I have 3 melogolds in a 15 gallon and wine barrel and 1 planted on the ground. Maintenance is like other citrus. Water deeply but occationally, ferlize with miracid according to the label and well drained soil. Full sun preferred and wind protection. pH of 6.5. I have the dwarf kind . They don't grow high but bear lots of fruit.

The melogold produces some of the most fragrant flowers I have smelled with citrus--they're large and smell so sweet. I have a small tree on my patio and when it was in flower in summer you could smell it 25 feet away. Come to think of it, oroblancos have very similar, pungent flowers--something about those grapefruit hybrids maybe....

Mine is dwarf, I don't intend to let it get too large, and I plan to keep it containerized which means (for me at least) light root and canopy pruning in the future--haven't had to yet. Tree habit is kinda leggy with thickish branches and large leaves, at least for my tree and growing area. It hasn't been too vigorous, but I let it dry too much late last summer/fall. Seems to be perking up quite a bit lately.

I take care of it like other citrus trees, as bencelest said. Careful with the water--not too much and not too little, and select a well draining media for a container. There's plenty of threads on that here....Depending where you are, think about maximizing sunlight and heat exposure and maybe moving it temporarily (if potted) for frost protection if needed. I am always a bit more cautious when it comes to cold weather when it involves a grapefruit or pummelo or one of their hybrids, but that's just me.

I learned about using the nitrogen-rich,acid-formula miracle grow stuff here at this citrus forum and it made a HUGE difference for me--my trees love it. But, everyone does things differently...

HTH.

Hi bencelest and ricjames,

Thanks for the information! Where are you folks located in California? I'm in silicon valley in norther california. I just picked up 2-4 years old Melogold Grapefruit from Costco (great deal). It's almost 3 ft. tall. Unfortunately, it's semi-dwarf, and not drarf. I am planning to put it in 24" pot. Any suggestions?

Anyway, I like your advise using acid-formula. Can you please give me the exact name of fertilizer (is it Miracle Grow, Bendini,etc?) that you use / have experience with and have good success with? That would help greatly. Also, do all citrus variety benefit from miracid/acid-formula?

This year, I fancy learning grafting. My ultimate goal is to graft Oroblanco Gfruit and Ponderosa lemon on this tree. I am no expert, but I'd like to try this some day in future once plant is established.

nkt:
I live in Salinas, 15 miles from Monterey. You can use as a general fertilizer to all of your citrus the Miracle grow azealia/ thodo/ camelia fertilizer 30-10-10 . I've been using this for 3 years and give excellent result.but I saw a new one with 24--4-10 which I believe closer to the ideal fertilizer for citrus 5-1-3 or 10-2-4. This is the one I am using now. Booth with micronutrients which is very important to a fertilizer. Specially for citrus.
Yes all citrus benifit using acid fertilizer but of course depending on the pH of your soil.
My experience is the soil becomes too acidic after a while using this fertilizer so I change my fertilizer to a basic one.
Hey, grafting and T-budding is very easy to learn and you'll be surprise how successful you'll be if you try.
See Mr. Texas graft by pictures shown.

Hi nkt, I'm in the southern East Bay, probably not too far from you. And I was just gonna echo what bencelest said in a way...I have of late been alternating between the acid-type fertilizer and fish emulsion (5-1-1 or something similar) because I was concerned about things getting too acidic--some of the citrus are very healthy and green, but they seem kinda slow in their growth, hard to know and my meter is cr**. Anyway, the acid formula I use is the Miracle-Grow stuff as well, in the blue box, made for azalias and rhododendrons and previously sold as Miracid. Now it's just called Miracle-Grow acid formula, widely available in any drug/hardware/gardening store.

I decided to try the fish emulsion also because I have been reading about all the other "nutrients" that you get in it (though I know that the MG stuff has micros), because I heard it is not particularly acidic but more neutral, and it is my effort to try something organic. So far not much difference noted. We'll see.

I also think that in our mild area we get a lot of growth in the winters--it seems to me that's when in-ground citrus take off--so I do feed year round.

