Tangerine tree not flowering

[JoeLeanza]

I have a relatively new year old tangerine tree that has grown beautifully. I have aggressively fertilized it this year. The first 2 years we had a few fruit. The past 2 years there has been none. When should they blossom? What can I do to make it bear fruit?

 

[kevinj]

I have a relatively new year old tangerine tree that has grown beautifully. I have aggressively fertilized it this year. The first 2 years we had a few fruit. The past 2 years there has been none. When should they blossom? What can I do to make it bear fruit?

1st. of all welcome to AS.
I live in Michigan and we have no tangerine trees here.
Fertilizer, may be the culprit.
Keep the Nitrogen low.
And many people think this is crazy,
but it does work.
Take a 2 x 4, and whack the trunk once or twice.
This will shock the tree into producing flower buds.
I'm sure Mike Maas will respond to this idea.
Everyone I've recommended this to now believe it's true.

 

[Adkpk]

I have a relatively new year old tangerine tree that has grown beautifully. I have aggressively fertilized it this year. The first 2 years we had a few fruit. The past 2 years there has been none. When should they blossom? What can I do to make it bear fruit?

I am missing something here. I guess it's a (4) year old tree, correct?
Does it have a mate for cross pollination. Some tree are A sexual but maybe yours needs a mate.

 

[l2edneck]

Welcome to A/S.....

I have some paperwork in my files that may help us out....As soon as i find it i'll see if i can locate any thing in there on why it's not flowering.

Feel free to give me a call and i would be more than happy to come take a look.

 

[Newt*]

Clementine tangerine needs a cross pollinator. Ponkan and Dancy do not. Most of the hybrids need a cross pollinator. Lee would be the exception. Take a look here.
http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/A/ANR-0603/

Newt

 

[antigrassguy]

Hey Joe, could it be possible that your tangerine has gotten a little frost damage to its winter buds? Go easy on the fert and only apply recommended amounts as prescribed by your soil samples. AND please do not whack your tree with a 2x4. kevin what are ya, goofy? I think the shock you speak of is a result of a crushed cambium layer and the tree uses what energy it has to produce seeds to continue life as it thinks that its going to die. And it might with a continued spanking.

 

[kevinj]

Hey Joe, could it be possible that your tangerine has gotten a little frost damage to its winter buds? Go easy on the fert and only apply recommended amounts as prescribed by your soil samples. AND please do not whack your tree with a 2x4. kevin what are ya, goofy? I think the shock you speak of is a result of a crushed cambium layer and the tree uses what energy it has to produce seeds to continue life as it thinks that its going to die. And it might with a continued spanking.

I did noy say a continued spanking.
I said once or twice.
And I'm dead serious.
I've read about this about 30 yrs. ago. And tried on different ocassions.
A few years ago on a Flowering Dogwood aprox. 10 yrs. old.
I whacked it in late spring. Doing minimal amount of visable damage. (nothing compared to lawn mower damage)
The following year it blossomed. What can I say ?
Others have tried it, and it has worked for them also.
I'm not saying it works everytime.
What have you got to lose?

 

[Newt*]

I don't recommend hitting a tree either, but I've heard it works. I would recommend that you protect the bark with a pillow or something that won't allow the bark to be broken. Breaking the bark could allow a path for insects and disease.

Newt

 

[antigrassguy]

The only thing I can think of that may cause this to happen is water stress. In other words collapsing the xylem and phloem tubules in the damaged area so that the plants ability to take up water and nutrients is hampered. In effect causing artificial drought stress.
Im not saying that I doubt you, just trying to figure out why it may work.
And FWIW, it makes me grin with the thought of whacking a clients tree with a 2x4 and the coversation that would ensue.

 

[antigrassguy]

kevin we need to not be spreading this whacking thing all around AS. My thoughts on this are that for $24.95 PLUS $9.95 S&H of a ANTIGRASSGUYS TREE FRUIT AND FLOWER INDUCER. Now if you have a wood burning set I might be able to get you in on the ground floor of this revolutionary new tool, for a small fee of coarse. For a extra $8.95 we could offer this organic implement in a variety of colors. Do you have any old paint in the garage you are looking to get rid of? You wont have to worry about any of the mundane administrative tasks like advertising or billing or collection as I will handle these lousy chores. All you would have to do is get some 2X4's and cut em 4' long and paint them the customers choice and ship them and Ill handle all the rest, for a small fee of coarse. WOW I'm, er I mean WE are going to be rich. EBAY here we come!!

 

[LightningLoader]

Help has arrived - Floridian onboard

I don't know about whacking the tree...down here in FL we apply a foliar spray to stress the tree and induce bloom. (I can't remember off the top of my head what's in the application, but I'll post as soon as I find out)

It should be about to bloom right now if it were in FL, but I didn't notice what state you're in. Cold weather can cause a delay in the bloom.

Kevin J is right on the fertilizer thing. Too much fertilizer means that the tree uses all the new energy toward generating foliage instead of fruit. When the tree thinks it's dying it trys to reproduce the most, so letting the tree be stressed a little is a goood thing. Maybe cut down on the nitrogen in your fertilizer and go with more potassium, which is good for fruit quality and size.

 

[LightningLoader]

Take a 2 x 4, and whack the trunk once or twice.
This will shock the tree into producing flower buds.

Whether this works or not, citrus trees can be pretty succeptible to foot rot, and young ones have pretty thin skin that could be damaged easily, so I would recommend against this for citrus trees.

 

[LightningLoader]

Urea foliar application to stress tree and induce blooming. You're too late to do it this year though.

 

[JoeLeanza]

Thanks for all your help.

I did whack it once and I also pruned about a foot off the tops.

Lo And behold there are over a dozen little white buds starting to grow.

Thanks again

Joe Leanza