Tuesday, August 1, 2017

Happy Kumquat

This was a post I originally meant to submit on Saturday (my birthday) but I had a few things happening on the weekend, to do with - you guessed it - my birthday. It's a few days late, but nonetheless meaningful to me. Because it's a story about the...

Evolution of a Kumquat tree.





As tiny as it was, back in 2008, I first wrote about this dwarf fruit tree, in a post titled, Dreams awaken where I wrote...

"This was my favourite find, a Marumi Kumquat! I've always wanted to try a Kumquat and as it happened, the nursery had one in a display pot, in fruit! The lady welcomed me to try one. The flavour was incredible. Just as your face screws up from the bitterness, a delayed sweetness suddenly hits your pallet. I can imagine a marmalade or two from this wonderous bush!"





And what a beautiful marmalade, it did make! I was going to write about it, the second time I made it. Unfortunately, we tend to snack from the tree, before we can collect enough fruit, to make another batch. But it is like no other marmalade I've ever tasted. A small, fiddly fruit to work with, but ever so worth the effort, once you taste it!


2008


Our Kumquat tree was planted in the ground, on the same day as my 34th birthday. So it's a birthday present, of sorts. But one that keeps giving, every year. Whoever said, money doesn't grow on trees, obviously weren't giving them their due diligence. I wrote in my original post...

"These weren't just a business transaction - they were an investment in our future. We didn't feel the least bit guilty coming home with 6 kinds of citrus trees." 


And haven't they all been so productive? None died, so we didn't lose money on our original investment - but now we're having more reliable, decent sized crops to consume. So they're saving money on our grocery bill, and helping to feed the native animals too. The ones who don't mind munching on citrus, that is.


Settling in - Kumquat, front


Some four months after being put in the ground, we built a chicken coop, put down some other plants, and added hard-scaping. The paving was a great idea, but I wasn't quite sure if I'd end up regretting those rocks. My fears were confirmed, when the weeds still came up - but they're a lot easier to pull. And I really like the rocks being a permanent mulch.

The rocks ensure the ground is always kept cool underneath, even when they heat on the surface. Which can cause condensation overnight, when the temperatures cool again. This is important for citrus trees, as they have a mat of fibrous roots, close to the surface, which need to be prevented from drying out. Rock mulch worked, while it was such such a wee tree.

Of course, it's done some growing, in the 9 years which followed...


2017 - the Kumquat is now taller than me
{click to enlarge}


It's now mulched with coffee grounds, prunings and sticks, on top of the original rocks. I'm glad we had the vision, all those years ago, to spend birthday money on fruit bearing trees. It's my birthday today (mmm...try last Saturday), and not quite a decade since I first planted that tree. It's such a privilege to be able to live in the same place, for so long, to watch it's evolution.

It's had it's sacrifices along the way, but that's the deal in life. You have to give up some things, so you can concentrate on others. Because we cannot do it all. By focusing on getting a few things right, though, we can build on the rest as we go. I like to build with trees in my garden, because they age with me. We evolve together. But one day, they will out live me.


Seedling Moringa tree


So I'm planting more tree seeds and fruit-bearing, shrub seeds (which I purchased, recently) in my nursery. Just to continue more of that evolution together. In another decade, I hope to be able to show, more of those trees' stories. Like what we learned together about the environment, aging and bearing fruit.

Come to think of it, I have memories of photographs, of my younger grandparents, standing next to fruit trees. They were probably around my age too. One picture was taken next to a papaya (paw-paw) tree, and another photo later on, taken next to a grapefruit. My grandparents have now passed on, but I know the grapefruit is still bearing - and the paw-paw, probably had a bazillion babies, by now.

Do you remember any photographs in your family history, taken next to fruit trees?



15 comments:

  1. You have just reminded me that I have to tip prune my Moringa. I want it to grow shrubby rather than into a tree.

    I agree that it is satisfying to watch plants and gardens grow and change. You're right we can't do it all. I am reading a book at the moment that touches on the difference between a fragmented and a multifaceted life. I like the idea of living a deep, rich, multifaceted life. I am going to give some thought to integration.

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    1. I like your thoughts about integration. It tends to weave into your life, rather than take over completely. Which makes it easier to adapt, because change is always challenging. :)

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  2. I have small citrus trees grown from pips, plus a couple other types, it's a challenge but fun, and one day I hope to have fruit.

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    1. Good on you for growing from seed. I hear they make the best fruit trees, in terms of hardiness. :)

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  3. I have no photos but I remember vividly the cherry guava in my grandparents' garden and how my Grandma would make jam from the fruit when they were ripe. Isn't it lovely how plants can be part of such wonderful memories. Thank you for the reminder. Meg:)

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    1. Guava jam. Sounds delicious! When I think to my most interesting times spent with my grandparents, it had to do with growing and eating food.

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  4. That was definitely a worthwhile birthday present all those years back, Chris. I think there is a Kumquat tree hanging over the back fence. I should check it out.

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    1. They make the best marmalade, because the rind is so sweet - unlike other citrus. Have fun exploring the bounty over the back fence.

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  5. Happy Birthday Chris! Thats a delicious looking marmalade. I have tried something with kumquats and honey at some point but I can't remember what the recipe was. My kids didn't take to it but I love the fruits myself. So happy your trees keep on giving you gifts.

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    1. P.S. I have pics of my grandmothers olive farm with her sitting beneath the trees. I don't recall seeing other pics but figs and olives are forever tied to my memories of family. They, however, preferred to pose among flowers .

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    2. Olives and figs are terrific trees. I have yet to get mine to fruit. The fig did it once, but the birds got them, before I could. Maybe this year?

      Glad you have some memories of family, and whether with fruit trees or flowers, it's great the outdoors can connect us. Because while the memories might fade, and the photos disappear, we will always have those living elements to remind us of them. :)

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  6. Planting any type of tree is an act of faith and a long term investment into the future. We enjoy the foresight of tree planters fro generations ago who never got to see the beauty of their decisions to plant those trees.

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    1. I'm so grateful when I find old trees in the landscape. Especially if they're fruit bearing. Because someone planted them, and while I might never knew them, I can see what they cared about. Creating abundance. Old fashioned values. :)

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  7. Happy Birthday Chris, i hope you had a wonderful day.
    i have also gotten fruit trees as birthday gifts, its an investment for the future.
    i have to say i do miss my mountains orchards they were a treasure.
    one of out trees was a cumquat the fruit truly is amazing, i struck cuttings from it before we left and have 5 small seedlings from them, it gets quite cold here and like my lemons they have not been planted out yet. i will have to make up some sort of shelter for over the colder months as frost is very thick here and some times stays around till early november. im thinking something along the lines of a removable green house shelter.

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    1. Thanks Nicole. My birthday was mostly laid back, which is how I like them to be. A bit of cake, and a bit of company, plus not a lot of fuss, equals a great day. :)

      That's awesome, you managed to strike cuttings of your favourite variety of kumquat. Fingers crossed, they make their new home a permananent one. Plant them uphill from a valley, so the frost can drain away, and put rocks around it, maybe even a small retaining wall if on a slope, and it should retain enough heat, to push away the frost as well. But depending how bad your frosts get, a removable shelter might be the way to go.

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