You should be fine with a semidwarf potted, I have recently started purchasing semidwarfs for container use. Once again, we'll see. Just be sure not to put it into a too-large of a pot unless you have very very well-drainng media--I do not use potting soil at all. Everyone who grows in containers has their favorite recipe.

Which Costco did you get this nice tree at? I think I will need to investigate....melogolds are not *readily* available here, I had to hunt for mine.

Folks,

Thanks very much for the information. I also try to grow organically as much as possible. I use mixture of Fish Emulsion and Seaweed extract on my plants in the ground. They say if you spray it, 90% stuff gets absorbed. I also use Eleanor's VF11 (organic) which is made right here in bay area.

For chemical fertilizer, I have been using Bendini's citrus fertilizer (from Home Depot) which I don't know how good is it. For my new special variety citrus plants (Melogold Grapefruit and Italian Lemon (Santa Teresa Femminello) that I plan to put in pot, I will use the fertilizers you've recommended (along w/ organic fertilizers).

As for Costco, rickjames, all costco's in south bay had these citrus plants last week. They were incredibly good priced for the size of the plant you get. The grower is (http://www.wncitrus.com/). I went to total of 5 stores in bay area to hunt for good plants. btw, I checked at Costco and at least in south bay, they are going to have 2nd batch of these plants next week. This is what I was told, so please don't quote me :)

bencelest, as for grafting, I have never done it so I am bit nervous about it. If you have done it, let me know and I will ask one specific question. I sent to Mrtexas and got no reply. :( Also, I am not sure when is the time in bay area for citrus wood "slipping" for T-budding. Do you know how to figure this out?

Thanks.

Ah, Willits and Newcomb....I don't like their potting media, it weighs a ton ( I know picky picky--who am I to say? They're the ones who do this for a living :) I will have to check it out, they are the only purveyor of those Italian lemons that I know of for CA....You didn't happen to see a Ponkan mandarin did you? Dyin' for one...Thanks for the tip...

I have used the Bandini stuff too--they have TONS of formulas to choose from, which is nice. They make some that is in similar proportions of NPK that seems to be the holy grail of citrus food, but I haven't used it yet. Used up a bag of the citrus version last year, seemed ok.

I want to join the grafting party too; I think I will have to, in order to get a Ponkan.

nkt:
I did a lot of t budding and grafting lately and last year.
My first tries are very successful although I made a lot of mistakes but they still grew. I have been harvesting and eating those fruits already since last year. My graft in peaches and plums and nectarines are so easy to take that the next year I harvested the fruit already.
I want you to try and open mr. Texas page below:

http://members.fortunecity.com/pjsauber/
Study the t budding method he used.
This year I am trying to experement different ways of doing it.
"bark is slipping" simply means that when you cut the bark and insert the blade between the bark and the hard wood inside, the bark easily gives way and the bark separate itself from the hard wood then the bark is termed to be slipping. OR if you see new buds or new leaves started to come out or maybe new flower buds are coming out of most of the branches because tomorrow is the start of spring then you can be sure the bark is slipping and this is the best time to bud.
BUT:
the best time to t bud is when the new buds has not come out of the bark yet but the bud is still just a "pimple" at the junction of the leaves and just starting to swell.
Or Just follow the instruction by the pictures shown.
Don't be scared. You can't be wrong.
Don't buy a budding knife. The best knife to use is the replaceable blades that is $3 to $4 . See if you can buy a 1/2 inch transparent tape but to wrap around the incission.

I attended a scion exchange last March 3 at Watsonville and I was lucky to get rare citrus scions such as Tahiti and sarawak pomello, Willowleaf, kishu mandarin, genging orange, and many others.

Rickjames,

Well, you are right that the WN's potting media is heavy, but I just love their plants. They are much bigger and healthy than I've seen anywhere else for the price.

Costco had some orange, grapefruit and lime varieties. I did not see the one you mentioned, however, that does not mean that they absolutely does not carry it.

btw, Costco is getting these Citrus plants again from tomorrow. Check you local store if you're interested.

