Could you give an idea of what’s available? Judith Cadigan, Los Osos

By Ann Dozier Master Gardener

Spring is a fine time to plant citrus, and there are some interesting varieties available. It’s easy to stick by old favorites such as Eureka or Meyer lemons and Navel or Valencia oranges. Many gardeners also want a lime tree – either Bearss or Mexican (Key) lime and some sort of mandarin, perhaps a Satsuma (good for cold areas) or Clementine (choose a variety that does not require another citrus as pollinator.) The Gold Nugget mandarin is a new easy-peeler notable for its long harvest period.

 As for really new varieties available, how about an Australian finger lime? The petite, elongated fruits ripen in fall or winter in California, and have a flavor reminiscent of true limes. The fruit is sometimes referred to as "citrus caviar" because the small round interior vesicles pop in your mouth with tart lime flavor. Or try something really different, cold-hardy Yuzu, now inspiring fusion chefs throughout the world. Long cultivated in Japan and Korea it is an essential ingredient of ‘ponzu’ sauce. These unusual citrus choices may need to be specially ordered here.

 Lovers of marmalade might look for an old favorite, the sour Seville orange. Thorny Sevilles are good patio trees and can even be clipped into a hedge. Or perhaps try a blood orange with reddish flesh such as the Moro, which might be called a “gourmet orange” with distinctive raspberry overtones to its taste. However, inland heat is required to develop the darkest red rind and flesh.

Still looking for ideas? Think of kumquats, tangelos, grapefruit, pummelos, sour mandarins – the choices are nearly endless, but gardeners in cool coastal climates do need to consider how much heat varieties need to perform well. The University of California at Riverside has a website with pictures and descriptions of many citrus varieties: http://www.citrusvariety.ucr.edu/ The citrus featured in this article should be available at your local nursery that carry citrus from Four Winds Growers and/or Monrovia, while supplies last.

UCCE MASTER GARDENER ADVICE TO GROW BY WORKSHOP

Held: JUNE 19, 2010

Selecting the right subtropical tree for your climate: Some varieties are more tolerant of our “cooler” conditions during the foggy summer months.  Varieties that require a lot of heat may never ripen. Rule of thumb – the more acid in the fruit, the less cold tolerant.

CITRUS VARIETIES  - see last page for San Luis Obispo County

Citrus for the Home Garden in Contra Costa County http://ucce.ucdavis.edu/files/filelibrary/434/32989.pdf

AVOCADO VARIETIES – see last page for San Luis Obispo County

California Rare Fruit Growers
http://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/avocado.html

Select the best location in your yard and recognize micro-climates that occur even in small areas:

To protect your trees from frost.

Frost/Freeze Protection for Horticultural Crops –   http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/hil-705.html

Frost Protection for Citrus and Other Subtropicals  http://ucanr.org/freepubs/docs/8100.pdf

To plant the tree and suggested spacings:

Avocados: http://homeorchard.ucdavis.edu/Fruits_&_Nuts/Avocado/

Citrus: http://homeorchard.ucdavis.edu/Fruits_&_Nuts/Citrus/

Water needs and irrigation of citrus and avocado:

Mature trees in warmest months will need 60 gallons of water/week.

Watering citrus:  http://ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/GARDEN/FRUIT/CULTURAL/citruswatering.html

Citrus for the Home Garden in Contra Costa County http://ucce.ucdavis.edu/files/filelibrary/434/32989.pdf

Watering avocado http://ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/GARDEN/FRUIT/CULTURAL/avocadowater.html

Weed Management for citrus and avocado:

Both citrus and avocado are very shallow rooted – only hand weeding and mulch underneath trees

Weed identification and control measures: http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/menu.weeds.html

Fertilizer requirements for citrus and avocado

Suggested application rates of nitrogen - Divide into 2 or 3 applications

• 1st year: 1 tablespoon nitrogen fertilizer 3 times per year, per tree.
• 2nd year: 0.25 lb actual nitrogen per tree
• 3rd year: 0.5lb actual nitrogen per tree
• 4th year: 0.75lb actual nitrogen per tree
• 5th year:1 lb actual nitrogen each year

1 pound of actual nitrogen equals about 5 lb of ammonium sulfate (21% nitrogen)  per year, or 100 lb of composted cow manure each year. Organic fertilizers such as manure, bloodmeal, etc. could be applied in the fall under the tree canopy.

Pest identification, including  methods of reducing pest populations using the least toxic methods.

Avocados - http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/GARDEN/FRUIT/avocados.html

Citrus -  http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/GARDEN/FRUIT/citrus.html

Subtropical Fruits for San Luis Obispo County

For printable version of this handout, click on the attached documents below: