Citrus – Never Enough Dirt

Crazy About Citrus | Ep01 Receiving Bud Wood + Rainwater Ranch Visit

By BrianT
on Mar 09, 2018
in Blood orange, Citrus, Navel orange, YouTube

“Crazy About Citrus” is a series chronicling our connection with citrus.

In this episode:
As an avid citrus collector, we will reach a point where it is necessary to attempt to acquire the skill of grafting plants. The reason for this is that more varieties of citrus exists in bud wood form than can be purchased as trees. In order to add rare citrus varieties to our collection we must now try our hand at grafting. Today we receive bud wood from the Citrus Clonal Protection Program. Because of the Huanglongbing disease that is terminal to citrus trees, it is necessary to acquire bud wood from certified sources as a measure to contain the spread of the disease.

Part 2: In January my family and I went on a road trip and visited with family in northern California. While planning our trip, we were invited onto a farm by the good folks that I had gotten to know through social media. These folks happen to be citrus growers. There are a few clips from that wonderful visit. Special thanks to @rainwater_ranch.
https://www.instagram.com/rainwater_ranch/

Music: Dan Lebowitz, “Blue Creek Trail”

Sanguinelli / Sanguinello Blood Orange – A Look Inside

By BrianT
on Feb 17, 2017
in Blood orange, Citrus, Featured Post

Our “three year old” Sanguinelli (aka Sanguinello) dwarf blood orange tree arrive via parcel on March 4th, 2014. It now bears us wonderful fruit!

This is one of three blood orange varieties growing here in the Never Enough Dirt urban backyard garden and orchard.

More info: http://www.citrusvariety.ucr.edu/citrus/sanguinelli.html

GARDEN TOUR: Fruit Trees Update June 2016

By BrianT
on Jun 25, 2016
in Avocado, Berry, Blood orange, Citrus, Featured Post, Fruit, Lime / Lemon, Navel orange

See the trees missed in the February video along with the newest trees!

A Thing Or Two About Fruit Trees

By BrianT
on Feb 16, 2016
in Avocado, Citrus, Featured Post, Fruit

fruittree1 For anyone interested in growing fruit tree(s) and anyone interested in how their fruit is grown.

With exception to tropical fruit, most of the commercially available fruit (citrus, apple, peach, avocado, etc) does not exist in the wild. The fruit we consume was created from selective breeding (hybridization) and accidental discovery. These fruit are mutant fruit; if you will.

“Hybridization occurs in one of three ways. People can manually cross citrus through assisted sexual reproduction, transferring pollen from one plant to another and seeding from resulting fruit. This kind of trial-and-error, wait-and-see experimentation requires great patience. Alternatively, people can hunt for desirable varieties that appear spontaneously on eccentric tree branches– mutations known as bud sports or chimeras. In the atomic age, plant breeders gained a third technique: bombarding seeds with radiation to induce mutations. (The popular Rio Red grapefruit came into being at Brookhaven National Laboratory on Long Island.) Once a desirable varietal has been created or discovered, it must be asexually copied to be perpetuated. Citrus hybrids are unstable: sweet orange seed may sprout into a sour lemon. Only grafting produces uniform, predictable results.”

Farmer, Jared. Trees in Paradise: A California History. New York: W. W. Norton, 2013. 227-228. Print.
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January 2016 citrus report card

By BrianT
on Jan 11, 2016
in Citrus, Fruit, Lime / Lemon, Navel orange

Some of the citrus trees acquired in 2014 have begun to fruit. The Robertson navel oranges have produced their first batch of fruit. Three small oranges hang from the tree. I had the chance to taste one the other day. The fruit was full of juice and had good flavor and sweetness.

Robertson navel orange

Dwarf Robertson navel orange tree

‘Tarocco’ blood orange new pot and a trim

By BrianT
on Mar 02, 2015
in Blood orange, Citrus

When the Moro blood orange was planted into the ground, it made its pot available.
The dwarf Tarocco blood orange now has a bigger container.

It was also time to give it a trim.

February fruit tree round up

By BrianT
on Feb 24, 2015
in Avocado, Blood orange, Citrus, Featured Post, Fruit, Lime / Lemon, Navel orange

Fruit trees are extremely practical to have. The fruit can be left on the tree to be used at one’s convenience. An established tree can produce quite a bit of fruit. There may be so much fruit that they may start to rot before they are consumed. What better then to offer your neighbors, friends, and relatives some fresh fruit?

Planted Moro blood orange tree

By BrianT
on Feb 16, 2015
in Blood orange, Citrus, Featured Post, Fruit

The Moro blood orange tree has been in decline for some time now. With fruit on the tree, the task of planting it into the ground was held off. It is time to plant the tree now that the fruit had ripen. Further, new leaves are growing. There is a rush to plant now as opposed to later when the shock of planting will disturb the leaves. Having lots of prep for spring to complete, planting the blood orange tree is a priority item.