Home citrus growers display their successes
By Dr. William Johnson
Contributor
Published December 12, 2007
The 2007 Upper Gulf Coast Citrus Show was on Dec. 6 at the Walter Hall Park Pavilion in League City. Area citrus growers submitted 142 entries for viewing. The entries reflected the remarkable range of citrus that is grown in the area including blood oranges, grapefruits, lemons, tangerines and tangelo.
Home-grown citrus is of superior quality to supermarket fruits. Many residents grow citrus not only for the fruit but also for the ornamental value trees provide to the landscape. Lastly, many types of citrus are easier to grow than many traditional fruit trees.
The Upper Gulf Coast Citrus Show was sponsored by the Extension Fruit & Pecan Committee. If you would like to know what types of citrus can be grown here, look at the following list of ribbon and rosette winners and their citrus entries:
Rudy Altamirano, Galveston: second place, Mexican lime; first place, Nagami kumquat.
E. R. Browning, Santa Fe: third place, Navel orange; second place, satsuma.
S. W. Cole, Alvin: third place, Moro blood orange; second place, Miho satsuma; second place, Vainiglia Sanguigno blood orange; second place, Nagami kumquat.
Betty Fisher, San Leon: third place, Mexican lime; second place, Satsuma; first place, Variegated Calamondin orange.
Tommy Grissett, Freeport: first place, Temple x Orlando mandarin.
Robert Ingram, Texas City: third place, satsuma cluster.
Larry Johnston, Pearland: third place, Valencia orange; third place, Mexican lime; third place, Navel orange; second place, satsuma; first place, Mexican lime.
Chris Kneupper, Brazoria: third place, Sunquat; second place, Vainiglia Sanguigno blood orange.
Bob Luke, San Leon: third place, satsuma.
Robert & Sally Marx, Santa Fe: third place, Honey tangerine seedling; third place, Henderson grapefruit; third place, Rio Red grapefruit; third place, Seville Variegated orange, third place, Orlando tangelo; second place, Meyer lemon; second place, Navel orange; second place, satsuma seedling; second place, Minneola tangelo; second place, Sunburst mandarin; second place, Fairchild tangerine x tangelo seedling; second place, Star Ruby grapefruit cluster; first place, Yuzuquat.
Ray Michalik, Brazoria: third place, Owari satsuma; second place, Duncan grapefruit; second place, Rio Red grapefruit; first place, N-33 Navel orange.
Sammie Mize, Houston: second place, Meyer lemon.
Norman Mize, Pearland: third place, satsuma.
John E. Panzarella, Lake Jackson: third place, Osceola tangerine x tangelo; third place, Golden grapefruit; second place, DancyQuat; second place, Yuzuquat; first place, Vanigilia blood orange; first place, Jamison LA Sweet orange; first place, Bloomsweet grapefruit.
Bernard M. Patten, Seabrook: first place, Sour orange seedling.
Gerald P. Schaub, Galveston: first place, Meiwa kumquat cluster; first place, Meiwa kumquat.
Dan Sebesta, Bellaire: second place, Meiwa kumquat; first place, Meyer lemon; first place, Meyer lemon cluster; first place, Owari satsuma; reserve champion, Fairchild tangerine x tangelo cluster.
Bettye Solcher, Houston: first place, Persian lime seedling; first place, satsuma cluster.
Earl Stone, Pearland: second place, BC-2 satsuma.
Luke Stripling, Dickinson: second place, Rio Red grapefruit; Best of Show, Rio Red grapefruit cluster.
Vivian & Joe Swain, Santa Fe: first place, Pink seedling grapefruit; first place, Orlando tangelo.
Joe Weller, Lake Jackson: first place, Cocktail grapefruit.
Dick Wettling, El Lago: third place, Meyer lemon.
For some plant growing endeavors, my philosophy is If you cant pronounce it, dont grow it! However, on most occasions with citrus, not being able to pronounce it will not reduce your chances of growing some wonderful and delicious fruit.
Dr. William Johnson is a horticulturist with the Galveston County Extension Office of Texas Cooperative Extension, Texas A&M University. Visit his Web site at
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston. 
