Washington Navel Orange in Vista CA

[cdamarjian]

Would you show a cross-section of one of your Washington Navels?
I just picked my first Washington navel from ghouse grown 2-year-old plant. I wonder if its rind is abnormally thick (perhaps indicating too much N or too little P?).
My Washington Navel is the one on the right …which I contrasted with a store bought orange that I think was a navel.

[Richard]

@cdamarjian
See

Thick rinds on Washington Navel tree

Too much Nitrogen in proportion to P and K. For excellent citrus fruit you’d like annual proportions of 3:1:2 by weight – not volume. Fertilizers with N-P-K of 3-1-2, 6-2-4, 9-3-6, etc. meet this criteria. The growpower 5-3-1 – which I have used, is not an ideal balance but still a reasonable offering. One pound of it contains 0.05 lbs N, etc. As for quantity in citrus growing regions of California, a tree your size could utilize up to net 1/2 lb of N per year.

[minutifolia]

I also love Clauson Nursery in Vista CA. They have a wonderful selection, know everything, do their own grafting, have been in business 2 generations at least. Always helpful and wonderful prices. And yes, they are a bit quirky. Other tropical fruit trees too.

[Richard]

@minutifolia

Clauson Nursery

My experiences with them have been different.

[NickC]

Now I’m convinced I bought a tree with the wrong tag. My Washington navel looks nothing like yours. Mine are small and smooth. Probably a juicing orange.

[Richard]

Is it seeded?

[NickC]

No seeds. Maybe a Valencia variety idk