Too late to plant an Oro Blanco grapefruit?

17 years ago

I just moved up to Topanga Canyon where the winters are cooler and summers much hotter than my previous Malibu address. I bought a FourWinds Oro Blanco dwarf grapefuit tree and it's still in it's container. I'm wondering if I should wait until spring to plant it or if now would be ok. The weather up here is still hot (85-95 deg days) and last winter the colder nights were briefly down to 28 degrees...but not frost visible anywhere. I have some full grown citrus, Navel and Valencia that have never been affected by the cold weather as far as I can tell.

But I'm worried that cold weather might harm the Oro Blanco if it's roots are still tender. Any ideas about this?

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Comments (6)

bencelest
17 years ago
I bought about 3 mandarins also and I decided to wait till Spring to plant them on the ground thinking that I can move them to a safer place this Winter and also will help them to acclimate to their new sorroundings first.
birdsnblooms
17 years ago
Even though I don't live in a semi-tropical climate area, I read plant books..there's info in one where it says a person who lives in Ca or Fl should wait until spring to plant citrus..(since it's already late in the yr)
Like Ben said, this will help citrus acclimate..Toni
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One of the distinguishing characteristics of the Oroblanco (and about the only way you can tell them apart from their genetic sibling, the Melogold), is a pronounced "dimple" or indentation on the blossom end of the fruit (see link below). To distinguish it from a pommelo, all pommelos are VERY seedy and have a very tough center core. And, they are really big, huge fruits. Plus, most pummelos are sweeter than the Oroblanco is, as it has grapefruit in its background. Pummelos are very sweet, no bitterness. The Oroblanco is sweeter than a grapefruit, but still a little more bitter than a pommelo. By the look and size of the fruit in your photo (can't quite see the bottom), it appears to be an Oroblanco. Patty S. Here is a link that might be useful: UC Riverside Citrus Variety Collection: Oroblanco
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Patty: More than helping with my trees, I thank you for your expertise and encouragement with my condition lately. You actually gave me a reason to smile this am and even a more reason to consider you a friend. I really appreciate you around these parts. Today is much better. I think it was a side effect of PT yesterday and it never occured to me that the Achilles's was going to cause this, me a Massage Therapist. Thanks for your advice:-) Yes, that is one awesome tree to say the least! I wish my Oro Blanco had come loaded with fruit like that.lol I actually had a bit of the fruit the last time my other tree provided me a few fruit and it did not bother me at all:-) Yes, no worries, you have plenty more where that fruit came from. Patty: FYI. Did you know that Four Winds has that contest every month? Yes, I think you could win one:-) Here is there number and ask Kerri to explain. She will fill you in:-) 1(877) 449-4637 then press 1 Andrew, nice surprise! Lol..I can't imagine you being a mad scientist, but you have on occasion chopped the limbs off of trees, ripped off the heads of a few bugs,tossed a sickly tree out in the dump, and certainly decapitated all the fruit on your Lemon trees.. Do you have a MG end sprayer? I usually fill one of those things up half way with FE, and let that container do the job. Once it fills with water from the hose, both the FE and water come out in a perfect ratio. Now is the time to spray Andrew. You need to treat at least 3-4 times every couple of days before they come inside. If your mite problem is very bad, you may have to take more desperate measures. But I think you will be ok if you start this weekend. Don't forget to drench especially under the leaves and the soil mix. You are SOOOOO right about the scent and flowers of the Oro! One huge flower open will fill the house and yard with fragrance, especially on a very humid morning or evening! Have you even considered a flowering plant like a Brunfelsia? Ok, we will not even go there..lol Mike
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LOL Hobby...yeah, you already do enough damage with the varieties you get up there! They did have some interesting trees....and they were definitely a good size. The cocktail grapefruit is still bent a bit, but I am sure she will straighten out. I potted the other two, but am going to put the grapefruit in a bigger pot from the start since they need more room. I'll finish it up tomorrow.
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tcjotm
17 years ago
I'm in Tujunga, not Topanga but the weather is similar. Now is very good growing weather here. If you really want to get it out of the pot, I'd just plant it. You'll usually have good weather until late December, almost three months till then (evening lows now are about 60F here). People here, I do, even grows fall tomatoes and some last through the winter.

Just mulch heavily. You must have a lot of Coast Live Oak, wonderful dry leaves for mulch. The leaves don't pack down unless crushed, work well as insulation, and later will lower soil pH.

BTW, the neighbor has a standard Oro Blanco. IMO much tastier than the pink flesh grapefruit. Good luck!!!
bencelest
17 years ago
TC has a good advice also. You can do it either way. I planted about 5 citrus on the ground a week ago but I have them in pots in my yard for 3 years now. But the one I recently bought I decided to leave them in pots because it gets nippy down here sometimes at winter time. That way I can move them easily to a safer place.
jbclem
Original Author
17 years ago
Hi all,

I just read the responses...talk about being late...thanks for the advice. The Oro Blanco is still in it's pot, and I'm trying to find the sunniest spot for it (Oak trees and a large fir tree block a lot of sunlight...some judicious pruning is in progress).

tc, I've been collecting oak leaves but I read that they take forever to breakdown so I'm trying to shred them with a shovel. I'm glad to hear that they are good for mulch, I have 3 large oaks and lots of leaves. In Malibu I always grew tomatoes and green peppers through the winter, so I'm trying same up here. Also bananas, plumeria(they'll come inside), cherimoya, and will be trying a Sir Prize avocado soon.

jc
ezawada
17 years ago
unless you get alot of frost...go ahead and plant it NOW. there are still alot of days with high temps, and the ground is still pretty warm...so your plant will have time to acclimate before January...Then it will take of much more in the spring.....The sooner out of pot and into ground, the better !! EZ

Too late to plant an Oro Blanco grapefruit?

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Too late to plant an Oro Blanco grapefruit?

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