The Tropical Fruit Forum

Citrus => Citrus General Discussion => Topic started by: spaugh on February 03, 2023, 07:12:47 PM

Title: Gold nugget self destruction
Post by: spaugh on February 03, 2023, 07:12:47 PM
This tree is really hard on itself.  It breaks branches and loads up so much fruit it's hard on the tree.  Too much of a good thing.

(https://i.postimg.cc/4Kb0T3fF/20230203-104827.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/4Kb0T3fF)

(https://i.postimg.cc/w3WSv3hC/20230203-104834.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/w3WSv3hC)

(https://i.postimg.cc/GB1fNDCy/20230203-104844.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/GB1fNDCy)
Title: Re: Gold nugget self destruction
Post by: 1rainman on February 03, 2023, 07:48:27 PM
In the wild citrus usually don't fruit until it's a big tree after five to seven years. So it's good to pick some fruit off when green because this amount of fruit will drain energy on the plant.
Title: Re: Gold nugget self destruction
Post by: brian on February 03, 2023, 08:40:02 PM
That is a really impressive fruit set.  Shame it broke the plant, but what a harvest. 
Title: Re: Gold nugget self destruction
Post by: sc4001992 on February 03, 2023, 09:09:15 PM
You might want to pick some of the ripe fruits instead of leaving it on so long. Your tree is still not that large. Fruits will not be ripe until end of Feb/Mar but that's too many to leave on that tree.
Title: Re: Gold nugget self destruction
Post by: spaugh on February 03, 2023, 11:43:49 PM
Too late now, I will start eating them soon and get it off and trim the tree back.  My other citrus trees look similar.   I will post pics of another mandarin tree thats 8 years old and is even more crazy than this one.  The gold nugget is around 5 years old. 
Title: Re: Gold nugget self destruction
Post by: Thomas Black on February 07, 2023, 12:12:16 PM
Spammer
Title: Re: Gold nugget self destruction
Post by: mangoba on February 08, 2023, 05:40:01 AM
It's too late now; I'll start eating them as soon as possible, take it off, and cut the tree back. I have identical citrus trees in my yard. I'll share pictures of an 8-year-old mandarin tree that is even crazier than this one. It's been there for maybe five years.https://overplugged.org/best-ryzen-motherboard-under-100/

Not too bad for a bot.
Title: Re: Gold nugget self destruction
Post by: EricSC on February 13, 2023, 11:07:35 PM
Too late now, I will start eating them soon and get it off and trim the tree back.  My other citrus trees look similar.   I will post pics of another mandarin tree thats 8 years old and is even more crazy than this one.  The gold nugget is around 5 years old.
The real problem is: From March to June, the fruits will get much sweeter, but it may lead the tree into alternative bearing.   
Title: Re: Gold nugget self destruction
Post by: brian on February 14, 2023, 10:25:01 PM
comment removed wrong thread
Title: Re: Gold nugget self destruction
Post by: Kankan on February 17, 2023, 08:00:56 PM
I have 4 golden nuggets from 12-5 years old and they all do that unless I can go in early Feb and harvest about half of them. Theyre still good early Feb but it doesnt always keep branches from breaking. Its also the only citrus I prune with any regularity, keeping branches short.
Title: Re: Gold nugget self destruction
Post by: John B on February 18, 2023, 11:52:23 AM
I have 4 golden nuggets from 12-5 years old and they all do that unless I can go in early Feb and harvest about half of them. Theyre still good early Feb but it doesnt always keep branches from breaking. Its also the only citrus I prune with any regularity, keeping branches short.

Yes, I am discovering this is the case with my Tahoe Gold. I thought it just had more of an outward growth habit but it will need selective pruning. It would be fine except for the intense summer sun burns the exposed branches. Lesson learned!
Title: Re: Gold nugget self destruction
Post by: drymifolia on February 21, 2023, 01:12:37 PM
I have 4 golden nuggets from 12-5 years old and they all do that unless I can go in early Feb and harvest about half of them. Theyre still good early Feb but it doesnt always keep branches from breaking. Its also the only citrus I prune with any regularity, keeping branches short.

Yes, I am discovering this is the case with my Tahoe Gold. I thought it just had more of an outward growth habit but it will need selective pruning. It would be fine except for the intense summer sun burns the exposed branches. Lesson learned!

This is a bit off topic, but my Tahoe Gold (in the ground in the greenhouse) was spreading too much last spring, so I pruned hard in early summer, the mid-summer flush had ENORMOUS thorns. It was almost a thornless citrus before that, but it seems to get pretty aggressively thorny in response to heavy pruning. Just something to keep in mind.

Mine just started its late winter flush in the last week, hoping it'll be lots of flowers because last year it only held one fruit that a squirrel stole when the greenhouse door was open last summer.