02-08-2019, 09:14 AM
Been watching our Valencia Orange tree closely all winter.
It had dropped a lot of fruit last fall due to circumferential cracking and splitting.
My assumption was that the SOx gasses from the eruption stunted the growth of the skin while the insides continued to grow.
The tree has not carried as many fruit to maturity this season.
Even with what was lost, it still did not set as many fruit as it did last year.
Valencia is not known as an alternate year bearer.
So, I assume the lack of fruit is due to eruption side effects, gasses and no bees.
I think I began picking fruit in Jan. last year, not positive though.
It should be getting close to setting blossoms again.
So, its a week into Feb., time to begin picking and checking its fruit.
I just stripped the East side of the tree not giving any thought to which were the ripest, not enough fruit to get too picky.
There is more fruit left on the West side than was on the East side.
I picked a bucket full, enough for 2 breakfasts with some left over.
A few small fruit, smaller than ever before onn the tree.
A couple about the size of a cherry tomato.
Again, assuming an effect from the eruption.
The juice was very good.
But, like last year, the first picking was too soon.
It was a little tart.
In another 3 weeks to a month the juice will be nice and sweet.
I'm hoping for a large blossom set this spring giving a lot of fruit this time next year.
The harvest the winter before last gave us all the OJ we could handle.
I juiced oranges and froze juice.
We had home growed OJ until the following winter.
It had dropped a lot of fruit last fall due to circumferential cracking and splitting.
My assumption was that the SOx gasses from the eruption stunted the growth of the skin while the insides continued to grow.
The tree has not carried as many fruit to maturity this season.
Even with what was lost, it still did not set as many fruit as it did last year.
Valencia is not known as an alternate year bearer.
So, I assume the lack of fruit is due to eruption side effects, gasses and no bees.
I think I began picking fruit in Jan. last year, not positive though.
It should be getting close to setting blossoms again.
So, its a week into Feb., time to begin picking and checking its fruit.
I just stripped the East side of the tree not giving any thought to which were the ripest, not enough fruit to get too picky.
There is more fruit left on the West side than was on the East side.
I picked a bucket full, enough for 2 breakfasts with some left over.
A few small fruit, smaller than ever before onn the tree.
A couple about the size of a cherry tomato.
Again, assuming an effect from the eruption.
The juice was very good.
But, like last year, the first picking was too soon.
It was a little tart.
In another 3 weeks to a month the juice will be nice and sweet.
I'm hoping for a large blossom set this spring giving a lot of fruit this time next year.
The harvest the winter before last gave us all the OJ we could handle.
I juiced oranges and froze juice.
We had home growed OJ until the following winter.
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Was a Democrat until gun control became a knee jerk, then a Republican until the crazies took over, back to being a nonpartisan again.
This time, I can no longer participate in the primary.
Was a Democrat until gun control became a knee jerk, then a Republican until the crazies took over, back to being a nonpartisan again.
This time, I can no longer participate in the primary.