Kumquat Trees
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Meiwa Kumquat Tree
Fortunella crassifolia Meiwa Kumquats are small, sweet orange fruits that are tasty when ripe. They are not sour like the Nagami kumquat and a little rounder. They are delicious and used often for candy marmalades. Meiwa Kumquat trees are often ... -
Nagami Kumquat Tree
Fortunella margarita Nagami Kumquat trees produce many tiny, tart-flesh, oblong shape fruits that cover the canopy in the winter making a very ornamental tree. Eat fresh with the skin to balance the flavors or use it's acidic juice in cusine. ...
Kumquat Trees produces small orange citrus fruit that is eaten with the skin peel to be sweet and tart at the same time. Kumquat trees are considered very ornamental because of the tiny colorful flowers and prolific fruits multiple times per year. Dwarf Kumquat trees are often potted and placed in symmetry near entrances and doorways.
Botanically known as (Fortunella japonica syn. Citrus japonica), Kumquat trees are evergreen, native to Asia, and can reach heights of 6-15 feet tall. They have a nicely rounded canopy and are self-fertilized, meaning a pollinator is not as they can grow in slightly colder winter climates than other citrus trees, known to withstand temps as low as 18 F, however, we do not suggest planting citrus in areas with less than 30 degrees F. where the temps do not drop below 30 degrees F.
Care requires soil to be kept moist, but not wet or soggy. Generally, deeply water newly planted fruit trees 1x/ per week between Fall-Spring and 2x/per week. Sandy soils may need to be watered more frequently, while clay soils may require less. The frequency of the water will also depend on the plant’s health, temperature, wind, and humidity collectively contributing to the evapotranspiration rate.
User citrus food fertilizers with adequate NPK. Use a formula with more nitrogen in the spring and summer to promote growth, and fertilizers with more phosphorus and potassium in the Fall and Winters. Laying mulch over the area above the roots of the tree will help reduce evaporation from the soil, keep the soil moist and reduce weeds by preventing seedlings from getting sunlight. Manure can be used in the winter while the weather is cool.
Kumquat trees do not need to be pruned very much. They grow relatively slow and do not become very large. Remove suckers when they pop up, and pruning to shape should be done after the fruit is harvested, before spring blossoms.
PLEASE NOTE: WE DO NOT SHIP CITRUS TREES OUTSIDE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Plant Care Information
Watering Basics
Irrigation Management Basics
Water Frequency – The frequency of water depends on seasonal weather conditions such as temperature, wind speed, and humidity, as well as factors like soil type and plant health. Sandy soils dry faster than clay soils.
In General
- Water newly planted trees 2 times per week during the Spring and Fall seasons.
- Increase the frequency when temperatures increase during the Summer
- Reduce frequency once temperatures drop in Winters
Quantity of Water – Provide enough water to saturate the soil around the tree’s roots, then drain to field capacity. Clay soils hold more water than sandy soils.
In General
- Give about 3 – 5 gallons of water for a 5-gallon size plant,
- 15 gallons of water for a #15-size container plant
- 25 gallons for a #25 depending on soil type.
Types Automatic Irrigation Systems – Help reduce operator error
Bubblers, sprinklers, and drips are the most common types of automatic irrigation systems. The duration a system is run depends on the emitter’s flow rate.
Fertilizer and Plant Nutrition
“NPK”
NITROGEN, PHOSPHORUS & POTASSIUM
NPK are the 3 macronutrients most used by plants and are represented numerically on the label. Apply this fertilizer with a higher ratio of Nitrogen to Phosphorus and Potassium in the Spring and Summer to promote plant growth. Use a fertilizer with a higher ratio of Phosphorus and Potassium to Nitrogen in the Winter or before plants flower to improve yields.
WHEN TO FERTILIZE
Use 8-4-4 every three months. Spring (March- April) through the fall
Use 3-12-12 Harvest Booster before plants flowering or during winter dormancy. (December – January)
HOW MUCH FERTILIZER
Apply 1 cup (150 grams) for every 1” diameter of the trunk or 15-gallon size Apply 2 cups (300 grams) for every 2” diameter of the trunk or 25-gallon size
HOW TO FERTILIZE
Instructions:
Winter Pruning and Summer Thinning
Prune your tree to allow light into its center for proper growth and fruit production.
Prune fruit trees in the Winter to maintain size and shape to prepare for Spring growth. Thin the tree in the Summer, and remove excessive fruits. Remove any dry twigs and branches. Cut off any new growth below the graft or very low in the tree, this will direct the plant’s energy to its main branches. Thin your trees during the Spring and Summer seasons to ensure the plant’s energy is directed as desired. Harvest ripe fruit to prevent undesired pests.
Harvesting and Pest Management
The basics of integrated pest management is cleanliness and the use of a combination of methods. This means we use of organic pesticide when the pest population reaches a threshold that requires action. Horticultural oils such as Neem oil is an organic pesticide that controls tiny, soft bodied insects. Use organic Bordeaux and Liqui-cop to manage fungus causing diseases such as powdery mildew, rust, and leaf-curls.
Keep a clean environment, free of weeds and dropped fruit that host insects or attract animals. Harvest when fruit reaches size and store indoors. Use repellants and bird netting to protect your harvest from other animals.
Sun Exposure: Full Sun
- Citrus trees require at least 5 hours of direct sunlight for proper growth and fruit production
- Afternoon Sunlight is more intense than the morning sun, therefore stress and damage can result if there is a lack of sufficient water.
- Lack of water combined with highly reflective surfaces like cinderblock walls, patios, fencing, etc can exasperate the breakdown of chlorophyll resulting in yellowing leaves. This is due to the building up of heat, and loss of water causing stomates in the leaf to close.
- Proper irrigation frequency and quantity, along with cooling of surrounding areas can assist in negating the effects of intense sunlight.
- Additionally, creating shade can assist in preventing tree damage caused by excessive sunlight and heat build-up