I have an Atlas Honey Mandarin that is about 3 ft tall. Since I am new to citrus most of my trees are this size. Everywhere I read to not let the trees fruit but geez its hard to defruit a tree. I was wondering how many people on this forum defruit their young trees. I know nature will take a lot off the tree. I took these off my mandrin today 125 count made me sad

Bob, if you want faster and more vegetative growth from your tree, then remove the fruit. If you would rather have the fruit, and still get approximately 1/2 of the growth, then let the tree produce some fruit. Out of 72 container grown trees and three trees growing in the ground, I have only one time removed the fruit from a tree. It was one of the trees growing in the ground. It is up to you. - Millet

Additionally, on some types of citrus, especially satsumas, grapefruits and ect. the fruits, produced by young trees really don't taste all that good anyway. Therefore, some growers opt for the growth. - Millet

I'd be sad too! I woulda kept some of the bigger ones on.
I recently took off most blossoms on 5-6 yr. old meyer. It lost all but 2 leaves & put out a bunch of blossoms because of stress.
I want the energy to go into leafing out.

I have a question that is really confusing me.
This year after I tasted the fruits of my trees I want them to grow vegetatively.
Theya are now starting to bear flowers, not opened yet but in clusters. I imagine in 2 weeks time they will be in full bloom.
My question is is it OK to clip the unbloom flowers now or wait until they become fruitlets before I can fluck them.
Do I want to smell their blossoms? Not necessarily if it will help the plant to direct their energy making new buds and new leaves.
Or if I remove the flowerettes now would that make them double their effort the grow more flowers?
I already removed most of the fruits large and small of all of my citrus and just leave a couple in most of my trees.

This is the size of what I have now. This is it's first year fruiting I believe. Any thoughts? Should/should not remove? If I do at what size?




Thanks

I would leave them. It's natural for a lot to fall off by themselves. The tree will only keep what it can handle. Your tree looks healthy. If it wasn't, w/ a lot of leaf drop, then you'd pluck some to give more energy to plant. You will have fruits to eat this year!
Patty