# Satsuma tangerine trees...



## Bocephus

I have a couple of Satsumas. When I bought them 2 years ago they each had fruit already on them. It ripened just fine after I planted them.

Last year they trees didn't bloom and bear fruit like they should have. Can anyone tell me what the reason could have been. I've been wondering if they will bloom this spring or not...

thanks for any help, Bo


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## shorty70

Whew, might go to Randy Lemmon on this one.


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## Farmer Jim

I've grown Meyer Lemon, Satsuma, Grapefruit, Key Lime and Tangerine in New Orleans and here in Houston over the past 35 or so years. I did well with all but the Grapefruit (may have had the wrong variety), and my experience has been that the first two or three years of bearing are very inconsistent. After about the third bearing year mine always became pretty much stabelized and bore about the same way every year until a freeze would get them. Since you apparently got yours through the freeze this winter, I would give them another year or two before deciding you have a problem. 

As an aside, my Tangerine is about 15' now and bore about three bushels this past winter. It survived the freeze just fine :smile:, but I lost my Key Lime that was almost the same size sad_smiles.


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## cva34

*SATSUMA*



Farmer Jim said:


> I've grown Meyer Lemon, Satsuma, Grapefruit, Key Lime and Tangerine in New Orleans and here in Houston over the past 35 or so years. I did well with all but the Grapefruit (may have had the wrong variety), and my experience has been that the first two or three years of bearing are very inconsistent. After about the third bearing year mine always became pretty much stabelized and bore about the same way every year until a freeze would get them. Since you apparently got yours through the freeze this winter, I would give them another year or two before deciding you have a problem.
> 
> As an aside, my Tangerine is about 15' now and bore about three bushels this past winter. It survived the freeze just fine :smile:, but I lost my Key Lime that was almost the same size sad_smiles.


 SATSUMA's are some of the toughest tree in this area...CVA34


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## Bocephus

Thanks for the replies, they did fine through the freeze. I'll just wait and see what they do...


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## troy sylvia

*sasumas may have froze last year*

My parents trees in Old River always produce bushels of satsumas but did this year due to the late freeze we had last froze the buds. Troy


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## TerryM

I'm pretty heavy into citrus and here's my thoughts on your satsuma's.

Remove all fruit from planting time until year three or so. You want tree growth not production the first few years.

Satsuma's take some time to produce good fruit. Up to five or six years in some cases. Do not be surprised with large,dry,puffy fruit in year two thru four. They will get better with tree age.

Very cold weather will reduce that years production. 

Citrus are very heavy feeders. Try not to feed all at once, spread small amounts over a couple of months. Feeding on Valentine's day, St. Patrick's day, Easter, Mother's day, Memorial day, Fourth of July is a easy way to keep it straight.

Good luck


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## Sugars Pop

What type of feed do you use for Citrus trees? Do you feed before or after they bloom?


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## TerryM

Sugars Pop said:


> What type of feed do you use for Citrus trees? Do you feed before or after they bloom?


If you like organic, Microlife 8-4-6 is good stuff. Otherwise a basic 10-10-10 works well. Start fertilizing in mid Feb. and continue thru mid summer.


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## wickll

My neighbors tree had a great crop year before last. Almost nothing this past year (but he did prune it back really hard). Hopefully either his or mine will have a good crop this year. Seems like any kind of stress at the wrong time can knock you out of a crop. I had a few this past year, but they were thick skinned and not very juicy.

Meyers lemon is really blooming well right now. And seems like even when it loses blooms, it will put on more later.


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## Aggie Chris

Curious, what do satsuma's taste like? Never had one and have a spot in the yard for another citrus tree.


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## Muddskipper

I have close to a dozen citrus trees in containers.

I have 7 citron Buddahs hands, Lime-quat, Pink Lemon, Kumquat, and I believe a satsuma - It's my mystery tree .... no fruit last year, but the blooms on the questionable satsuma are going off!

