Re: Citrus in New Zealand (was Key limes)

In a message dated 6/19/100 7:18:15 PM EST, theryans@xtra.co.nz writes:

<< Even when they have most of the top killed, citrus on their own roots
 can make a surprising comeback as Kurt mentions. >>

Hi, Moira.

I moved a Meyer Lemon (Meyers are almost always grown on their own roots 
here, being semi-dwarf already) to a new location in my garden about 10 years 
ago.  A year or so later, a new plant shot up in the original location from 
roots that were left in the ground (as roses like to do).  We decided to let 
it grow and see what developed.  As it turned out, the original tree got 
blown over in a wind storm several years later and couldn't be salvaged, 
while the "volunteer" tree developed into a large, vigorous, and productive 
plant.

You mentioned Tangelos.  My largest, most beautiful, and most productive 
citrus tree is a "Minneola" tangelo.  It bears huge crops every year and we 
use them all!  They are very aromatic, like Mandarins, and are quite tart 
until they've hung on the tree for awhile, like Grapefruits.  The fruits have 
a prominent 'nipple' at the stem end and turn reddish-orange with age.  The 
juice is delicious, and they are great for making what my daughter calls 
"tangelaide," even when tart.  Although many will drop as they ripen, they 
store very well on the tree.  The oldest fruits are as sweet as honey, and 
show no tendency to dry out with age, as so many citrus do.

Since purchasing my "Bearss" lime, I've been doing some web surfing and found 
that this variety was discovered as a chance seedling of a "Tahiti" lime by 
T. J. Bearss, an employee of Southern Pacific Railroad, in Porterville, 
California, in 1895.  It may be marginal in my area, as I've read elsewhere 
that the tree is damaged at temperatures below 28F.  I'm going to give it a 
go, anyway.  Isn't that part of the fun of gardening?

I have recently moved 3 10-year-old citrus trees in my garden and am 
wondering how the experiment is going to turn out.  I top-pruned them all 
pretty heavily coincident with the move, to compensate for the loss of roots, 
and have kept them all well-watered for the last couple of months.  The 
"Moro" blood orange is the worst-looking of the lot, having lost nearly all 
its leaves and suffered die-back of most smaller branches.  The "Owari 
Satsuma" mandarin is the next-worse-off.  It is also nearly defoliated.  The 
"Nagami" kumquat is doing the best, and has actually bloomed since being 
transplanted.  I hope they make it.  I feel like they're my children, I've 
had them so long.

Kurt Mize
Stockton, California
USDA Zone 9
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