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| This grapefruit was still very firm and quite tart. Picked to test flavor. Fruit on this tree will continue to sweeten and the pith will narrow. It should be at peak in several more weeks. |
Leaving fruit on the tree has some advantages. The fruit will get sweeter the longer it stays on the tree up to a certain point, and then it begins to get pithy or dry out with loss of flavor. Once the fruit is picked it does not ripen or sweeten any further so it’s important to leave it on the tree until it reaches its peak.
How can you tell if the fruit is ready to pick? Color isn’t always the best indicator of ripeness. The best way to determine readiness is taste. Eat a sample from time to time. Another indicator is the thickness of the pith. Pith, the layer between the rind and the edible part of the fruit, can get thinner as the fruit matures on the tree. However, this may vary from year to year, depending on the variety, weather, etc..
Some citrus holds on the tree better than others. Mandarins such as Satsumas, Clementines, Tangelos, etc., will not last long after maturity. Their skins will become loose, and their juice will begin to dry up. Lemons can pretty much be left on the tree until you’re ready to use them, and grapefruits become sweeter the longer you leave them.
The bottom line – taste is the key.
Most citrus needs to be picked or protected if temperatures are predicted to go below 28°. Satsumas and kumquats seem to be the most tolerant of cold temperatures while grapefruits, limes, and lemons will need to be picked or protected when freezing temperatures are predicted.
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| Two types of mandarins— Clementines on the left, Orlando Tangelos, right. Orlando Tangelo is a cross between Dancy tangerines and Duncan grapefruit. Sweet, juicy, and quite cold tolerant. |
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| A heavy crop of Clementines. It has taken a number of years for this tree to produce tasty fruit. Clementines are small, a cross between a mandarin and sweet orange. These are larger than those you see in grocery stores. |
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| Meyer Lemons. Large and sweeter than regular lemons. |
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| Red Grapefruit - ‘Flame’. Heavy bearer of seedless fruit which is consistently sweet and juicy. |
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| Cara Cara Red Navel Orange. Developed from a natural mutation discovered in Venezuela in 1976, the fruit is seedless and delicious with a unique flavor and exceptional vitamin content. They ripen later. |
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| Limequats. A cross of Key Lime and Kumquat. Small, with tart flesh and sweet rind. More tolerant of cold than standard limes. While very good when fresh, they do not last long on the tree and begin to deteriorate within a week after picking. They can be used when green or yellow. |
Several good references with more information
https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/okaloosaco/2021/12/20/let-citrus-ripen-on-the-tree/
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