I Just Pruned My Orange Tree.

[Virgo10]

Dreadful job. I hate ladders and, while I love oranges, I hate the trees they grow on. You have to put a ladder up against the tree. Prayer is good about then because you're trusting that you've placed the ladder in just the right spot so it won't shift. At one point I was up about 10 feet off the ground.

It's in the mid 70's and I had to dress like it was winter in Massachusetts. You either do that or end up looking like a pin cushion. Orange trees have something that resemble thorns only they're about 3 to 4 inches long. They are a sharp as a Ginsu knife.

So now my orange tree that produces fruit so sour it would make you suck your face inside out , is about 4 feet shorter and trimmed around the edges. Tomorrow I'll see if I'm stupid enough to finish the job.

 

[teacups]

Just so you californians can laugh... I just saw Albertson's selling a box of Satsumas for $12.99. Your tree trimming reminded me of when I lived there and had a lemon tree. Now I miss it!! I wont pay that much for tangerines!

 

[SwedishMeatball]

No pics.

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

Can't you remove it completely? If you can't eat them or squeeze them, then what's the point.
I love my FIL's tree! I go out and pluck fruit whenever I'm there (and the oranges are ripe).

 

[DAISY DUCK FAN!]

For what it's worth, my dh would be jealous to know that you have an orange tree.

 

[ilovepcot]

VIRGO...drive on over for a real pruning lesson on orange trees. We have 47! Many have died since we moved here 19 years ago....would have been many more. Their lifespan is around 75 years and their time was up. Also have tangerines, peaches, many different kinds of grapefruit trees (hate the stuff!), bananas, lemons, kumquat and many more I can't recall right off. A real jungle. We planted a couple of lime trees but they won't live here...gets too cold in the winter. Oh well, probably wouldn't eat them anyway.

 

[lesroi]

VIRGO...drive on over for a real pruning lesson on orange trees. We have 47! Many have died since we moved here 19 years ago....would have been many more. Their lifespan is around 75 years and their time was up. Also have tangerines, peaches, many different kinds of grapefruit trees (hate the stuff!), bananas, lemons, kumquat and many more I can't recall right off. A real jungle. We planted a couple of lime trees but they won't live here...gets too cold in the winter. Oh well, probably wouldn't eat them anyway.

Oh my Lord, I am SOOOOO jealous! My neighbors have a blood orange tree and a lemon tree. Apparently the previous owners of this house had an orange tree but they cut it down. I am trying to convince DH to get an orange tree, tangerine tree and possibly peach and banana. The banana is for DH and the doberman. If you have never seen a dog that LOVES bananas, it is pretty hilarious!


Tracy

 

[Virgo10]

Can't you remove it completely? If you can't eat them or squeeze them, then what's the point.
I love my FIL's tree! I go out and pluck fruit whenever I'm there (and the oranges are ripe).

Oh no! I'd never cut it down. You can't imagine the thrill it gives me to see real, albeit, sour oranges growing in my backyard in the middle of winter. This is what I use to dream about when I was still in Massachusetts.

ILoveEpcot, do you have any thoughts on why these oranges are so sour. Some are falling off the trees and I'm assuming that's because they're ripe. While not real soft, they're certainly not like rocks any more. Most of the local trees in the groves have already been harvested. It just seems like the sugar content in these is really low. I've had sweeter lemons.

 

[ilovepcot]

We have several trees with the biggest, best looking oranges of all and they'd take the enamel off your teeth! DH has explained to me what happens to some of these trees that causes them to go so sour, and when he comes in (probably midnight or so) I'll get the low down on this one more time and will post his explanation. I never have paid close enough attention to get it straight.

 

[Virgo10]

We have several trees with the biggest, best looking oranges of all and they'd take the enamel off your teeth! DH has explained to me what happens to some of these trees that causes them to go so sour, and when he comes in (probably midnight or so) I'll get the low down on this one more time and will post his explanation. I never have paid close enough attention to get it straight.

Thanks! I've been picking one every 4 or 5 days now for the past month. They are still horrid. We got one or two last year that didn't curl your hair but that was about it. I'm wondering if the processing plants add lots of sugar to the juice to make it tolerable.

 

[lesroi]

Thanks! I've been picking one every 4 or 5 days now for the past month. They are still horrid. We got one or two last year that didn't curl your hair but that was about it. I'm wondering if the processing plants add lots of sugar to the juice to make it tolerable.

Not sure about the sugar adding but the oranges from our neighbor's tree are unbelievably delicious and sweet. Not sure if it is the type of orange or what but they are sooo good picked right off the tree. I love living in Florida!


Tracy

 

[marlasmom]

Fruit trees are grafted and most of the root stock is sour orange. I have one too that the former owner started from a seed. That's what happens. I tried growing a tangelo which died - I have a blood orange, a Meyer lemon which this year has 3 huge lemons, a regular lemon - had lemons last year but none this year, a grapefruit which has a few fruit and a key lime which does nothing - does not even grow - although my sister had one which produced loads of fruit. It's fun.

 

[ilovepcot]

Fruit trees are grafted and most of the root stock is sour orange. I have one too that the former owner started from a seed. That's what happens. I tried growing a tangelo which died - I have a blood orange, a Meyer lemon which this year has 3 huge lemons, a regular lemon - had lemons last year but none this year, a grapefruit which has a few fruit and a key lime which does nothing - does not even grow - although my sister had one which produced loads of fruit. It's fun.

Yeah...something about "grafting" and "root stock" is what I heard bits of and chose to tune out. I do know that after time a delicious tasting tree can suddenly revert back and become sour, tasting exactly like a lemon. One of our most beautiful trees did this and it was soooo funny to watch people with out of state license tags pull over and quickly pick a few gorgeous oranges from that particular tree. What a surprise they got!!!