I'd recommend you consider an Owari Mandarin, they are medium size, easy peeling and taste great. I like mine. Kinnow is a thin skinned mandarin -I have never had one of those but I have heard they are great.

This is a coincidence, I'm in 7b NC too and about to order 1 or 2 mandarin trees from Harris Citrus too. I've been debating for weeks what to get from there. I'm considering a Kimbrough and am going to order a Shiranui (sumo) because the sumos at whole foods have become my wifes favorite mandarin.

Xie Shan is really early and good I hear

Such a coincidence Calamondindave! Great minds think alike:) I was looking at Kimbrough, Owari, Nules, Marisol and Xie Shan however, Harris didn't have a description for it. The Dancy Tangerine also peaks my interest.

I'm located in North Raleigh burried in a couple inches of ice!!

Pip - do you have any experience with a Xie Shan?

Monica You mention that you live in zone 7B. Are you planing to plant that tree outside in ground. I have 4 citrus trees outside.

I have one but it's small

Hi Steve,

I would love to plant one or two in the ground but being in 7b I didn't think it was possible. I assumed it would have to be in a container and hopefully in a greenhouse in the very near future.

What size tree does Harris usually ship? I've never ordered from them before but I heard good things about them. Four Winds is another great company but their shipping rates to the east coast is more than the trees.

Oh, I also forgot to ask if citrus trees are deer proof? We get tons of deer in the yard so I would have to net them off somehow or container grow them.

I'd order either a tango or gold nugget 3 yr old tree from four winds. They have really nice trees and those mandarins fit the bill for what you're looking for.

Evan

Tango is mid season and gold nugget late season. I have those too. Great trees for having a long harvest season.

Fourwinds must be quite expensive for shipping. I cannot find any shipping costs on their website unless I get an account and place an order first. m I can cancel the order before sending it through but that is too much effort.

When big companies ship as much as they do their shipping rates are cut in half or more. This make shipping a major money maker for them when they charge us full shipping price.

There was another place you order from and I think you said that was where you got your seed from

Steve. Four winds used to charge about $25 for shipping. However it appears they have changed their tree pricing and lowered standard ground shipping to me to about $20. Probably raised the price of the tree to make shipping not look so bad. 3 day shipping is $30. Harris is flat rate $13 shipping for 1 tree. . I bought 1 dekopon from Harris and total was about $38

Mike

Tree prices are the same they are renaming them though.

Briteleaf is the other place, nice people. That's who gave me the seeds.

harris uses flying dragon for the dwarfs. A real dwarf rootstock

briteleaf uses us897 for the dwarfs. A real dwarf rootstock.

four winds uses Cuban shaddock for most and a trifoliate for the rest. They call them dwarf but they are not really.

sorry pip. I thought they were a few dollars cheaper not too long ago. I still think they are overpriced.

Reading up on Xie Shan, it sounds very interesting. I'll be considering it.

Monica, I haven't had any deer problems with my citrus trees outside, but they sure love my veggies. Last few years I've put all my citrus trees near my container veggie garden and the deer never bothered the citrus. I did see a young deer inspect a meyer lemon tree, but didn't eat anything. I'm guessing deer around here don't care for citrus. They are crazy for bush beans & potato leaves though.

Most of mine are four winds, Like I said they are significantly more branched. Some will find it worth the cost, others wont. but for a 1 or 2 year old? Not really worth it because the soil adds so much to shipping.

Thanks Calamondindave. The deer are pretty aggressive here. They came up a couple steps to our lower deck and helped themselves to our potted tomatoes and peppers. We couldn't believe it. We also have lots of issues with tons of squirrels. Our property backs to Army Corp land so we are in the woods. We've seen coyote, foxes, huge owls and all kinds of Hawks.. I'm a Jersey girl and the first time I heard the coyote howling i was ready to pack up and go back to NJ! :-)

Pip - what size do you recommend from four winds? I'm having it shipped across the country so that's why the shipping rates are so high for my orders.

Monica

Their premium size $40(3 years old) is the best bang for the buck. UPS to you is $40 so about $80 to you for a 3 year old tree. USPS 3 day is $23 You may want to check out Harris since they are in florida and only charge $13

http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/2937497/dekopon-on-its-way

that is the thread about my purchase from Harris to give you an idea of the size of the tree the send out. I am ordering a few more from them this March.

I'm in Michigan so it wasn't much cheaper. I only bought the 3 year olds for two reasons, first the tree is cheaper to ship from not having soil. Second if your paying so much the extra couple dollars for a much nicer tree is worth it.

i refuse to order less than 4 trees though. So I can get the 10% discount.

i won't lie, I mainly buy four winds for the fancy tags. I don't like the price, and I don't like the rootstock. I do like the branching on the 3 year olds though.

oh yeah, I've lost a tree from root wrapping and girdling. Four winds uses rooted cuttings for rootstock, that's a down side too.

really briteleaf has the best dwarf rootstock, Harris is great too. If you don't care about branchy trees or fancy tags then skip four winds if the variety is available elsewhere.

Great info mksmth and Pip. I appreciate it. Maybe I'll buy from Harris and Brite Leaf and compare them year after year (unless I kill them sooner- lol)

Yes do give briteleaf a try, their website isn't pretty, their selection is limited, but I really like their dwarf rootstock and they are such good people.

Great! Thanks pip.