A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2005 Calamondins and other ornamental citrus trees

Hello!!

I am a relatively new owner of a beautiful calamonin, fruits and all. I have joined here to ask questions about them since I seem to find nothing but conflicting info every where I look on the net.

First conflicting info is fertilizer. I'm getting from 8-3-10 to 5-10-10 to 20-20-20 to 10-10-30 ??? Can anyone clarify this one??

I've read that they do like high humidity and then I read that they don't.....

I'm getting all sorts of answers on how long the fruit take to mature, longest I have read being a year

Although I have read that a certain amount of fruit drop is normal, I have some that have been turning yellow orange when they are wayyyy too small and finally drop...is this the type of normal fruit drop they are referring to?

And finally, does anyone know anything about raising these plants indoors under home made lighting conditions?


I hope someone out there can help me clarify the points...like I said, the plant is doing well, but I want it to do greeeeeaaaaat!!

Hi Eco!

I have a calamandarin (or however you spell it) sitting on my back porch here in Tampa, FL. I will answer what I can.

Mine seem to loooove high humidity. I bring them indoors and growth virtually stops. Outdoors, they grow fairly well. Outdoors in a very hot and humid greenhouse environment, they grow like crazy!

My fruit took a good 6+ months to mature. You'll know when all the green is gone. At least that is when I picked mine. However, they will stay on the tree for a very long time. Months! That may be why you were getting such conflicting answers there.

As for indoors, close to a bright window oughta be enough. If there is ever a time you can put them outside, go for it.

Fertilizer, someone else will have to answer that one. I am no expert there. I just use something that is fairly balanced.

Best of luck to you, and don't be shy to share pictures. It seems people love to look at pictures on this forum.

Big Jim

Thank you Big Jim!!! Very much appreciated! You are right, that is probably why I am getting so many different stories of fruit maturity.

I will absolutely share photos of it once it has more than one fruit in color, more impressive to look at when there are at least 4 or 5 at a time!!