rocklady said:We have one grapefruit, one navel orange and until the cold weather got it, a Meyer lemon. We also have a fig and we have yet to see any figs. When we leave FL there is green fruit, but we are never here when it matures. I am sure the birds have a feast! Both the orange and grapefruit got nipped this winter and lost their leaves in a couple of places, however, both are filled with buds about to burst open and the yard will smell heavenly -- at that time you can't keep me inside! There is also a tangerine on the property (which used to be an orchard years ago), but the fruit is so bitter, no one wants to eat it. Does anyone know the trick of "sweetening" up these tangerines?
I can think of a few reasons the Tangerine might be bitter.
1) It might just be too old
2) It might not have been a "winner" in the first place & since the place was an orchard it may have been there to be used only for rootstock
3) It may have self sown there from a hybrid which does not come true from seed
4) I believe this may be the most likely scenario: Good citrus especially in Fl. where nematodes are such an issue are always grafted onto root stock. If one does not tend to the plant properly then oft times unchecked growth shoots will grow from the root stock portion. Since the root stock was not chosen for the purpose of producing great fruit then it produces unacceptable fruit. If you can find the graft & see if the growth is coming from below the graft then that is your answer. You may be able to cut off the growth which stems from below the graft which will leave only the growth above the graft if there is any but there may not be any if it has been neglected for years & years.
