Valencia Oranges Issues

[joshwakefield]

All,

Looking for some guidance on my Valencia orange tree. I have been cultivating it for about 3 years. The first year lots of blossoms but no fruit. Starting late in year 2 I had my first fruit. Since then, fruit has been coming in more volume (probably 9 on the tree right now). My issue is ripening. I know that Valencia's can take 12-14 months to fully ripen but my first fruit stayed green for almost 18 months before I finally broke down and picked it. It was not pretty inside and looked dry and nothing like an orange. Now i have the same issue with the remaining fruit. They have been full grown for almost 15 months but aren't turning orange/ready to harvest. I picked one as a test and it looked very MUCH like an orange (unlike my first fruit) just not fully ripened/sweetened yet.

I should note that I do move this tree (huge pot) inside and outside based on weather, I have a small green house for the winter months. I do fertilize every 6-8 weeks.

What am I doing wrong? Just be more patient or should I be trying something else?

 

[oneeye]

All,

Looking for some guidance on my Valencia orange tree. I have been cultivating it for about 3 years. The first year lots of blossoms but no fruit. Starting late in year 2 I had my first fruit. Since then, fruit has been coming in more volume (probably 9 on the tree right now). My issue is ripening. I know that Valencia's can take 12-14 months to fully ripen but my first fruit stayed green for almost 18 months before I finally broke down and picked it. It was not pretty inside and looked dry and nothing like an orange. Now i have the same issue with the remaining fruit. They have been full grown for almost 15 months but aren't turning orange/ready to harvest. I picked one as a test and it looked very MUCH like an orange (unlike my first fruit) just not fully ripened/sweetened yet.

I should note that I do move this tree (huge pot) inside and outside based on weather, I have a small green house for the winter months. I do fertilize every 6-8 weeks.

What am I doing wrong? Just be more patient or should I be trying something else?

Can you post a photo of the tree and the trunk going into the ground?

 

[Avocado]

I’ve grown Washington navel and a lime tree back in Southern California. I never ran into any issues with ripening. But I was in a better environment for Citrus plants compared to where you are.

After reading your question, I was curious, so I googled and found this article: https://gocookyummy.com/how-ripe-or...agic touch,process of their citrus companions.

I am not sure if it can help, but you can try covering the fruits with paper bags and see if that helps. I have used paper lunch sacks before on peaches to prevent birds from eating them. And I do remember that them peaches ripened really well and were really sweet. I am not sure if that was because of the paper bags or just how my peaches were.

Anyhoo, I hope you find your solution, and good luck.

 

[cpp gardener]

Citrus fruit won't change color if they don't get exposed to temps in the 40s and Valencias tend to 'regreen' in the summer. Usually Valencias are ripe between June and September.

 

[joshwakefield]

 

[cpp gardener]

Is hard as a rock or is there some 'give' when you squeeze it? And is that from this year's flowers or last year's?

 

[joshwakefield]

They have give. These are from last years flowers.

 

[cpp gardener]

If you have several, try one.

 

[joshwakefield]

 

[cpp gardener]

Tah-Dah! For you it will be a correct season for ripeness and ignore the color. In very tropical climates all citrus are green when ripe.

 

[joshwakefield]

Still not very sweet. So do you think it is worth waiting until the temps drop a bit per your 40 degrees comment (here in the midwest that would be September/October) to see if that improves a bit?

 

[cpp gardener]

Try putting it in the very warmest location you can. That should speed the sweetening. Try that for the whole summer.