Kumquat... fortunella hindsii

[Cadillactaste]

Funny how things make it to ones bench...I assumed these needed to winter in a tropical room. Being citrus... Yeah, didn't do any research...just assumed when I seen a friend add one to their collection. I am very happy with the few tropical I do own. But I'm full. Could I add more, yes...but they are a lot more work come winter than my dormant trees. Those dormant trees makes me appreciate the lazy days of winter.

Had one reach out to me to ask to see a companion planting I had...Matt O had sent him my way. Ended up talking trees...and he mentioned this species. I stated...I have no room for more tropical. That's when he said...I'm pretty certain your winter set up that it could winter in there...I paused...and then sent Jason a message asking him. So that was how I ventured down the path in acquiring a kumquat. All in one days time. But honestly...I needed some retail therapy. Lots going on here...that I can't get into.

This article/blog on kumquats...one actually mentions keeping it in a cold greenhouse. That is refreshing since that is the plan with the one coming in this week. I really want no more tropical to deal with. I prefer lazy winters of dormant trees. Not that I don't love my tropical...but, those with large collections in colder climates...are extremely dedicated...and I commend them.

Just curious...seeing a few with kumquat here. How you go about wintering yours. Jason Schley said they can winter easily in my cold greenhouse. I've read they do well with dormancy. So I'm not really concerned. Just curious...I know another northerner who will winter his with the tropcial. So it will be interesting to see how two different directions of wintering...how the tree reacts come spring.

An article of one wintering in a cold greenhouse. This made me just feel, that I got this. New species...is like a new side path...of learning.

OH COME, ALL YE KUMQUATS

KUMQUATS ARE RIPENING IN THE GREENHOUSE As we enter the Holiday season, and the winter solstice, the rare fruits of winter arrive in the markets that were common winter fruits in Asia. Persimmons. …

growingwithplants.com

.

Not surprising to many...that this one has ended up on my bench. Quirky...for sure.

 

[Forsoothe!]

I have a Kumquat 'Nagami' and it flowers starting soon and the fruit is ripe January/February for marmalade. It's too sour to eat straight, has a bizillion seeds and the flavor is mostly in the rind. I keep it in the greenhouse in winter and I don't know if you would get fruit if you are not actively growing it year-around. It does attempt some flowering in March?April, but I'm not sure whether that is serious or not because the pollen was poor and the stigma never got wet. At the same time a Key Lime had the same problem. The Lime is setting fruit right now outdoors and I expect the K to begin doing so shortly. I suspect my pruning regime is out of kilter. I will be pruning hard after fruit is mature & picked.

 

[Cadillactaste]

I have a Kumquat 'Nagami' and it flowers starting soon and the fruit is ripe January/February for marmalade. It's too sour to eat straight, has a bizillion seeds and the flavor is mostly in the rind. I keep it in the greenhouse in winter and I don't know if you would get fruit if you are not actively growing it year-around. It does attempt some flowering in March?April, but I'm not sure whether that is serious or not because the pollen was poor and the stigma never got wet. At the same time a Key Lime had the same problem. The Lime is setting fruit right now outdoors and I expect the K to begin doing so shortly. I suspect my pruning regime is out of kilter. I will be pruning hard after fruit is mature & picked.
View attachment 324724

So your greenhouse is warm and not a cold greenhouse? Love seeing yours with fruit.

Will Waibel mentioned China sees winter and these are grown there outside. So I'm curious to see how it reacts with a dormancy. I keep reading they can handle it. I've also read ones which are in warmer climates see sweeter fruit.

 

[Clicio]

So your greenhouse is warm and not a cold greenhouse?
Will Waibel mentioned China sees winter

Mine loves our mild winters here.
This whole week we are having between 40f and 65f and the Kumquat feel so happy it is showing some new fruit.
So the answer is, I do nothing in winter, it stays on the bench.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Mine loves our mild winters here.
This whole week we are having between 40f and 65f and the Kumquat feel so happy it is showing some new fruit.
So the answer is, I do nothing in winter, it stays on the bench.
View attachment 324729

Thanks...it's LOVELY! My cold greenhouse sits around 35F...so a few degrees colder than your seeing.

 

[JoeR]

You say you got it from Jason-- schley? Nice.

The question is- while they tolerate a mild cold winter, do they prefer or even require it?

 

[Cadillactaste]

You say you got it from Jason-- schley? Nice.

The question is- while they tolerate a mild cold winter, do they prefer or even require it?

