Tag Archive for: citrus tree

Citrus Trees Dropping Tiny, Green Fruit

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Citrus Trees Dropping Tiny, Green Fruit

Do you have a citrus trees in your garden? I do.

I have two trees – a Meyer lemon and a brand new ‘Trovita’ orange tree.

As a child in California, we always had citrus trees in our backyard.  I would pick lemons from my favorite tree just off the back patio. Later, we moved to a larger ranch-style home that had several citrus trees. I honestly never paid much attention to them, because as a teenager I had more important things to think about – like boys and how to get perfect-perm for my hair (it was the 80’s).

Citrus Trees Dropping Tiny, Green Fruit

Now as an adult (with permed hair thankfully in my past), I do pay attention to my citrus trees. Consequently, I look forward to the fragrant blossoms that cover citrus trees in mid-winter. As the blooms fade, tiny green fruit is left behind, which are baby citrus fruit. However, as spring progresses, some of the small, green fruit drop to the ground. Not surprisingly, this concerns gardeners who don’t understand why.

Well, let me put all your worries to rest.  This is a normal occurrence. Citrus trees produce more blossoms than it can grow into mature fruit. They do this in order to attract the most pollinators and after the flower petals drop, little green fruit is left behind, which ideally grow into large delicious fruit ready to harvest in winter. However, the tree cannot support that much fruit, so the tree figures out how much fruit it can grow to maturity and then drop the rest.

For those of you who have young citrus trees, I want to warn you that most of the little green fruit will drop. Citrus tree need a large root system and a lot of leaves to support a good amount of fruit and that only comes with age. So, if you see tiny, green citrus on the ground every spring – don’t panic. It is all part of the normal cycle of growing citrus.

Do You Have A Plant That Doesn’t Bring You Joy?

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Do you have a plant that DOESN’T bring you joy?

I do. There is one particular that has been bothering me for a while and I finally did something about it as I explain in the video below:

While there may be some sadness when removing a healthy plant, I confess that I didn’t feel that this time. The frustration that I feel each year with its under-performance in my garden that I was ready for it to go.

Removing a healthy plant

Removing a healthy plant

Although it doesn’t show in this photo, there was a healthy root system on this tiny orange tree.

A new tree in the same location

A new tree in the same location

I sat and watched them plant my new tree. They did a great job!

A brand new tree with great potential!

A brand new tree with great potential!

I will keep you updated as to how it does. It will be hard to wait for two years for new fruit, but it will be worth it!

What plants do you have that no longer bring you joy?

Book Review: Living With Air Plants

Citrus Trees Dropping Tiny, Green Fruit

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Dropping green fruit

Dropping green fruit

Do you have a citrus in your garden? I do.

Mine are quite young – I have an ‘Arizona Sweet’ orange tree and a ‘Meyer’ lemon.

Growing up in California, we always had citrus trees. When I was a young girl, I remember picking lemons from our large lemon tree in the backyard. We later moved to a larger ranch-style home which had several citrus trees and I honestly never paid much attention to these them, largely because I was a teenager and had much more important things to think about – like boys and how to get the perfectly-permed hair (it was the 80’s).

Dropping green fruit

Now that I am all grown up and permed hair is thankfully in my past, I do pay attention to my citrus trees. Every winter, I look forward to the fragrant blossoms that cover citrus trees. These blossoms slowly turn into tiny citrus fruit. As spring progresses, some of these small, green fruit end up dropping to the ground, which leads to a host of questions from worried gardeners.

Well, I want to put all your worries to rest.  This is a normal occurrence. Citrus trees produce more blossoms than it can grow into mature fruit. They do this in order to attract the most pollinators and after the flower petals drop, little green fruit is left behind, which ideally grow into large delicious fruit that will be harvested in winter. However, the tree cannot support that much fruit, so the tree figures out how much fruit it can grow to maturity and then drops the rest.

For those of you who have young citrus trees, most of the little green fruit will drop.  Citrus trees have to have a large root system and a lot of leaves to support a good amount of fruit and that only comes with age. So, if you see tiny, green citrus on the ground every spring – don’t panic.  It is all part of the normal cycle of growing citrus.