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"Acid" oranges?

Follow-up to "Six Oranges".

Saved for ritual tasting by visiting family. One reported "acidic". Why?! I water & feed them regularly; they get plenty of sun; good soil. My heart is broken. Any thoughts?

HB

Reply to
Hypatia Nachshon
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Do you know the variety? Some oranges are naturally sour (e.g., 'Seville' oranges). Also, orange trees grown from seed often do not reflect the quality of the fruit from their parents.

Reply to
David E. Ross

It is entirely possible that the report of "acidic" was tied to the taster, not the orange. I cannot give my elderly mother oranges because they are all are sour and burn her throat but they are just normal oranges to me. If multiple tasters had reported the same thing then I'd have more confidence that it might be the orange.

Reply to
John McGaw

Probably an LSD variatal.

Reply to
Brooklyn1

Thanks to all for input.

These are dwarf Washington oranges. I tasted one and it was a little on the "sharp" side, for a variety that is usually milder. I fed tree with regular commercial citrus fertilizer. Previous crop from same tree was less "acidic", if memory serves. Is there any wisdom out there relating to types/effects of fertilizer? I can't think of any other variable.

Would hate to wait another year for same result.

TIA

HB

Reply to
Hypatia Nachshon

Update: Several other "tasters" did not report "acidic"; just normal. So that first orange may have been an anomaly for ? reason.

Will have to read up on fertilizers for next year.

HB

Reply to
Hypatia Nachshon

While degree of ripeness in oranges doesn't effect sweetness (which can mask acidity) it *does* effect acidity considerably so be sure they're completely ripe (it reduces as they ripen). Also a short period of post-picking storage will reduce acidity (but always pick when completely ripe.)

That's off the top of my head by the way. Gathered wisdom which I use with my own citrus harvest. I usually wait for the first couple of fruit from each tree to fall before harvesting (most of) the rest with oranges. Unless I'm in need of one or two for the kitchen.

Reply to
~misfit~

While degree of ripeness in oranges doesn't effect sweetness (which can mask acidity) it *does* effect acidity considerably so be sure they're completely ripe (it reduces as they ripen). Also a short period of post-picking storage will reduce acidity (but always pick when completely ripe.)

That's off the top of my head by the way. Gathered wisdom which I use with my own citrus harvest. I usually wait for the first couple of fruit from each tree to fall before harvesting (most of) the rest with oranges. Unless I'm in need of one or two for the kitchen.

To the best of my knowledge fertilisers have almost zero effect on acidity or sweetness. About the only things that do are sunlight / leaf area per fruit and /adequate/ fertilisation.

...... I was just in the process of double-checking that for you but I'm busy right now so:

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Good luck! I spent an hour reading before deciding to share a link rather than collating and summarising the data for you. ;)

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Sorry, the previous post had the signature in the wrong place.

I should add that I'm also inclined to agree with others who stated that there's a good chance individual palettes came into play with your taste testing.

Best of luck.

Reply to
~misfit~

I found this:

The most important nutrients influencing fruit quality are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. However, when any other nutrient is deficient or in excess, fruit yield and quality are negatively altered. Nitrogen (N) in- creases juice content, TSS per box and per acre, and acid content. However, excessive N can induce excess vigor and promote a vegetative rather than a flowering tree, and can result in lower yields with lower TSS per acre. In contrast, low N levels promote exten- sive flowering, but fruit set and yields are poor. Phosphorus reduces acid content, which increases soluble solids: acid ra- tio. Potassium (K) increases fruit pro- duction, fruit size, green fruit and peel thickness. Foliar spray of potassium nitrate or monopotassium phosphate in the spring often increases fruit size of tangerine and grapefruit, and fruit size and total pound solids of Valen- cia orange. Foliar application (six to eight weeks before bloom) of urea can increase flowering and fruit set.

Here:

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Hope it helps.

Reply to
~misfit~

Checking in late because of an influx of house guests since early January - -FIVE in quick succession! Now in recovery; gradually starting to put life back together and follow up on group.

VERY grateful for scholarly research on this topic! Will study and integrate info, links, etc. for the next crop, due in about a year. This is a dwarf Washington that is dear to my heart, so your wisdom is appreciated.

Will be more consistent in watering and fertilizing.

Note that I DID let oranges get quite, quite ripe (in fact I lost a few through cracks in the skin).

Thanks again to all!

HB

Reply to
Hypatia Nachshon

Sorry for the late reply. Oranges should *never* split or crack on the tree. If you leave them on "too long" they should simply drop to the ground. Splits or cracks are a sign of irregular watering*.

[*] Usually at least, it can be caused by other things but 95% of the time it's watering issues. The oranges on my biggest container tree are just starting to turn yellowish and I've lost maybe 8 from splitting. In this case it's not irregular watering per se that's the issue it's the fact I've let perhaps 75 fruits set on a tree that's under 6' tall and 5' wide in a 20 gallon container. The roots are struggling to supply enough for all of the fruits despite the tree being watered every day - sometimes twice if it's hot - there simply isn't enough root area in such a small container. What happens is when it rains the foliage takes in water as well as the roots and the increased water available in the tree goes to the fruits faster than the skins can stretch to accomodate it.

I could have simply removed half of the fruit just after it set when they were marble-sized and I wouldn't have this problem - after all there are a

*lot* of fruit on a small tree. However I decided that I'd try to ripen as many as I can as not only do I eat the fruits but I also candy the peel for my fruit bread and it's hard to get enough good peel to last the year from my own container-grown trees.
Reply to
~misfit~

Thanks; very helpful. My little Washington (in the ground, not in pot) has never set more than 12, but I'll keep an eye out in case it gets as prolific as yours.

I've been away since early March; accident, surgery, rehab, PT continuing, Couldabinworse.

Found garden in lousy condition; whathehell was "devoted" gardener doing for 8 weeks?! I'm not able to do the heavy stuff, but I do what I can.

Good to be back wit' yiz.

Onward!

HB

Reply to
Hypatia Nachshon

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