As for Italian Lemon (Santa Teresa Femminello), I did some research on the web and noted that they grow in Sorrento, Italy whose wheather is strikingly similar to ours.

Have travelled earth lately using FREE Google earth? I highly recommended it, I just quickly looked at Sorrento, Italy using satellite maps in Goggle Earth:

get it at: http://earth.google.com

I also saw following Citrus Variety UK website for Italian Lemons which I find useful:

http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/homecitrusgrowers/sorrento.htm

As for grafting, looks like we both can learn a lot from bencelest to whom I will respond next.

bencelst,

Thanks very much for the information about grafting. I think you answered my question - how to know when the wood is sleeping, especially here in bay area.

My Navel tree has lots of new growth, so I assume the bark must be slipping now. However, my 5-yr old meyer lemon has almost no new grwoth (as it hardly gets 2-3 hours of sun and is growing slow). I want to graft something on both.

I actually went over mrTexas' T-budding instructions few times in past month or so. I think my main confusion is how to pick a good scion or bud. I still don't know this well which makes me bit nervious. Maybe, I just need to try things out without worrying too much.

I got a knife (blade switchable) from Lowe's. I have several questions:

1. Where can I find the grafting tape that you mentioned?

2. Do you wrap all around the incission as well as the whole T-section? Some articles show to keep incission open, others tell you to wrap around everything. I am bit confused what is the best technique.

3. What other budding techniques have you used and which you find most successful and which one you find easy to learn?

I appreciate help. Thanks.

The best scion wood is the one growing the most vigorous usually that goes almost straight up or next close to top of the tree. And it should be this year or last years growth. You can tell by the last branch for this year and for last year is the branch before this year.
The best size is the size of a pencil or smaller.
Do not use the first 3 buds closest to the start of the branching. They are dead buds. They will not grow.
I bought my grafting tape through the internet just a few dollars or attend a scion exchange close to your city. You can buy all of your needs there the cheapest. Be a member of a scion exchange society.
My favorite is T-budding because it so easy and it is almost 100% take.
My favorite graft is tongue and whip grafting but I don't cut the scionwood in half this year. I just cut the scionwood as directed and wrap it.
On T-budding you have to wrap everything to keep the incision and the wound from air. It must be airtight so no bugs or rain can get in. But the "pimple" or the bud itself must be free and exposed. You can wrap it for a week or so but you must free it after a week so it can start growing. The tape must be transparent so there is some photosynthesis takes place. This is the best but if you have none, any tape will do even an electric tape. Or just cut a transparent plastiic bag 1/2 an inch in diameter as your tape wrap. Leave the tape for 2 to 3 weeks. Remove the tape after 2 weeks. You can tell the bud took if the scion is still green.
If it is still green start force it grow by cutting the branch about an inch above the incission.

Some people use the wide rubber band as their budding tape. You'll see them in some of the pictures' instruction on how to T bud. In this process you'll have the bud exposed whereas if you are using a transparent tape, either you can wrap the bud once over the bud or leave it exposed as with the rubber band tape. It's up to you.
I just discovered one of the T-buddings I made last year with the transparent tape over the bud. It did not grow one bit but it is still green so I removed the tape now. I'll wait and see.

Thanks,bencelest - for the information. The weather has been so lousy since past few days, I've not ventured out for T-budding. I will probably do it next week.

rickjames, hope you found what you're looking at for at costco. They had some great citrus plants on sale last week. I found a better melogold tree that I've exchaged at costco.

Melogold is recommended to grow in tbe bay area. Most oranges and pomellos require heat in order to be sweet. But my Washington, caracara, trovita, midknight taste great.When I attended the scionwood exchange in Castroville Gene Lester recommended to plant mandarins in the bay area. That is true. I have dancy, honey and now clemenule from Spain (thanks Joe) that taste superb in sweeetness. Now I have Kishu, kinnow, page, satsuma , algerian growing.

