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My first thread on #YardFruits coming at you now! My name is Eric Stafne and I’m the Extension fruit specialist @MSUExtService. Since many of us are stuck at home during the COVID-19 pandemic I decided to show you some of the fruit crops I have in my yard. 1/10
Kumquats are in the Rutaceae family and the genus Fortunella. It is slow growing and can get to 15 ft but also in pots. If you want multiple trees, then go at least 10 feet apart in a place with full sun and well-drained soils. Little pruning needs to be done, after harvest.
Mulching around the base help control weeds, cools the soil, and helps maintain consistent soil moisture. A slow release citrus fertilizer can be applied a couple times during the year.
Pests are minor in most home situations. In this case you see leafminer damage. Also spider mites can reduce photosynthetic potential if left unchecked.
The branches may have a few thorns, especially near the base but the rootstock will push up suckers that will be thorny. Remove any suckers that come up. Trifoliate orange is the best rootstock because of its cold hardiness and adaptability to different soil types.
Kumquats can tolerate relatively low temperatures, lower than most in the citrus family. They can endure temperatures down into the mid-teens F making them a good choice for south Mississippi.
The trees are self-fertile, so a single tree can produce fruit. Fruit shape ranges from oblong to round depending on variety. Fruit is entirely edible, including rind. However, they have seeds and are not very juicy. Typically, the outer rind is sour but the inner pulp is sweet.
In my yard, I have a variety called ‘Nagami’ that has mostly oblong fruit. They usually contain 2-5 seeds. Here in south Mississippi they begin to ripen in winter and continue into spring. It can produce prodigious crops of hundreds of fruits per year.
The fruit makes an excellent marmalade or hot wing sauce.
They are also excellent for cocktails. This was a short introduction to an interesting fruit crop from my yard. If you need more information about growing kumquats hit me up on Twitter or email me – I’m easy to find on Google.
