Sour Citrus?

Around this time of year I always encounter a number of folks who tell me their citrus is sour.  And I’m not talking lemon and limes here.  I’m talking tangerines and oranges and all the other wonderful citrus that grows so well here in our temperate Southern California climate.  So why so sour?  Well, the answer is simpler than you might think.

You see, many people assume that when their fruit takes on that beautiful orange hew that it must be ripe.  NOT TRUE!!!  Many oranges, tangerines, and other common citrus crops can be quite ripe when the skin still has some green, or on the contrary may not be ripe even when they are nice and orange.  The navel orange trees in my backyard orchard have been loaded with ripe-looking fruit since December, but it wasn’t until today that I got to taste the first truly sweet fruit.

Now I know what you are thinking:  Then how do you tell when the fruit is ripe?  Well, again, there is a simple answer-give it a taste.  Even in commercial groves, growers rely on taste to tell when their crop has its peak sugar content and is ready for harvest.  Be warned, that if you pick all your fruit too early it WILL NOT ripen or gain sweetness off the tree.

So before you go running out to the nursery for a bunch of fertilizer, or frantically spread sugar around the base of your tree to boost your sugar content, just sit back and wait until your fruit is just ripe :)

A little patience brings the sweet citrus we all know and love

Author: Ari Tenebaum   |   Posted on: February 1st, 2012   |     No Comments »