Frost isn't really an issue here (fortunately!), Patty. I've lived in SF now for nearly 20 years and we haven't gotten down to freezing temps except maybe 2-3 times during that period(?). I recall once in the early '90s we had a hint of snow in the air, but it quickly disappeared by the time it hit the ground. The micro-climates in the region are REALLY intersting. Down the Peninsula or across the GG Bridge in Marin, which may be as close as 5-10 miles away, they may experience frost (sometimes occasionally during the winter!), and SF will always be warmer than these adjacent counties due to the tempering influence of water along its 3 sides. When others are freezing, we usually get no colder than the low 40s, maybe 38F or so at the worst... But the ocean's moderating effect also holds true in the summer - when others are sunny and warm/hot, we are foggy and COLD, and herein is my problem for trying to grow certain kinds of citrus. Oh well, "no pain, no gain", I guess. The only way to truly know whether orange/mandarin varietals will grow in my area is to give it a try, right? I just wished it didn't take the better part of 3 years to derive an answer! I'll keep my fingers crossed that my 'Gold Nugget' will make it through to fruit, as I'm quite keen to taste a mandarin that has such a high reported brix content (up to 17.5%)!

Hi Patty, Thanks again for all your usefull info. You mention the fact that 'Kishu' is a smaller fruit, so small that it prevents it from being a grocery store citrus. This fact is one of the #1 reasons why I chose to buy it. Small fruits mature and ripen much faster. From what you told me before, it sounds like 'Page' will be the same way. I have had my 'ORo Blanco' now for 1 full year now. Over the past winter(I would say up to December), it had 4 nice sized fruits. They continued to grow and mature but sadly they all dropped, and I would say that they only maybe had another month or 2 to go before being fully mature and ripe. I know my problem was that I didn't have enough space for all my tropicals and tropical fruit trees. I alson new that they needed more light but I figure the tree was still too small and now it can concentrate on growing larger and taller. I still will be hoping to get my hands on the Minneola and hopefully if I make it to FL this summer, I can pick one up and ship it back home to me. If I cannot wait that long to get it(when I really want something like that, I tend to get impatient..LMAO!!) I will either order it from Four Winds or try to order it from my local nursery. Hi Mike, I am all ready growing my tropicals in my 2 bedrooms! One I use for figs, plumerias, and a few of my tropicals such as my passionfruit vine and my keylime. I also have Laura'a agave in there. The other I Have my HPS light in and that's where the rest are except for my 'Star Ruby' which is in my living room right now. When I went to Potratz, they had HPS or Hallide lights for sale along with T5's. I was really happy to see this! I plan on buying a new light set up here and there this summer. That way by the time winter roles around again, I will be all prepared and my newly growing citrus collection will have all the light they need...along with the mango and other tropical fruit collections! I really am going to have to stop otherwise I will not have anymore room in this apartment! Were going to have to make a decision on if were going to live in NY or if were going to move FLorida. You know I would much rather live in FL! Mike, I forgot to ask you....if you plan on another trip to Logees, PLEASE let me know!! I have a few things I would like to get there. Another 'Day' avocado, the yellow gardenia, and if they have a decent sized HEALTHY Minneola, I would like that too!! It really does make a BIG diffrence to have a trusted friend(not only a good friend like you but someone who also loves there plants!) to hand pick the plants. Hi Laura, WOW sounds like the PHL flower show was a success! Between you and I, I hate the noids! You don't know what you really have and then if you go and buy something else that's similar or not blooming, you run the risk of getting another noid! I did lose around 7 or 8 plumerias this winter but only a couple were really special. One of them was 'JJ Jenny' but Sonia is looking for another one for me as we speak. Thank god for people like you, Sonia, and Mike, and all the others that I haven't mentioned. You all have made it much eaier for me to get some of these harder to find plants/tropicals. If you stumble across a nice sized Minneola or Washington Navel, PLEASE grab it for me and I will reimburse you. I just don't want to spend another arm and a leg having to order them. Ooh, and yes Laura, I am trying to persuade you to become a co citrus horder with me! What you will find cool about this hobby is that citrus can be easily propogated from cuttings! Mike is doing this all ready, and I will be asking him for some tips so I can get growing my very own cuttings. I did it years ago with Ponderosa lemon. I didn't have any trouble with rooting it but all my recent attemps at rooting have not been productive. Well take care everyone! I did check my delivery status for my Four Winds order. Right now it's in New Jersey so it should be here by tomorrow. Laura, I will be hiding the new arrivals for a while..LOL! I laughed my butt off when you mentioned how during the winter, the rooms are getting greener and greener, and fuller and fuller! Andrew

Thanks Josh for the reply! I have them under the ledge of the patio, so they are getting some wind protection. I could put them in the greenhouse away from the fan and they would be better protected wind wise, but I think it may be still too hot for them in there? Yes Josh, I love blood oranges! I have another blood named Vaniglia Sanguigno I got from Logees when I was on vaca in CT, but it is not in fruiting stage yet. I just think blood oranges are so beautiful! And i am also excited for tasting a finger lime. The vesicles are round and the juice is suppose to just pop in your mouth. I was reading some fancy chef article or something that says because the vesicles are round and closed until bit into, the release of flavor in very intense and tasty along with the added addition of texture when it pops open. Again, the article explained it much better than I am here. I hope they have the red finger lime in the US one day. What is considered "too hot" for newly transplanted citrus? Mike, I know the worst part is the change of seasons and hauling the citrus in! I did this for years. But now I have the greenhouse and it has made a tremendous difference! For the first time i did not have to worry about leaf drop due to indoor lighting issues. If I remember correctly Mike, you have a greenhouse, but still bring them in around February when it gets real cold? I kept mine in the greenhouse all winter with heat of course. I only kept it in the low 40's on the coldest nights, sometimes even getting to the upper 30's, experimenting since it was my first year, and the citrus had no issues! I was suprised! Definitely reacted much better to the greenhouse than all the years being in my house with lights. Although I did not have the greenhouse up yet when Sandy came, which was a good thing because who knows if it would of gotten destroyed. But when Sandy came, I had my one room in the house filled with all my citrus and figs and other special plants so I would not lose them in the storm. Then, I had hauled them all back outside just to have them all hauled back inside less than a week later because of our freak Halloween snow storm! I am sure you had part of that too Mike? Oh, before I go, should I give them any epsom salts or vinegar now, or when I first fertlize over the weekend? Thanks guys! Christy

A one year old gold nugget on the left, 2 year old kishu mandarin on the right. The plants were ordered a week and a half ago and 3 days later, showed up on my doorstep. The gold nugget has yellowing leaves but nothing serious. Kerry at four winds advised not to plant these till spring and that they would be fine in their containers till then.