My Sambo tree has been doing extremely well, despite having to be brought indoors for the winter. Some leaf-drop, but nothing to be concerned about.

The information that came with it said that it's harvest time should be around December-January.

Well, here is it the middle of February and I'm a little concerned. The tree is full of fruit, some as big a grapefruits, but they're "stuck" in a light green/yellow stage, just not making it to that yellow "lemon" stage. Day after day (and this has been going on for over a month), I see very little change in the aforementioned color of the fruit. Is there something I can do to help it along?

The fruit is soft to the touch (squeezable), and not hard firm at all.

Just looking for some answers. Any educated responses would be greatly appreciated. I'm concerned about them rotting on the tree now. They seem to have been stuck where they are for too long. I probably should have sought some answers sooner, as it might already be too late. I hope not.

It gets appropriate water and fertilizing for being indoors and the time of year and it's stage of growth (as advised by here on this great forum), and it gets great light, if that helps.

"Is there something I can do to help it along?"

Expose it to some cold-- much of the sweetening and color development in citrus fruits are tied to exposure to colder temperatures. I started picking my lemons in Aug when they were green as limes-- they had plenty of juice and it was tart, but as the tree has been exposed to cold weather the lemons have turned a bright yellow and the peel now has much more of that characteristic lemon smell and flavor.

The harvest information that came with your tree was providing maturity information times for trees planted in the ground in areas such as Florida, or perhaps southern California. This information does not apply to container trees growing indoors in your area. When you grow the tree in colder locations as a container tree that must spend its winters indoors, then all bets are off. The harvest information no longer counts. For a Sanbokan lemon you will not need to expose it to cold temperatures to get it to mature faster, nor do you have to do anything at all. Just wait and the lemon will mature, and turn very yellow. This process takes time. Your tree is not stuck, nothing is wrong with your tree. - Millet

Although you both have opinions I have come to learn from, respect and listen to, you seem to be at somewhat of any impasse here.

Skeeter, you're telling me that I should expose my trees to some cold...something they don't get in my zone when I have to bring them inside in containers. That made perfect sense to me.

Millet...you're telling me that there's nothing wrong with the tree. That the guidelines for harvesting apply to in-ground harvest and not container. I have to admit that makes sense.

As I said, it appears to be healthy in every single way, except the lemons seems to be in suspended growth, but I think, although I respect both opinions, leave things are they are....be patient, and let the trees do as they are supposed to do. The others, the Meyer's and the Eureka, are blooming indoors and leafing out (even beginning small fruits)....so they can't be suffering. And they're all in the same room, benefiting from the same light and indoor conditions.

So I must be doing something right. Besides appropriate water and fertilization, perhaps the best thing they could benefit from right now is my patience.

I only worried because the Sanbokan seemed to be soft when squeezed and I worried about them rotting on the tree. EVERYDAY I feel like plucking off the fruit and just seeing what the deal is inside. I suppose I could sacrifice one and see what's going on inside, what the juice is like (tart is OK with me, I WILL actually eat a lemon), but the peel, the zest is just as important, as I use it in cooking and baking. And right now, I don't think I'd use the peel looking like it does. If I took one off to test the juice, I would certainly zest it just to experience what the zest is like.

But thanks for your input. You've both helped a great deal. This is really a great forum. Thank you.

If I don't see any progress within a reasonable amount of time, they will go out in the cold for just a little while. Not enough to kill them, but I'm willing to try anything at this point. But as I said, patience is my first option.

A cooler period is required for sweet fruit such as oranges, and mandarins and satsumas to change the color of the peel from green to orange. In the tropics where the temperature never becomes cold, an orange will mature and can be picked and eaten, but remains green. This makes it difficult to know when to pick. However your lemon will automatically continue to yellow. Citrus trees do not get "stuck". Just wait and you will see. I have grown Sanbokan Lemons for years. They are one of my very favorite tasting citrus fruits. If you have not eaten a Sanbokan Lemon you will love it. Lastly, the rind of a Sanbokan is VERY THICK, and softens as the fruit matures. There is not as much interior pulp as you would believe by looking at the size of the fruit. - Millet

When the tree was just producing good-sized fruit and they were quite large, I had to move the tree due to high winds, and lost a fruit off it. I took it inside and sliced it open and was surprised when I discovered that there was a particularly thick pith with the Sanbokan and a small pulp interior.

It's good to know that the flesh of the Sanbokan is supposed to be soft. They are unlike other lemons, which are very firm to the touch. I was concerned about that, but you've helped put that concern to rest. They are as they should be.

I can't stress enough, you're input has been greatly appreciated.

Millet could be correct when it comes to container trees--especially since he has that variey and I don't. I do know that exposure to cold sweetens the fruit on all my satsumas, mandarins and kumquats as you can see and taste the change with each front. As lemons are not really sweet, and not having a container lemon to compare to my inground lemon, I can't really say if the cold has had any influence on the taste of the lemons, but they have improved over time.