Derald wrote:
"David Hare-Scott" wrote:

I would appreciate it if anybody can refer me to a reference on the
topic of whether leaving fruit on a tree alters the flowering and
setting of new fruit for the next season. I have excess citrus
fruit from last summer (now coming into spring) and I have been
leaving it on the tree to store it. Clearly the old fruit cannot
stay there forever. Will the old fruit inhibit new flowering and
fruiting until it falls off or is taken off, or will the new fruit
coexist with the old for some period? Is this the same for all
citrus, all fruit, or is every case different?

David
See questions 9 and 10 on page 4 of this document:
http://ucce.ucdavis.edu/files/datastore/391-272.pdf;


Thanks, that's a good reference.

see, also, the fifth paragraph in the section, "PRODUCTION, MATURITY
AND USE" in this document:
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/citrus/oranges.htm.

The experts say, "Don't do it" but I've lived all of my life in
Florida, U.S.A., where -- on the peninsula, at least -- citrus is
ubiquitous. and holding citrus on homeowners' "dooryard" trees tree
is common practice. On the tree is the only way to store citrus and
exposure to winter chill makes the fruit sweeter, although, freezing
temperatures will cause much of it to fall. For the home grower, I
don't think the effect, if any, on subsequent cropping is
significant. More commonly, it seems to result in smaller fruit but
thinning the new crop might be corrective. Of course, the fruit will
eventually become overripe and fall and too little water will cause
it to become dry and "ricy". There is no general rule of thumb:
Tangerines and murcott start tasting old fairly quickly while most
oranges and grapefruit retain their flavor well.

I thought it would be a compromise.

David