Moved here 3 years ago. Oranges have been getting sweeter it seems by the year.
last year we had a small crop but sweet. This year a huge crop, lots of
splitting and they are quite sour - comparatively. I know we were doing sweet
fresh juice this time last year - so what's the problem. I think the cracking
is due to the unusual amount of rain -(Some rather than none we are in So.
Cal - Los Angeles) Actually we've had a lot of rain this year. Last year it
was poor. The hills behind us didn't even have a hint of greet. This year
they are really green and ful of flowers.

Anyway I'm getting off the subject. Any clues as to why my oranges are not
sweet?And is there anything I can do to remedy this for future years?
Helen

If these are true Valencias they are simply not ready. Valencia does not
ripen in winter. Are you sure you were making juice this time last year?

Peter G.

"HPBudlong" wrote in message
...
Moved here 3 years ago. Oranges have been getting sweeter it seems by the
year.
last year we had a small crop but sweet. This year a huge crop, lots of
splitting and they are quite sour - comparatively. I know we were doing
sweet
fresh juice this time last year - so what's the problem. I think the
cracking
is due to the unusual amount of rain -(Some rather than none we are in
So.
Cal - Los Angeles) Actually we've had a lot of rain this year. Last year
it
was poor. The hills behind us didn't even have a hint of greet. This
year
they are really green and ful of flowers.

Anyway I'm getting off the subject. Any clues as to why my oranges are
not
sweet?And is there anything I can do to remedy this for future years?
Helen

Yes, we had ripe oranges this time last year. The fruit have always been ripe
around this time. Perhaps they aren't Valencias. but previous owner said they
were. We're in Southern California, no "cold" weather to speak of, almost
always sunny. I thought perhaps since we had more rain this year than last -
and hence more cloudy weather, that they might be "late" ripening this year and
that might be why they were not sweet yet.

Helen

In article ,
(HPBudlong) wrote:

Yes, we had ripe oranges this time last year. The fruit have always been
ripe
around this time. Perhaps they aren't Valencias. but previous owner said they
were. We're in Southern California, no "cold" weather to speak of, almost
always sunny. I thought perhaps since we had more rain this year than last -
and hence more cloudy weather, that they might be "late" ripening this year
and
that might be why they were not sweet yet.

Helen


I too live in S. Cal and the orange tree I have I think is a valencia
(it was a full grown semi-dawrf when I moved into the house)...I pick
in June-July although they look like they are mature right now. For
a few initial years I used to pick them in Jam-Mar but they were sour
until I realized they were valencias which are summer oranges..duh.
--
Steve O The best defense is an effective offense. Sun Tzu ca. 525 BC