Yes, and Jason said ,"I have a ton of them. They could winter in your greenhouse. They grow down to the keys no problem."

They aren't quite tropical. Many say they do well with a dormancy period. Subtropical...classification I believe. Still reading. But seeing ones with success in cold greenhouses.

Lastly, Jason would never steer me wrong.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Duplicate post sorry.

 

[Cadillactaste]

But, as @JoeR has mentioned...I ponder if it would be happier elsewhere. Out of curiosity.

 

[Forsoothe!]

So your greenhouse is warm and not a cold greenhouse? Love seeing yours with fruit.

Will Waibel mentioned China sees winter and these are grown there outside. So I'm curious to see how it reacts with a dormancy. I keep reading they can handle it. I've also read ones which are in warmer climates see sweeter fruit.

There's winter, and there's Winter. The length of time the fruit is on the tree, the longer, the better. I leave the fruit on the tree until the blossom end is orange which takes an extra month. It does not fall off the tree. Unusual.

 

[Cadillactaste]

There's winter, and there's Winter. The length of time the fruit is on the tree, the longer, the better. I leave the fruit on the tree until the blossom end is orange which takes an extra month. It does not fall off the tree. Unusual.

How cold do you keep your greenhouse? After Joe's post...maybe extended 35F is to much.

We already ordered a hydrofarm grow light like in the cold greenhouse (for early spring) to keep the bougainvillea happy last week. I was not happy with the clamp light we tried last year. The bougainvillea really outgrew the grow cart before the tigerbark pushed it out. So a bench with galvanized pipe to hang the light from. Will surely have enough room for the kumquat if need be.

 

[JoeR]

How cold do you keep your greenhouse? After Joe's post...maybe extended 35F is to much.

We already ordered a hydrofarm grow light like in the cold greenhouse (for early spring) to keep the bougainvillea happy last week. I was not happy with the clamp light we tried last year. The bougainvillea really outgrew the grow cart before the tigerbark pushed it out. So a bench with galvanized pipe to hang the light from. Will surely have enough room for the kumquat if need be.

If you're willing to experiment, something else you could consider is grafting. Take a twig of the kinzu and graft to a trifoliate orange root stock. All of my fruiting citrus are grafted to trifoliate stock for increased cold tolerance. However, the trifoliate is quite vigorous and can send out nuisance branches from below the graft. As far as I can tell you're not really one for propagation and the likes though, so it might be something beyond your interests.

I'm going to have to send Jason a message... been after a kinzu for years.

 

[Cadillactaste]

If you're willing to experiment, something else you could consider is grafting. Take a twig of the kinzu and graft to a trifoliate orange root stock. All of my fruiting citrus are grafted to trifoliate stock for increased cold tolerance. However, the trifoliate is quite vigorous and can send out nuisance branches from below the graft. As far as I can tell you're not really one for propagation and the likes though, so it might be something beyond your interests.

I'm going to have to send Jason a message... been after a kinzu for years.

Yeah, would rather keep what I have and not multiply. So I have another tropical...unplanned. but meant to be. I had a friend from Florida offer to buy it and swing by Jason's and pick it up. No...I still want it. Nice to offer to do that though. But alas its a quirky piece.

Yes...reach out to Jason. He had a lot of them. Quirky ones too.

 

[Forsoothe!]

My greenhouse stays ~45°F & up, mostly in the high 50's. I can't keep tropicals happy, I can only keep them alive. Sometimes. We get long periods of cloudy weather and one week of that and everything sheds their leaves. Then we get some sun for 3, 4, 5 days and they start leaving out. It's counter-productive. This year I'm going to keep everything drier and hopefully quiescent. This portion of MI get a lot of days in winter that are cloudy until 4 PM, then the sun goes down a 5 and that's it. Tropicals don't do well in that exposure. Citrus are tougher than most, and almost all sold as houseplants are grafted on Ponciris understock. Ponciris is hardy to zone 5 at least, and maybe 4. They can be kept as tropicals but do not do as well as when kept as hardy mulched outside.

 

[Trenthany]

Funny how things make it to ones bench...I assumed these needed to winter in a tropical room. Being citrus... Yeah, didn't do any research...just assumed when I seen a friend add one to their collection. I am very happy with the few tropical I do own. But I'm full. Could I add more, yes...but they are a lot more work come winter than my dormant trees. Those dormant trees makes me appreciate the lazy days of winter.

