Satsuma Mandarin

How to propagate satsuma mandarin

Citrus is usually grafted, because seedlings take many years to fruit and may not come true. On the Gulf Coast, cold-hardy satsuma on trifoliate rootstock is the reliable choice. You can sprout a seed for fun, but expect a decade-long wait and uncertain fruit.

Growing satsuma mandarin in Texas

Give it full sun and well-drained soil. Match the spot to the plant and most of the battle is already won.

Because it's a perennial, the work is mostly up front. Get it sited and established and it comes back on its own year after year — one of the best returns on effort in the whole garden.

Keep moisture even, especially while it's young — deep, less-frequent soaks build better roots than a daily sprinkle.

Harvesting

Figure on roughly 2–3 yr to bear before you're harvesting. Let fruit ripen on the plant where you can — it's where the sugars finish — and pick gently to avoid bruising what you don't eat right away. The part you're after: fruit.

Making more for free

Every seed we sell is open-pollinated, which means you can save your own from the best plants and it'll grow true next year. Let a few of your strongest plants finish and go to seed, dry it fully, and store it cool and dark. That's the whole point of heirlooms — buy once, grow forever.