As the season fizzled out, the last dekepons were smaller, not as juicy, as not as sweet. They did, however, deliver quite a few seeds. I have some seedlings just now coming up and if they survive I should have a few small starters in Nor Cal. A couple of things about this variety. It is reported to be a very finicky grower. So much so, that the Japanese originally gave up on commercial production until some lone farmer stole a tree or some budwood (?) and figured out how to properly grow them. I think it has a lot to do with thinning, but don't know for sure. There might be water/fertilizer/other issues. Having had the fruit in Japan (including just recently) I can say the the best examples of California Sumo have tasted *better* than even the 'gift class' of Dekopon I'd had in Japan. Perhaps I didn't get it at the right times or from the right purveyor, but I think the CA growers are doing a fine job. I have a few more seeds that may or may not germinate after being accidentally forgetten in some water (oops) - I am guessing they're toast. Still, with luck, I should have 3-5 seedlings if they survive any damping off. Being easy to peel, sweet, juicy, BIG, and tasting like life savers tangerine candies did the trick for me. I hope they aren't *too* difficult to grow. We'll all know in a few years :)

I have the same tree from the same place and on the same rootstock. So far, I have not repotted mine yet as whatever mix it is in, it seems to like at this point (plus it wasn't potbound when I got it). It is doing some nice flushing of leaves. Rich is a trifoliate orange rootstock and should be okay with this. Here is a GW thread on it with a couple links for more info - [https://www.houzz.com/discussions/rich-16-6-dsvw-vd~4158704[(https://www.houzz.com/discussions/rich-16-6-dsvw-vd~4158704) One of the links at that thread is this (PDF) where on pg 8 there is a category for "Trifoliate Orange" that includes Rich 16-6. Since you are in south Florida (and have a hot/humid rainy season), just make sure that whatever you mix up, drains well but has enough potting mix so that you are not watering it multiple times a day when it's not raining and the sun is blazing (unless you don't mind doing that). Here is mine this morning (we have had on and off rain for the past couple weeks - it is the tree that is sitting in the clay-colored plastic pot to the left of the plumeria & peony) -

Not sure how tall your tree is, but maybe a 1" x 1" stake pounded in to the ground to just the height you want your branch. Cut 2 sections of 1" x 1" about 3-4" long and use a screw to attach both to your 1"x1" (should look like a "Y") I would lay something in the Y that the limb can rest on but not rub bark off on. And then use some twine to secure the tops of the Y. When the fruit is done, you can untie the twine and remove the Y We use 2x4 Y's to support branches on everything from Bananas to peaches to persimmons (of course those are bigger, have 2 screws to hold the Y arms and instead of pounding in the ground we wedge under the limbs.)

Laura did you keep the trunk free of growth? I hear so many different opinions and just not sure what to do. My Sambukan is growing really everywhere and also on the trunk new growth. Some say leave it to strengthen the trunk and others think it would be better to keep it clean. Your tree looks beautiful and just wondering what you did??