I am at my max on the trees I can have, but want some different types .... so since this is a citrus thread if anyone wants to traade for one of my buddahs hands PM me.

In short to answer your question, is the tree getting enough direct sunlight? that could effect the blooms. Next is the food your feeding it. I try to stick with organic fertilizer. Bone meal and blood meal are key.

Last your soil PH could have an effect as well. I think you need closer to a 6 Ph level, which is slightly acidic.

For those that want to learn more about citrus here in our area, check out this link -

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/citrus/tamuhort.html


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## cva34

*TASTE*



Aggie Chris said:


> Curious, what do satsuma's taste like? Never had one and have a spot in the yard for another citrus tree.


 They taste simular to a tangerine sweet and juicy.There in that family.Easy to peel.They do not ship well thats the reason there not comercialy grown is my understanding....CVA34


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## CoastalOutfitters

i yo uprune them back really hard , it stunts next years growth

also leaving fruit on too long , when ripe pull it all

ditto on the fertilizer , fruit prod. is hard on a tree

late freezes can hammer blooms as well


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## Profish00

Mine just started blooming.


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## big64john

I have two large Louisiana Browns about 12-14 ft tall and 7-8 years old. Has anybody tried Epsom Salt in addition to fertiilizing? Results. Heard about this several years ago by couple of old timers. Epsom salt was supposedly a help in making the fruit sweeter.


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## Muddskipper

Epson salt helps the leaves get greener ..... it's a suppliment. Don't do it more than once a year, and this is the time to use it. don't over do it if you do.

All citus need numerous minerals found in various rocks and sand.


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## big64john

Muddskipper said:


> Epson salt helps the leaves get greener ..... it's a suppliment. Don't do it more than once a year, and this is the time to use it. don't over do it if you do.
> 
> All citus need numerous minerals found in various rocks and sand.


Thanks for the reply. I added a small amount (according to instructions on the bag) when I fertilized in early Feb.


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## Bocephus

Update....one of my trees has a few blooms on it. None yet on the other one. These trees are still young though, they are only a few feet tall.

Thanks for the help everyone.

Bo


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## Blue.dog

I have 8 different types of citrus fruit trees. They all have been blooming at different times. My satsuma here in L.J. was one of the last to bloom.
So, give yours some more time. I did fertilize everything with some 10-20-10 around the first of Februarty and I do soak water treatment. All my trees have a brick circle around their base in the neighborhood of 2 feet in diameter. I water until the brick circle won't hold the water any more and it starts to run out over the edge of the bricks. Then I may not water again for 2 to 3 weeks.

B.D


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## Sonnysmarine

I'm looking for some more to replace a few I lost due to the freeze and lost some due to using well water to water them , it has too much iron in it, the grass loves it, but the Fruit trees do not do well. So back to dragging 150 ft of hose around the yard for city water, this year. Or setting up a drip system to water them off city water.
Anybody know of a place to buy some good ones???


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## big64john

*Losing fruit??*

My satsuma trees are about 8 yrs. old 12 - 15 ft tall. Heavy blooming this year with lots of fruit. Fertilized early Feb. Heavy fruit and tree starts to drop fruit which I expect due to too much for a tree to support later on. About 10 days after fruit start appearing after pollination I start losing the fruit and it continues to almost no fruit left. Fruit and stems turn yellow before falling. Anyone see this happen.

Thanks


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## Muddskipper

It comes from either over watering or under watering and lack of nuterients.

Cotton seed meal is a good organic product you sould try ot feed your tree.

You might also taking a soil sample to your local agg office nd see what it's lacking


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## big64john

*Update, trees are fine.*

I may have been too early in my post of April. I have plenty of fruit here in July and of nice size. I guess my eye sight is not what it used to be, not seeing small fruit in April. I am watering (a good soaking of about 2 hours each) during this drought though. Trees look really good and healthy.


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