Zu - you use Klasmann Peat. My guess you are using not their raw material - but a peat based mix - or you do something to adjust Ph? Straight peat has Ph of 4-4.5 - and AVs need 6.3-6.8 range - that's why we repot them every 6-12 months - to avoid the damaging from progressively more acid aging peat soil mix. Your violets look way too healthy and green - so I suspect you mitigate the acidity someway. But if it is on a low side - it can explain more than normal sporting. You think 200 AV is a lot? I had a friend visiting - and she told me she has 3000 pots if you count all potted leaves and starters. She is a young retiree - so it seems she created another job taking care of them AVs. (I suggested to donate a good portion of them to the nursing home before she starts sleeping in her truck because of the massive AV hoard). I,

LIL you might want to start your own message thread, instead of tacking onto a much older thread. You can also check off the Notify box as well, to notify you of responses. It can take anywhere from 3 to 15 years or more for a seedling tree to produce fruit. Satsumas are polyembryonic, and will produce at least one clone seedling that will be a clone of the mother tree (i.e., "true to seed"). Time to produce varies widely by cultivar and growing conditions. Patty S.

Citrus flowering is largely determined by genetic regulatory factors. Researchers in Japan have identified four main genes involved in Satsuma flower induction (during their Fall/Winter) and blooming (in Spring). So, in Japan, Satsumas naturally bloom once/year, and are alternate bearing. However, environmental factors (photoperiodism, temperature, water, culture/feeding, etc.) do play a role. Satsumas in Spain, for example have a tendency to not bear fruit in alternate years and is likely due to the country's more moderate climate. Similarly, your in-ground Satsuma will exhibit the same natural single flowering inclination, while your potted Satsuma which may have seen warmer temps/increased artificial light or even water stress(!), etc. might be more predisposed to flowering at a slightly different time or even bloom a second time in comparison to your ground-planted Satsuma. And just as the Satsuma is naturally inclined to bloom once/year, the Meyer is programmed to do so a couple times/year (or more given more favorable environs). Again, this is dictated by (most likely) the same set of genes, but which are regulated slightly differently. For instance, in Trifoliate orange, two additional genes (CsAP1 & CuFUL) are expressed during flowering, but these two genes (though present) are turned off/inactive in the Satsuma. What's the difference between the two citrus? The Satsuma is evergreen and bears flowers in the Spring, while the Trifoliate is deciduous, has two induction periods (separated by a dormant stage) and then blooms in the Summer. Tim

Bob great thread !! Funny thing I find mandarins aren't discussed enough on the forum and probably 9 out of 10 of us are big time mandarin collectors. I like you and your wife Bob love the taste of very sweet candy like mandarins this is why I bought 2 Gold Nuggets , Shiranui, Pixie, Kishu . Daisy in all the reviews I've read are supposed to be extremely good but they do have seeds . Some think it's the best . I hope you will be able to locate your daisy graft lol. Amy an I wanted a Daisy so bad a year ago but probably not so much anymore because we both have run out of room lol. I have a tango I find it very hit and miss some years the fruit are excellent and other years watery and tasteless. I find Shasta very good very sweet but it does not have that typical mandarin flavor as Dancy or a clementine would have at least under my conditions . I find Shasta more on the tropical fruit taste very complex very good . I was very disappointed with my Kishu fruit last winter they were very dry and tasteless maybe because the tree is still young . I have a ton of fruit on my Kishu this year so fingers crossed they will taste better then last winter. Kishu and my Satsuma so disappointing for me I thought since I live in a cooler climate Satsuma would do great . I have a Valencia that needs a lot of heat which I don't get and the fruit are fantastic so sweet who knows . I bought a Pixie tree this year and it has 4 fruit on it , I know that it's a young tree and don't expect much but I'm very excited to try them . Have you ever grown Dancy Bob? I grew one about 30 yrs ago and the fruits were fantastic very sweet with a very strong mandarin flavor unfortunately the tree died from my inexperience. I've always been tempted to get another. Bob have you tried growing Minneola ? They are excellent right off the tree nothing like you get in a store they are incredibly sweet . I have tried Shiranui fruit from my tree for two years in a row now and they are incredibly sweet the best to me . Still haven't tried fresh Gold Nuggets, I do have one fruit hanging on one of my trees . Actually my crazy Gold Nuggets are blooming right now so maybe soon . Bob your doing everything right just look at your gorgeous trees!!!!! Brian