Lane Late navel orange. Holy Moly

[12Zodiac]

I purchased some Lane Late navel orange scions from CCPP last summer and grafted to my small lemon tree. This tree is now loaded with over 100 flowers and fruitlets in just one 14 inch branch. Unfortunately, all the fruits will be removed and let the tree grow.

[sc4001992]

I like the Lane Late orange a lot. The UCR CCPP database says the navel orange is late maturing Washington navel and slightly smaller fruit. But all of the Lane Late orange fruits I have seen are larger than the Washington navel fruits.

You will like it, tastes good, large fruits, and it has good production. Here's a few photos of a large fruit and some fruits on my tree (30 on the graft). I feel it is the best tasting of the Washington navel oranges/bud sport.

[Millet]

Very few of the Lane Late flowers will produce fruit.  Therefore, if you wait until the bloom is over to remove the new (if any) fruit, you will have a much easier time doing so.

[12Zodiac]

Very few of the Lane Late flowers will produce fruit.  Therefore, if you wait until the bloom is over to remove the new (if any) fruit, you will have a much easier time doing so.

Noted. Thanks.

[botanical pilot]

I'm growing a Lane Late in a pot in 8b. I got my first full size fruit last year and it was disappointing. I'm not sure if I picked at the wrong time or if the tree just needs time to mature to improve the taste.

This year the tree has about six fruits set - any recommendations on when to harvest?

[sc4001992]

These fruits do ripen later than normal Washington oranges so you may have not waited long enough.
The way I can tell when any of my large citrus fruits are ripe is by looking at the skin color and putting my hand under it and lifting it. If it is not heavy (relative) then there is not much juice yet so wait until it feels heavy. Works on my orange, grapefruits, pomelos.


These Lane Late fruits were picked on 1/29 in SoCal.

[Millet]

Generally a citrus tree does not produce acceptable fruit until it reaches 5 years of age.  I remember Dr. Malcolm Manners saying the very best grapefruit he ever ate was picked off of a 25 year old tree growing on the grounds of Florida Southern College.

[sc4001992]

Yup, I agree with your statement. My Sanguigno grafted tree took 7 yrs before the fruit tasted good, just before I was ready to chop it down.

[sc4001992]

Just picked yesterday.

[tedburn]

wow  , what do you feed your citrus

[sc4001992]

Normal fertilizer, but I think the soil is just good in my area. All my trees seem to have large fruits (loquats, citrus, persimmons) without much care, just mainly water.

[12Zodiac]

This tree is flowering again. I’m going to just let it do its thing and see how many fruits will set.

[Millet]

If you want a fruit to mature on the tree, and still let the trees highest chance for good growth, you can leave one fruit on the tree until it matures.  This is because all citrus draws its energy to grow and ripen from only the three closes leaves to the fruit.

[12Zodiac]

If you want a fruit to mature on the tree, and still let the trees highest chance for good growth, you can leave one fruit on the tree until it matures.  This is because all citrus draws its energy to grow and ripen from only the three closes leaves to the fruit.

I’ll adhere to your advice and just keep one fruit for tasting. Thx Millet.