My kumquat tree is still over loaded with fruit. It is already late May. I've used literally 100's of them already. I can't eat any more... I've used them every week in the disposal to keep it clean and fresh, add frozen ones to ice water, thrown them just to see how far they will fly... I must say they are pretty aerodynamic

So the question is, does it have a negative effect on the tree to keep them on and let mother nature take care of it? Or is it neglecting new growth and fruit to keep these on? Would it be best for the tree to pick them all off? I like the way it looks right now and is quite the conversation piece when people come over.

Thanks John

5/22/2008


Hi John....


It won't hurt your tree if they stay on..I have two
Calamodin Oranges , 3 feet tall and two feet wide loaded with
small oranges in green and ripe stages. I love your tree it's
awesome !. Where did you get it ?


Cheers...Joe....

I make marmalade out of ours. They make a wonderful marmalade and I give it away. Everyone loves it.

They say that if you leave the fruit on during the next years bloom it will reduce the amount of fruit that sets, but it looks like you have plenty and a slight reduction in next years crop probably won't matter that much to you. Result is you have the fruit on your tree longer--available when you want it longer. That is what I chose to do with my lemons.

That is a beautiful tree! Barbara

maybe you could collect some seeds and send them to people who might like some. like...me?

With the added benefit of getting a taste of a tree ripened fruit! Barbara

Thanks for the input and complements on the tree everyone. Of all my trees this is the big daddy of the bunch.

Joe my wife actually bought that tree somewhere near Savannah Ga a few years ago, she doesn't remember the name of the place unfortunately. She did remember she paid $60.00 for it which I thought was pretty good for such a large tree.

I guess I'll leave the fruit on, it is nice to walk outside now and then and pop one in your mouth. If it fruits a little less next year no big deal, I bet that thing had 500 or more fruit this season.

John

well if you are willing you can send me a little fruit and i'll pay for them provided there are seeds for me to grow inside. just send me a pm and we can work something out.

What I noticed is that if you keep the fruits very long on the kunquat tree, some of them would re-green, and then the seeds inside would shrivel or degenerate into non-viable speck of dried out remnants, but that took almost a year. I think the seeds inside can be viable as long as it is well formed when you open it, and perhaps up to 6 months from the day the fruits ripen.

John, a tree of such load would only last for one week when we are having a heat wave in California.

What I do is to cut open, press the juice over a strainer to remove seeds, then put the strained juice and rinds into a blender. Throw in some ice and little bit of sweetener according to taste, some water, blend well until the rinds and pulps are very fine, and you'll get the best tasting cool drink.

The key is to really run the blender long, making very fine particles as to "liquefy" the rinds.

Another trick is not to use sweetener, instead, use frozen orange juice or lemon juice or pineapple juice, and just the same, mix everything in the blender. Interesting tastes of various kinds, you'll never get bored until every fruit is gone.

While we can strip bare our calamondins and kumquats this way, I intentionally leave many fruits for show and tell and to amaze visiting friends by forcing them to eat the rinds. Interesting to watch them eating it fresh, about 1 out of 2 liked it and screaming for more, 1 out of 4 can't decide if they would try again, and 1 of four are swearing they don't want to eat kumquats again.

great tree, do you bring it inside during the winter? I have a smaller tree with some fruit left and I had the same question you had

a few fruits shouldn't affect the tree that much.