). as they undergo little or no metabolism by the enzyme CYP3A4 responsible for breaking down of the above mentioned statins.  Simvastatin (Zocor) and satorvastatin (Lipitor) appear to be the worst of the above statins, but if your doctor is willing to switch you over to Crestor, Pravochol or Lescol, you can enjoy grapefruit and pummelos.  Now, that being said, there are probably 80+ medications grapefruits interact with (it is Furanocoumarin that is the culprit in grapefruits and pummelos, in blocking the action of the enzyme CYP3A4 that is the main enzyme responsible for the metabolism of several drugs, including the above statins, as well as Allegra, btw), so do take care that you don't end up with issues outside of the statins and Allegra I've mentioned.  So, if this is preventing you from enjoying grapefruits and the lovely Valentine pummelo, chat up your doctor and see if you can switch your statin! (Patty the RN).

Okay, went back and read the thread on the Citrus Growers Forum.  I'm in Skeeter's camp.  I'm an RN with a chemistry background.  I don't use organic fertilizers for exactly the same reason Skeeter has described - organic fertilizer compounds are broken down by soil organisms (somewhat lacking in container medium) into their absorbable inorganic compounds for uptake by the roots.  And, the comment that "hydrogen peroxide will burn you" is simply not true.  The concentration of H202 we can buy at the drug store is specifically formulated to be used to cleanse wounds.  It will not cause a chemical burn to your skin (especially if you consider you're using it on an open wound). 

I think Ryan gives his citrus a lot of care, and that's why his citrus look so great.  I use a time release fertilizer for my container citrus, that is not organic.  They also look great.  I just don't have the time, money and inclination to do a bunch of gyrations for my container plants, but if this system is working for you, knock yourselves out 

Why???

Very nice, and yes, Four Winds' California Honey mandarin is very good.  Clemenules (Clemnules, Nules) is also nearly identical, so if you can find that, consider it basically the same in flavor. 

My Seedless Kishu is on par with Gold Nugget, Tango, Page, Ponkan and Clemenules.  It is one of my top favorite citrus.  It is small, but is completely seedless, zipper skin, and rich, sweet and complex. 

Patty S.

Your Meyer Lemon will not pass on anything to other citrus.  Not sure what the grower was referring to.  The Meyer Lemon cultivar now available to the public is the "Improved Meyer Lemon" and free from Tristeza.  But, your little Meyer lemon looks like it has a pretty severe aphid infestation, so treat accordingly.  And I agree with Igor, your pummelo looks like a Chandler, which is very good and very sweet.  My favorite pummelo next to the Valentine pummelo hybrid.

Glad you enjoyed your Valentine, Millet!  Harvey, don't know what to say, I'm still picking mine, and they are fantastic.  You can actually identify all 3 genetic parents in this fruit - the pummelo, the mandarin and the blood orange.  They are just fabulous, especially for those who like the flavor of grapefruits, but not so much the bitter aftertaste (I would be included as one of those people.)  I don't find that they taste over-ripe or off tasting at all, and mine are much better on the tree another 3 to 6 weeks.  But then, it doesn't get super hot here, either.  It's possible Lindcove gets hotter than I do, only being about 7 miles from the coast.  Love this tree.  They grow well on either Carizzo/Troyer or on C35, I have them on both in my yard.

Always seedless.  I have over 100 different cultivars and have never seen a seed.  Have had several off the trees at UC Riverside Citrus Variety Collection and have not found a seed any any fruit from there, as well.  It is the only "seedless" citrus cultivar that I feel confident in stating, "truly seedless".

I posted this over on the GW Tropical Fruit forum, but figured I'd probably get more responses over here    I just picked up my first Cherimoya, a Honey Heart, and it is essentially a tall whip with no scaffold branches. I am wondering if I should top it to encourage some side branching? It's about 5' tall. Also picked up my first two banana trees,too, both are 'Ice Cream". Excited about both. Hoping Ong's will also have a Fino or an El Bumpo cherimoya when I go down on Saturday to look at their mangos.  Thanks so much, hoping this little tree will do well for me in my area.

Patty S.
Vista, CA
Sunset 23

Well!  This is good to know, JF and Tropicdude!  Here is a photo of the mango tree from Clausen's as well as the little Ataulfo from Exotica.

Looks much like yours, so hopefully this is what I have, sure sounds like it!  Clausen's is a great nursery, really trust them and have developed a nice relationship with them.  And I will be getting a Valencia Pride from Dave down at Bonita Creek Nursery, and at least a Pickering from Ong's this coming weekend.  Now, to find spots on my slope for all of them!


Patty S.