Mandarin tree

dejays, May 26, 5:02pm
Planted one year ago has not grown at all given citrus fertiliser 3 times did have some fruit this season
oh_hunnihunni, May 26, 5:38pm
Probably putting on root growth. Wait'n see.
cleggyboy, May 26, 6:33pm
One thing I wish to mention is don't plant a mandarin or orange near a lemon.
If you do you are likely to get a lot more pips in the orange/ mandarin.
maclad, May 26, 8:14pm
What a load of rubbish. That will only maybe/ happen if you plant the seeds and then not likely. Misconception.
As to your mandarin not growing. Well firstly you need to keep an area round the base of your tree, out to the drip line ,cultivated and weed free. Does not need deep cultivation but this will help your tree to grow. It also needs regular feeding with a good citrus fertilizer and regular watering. When you planted it, did you did a nice big hole and put in good topsoil, compost and fertilizer. Pretty important because if you planted it in anything less it may well struggle. Is it in a sheltered, sunny, warm position/
dibble35, May 26, 9:21pm
I thought this was true? (regards the next poster above me) I worked in a citrus nursery and was always told mandarins and oranges that would normally have a few pips (not newer satsumas which are pipless anyway) will have more pips due to cross pollination with a lemon.
dibble35, May 26, 9:23pm
anyway regarding OP, I have a satsuma mandarin which has not grown much at all the first 2-3 years of its life, only this last summer has it started to make some headway. You should be pulling all the fruit off the first year, half the 2nd year and by the 3rd year the tree itself should have grown enough that you dont need to remove fruit anymore
fresiaa, May 27, 7:53pm
I have one mandarin tree that fruits every second year. Maybe your's too

edit: the tree is just 150 cm high and doesn't grow taller
harm_less, May 27, 9:24pm
You are right, it is true. Lemons will cause seediness in most oranges and some mandarins. The exception is for sutsuma mandarins and many limes as they are triploid hybrids that can't produce seeds, and also won't cause seediness in other nearby citrus because their genetics result in them being sterile.
pisces47, May 28, 4:11pm
Like the Chinese do, pee on the ground around tree
dibble35, May 28, 4:39pm
Thats good to know. something I learnt was correct. lol.
jenny188, Jun 3, 9:30pm
If this was to be true , the tase of the fruit would be also a cross between the two.
jenny188, Jun 3, 9:33pm
fresiaa wrote:
I have one mandarin tree that fruits every second year. Maybe your's too

Most fruit trees, nut trees or bushes have one heavy year followed by a lighter year. it helps them in the "wild" survive seasonal varyations
harm_less, Jun 3, 11:13pm
No, the seeds if viable would be crosses but not the fruit.
harm_less, Jun 3, 11:25pm
Biennial bearing is due to an inability to maintain stable carbohydrate levels and can be triggered by an adverse climatic event such as frost typically during flowering or early fruitset. The 'off' year allows the tree to build its reserves excessively resulting in a heavy flowering and fruit loading, which if then carried to maturity drains the reserves which then causes another 'off' year to follow. The phenomenon is hormone driven effecting flower bud initiation.

Some varieties of fruit and nut trees have a stronger tendency to crop biennially and such varieties require flowers or (very early) fruitset to be thinned in order to stabilise carbohydrate levels and flowering hormone production.
dibble35, Nov 4, 6:46am
This makes sense as with some apple, pear, and plum trees you need them to cross pollinate with another tree. but you dont get fruit which is a cross do you.