During last year's landscape of back yard, I put a
dwarf orange among the plants. It had several oranges on
it, and when they ripened, I ate them with real reverence.

Following spring, it had a LOT of blossoms, and I had high hopes.

All blooms fell off. No oranges.

Terribly disappointed.

Question: Could this have anything to do with its proximity
to a rapidly-growing bamboo? I keep the B. cut back so it doesn't
shade too much, and I do fertilize the Orange with a product
that is supposed to work on the soil rather than directly
on the plant.

Am going to move the Orange to a better location, where
I hope it will do better.

Meantime, would be very interested in any feedback
on why all the blooms fell off...

Thanks for your advice.

--

Persephone

Zone 24/8, So Calif coastal

On Mon, 08 Sep 2003 21:24:31 GMT, wrote:


During last year's landscape of back yard, I put a
dwarf orange among the plants. It had several oranges on
it, and when they ripened, I ate them with real reverence.

Following spring, it had a LOT of blossoms, and I had high hopes.

All blooms fell off. No oranges.

Terribly disappointed.

Question: Could this have anything to do with its proximity
to a rapidly-growing bamboo? I keep the B. cut back so it doesn't
shade too much, and I do fertilize the Orange with a product
that is supposed to work on the soil rather than directly
on the plant.

Am going to move the Orange to a better location, where
I hope it will do better.

Meantime, would be very interested in any feedback
on why all the blooms fell off...

Thanks for your advice.

Any comment out there?

I have (successfully, I hope) moved it, but would
still appreciate comments on why all blooms
fell off earlier this year.

TIA

--

Persephone

wrote:

During last year's landscape of back yard, I put a
dwarf orange among the plants. It had several oranges on
it, and when they ripened, I ate them with real reverence.

Following spring, it had a LOT of blossoms, and I had high hopes.

All blooms fell off. No oranges.

Terribly disappointed.

I do fertilize the Orange with a product
that is supposed to work on the soil rather than directly
on the plant.

Sometimes, citrus will become alternating-year bearers. This
mostly affects those that have specific seasons (e.g., oranges)
and not those that are everbearing (e.g., lemons).

Also, applying fertilizer during or just after bloom can cause
fruit drop.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean
Sunset Zone: 19 -- interior Santa Monica Mountains with some ocean
influence (USDA 10a)
Gardening pages at http://www.rossde.com/garden/