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Persuade orange tree to flower
DrMac
Posts: 23
I purchased a small (12" high) Calamondin ornamental orange tree which was pretty well covered in fruit. This was 18 months ago. The fruit has now gone and the tree is growing, though the growth pattern is slightly different. I suspect the original tree had been subjected to some dwarfing spray.
The question now is how to persuade it to flower and fruit again. I have another small orange tree (freebie many years ago from a marmalade firm I think!) that seems to be flowering and fruiting pretty well all year round. I don't treat that any differently.
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Posts
They can be a bit fussy about being moved so it might still be 'settling in'. You're obviously doing the right things for your other citrus to be happy so it might be a case of just having to wait a bit longer. One thing to be wary of is too much heat if you are growing it in a conservatory or similar. They can stop growing when it gets to 30C for any significant length of time.
Thanks Bob.
One further point out of curiosity if I may. Are these small compact citrus trees sold in fruit, been treated in some way not available to us mere mortals? The plant was very compact with the foliage almost totally hidden by ripe fruit. I know that chrysanths are or used to be sprayed with some dwarfing agent.
I don't know about chemicals being used but they are certainly grown under ideal (and artificial) conditions to make them look their best ready for sale. That would include varying the day/night lengths, temperature variations and nutrients. That applies to many other plants we buy at garden centres too.
As I said, a way not (readily) available to us mere mortals!
Thanks Bob. Good night.