I was wondering what ppl's favorite Limequat and Kumquat varieties are? I've only tried the kumquat once, bought a little clamshell from the grocery store... never said what varity. something more acidic would be prefered for me... just would like opinons as to what others hink are the best. Is there much of a differemce between flavors in the different varieties?

Here it is, only 3 weeks until I purchase my first citrus trees and I'm bouncing off the walls with excitment. I've narrowed it down to al the trees I want, what I need for the trees. I'm sure there are other things I'll need that I just haven't even thought of.

Asd far as fertlizing... is it good to continue using what the greenhouse has been? He uses all natural weekly fertlizing... something a lot of hydrponic stores would sell. One for growing and one for blooming. He said hes never had better sucess than with these two items. It does make sense to conitue using them once I bring them home. Would it be of harm changing feeding scedules? if its used to a weekly feeding vs a quarterly feeding or? Opinons greatly needed.

Heres a list of the varieties I KNOW I'll be purchasing

Meryer Lemon
veregated pink lemonaide
Key and bearrs lime
Calamondin


then whichever varities of limequat and kumquats that come most recomended. Being I dont have a way to taste for myself... need to take from others experiences.


Any other citrus you could recomend as well, that i may not have on my list.

Betty, you never mentioned what fert. the grower or greenhouse was using. Miracle Grow is good & or acid plus. You need something with lots of macronutrients that citrus need, & once in a while, some epsom salts. You will also need to flush the soil 3 -4 times a year. As Millet said: use a 6-2-4 fert (NPK) or SIMILAR, with the Macronutrients. High in nitrogen (N) - low in phosphate (P). Peters 20-20-20 is good too.
The kumquats you buy in stores are usually Nagami. I have a Meiwa kumquat & they are sweeter & taste better.
Please read thru the threads on container citrus & news & etc & click on all the links they provide. There is a lot of info on how to care for your trees & what is best for you to grow. The info is there--- all you have to do is read it. I've been reading & learning for over 3 yrs now & still don't know nearly as much as the pros we have here on this forum. Good luck.
Patty

I would also suggest buying trees of fruits that you can't buy in stores. We can buy key limes & meyers lemons (they are hard to grow indoors & in pots). Cheaper just to buy the fruits when needed.
Patty

key limes are very rare to find here, maybe a month each year. and I have never ever seen a meyer lemon. only lemons we get anywhere around here are the basic yellow sunkist

I'm growing my own key limes from seed now... but I really rather have a full grown in case my seedlings dont make it. Plus... neer ever have enough limes

I dont know the name of the fertlizer. its organic and has no #'s for the npk. Its just a blend of all natural stuff. one for when you want blooms and one for when you want growth. I just know its what he uses for all his plants (over 70 varities) for a few years so... it must work. Its boughted from hydroponic graden stores

I'm not a big kumquat fan, but if I had to name a favorite I'd say it's the Meiwa. Dead ripe and well rubbed on my shirt they're not too bad to eat out of hand.

The only limequat I've personally eaten is the Lakeland of which I happen to have one. I'd say it's pretty much interchangeable with the Key lime so far as uses are concerned. In fact mine was labeled as a Key lime when I bought it.

.....Alan.

From what I have read meyers are to sensitive and too eaisly brusied for commercial sales. I only have a meiwa but do enjoy being able to be out back and eat a few while working in the yard.

Patty the ratios are 5-1-3, not 6-2-4. 6-2-4 would actually reduce down to be a 3-1-2 ratio, which by the way, would not be all that bad of a ratio either. See you at expo 2006 - Millet

Not much of a Quat fan either. Best bet if your going to get one, get the variegated Centennial Kumquat. Very nice foliage. Here's one of mine out in the front "citrus" garden...

I personally got quite fond of Nagami kumquats this season. I cant buy them reliably, and sometime stheyre really tart. but theyre kinda fun. I bought a Meiwa because I have read theyre sweeter.

Centennial ARE preetty, but how do they taste?

Taste the same as Nagami.

Millet, I could never find that ratio around here. When I was in Fl, I bought an all purpose 24-8-16 which is close. It lacks Manganese (Mn)...that's the same as epsom salt, right??
A dumb quest: what's the diff if it says 24-8-16 or 3-1-2 (ratios are same). Thanks
Patty

Patty, Manganese (Mn) and Magnesium (Mg) are not the same. Epsom Salts will provide Magnesium (Mg) but will not supply any Manganese (Mn).

As far as the 24-8-16 those numbers are the precentages of the nutrients, meaning 24% Nitrogen, 8% Phosphorous (P205) and 16% Potassium (K20). 3-1-2 is the ratio between the nitrogen, phosphorous and the potassium. In other words for every one part of phosphorous, there is three times the amount of nitrogen, and twice the amount of potassium. Your fertilizer has a ratio of 3-1-2. That fertilizer would be a pretty good mixture. - Millet

Is it important to have manganese? If so, how do I get it? Thanks

As a former resident of Epsom, I often try and correct this common error.
Epsom=small town near London, England with strange tasting spring water
Epson=Japanese printer manufacturer!