I was listening to Garden Compass radio show today (http://www.gardencompass.com/Show/Radioindex.htm) and caller from Novato was told by the hosts that OroBlonco Grapefruit does well in our area. It's good to know that Melogold does well as well. I will find out in next year or 2 once plant starts producing fruit.

It just so happen that I have a picture of one of my melogolds handy so here it is. Notice the new buds coming out after it was relieved of fruits and flowers after 2 weeks? Pic taken March 30 2006
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Compared to this pic taken on March 16 2006
It looked sick and haggard

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Although it is not on the topic I want to add my Washington navel

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Another angle

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and my calamondin and Page mandarin
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ThatÂs all folks

Bencelest,

wow, wonderful photos! Thanks! I will try to post photos of my new plants and try to post it. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

Last (hopefully) two questions for you:

1. What kind of *exact* soil mixture do you use for Melogold and lemons in pot? I am getting stressed out about this. Please tell me.

I picked up several bags of Kellog's Patio Plus outdoor soil (contains lots of organic material) from Home Depot, but after reading experts' opinions here, I have 2nd thoughts of using it.

2. In one of the earlier replies above, you mentioned that you were earlier using Miracle grow azealia/ thodo/ camelia fertilizer 30-10-10 and now have found a new one with 24--4-10 which you believe is closer to the ideal fertilizer for citrus 5-1-3 or 10-2-4.

However, you did not mention the eaxct name of it and from where you purchased it? Can you please share this information?

Thanks.

nkt:
For every mix, I don't have exact proportion per se. I just mix what I've got at that particular time. One thing that I don't forget is sand so I can have a well drained soil. Next to that is peat so the mix will be more acidic which citrus loves 6.4 to be exact. Next is steer manure as fertilizer (because they are cheap. Then a potting soil so the mix is a little black in color and black soil is an organic soil. If I have perlite then I toss it to the mix or dolomite or dirt from my yard. The main thing is when you hose your mix, the water will go down quickly. In less than 10 seconds. Then you know you have a good mix.
If you want a proportion mix, then
1/3 sand 1/3 potting soil 1/3 peat moss. then add 2 cups steer manure. Mix them good. If you want you can add the osmocote to the mix a long lasting fertilizer about 1/2 cup.
You could use the one you bought as a 1/3 of the mixture then you can buy the play sand as the other 1/3. Then as for peat moss if there is no small size bag peat moss you can substitute an orchid mix.
As for the long lasting fertilizer, right now I'm using Vigoro 19-6-12 All purpose. Before that I was using Osmocote 24-4-10.
Your citrus will not know the brand and they are so forgiving irregardless how you treat them.
The main thing to remember is the pH of your soil and don't water too frequently. Wait until the soil on top is well dried to the touch.
Benny

Be mindful that once every 4 months drench your soil from top to bottom. Use water at least 4 times as big as your pot to get rid of the salts that was built up .

bencelest,
what beautiful trees you have! Very impressive.

Do tell, are you very far from the coastline? I saw that you wrote that you have good success with sweet oranges, but my navels haven't been very sweet and I don't know if it is young trees or a too-cool climate.

TIA.

Rick:
I thank you for your kind compliment.
I live about 15 miles from the Monterey bay. And yes, my Washington Navel has given me quality fruit eversince its 1st fruit 2 years ago. It's always been healthy looking and right now it's full of flowers. It seemes like I harvest fruit 3 times a year. And the taste are sweet enough but very juicy. If you live on the coast your best bet to grow are mandarins. My favorite is Kishu very very sweet followed by Honey and Dancy a close second.
Now that you guys like my pictures how about another bunch.
Cara-cara

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Clemenule
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Dancy Tangerine

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Satsuma
a href="http://photobucket.com"; target="_blank">{{gwi:561407}}

Another Satsuma
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I'll post that Washington Navel next.

ok, well, here're the photos of Santa Teresa Lemon and Melogold Grapefruit plants that I'd purchased few weeks ago. They're still in original pots:

Melogold Grapefruit
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Santa Teresa Femminello Lemon
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Incredible photos, bencelst! Your calamondin and Satsuma plants are loaded w/ fruits! They look great.