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  • From: laura@innercite.com
  • To: North American Fruit Explorers <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [NAFEX] Kumquats and pedicel
  • Date: Thu, 11 Mar 2004 11:27:10 -0800 (PST)

Hi -

It's kumquat eating time at my house, and I'm reminded of a question I have...

Anecdotally, I have noticed that if we rip the kumquats (Nagami) off the tree
and leave the pedicel, the pedicel never drops off, and in fact seems to
increase in girth over the season, as if the tree is still trying to shift
nutrients into the fruit that is not there. Years ago, when we first got the
tree, the tree lost a LOT of vigor after it's first fruiting, even though it
was well-fertilized and watered. I noticed the enlarged pedicels from the
previous year, and cut them all off - they had actually developed bark.
Since
then, I always try to get the stem with the fruit, and the tree has
never "lost vigor" after that.

I'm wondering if there is any scientific evidence to prove that the kumquat
could really putting effort into ripening the pedicel, or if it's just my
weird observation, and my tree's continued success since ensuring fruit and
stem come off during harvest is just a coincidence.

Thanks,

Laura Confal
Northern CA, where almonds have set, kumquats are ripe, apples are pushing,
and spring is glorious




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