Loquat Fruits - 2021 Season of Ripening Now ??

[sc4001992]

Yes, same here. My Big Jim is the only one that has been giving ripe fruits from Feb-May this year. That is really nice to be able to eat ripe loquats (that are excellent tasting) for this long. Some of my other varieties just last one month and it's done. I think my one loquat tree (KT9) that gives big orange fruit in March(big fruits) & November(smaller fruits) is a seedling related to my Big Jim.   

[greenman62]

New Orleans....
this is the first year i am not getting any fruit (well, i think i saw a handful semi-ripe, but they had uneven ripening)
and thats on tree #1
Tree #2 and 3 had zero fruit ripen.
My 2 neighbors that have loquat trees have zero fruit also.
i would see a few here and there but they all fell off before even being close to ripe.

For New Orleans, this is the first time we had a freeze in late Feb in a decade or more.
i think it must have just been the timing.

[sc4001992]

Greenman62, what loquat variety do you grow ?
I hear that there are some varieties that are better suited for the cold or have early/late flowering types. I'm growing a lot of different varieties but since I'm in CA it doesn't really matter here.

I have read that these varieties are good for cold hardy, blooms in spring or has multiple crops. I have the first four grafted on my tree but no flowers or fruits yet.
1. Early Red
2. Tanaka
3. Christmas
4. Novak
5. Shambala
6. Rose Anne
7. Piera (mutation of Algerie)

One of my interest in starting this post was to determine if anyone had these early/late flowering varieties, to help identify the ones to grow that meets these requirements (cold hardy) as yourself so that they can enjoy the fruits every year.

[sc4001992]

Fruits ripening now:

Here's some photos

[ScottR]

Wow, I impressed with the size of Vista White !

[sc4001992]

Yes, I don't know why my Vista White fruits are always larger size and I hear others say their fruits are medium size. My Vista White always has these large size fruits except when it has a cluster of about 50 fruits on one branch then it's normal size. I had three branches break off again on my Vista White, KT4-Teardrop and KT1-Kosmic due to excessive fruits on one branch this year (over 50+ fruits).

[sc4001992]

Here's the last of my ripe loquat fruits this year. I had 3 more varieties but didn't get chance to take a photo before eating the fruits (all were seedling trees I grew). I should mention the special flavor of one, KT8-Sheri_Lynn2, which is orange flesh and it's sweet and seems to have a slight after taste of wine.

[sc4001992]

[sc4001992]

My Best Tasting orange flesh fruits for 2021 taste test:

[sc4001992]

My Best Tasting white flesh fruits for 2021 taste test:

[beicadad]

Thanks for the detailed pics Kaz! your loquats all look great.

[sc4001992]

Thanks, I'm looking forward to hearing how you rate your loquats, like the Peluche and the big ones (Big Jim?) I saw on your larger tree.

Where do you rate the McBeth, I ate one but it seems like an average taste but it was the first fruit on a small branch I grafted last fall so it should improve next year.

[simon_grow]

Great reports Kaz, I love the pictures. It would be great to see Brix scores along with your beautiful pictures.

Simon

[sc4001992]

Simon, yeah I should get a Brix meter.

Can you suggest a good one that works. I'm planning to send a few fruits to Ken to make some measurements.

[zephian]

How would you guys rate champagne loquat?
I only have one tree. It had fruits last year in the pot and I planted it last fall. No fruits this year but it's putting on some good growth.

Hopefully I picked a decent enough tasting one...

[sc4001992]

zephian, I have the champagne grafted (less than 1yr old) on my tree but no fruits this year.

mbmango has a nice champagne tree, read his taste report on page 1 (reply #5, #17) of this post.

[simon_grow]

Simon, yeah I should get a Brix meter.

Can you suggest a good one that works. I'm planning to send a few fruits to Ken to make some measurements.

Hey Kaz, for home use, the simple hand held refractometers work great. This one that goes from 0-32% Brix is useful for most fruit.

Brix Refractometer with ATC, Dual Scale - Specific Gravity & Brix, Hydrometer in Wine Making and Beer Brewing, Homebrew Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LW2ZU6R/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_EDV0J5TMQ08NM4GD10BX?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

If you’re also going to take Brix readings from Sapodillas or Zill mangos that can get above 32% Brix, this one is useful. It goes from 0-60% Brix.

In a public setting, I like to use the digital refractometer that I got from Sheehan. I like the digital refractometer in public settings or at fruit tastings because people love seeing the Brix scores. Here’s the model I have, there are much cheaper digital models out there

Hanna Instruments HI 96801 Digital Refractometer, 0-85% Brix Range, For Sugar Analysis https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002NX0WHI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_55TE8GV38Z4CNCC2FZ7Y

I just took the Brix reading from my last Big Jim and it came in at 19.4%. As you can see in the picture, the fruit is not as big as it’s been in the past because I purposefully under watered it to increase Brix.






Simon

[simon_grow]

Here’s my Big Jim’s when I over water them to pump them up



Simon

[sc4001992]

Simon, thanks for the info. I may see if there is one in-between in cost that is digital.

[beicadad]

Simon 19.4 is very high for loquats. My previous readings were from 12-16.5. And they were actually tasty.

[simon_grow]

Thanks guys,

Kaz, you will have a lot of fun with a digital refractometer. You grow lots of different fruits and can get Brix readings from them. Ever since I got my refractometers, I have been able to hone in my fertilizer regimen to significantly increase the Brix.

The decrease in watering increases the Brix about the same amount as fertilizing appropriately. Each can affect the Brix by approximately 2%.

If someone were not watering appropriately and not fertilizing appropriately, they could potentially bring the Brix of their fruit from 16 to 20%.

The amount of sun is also very important and my tree is in full sun.

I’ve been told at the Avocado tasting and by family and friends that my loquats were very sweet. I attribute that to fertilizing with 0-10-10(organic ultrabloom) and/or chemical 3-12-12 ( Gro power) throughout the season. I also add gypsum and or langbeinite to increase Brix.

I generally water heavily in the beginning to size up the fruit and then cut water back to 50% during the final 3 weeks approximately.

Because the fruit develops in different stages depending on when the flowers were pollinated, the first fruits are very large but more watered down. The later fruit gets less water during development so they are smaller and much sweeter.

Simon

[sc4001992]

Simon, yes I will probably be making readings on everything I eat now. I'm one of those that have very sweet fruits because I only water when I think of it, so maybe 1 to 2 times a week.

[simon_grow]

Kaz, I’m in the same boat. I have two daughters and often don’t have time to water or fertilize appropriately. When I say I water 50% less to increase Brix, it’s more like I was too lazy or too busy doing something else and I forgot to water, lol!

Anyways, I was too busy or too lazy to pick my “Shahrokh” loquat fruits and they are over ripe now but I decided to pick a few and take a Brix reading just for data. The Shahrokh loquat is a seedling that my friends grandmother planted from fruit I gave them about 35 years ago. It’s a white fleshed variety that is very sweet but fruits are medium small.






This fruit was 22.3% Brix. It needs more acidity to balance out the sugars. It should have been picked about 3-4 days ago.

Simon

[simon_grow]

I tested another Shahrokh loquat and it was unbearably sweet at 28.6% Brix!




Simon

[beicadad]

 I tested the fruits that Simon gave me, results as follows

- Shahrokh from Simon's tree: 22, 19. They are a little dehydrated but not much. Very sweet indeed.

- Shahrokh from another tree: 13

- Big Jim from Simon's tree: 19.7. Very sweet and flavorful. One of the best loquat fruits I've had

Simon I think your watering and fertilization method resulted in superior tastes.