Picking Imperial Mandarins

[101RRS]

For the Citrus growers.

I do not have a green thumb at all but about 5 years ago I planted a small imperial Mandarin tree - was about 2' tall then and is now about 7' tall.

For the first two years I removed any fruit that started so that all effort would go into the tree. Two years ago I let it fruit and got about 3 fruit but they were very small and not good - but it did fruit.

Last year, I got about 12 and again not so good.

This year 20 fruit and they have been full orange for about a week now - these are a bit bigger than they have been in the past. The web says pick them when they are fully orange and not to leave then on the tree. Externally they look great and I have picked three so far but inside I dont think they are ripe - still very tart and a little firm - but the skin is still very orange and ripe looking. We are starting to get heavy frosts so am concerned about damage to the fruit on the the tree.

So for those in the know - what is the best time to pick Imperial Mandarins?

Thanks

Garry

[p38arover]

No, but a bit of trivia.

Imperial mandarins come from here at Emu Plains. The orchard that developed it in about 1890 was probably around the street named after them, Imperial Ave.

[101RRS]

Thanks Ron - how about ducking around and getting an answer to the question [thumbsupbig]

[p38arover]

While Imperial Ave. is only about 500 metres from me, there hasn't been an orchard here since long before my time - we've lived here since '83 and just across the river from '72-83.

[1950landy]

My uncle who had a farm down in Wellington used to tell me they needed a couple of frosts on them to make them sweet , don't know if it was true but the fruit we got from then were always sweet

[101RRS]

Well back mid year I picked the mandarins - were Ok but not brilliant. Read up on the trees and the view to increase the size of the crop and the size of fruit was to prune the tree, particularly the inner growth so to open it up. So as soon as I picked the fruit I pruned the two trees I have - not heavily but mainly to clear out the centres.

Jump forward 4 months and well - the advice from the online experts was crap - no flowers, so no fruit next year [bigsad].

So any advice on how to improve the trees so I get flowers next year and some fruit in 2022.

Also the trees have developed yellow leaves - again advice from the experts says it is a nutrient deficiency - nitrogen, manganese and zinc and over watering.

Well I feed the trees with citrus food that have these nutrients in them and I have not watered over winter at all - there has been enough rainfall.

So any other ideas on what causes yellow leaves (there are no pests).

Thanks

Garry

[John_D4]

Iron and ph are 2 other guesses. I’d also get a ph test (take a soil sample to a nursery) and water with iron chelates

[350RRC]

Well back mid year I picked the mandarins - were Ok but not brilliant. Read up on the trees and the view to increase the size of the crop and the size of fruit was to prune the tree, particularly the inner growth so to open it up. So as soon as I picked the fruit I pruned the two trees I have - not heavily but mainly to clear out the centres.

Jump forward 4 months and well - the advice from the online experts was crap - no flowers, so no fruit next year [bigsad].

So any advice on how to improve the trees so I get flowers next year and some fruit in 2022.

Also the trees have developed yellow leaves - again advice from the experts says it is a nutrient deficiency - nitrogen, manganese and zinc and over watering.

Well I feed the trees with citrus food that have these nutrients in them and I have not watered over winter at all - there has been enough rainfall.

So any other ideas on what causes yellow leaves (there are no pests).

Thanks

Garry

You need to put some chelated iron (powder) over the root zone, which will roughly match the 'drip zone' from the canopy, maybe a little smaller in dia.

When the leaves green up you can put small amounts of old rusty crap in the same place to keep it going.

DL

[1950landy]

For the Citrus growers.

I do not have a green thumb at all but about 5 years ago I planted a small imperial Mandarin tree - was about 2' tall then and is now about 7' tall.

For the first two years I removed any fruit that started so that all effort would go into the tree. Two years ago I let it fruit and got about 3 fruit but they were very small and not good - but it did fruit.

Last year, I got about 12 and again not so good.

This year 20 fruit and they have been full orange for about a week now - these are a bit bigger than they have been in the past. The web says pick them when they are fully orange and not to leave then on the tree. Externally they look great and I have picked three so far but inside I dont think they are ripe - still very tart and a little firm - but the skin is still very orange and ripe looking. We are starting to get heavy frosts so am concerned about damage to the fruit on the the tree.

So for those in the know - what is the best time to pick Imperial Mandarins?

Thanks

Garry
My Uncle when he was alive had a farm at Wellington NSW we visited them once & they gave us some mandarins to take home saying would be very sweet as they had had a couple of frosts to sweeten them . Not sure if it is true but they were sweet.

[101RRS]

Thanks for the hint on the iron and checking ph - I had thought about checking the ph but not the iron - off to Bunnings tomorrow to get the stuff [thumbsupbig]

Cheers

Garry

[Don 130]

Full sunlight is important for fruit sweetness. If the tree is shaded the sugar conversion will be lower. Even if the tree is in full sun, pruning to allow sunlight into the centre of the tree will help.
Don

[101RRS]

pruning to allow sunlight into the centre of the tree will help.
Don

That is what I did after fruiting mid year, now the sunlight will not be able to help sweeten the fruit as there will not be a crop next year.

[Gordie]

That is what I did after fruiting mid year, now the sunlight will not be able to help sweeten the fruit as there will not be a crop next year.
Patience grasshopper....pruning fruit trees is a work in progress, sometimes you have to bite the bullet on this years fruit production, to ensure a good supply in years to come. I try to gradually prune my trees, so that it is all not in one hit and takes away too much of that particular years crop. But fear not, your good work will pay off.

[101RRS]

Yes I agree but more and more I find that the so called experts are in fact not experts at all - I am sure if I had not pruned the two trees it would be full of blossom now. I was just following "professional" advice and all implied it would improve things NOW. [thumbsupbig]

[Bigbjorn]

There are better varieties than Imperial. I prefer Honey Murcott.

[Saitch]

Discussing things Citrus, where I am, in S.E. Qld, it's Bronze Stink Bug time. I spent a few hours yesterday and again this morn, removing the little sap suckers frpm our Navel orange.[bigsad]

I find a made up Pyrethrum spray is effective on the blighters.

I make a point of collecting them, as our parenting maggies are circling and have fed one or two sprayed bugs, that have fallen off the tree, to their young fledgling. I know that Pyrethrum is supposedly 'Eco-friendly' but I'm not taking the risk, especially with a large quantity of dead/dying bugs.

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