Had one reach out to me to ask to see a companion planting I had...Matt O had sent him my way. Ended up talking trees...and he mentioned this species. I stated...I have no room for more tropical. That's when he said...I'm pretty certain your winter set up that it could winter in there...I paused...and then sent Jason a message asking him. So that was how I ventured down the path in acquiring a kumquat. All in one days time. But honestly...I needed some retail therapy. Lots going on here...that I can't get into.

This article/blog on kumquats...one actually mentions keeping it in a cold greenhouse. That is refreshing since that is the plan with the one coming in this week. I really want no more tropical to deal with. I prefer lazy winters of dormant trees. Not that I don't love my tropical...but, those with large collections in colder climates...are extremely dedicated...and I commend them.

Just curious...seeing a few with kumquat here. How you go about wintering yours. Jason Schley said they can winter easily in my cold greenhouse. I've read they do well with dormancy. So I'm not really concerned. Just curious...I know another northerner who will winter his with the tropcial. So it will be interesting to see how two different directions of wintering...how the tree reacts come spring.

An article of one wintering in a cold greenhouse. This made me just feel, that I got this. New species...is like a new side path...of learning.

OH COME, ALL YE KUMQUATS

KUMQUATS ARE RIPENING IN THE GREENHOUSE As we enter the Holiday season, and the winter solstice, the rare fruits of winter arrive in the markets that were common winter fruits in Asia. Persimmons. …

growingwithplants.com

.

Not surprising to many...that this one has ended up on my bench. Quirky...for sure.
View attachment 324702

View attachment 324703

Most commercial citrus in FL require almost freezing to freezing air temps to trigger something or the other. Hard freezes will destroy fruit and very hard will destroy buds. But they need cold nights those cooooold nights (by my southerner standards!) to produce fruit properly. I’m not sure on your winters up there but from what I’ve read about cold frames and wintering practices the goal is to keep them just above freezing in the depths of winter which is good enough for most citrus. They will need Plenty of light as technically they’re evergreen shrubs.

 

[Clicio]

They will need Plenty of light as technically they’re evergreen shrubs.

Yes, they like the cold São Paulo nights in the Winter, but they love sunny days.

 

[Cadillactaste]

My greenhouse stays ~45°F & up, mostly in the high 50's. I can't keep tropicals happy, I can only keep them alive. Sometimes. We get long periods of cloudy weather and one week of that and everything sheds their leaves. Then we get some sun for 3, 4, 5 days and they start leaving out. It's counter-productive. This year I'm going to keep everything drier and hopefully quiescent. This portion of MI get a lot of days in winter that are cloudy until 4 PM, then the sun goes down a 5 and that's it. Tropicals don't do well in that exposure. Citrus are tougher than most, and almost all sold as houseplants are grafted on Ponciris understock. Ponciris is hardy to zone 5 at least, and maybe 4. They can be kept as tropicals but do not do as well as when kept as hardy mulched outside.

No grow lights then...sounds like they might sulk less from something like that. If you ever contemplate a tweak.

Yeah, I spoke with Scott Lee another northerner who I've got things from. His kumquats go with tropicals. A few cold nights here and there. But not consistent cold he said.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Most commercial citrus in FL require almost freezing to freezing air temps to trigger something or the other. Hard freezes will destroy fruit and very hard will destroy buds. But they need cold nights those cooooold nights (by my southerner standards!) to produce fruit properly. I’m not sure on your winters up there but from what I’ve read about cold frames and wintering practices the goal is to keep them just above freezing in the depths of winter which is good enough for most citrus. They will need Plenty of light as technically they’re evergreen shrubs.

Everything I've read...they really aren't part of the citrus group. I will trust Scott on this...because he shows them. But appreciate your sharing.

 

[Trenthany]

Everything I've read...they really aren't part of the citrus group. I will trust Scott on this...because he shows them. But appreciate your sharing.

they’re supposed to be merged into the citrus family soon per this article. Says they’re far cold hardy than I thought too. This one has the most info and matched most of the others I found.

Fortunella hindsii - Useful Tropical Plants

tropical.theferns.info

 

[Cadillactaste]

they’re supposed to be merged into the citrus family soon per this article. Says they’re far cold hardy than I thought too. This one has the most info and matched most of the others I found.

Fortunella hindsii - Useful Tropical Plants

tropical.theferns.info

Cold hardy in ground verses pot is what Scott was saying. They can take cold...for sure.

Still my greenhouse is colder than what it says to allow them to go.