Citrus Fruits
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Tangors For Backyard Gardens
Tangors are sour-sweet and full-flavored citrus. They are hybrids between mandarins and sweet oranges. Tangors are sometimes mislabeled as oranges. Tangors have bright orange rinds and pulps. Though their rinds are thick, tangors are easy to peel. The name “tangor” is a formation from the “tang” of tangerine (a name often applied to deep orange-colored […] More
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Kumquats for Backyard Gardens
Kumquats can be eaten fresh out of hand whole—rind and all. The skin of the kumquat is sweeter than the flesh. Roll a kumquat between your fingers to mingle the sweet skin and tart flesh, then eat the whole fruit or slice it and add it to fruit salads. Kumquats can be used to make […] More
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Grapefruits for Backyard Gardens
Tangy grapefruit can be eaten raw—by the half or peeled and sectioned, it can be added to green and fruit salads and compotes, and it can be juiced. Grapefruits require heat to develop their sweet-tart flavor. A grapefruit that feels heavy for its size is ripe and ready to eat or juice. Grapefruits are best […] More
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Limes for Backyard Gardens
Limes are too tart to eat on their own, but like lemons, they add a refreshing tang to both sweet and savory dishes. Limes are grown mostly in Florida, California, along the Gulf Coast, and in Mexico. Limes are the least cold-tolerant of citrus fruits. They are best grown where summers are hot and winter […] More
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Lemons for Backyard Gardens
Lemons are too tart to eat on their own, but they are probably used more than any other fruit. Lemons are the defining flavor in many desserts, and they add zest to just about all savory dishes. Lemons grow where other citrus trees won’t. They have a lower heat requirement than sweet oranges and grapefruits. […] More
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Oranges for Backyard Gardens
Oranges can be divided into three basic groups—sweet oranges, blood oranges, and sour oranges. Sweet oranges can be divided into two subgroups—navel oranges and common oranges. Navel oranges and common oranges are the most commonly grown oranges both in home gardens and commercially. Navel oranges are mostly peeled and eaten fresh out of hand. Common […] More
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How to Plant, Grow, Prune, and Harvest Citrus
Citrus—oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruits, and kumquats—thrive outdoors where summers are warm and winters are mild. But citrus is not only for warm climates. Citrus fruits can be grown in cool regions in pots or planters that can sit outdoors in warm weather and be moved indoors in cool weather. Citrus fruits take months to ripen—six […] More
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Grapefruit Toppings
Grapefruit can be sweet and a tad bitter or loud and sour. Grapefruit is well matched with avocado, Campari, Champagne, crab, fresh ginger, honey, lemon, lime, fresh mint, pomegranate, and brown or white sugar. To simply eat grapefruit out of hand with a spoon try one of the following toppings for each grapefruit half: […] More
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Citrus Tree Pruning
Citrus trees are largely self-shaping, requiring little pruning. Occasional pruning to shape leggy branches or to give a citrus tree the desired shape can be done any time of the year except winter. Pinch back tips of new growth to help round out citrus trees. Cut back erratic new growth or trunk suckers not wanted above […] More
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in Citrus Fruits, Prepare
Lemons: Kitchen Basics
Lemons are used to flavor both sweet and savory dishes. They are too tart to be eaten alone. Lemons are rarely eaten raw because they are too tart for out of hand eating. Use lemons to flavor everything from salads to fruit desserts. Lemon is used to enhance the flavor of fish, shellfish, and meat […] More
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in Citrus Fruits, Prepare
Oranges: Kitchen Basics
Sweet oranges are great for eating out of hand, but oranges can also be cooked. Here’s a guide to cooking oranges: Bake. Remove the orange peel and all white membrane then cut the orange in half crosswise. Glaze and bake until hot (15 to 25 minutes depending on size of fruit). Grill. Cut the orange […] More
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How to Pick a Ripe Orange
There are differing peak seasons for oranges depending upon variety. Valencia oranges are in season from late spring to mid summer. Navels are best from mid winter to early spring and blood oranges are at their peak from early winter until early spring. Sour oranges are harvested beginning in late fall and the harvest continues […] More
Steve Albert