February is national Grapefruit month in the United States. - Millet

I shall pick and eat a Rio Red in honor of the occasion.

South Texas has the best Rio Red that I have ever had. Delicious ! Tom

and I am blessed to have a nice tree just 10 feet outside my front door. You can see the picture of it just to the left underneath my username.

Interesting, Millet! I just picked a very large and what looks to be delicious Rio Red today. We are going to split it tomorrow morning. This little tree really struggled at first, then all of a sudden, it decided to come around. I think it might have been due to Phytophthora, my nemesis, but it was able to recover on it's own, and since, it has grown very nicely, despite being somewhat in the shadow of a large California Pepper tree.

Its Oro Blanco's for me!

Have Oroblanco, too, turtleman, but I actually like its "sister", the Melogold a bit better. They are sweeter, juicier and have thinner skin. Yum. But, my favorite two are the Cocktail and the Valentine. Technically not grapefruits or grapfruit/hybrids but pummelo hybrids, but they are my most favorite two "grapefruit-tasting" citrus.

I have a Star Ruby Grapefruit tree. In my log I have it listed that the fruit started to turn yellow on November 1, 2012. I will start to pick the fruit on March 1, 2013. Therefore, that gives four additional months that the fruit have been hanging on the tree. I am doing this because Dr. Manners states, that the very best grapefruit quality does not reach its highest optimum taste until late February or March. So in exactly eight days I will find out. In fact Dr. Manners further stated, if the growers would not harvest their crops until approximately March 1st. many more people would like grapefruit than they presently do. - Millet

Very interesting, Millet. I left mine on until April last year, because the first ones picked in February were just too tart for me. But, thought that was just me, as I have a bit of a sweet tooth when it comes to citrus. I'll leave the rest of my grapefruit on a few more weeks, again. This one I picked because when I reached down to look at it and move it into the light, it popped off (it was huge, much larger than the other 3 or 4 I have still on the tree). Now, my very little Rio Red in the front yard's fruits appear to already be ripe. Again, found one that had dropped, so I brought it in, and it was really sweet for a 100% grapefruit. I was actually quite surprised. Husband was delighted. He really likes grapefruits, and this one, although smaller than this more recently picked fruit from my other Rio Red, was really quite good. That was the little Rio Red I got from Lowe's for $5.00, as it had lost its label. I was able to buy it from the sale guy, stating, "gee, how on earth can you sell a citrus tree if you don't know what it is?" I could obviously tell is was a grapefruit by its leaves, so I just called Durling's and asked them what their color codes were for their citrus. Got the confirmation it was a Rio Red. Great deal and this tree is producing very tasty fruit to boot

Rio Reds and Star Rubys are great grapefruits! Mine nearly died while in container, but has been great since I put it in ground. It is now about 8 feet tall. I have a 4 feet tall second one in container that I got from Home Depot for $10 since all of its leaves were yellow. I am nursing it back to health and have some new flush going. Citrus is a fun hobby with a great reward system.

My Ruby reds are at peak right now & I still have hundreds hanging on my trees.

My beautiful Rio Red was not quite ready. I was mad at myself for being over-anxious. I would say at least another month, hopefully with some warmth. Millet was right. March or April for my backyard Rio, which gets more shade than my front yard Rio.

I would have to agree with Dr. Manners on grapefruits being best in late Feb and March. A couple of notes on my grapefruit trees.

Golden grapefruit-I have three seedling trees. The gold color flesh does not carry over on the seedlings. Same taste and amount of seeds (tons), just a blond flesh. Some people don't like the taste that much (lack of acid) but most eat them before the first of the year. Right now they are really pretty good. I picked a couple hundred pounds of them yesterday.

Rio Red-Up to this point the taste has been pretty bland. Great color just not much taste yet. They should get sweeter in the next few weeks.

Henderson-This is my go-to grapefruit. Great taste starting in late Dec. and only getting better as the season goes on. For me this is a better fruit than the more heat loving Red's (Rio,Ruby,etc). Like most, I run the risk a freeze ending the season early. The later Red's might not have time to get that great taste without freezing.

Bloomsweet-Another low acid fruit thats not a true grapefruit. Mine were best around Xmas. I use mine to mix with satsuma juice. About eight parts satsuma to one part bloomsweet. Good juice.

Nice report, Selkirk. Would love to get a Henderson - not available here in California that I am aware of. Do have a couple of Bloomsweet, and just waiting until they're big enough to produce. Maybe next year.