The Tropical Fruit Forum

Yes, gibbereilllic (GA3) acid works great.  I use it most every year, both on my citrus and grapes. Two things to consider when using GA3 acid to pollinate your citrus.  The percent of active pollination is very high, so the tree will set a LOT of fruit when sprayed with GA3.  Much more than a tree being pollinated by natural means.  Therefore, you will get many more fruit, but because of the great number, the fruit will be smaller in size.  However, if you thin the tree a little the tree will produce the normal size for the cultivar.   Use a 1 percent solution.  If you don't want to by GA3 you can use tomato and pepper set.  In most brands, the active ingredient is GA3.  To be sure, check the ingredients on the label.  Spray at full bloom.  - Millet

I am searching for a source of propagation slips for the pineapple variety Pernambuco. Thank you for your help.

Darkman, you won't regret purchasing a Valentine Pummelo.  Great for breakfast.   Just be sure to let the fruit hang on the tree for a month or 6 weeks after the fruit turns yellow so it will attain the great taste. - Millet

Darkman, a little piece of good news is that the Xie Shan I doing well. Hope to see you again at Citrus Expo 2014- Millet

My guess is that Kona's tree is a Clementine.  Many of the fruit on my Clementine tree have a small neck and are about the same size as the one commonly sold in the store. Kishu are way to small to have a neck. Personally I gave up on Kishu, as the fruit is much to small to bother with. - Millet

Not long ago the University of California's Citrus Clonal Protection Program (CCPP) released the Valentine Pummelo to the public.  If I correctly remember, I think I got them from Harris Citrus.   Last Spring both trees fruited for the first time, and we ate the fruit for breakfast last January and into February.  On the advise of Housherquilt, I let them hang on the tree for a couple months after I believed they were mature to sweeten up.  The fruit is about the size of a soft ball with sweet dark red flesh.   If you love pummelos I urge you to purchase a Valentine tree, they are really, really, REALLY a great tree.. - Millet

I've also grown a lot of citrus tree in Coconut husk chips. Worked well - Millet

brain. Call Harris and ask for Ruth, she is the owners daughter,.  Ruth will probably answer the telephone, then ask her about Xie Shan (pronounced she-shan).   Some times not all of their trees are listed.  The chance of you getting a Xie Shan might be pretty good. If not she can tell you when they will be in stock again. - Millet

Clay Mango, note that a citrus tree only flowers and produces fruit on its newest growth.  When you prune a citrus tree, you are cutting off the new growth. Therefore, a citrus tree cannot bloom and fruit. The only method to prune, and still get fruit, is called hedging.  In Hedging, only one side of the tree is pruned, leaving the other side to fruit.  The following year the other side of the tree is pruned. - Millet

Some time ago I purchased two Page Mandarins from Four Winds Growers.  I purchased them expressly for testing.  Both trees are planted in Root Maker's 5-gallon Air Root Pruning Containers. One is in Miracle Grow Soil (Not potting mix), and the other is planted in 100% cedar mulch. I chose cedar because it is a wood that decays very very slowly.  Both trees look excellent. I plan to run the experiment for at lease 2 years.  I have long had most of my 50+ citrus trees planted in a 50/50 blend of cedar mulch and peat moss- Millet

Yes thank you, I was only addressing receiving citrus trees.  Many citrus areas now are under quarantine, and therefore are forbidden to ship any part of a citrus tree to any location.   - Millet

I would suggest two varieties. 1) Cara Cara Navel.  The fruit has pink flesh, and is named after a large South American bird of prey  called the Cara Cara, because of a pink/red patch on the birds head. . It is a favorite of a wide range of consumers...  2) Xie Shan (pronounced She Shan).  MANY MANY citrus growers think this is one of the very best tasting satsuma mandarins.  It won the taste contest at this years Citrus Expo in Alabama. .  It matures early (October in California). I also dido what has been said of the Gold Nugget mandarin.  - Millet