My mother-in-law grows kumquats on the balcony, and the branches are laden with fruit - beautiful to look at and delicious to eat, and when there is more than we can finish, we can give some away.
A few years ago, after I had my baby, my mother-in-law put all her focus on taking care of her grandchild, which lifted a lot of burden off me and my husband. In the blink of an eye, the baby reached the age to start kindergarten. After the baby started school, my mother-in-law was usually quite free, and once her time opened up, she wanted to find something for herself to do, and that is how the matter of my mother-in-law growing kumquats on the balcony came about. Through my mother-in-law's careful tending, the kumquats lived up to expectations, and in the fruiting season the branches were laden with fruit - beautiful to look at and delicious to eat, and when there is more than we can finish, we can give some away! Below are 3 key points my mother-in-law summarized for caring for kumquats. Friends who are interested may as well take a look!
1. Fertilizer and water
Fertilizing and watering kumquats both require careful attention, and you cannot simply do it based on your own feelings. Generally speaking, both the flowering stage and the fruit-setting stage require proper watering. During the flower bud differentiation stage, if you notice that the young shoots are tending to wilt, only then should you water moderately, while during the kumquat flowering stage you need to provide enough phosphorus fertilizer, which will help the kumquat grow delicious fruit!
2. Pruning
When pruning kumquats, be sure to remember one principle: do not be greedy for more. Prune what should be pruned. Within the same leaf axil, generally keep one flower bud; on one branch, generally keep about 5 flower buds and about 2 fruits. The pruning time is generally before the spring shoots sprout, so that the branches can grow healthier and thicker, and the shape can also be more perfect, providing conditions for more flowers and fruit!
3. Cultivation
Kumquats generally grow relatively fast after the beginning of spring, when the temperature rises. At this time, pruning is a must. Pruning should follow the principle of keeping the strong and removing the weak. First choose 5 main branches clinging to the framework, and do not greedily keep the other branches; it is best to cut them off from the base, and the ones kept should also be shortened according to their strength. Keep about 5 buds on the relatively strong branches, and about 2 buds on the relatively thin and weak ones!
After about two months, it should be about time for the kumquat's second round of growth, and then comes the second pruning. This pruning is a light pruning; just trim the tips of the shoots slightly. After that, each time the new shoots grow about 8 leaves, pinch them once, so that more summer shoots can grow next time, preparing for more flowers and fruit later! Under the results of my mother-in-law's careful care like this, the kumquats on our balcony are laden with fruit - beautiful to look at and delicious to eat, and when there is more than we can finish, we give some to the neighbors to eat. The neighbors all envy me for having such a capable mother-in-law!
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