Meet Frank Meyer, of the Meyer lemon

Meet Frank Meyer, of the Meyer lemon

I spotted this sign in a Starbucks the other day, featuring a coffee that is claimed to have Meyer lemon in its flavor profile, and I wondered how that would make Frank Meyer feel. Initially, he might shake his head because he clearly requested that no plant be named...
When to pick oranges and tangerines

When to pick oranges and tangerines

A friend asked me how to know when to pick the tangerines from his tree. My first thought was, it’s obvious, you pick them when they taste good. But then I remembered that for some people gardening is full of rights and wrongs; he was afraid there was a correct...
What happened to the Gwen avocado?

What happened to the Gwen avocado?

In 1984, a new avocado variety was patented by the University of California and released to growers. It was called Gwen, and it showed great promise.  Gwen was estimated to produce approximately double the amount of fruit per acre compared to Hass, the standard...
Growing dragon fruit in Southern California

Growing dragon fruit in Southern California

When my friend Brad started growing dragon fruit some years back, his friend Simon told him not to bother with any variety except S-8. “I’ve tried all the other ones,” Simon told him. “Don’t bother. Just grow S-8.” “But I have to try them for myself,” Brad had replied...
Growing avocado trees from seed

Growing avocado trees from seed

Seeds aren’t trash. The best avocado varieties in the world have all come from someone planting a seed. Gwen, Fuerte, Hass, Nabal, Reed, etc. They all came from seeds — seeds that someone allowed to grow. Maybe you want to try your luck and see if a seed...
Citrus, ants, and HLB: the latest research

Citrus, ants, and HLB: the latest research

Yesterday, I attended a citrus pest management field day at Rancho Guejito put on by the University of California. The focus was on the disease Huanglongbing (HLB) and ants. I’ve attended many similar lectures and research updates on these topics over...
Grafting onto citrus rootstock suckers

Grafting onto citrus rootstock suckers

Citrus trees often shoot up branches from down low on the trunk. If low enough — below the graft union — then these “suckers” are from the rootstock. In a sense, these are dangerous, and it’s important to remove them immediately. See...
Why no avocados on your tree?

Why no avocados on your tree?

In July it becomes evident whether your avocado tree will have a crop to eat next year. Do you see small avocados on the tree now? Do you see many? If your answer to either question is no, then this post should give you a clue as to why not. If you have an...

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