I have a 26-ft tall Calamondin and I love to harvest the fruits every now and then, from top to bottom. I almost fell from a ladder because I am using two hands to pick the fruits, you know, one holding the fruit and the other snipping it with scissor and with no hands left to hold myself on the ladder in case I got off-balance. And I would have needed at least three to safely harvest the fruits.

It is important that we snip the petiole when we harvest calamondin. If we harvest calamondin by simply pulling and plucking, some peels would remain on the tree and that encourages fungal development on those peels which would then spread to flowers and encourages bloom rot thereby reducing the number of fruit sets.

My Little Giant Ladder is super sturdy, thanks in part to Benny for funding half the cost of that expensive ladder, and indeed it has saved me number of times. I actually lose balance and fell off but I manage to get my leg hold unto one of its rung and I was hanging like an acrobat. The ladder did
not budge nor shake at all. I was off balance and sure glad was able to quickly hook my leg to hold me almost upside down.

Then I requested from the Filipino Community group if there is such device to cut the petiole of the calamondin as you harvest them using just one hand while the other hand help to cling for dear life. And indeed there is, but you have to make your own because it is not available in the market.

Thanks a lot to Ped Unson for sharing a pictorial how-to. The pictures were taken by Ped using a camera phone, but what is important is the concept.

For demonstration purposes, a strip of white paper is used for greater visibility. But you would ideally used a GI metal sheet cut to shape with metal shears. A cheaper alternative would be to use the metal of soup cans. You would have to sharpen the protruding "blade" before using the device. you can try making out a paper to fit the dimensions of your thumb properly, and then copy the paper template unto a metal sheet.

First step, cut out a pattern like shown below. Notice that the notch will be for the blade, and it should be approximately as wide as your thumb's fingernail.

Next step, roll it to size (of your thumb, and tape together (or rivet together or use metal glue when doing on the sheet metal)

This is how you would wear it. It would seem like you have extended your thumb's fingernail. The protruding part should be sharpened.

And this is how you would use it. Run the petiole holding the fruit between your index and middle fingers and then cut with the device using your thumb. Very nifty. You cut the petiole while holding the fruit, all with one hand!

That's pretty cool. reminds me of something quick that Macgyver would make to help out someone.

huh!
I am going to make one of those. That's a pretty neat idea.

Joe:
Do you know that the Matsumoto persimmon you gave me last summer bore a fruit?
It's the one on the left. Imagine the graft is only 6 inches long.

Benny, I think you got a mislabeled branch. The one on the left has the shape of Giant Fuyu persimmon. If it is non-astringent, not too sweet, then it definitely is. It will have giant fruits when the branches get bigger.

The Matsumoto Wase has the same fruit shape and size as Fuyu, only maturing earlier and seedless.

Thanks for the info.
I'll take a note of that.
Till next fruiting time.
I have lots of different persimmon cultivars that took so I am hoping that they will have a bloom come spring time.
And also those many European plums that took, that took over the canopy of my Santa Rosa Plum.
It will be a sight to see of different fruit color on the canopy come spring time (I hope).