"Nagami Kumquat"
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| Almost 100% fully ripe Kumquats |
Another citrus winter harvest for 2015! You do not have to be in the sunny states to enjoy a citrus harvest. You can have a citrus plant in wintry places like this!
Citrus trees can thrive indoors in a nice comfortable, preferably sunny window area. What I come to understand about citrus fruits and not even just citrus plants but other foods, such as, sweet red peppers, that you got to have patience. Patience is a virtue. It took many months to develop and turn to the bright orange. When I bought this plant it already had unripe kumquats formed on it. The kumquats started turning the last weeks of November 2014.
By December it looked liked this...
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| Kumquats turning from green to orange December 7, 2014 |
Peeking through the shadows of the leaves and branches you can see one has fully ripen...
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| One fully ripe kumquat December 7, 2015 |
Within days and more weeks I was able to pick a few here and there...
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| Ripe Kumquats December 25, 2014 |
And over a half a dozen more yesterday! Gave some of my harvest to family and friends. My nephews cannot get enough of them. But, my mom and sister hesitates in eating them.
Why?
They do not like the "kumquat experience" it gives you.
What experience?
My first experience was a remarkable one. I had never eaten one before. The first time I seen (up and close) of a kumquat plant was when I visited Phoenix, Arizona at the True Food Kitchen Restaurant (highly recommend - located in various states). But, just recently I ate one for the first time- OH MY! The skin is edible (the best sweet part). I bit into one and BAM didn't expect that SOUR sensation. Talk about a facial expression you don't want to see.
How do you eat a kumquat?
How do you eat a kumquat?
So, do you have a kumquat experience you would like to share? Did you like it?
I used to eat them all the time as a kid. Now I am gun shy. It's one of the few citrus not affected drastically by greening yet I don't grow it because I'm afraid to try one now. HA!
ReplyDeleteIt seems kids are more daring than adults in eating this fruit. I still have a few more left on the plant and I'm gearing up to eat one at a time.
DeleteI bet my son would like kumquats. He used to eat limes as a kid.
ReplyDeleteHe would most definitely like it then.
DeleteI would love to get a citrus tree, but we only have south & north facing windows and the south facing ones don't really have any room - unless I put them in one of the kids rooms - not sure they would be willing to sacrifice the space, though.
ReplyDeleteA good investment. If you do get a citrus tree, the kids would probably help take care of it and knowing the fact they will be growing their own fruits. Some nurseries have nice small sizes, just repot, put it in a corner where sunlight will hit. And feed it good fertilizers- I used dried eggshells, dried brewed coffee grinds, seaweed, and now Epsom salt.
DeleteWish I had a sunny spot to grow citrus indoor during the winter months. A friend of mine grows beautiful lemons. Plant stays outdoor during the growing season and indoor in the winter.
ReplyDeleteHi Norma,
DeleteThat's exactly what I do with practically all my plants put them in the backyard during spring/summer months then by fall before it drops to the cold spell I bring them inside.