http://old.rosieonthehouse.com/faqs/citrus-harvest

Citrus Harvest

A Showcase of Citrus

There is a large variety of citrus fruits that we can enjoy; 100+ give you an idea. Citrus fruits range from lemons and limes - which are predominantly sour - to oranges and tangerines which are predominantly sweet. Arizona's five C's include Copper, Cattle, Cotton, Climate, and - you guessed it - Citrus! In Arizona's low desert climate, the thriving varieties of citrus include orange, grapefruit and lemon.

Varieties proven to thrive in Arizona:

Oranges
- Arizona Sweet Orange
- Navel
- Valencia
Lemon
- Lisbon
- Meyer
Grapefruit
- Duncan (White)
- Flame (Pink)
- Redblush (Pink)
Lime
- Mexican True Lime

Varieties of Mandarins, Tangelos & Kumquats also do well in Arizona. Complete list of citrus varieties grown in the southwest according to Arizona Cooperative Extension.

The Fun Facts About Lemons:

National Lemonade Day is August 20th.
Lemons are harvested by hand.
Paris, France was where the first lemonade ‘soft drink’ debuted.
Arizona and California produce 95% of the U.S. lemon crop.
The average lemon contains about 3 tablespoons of juice.
Arizona is one of only four states that produce lemons. Others include California, Florida and Texas.
There are nearly 50 varieties of lemons.
Depending on the rootstock it takes 3-5 years for a lemon tree to bear fruit.
Lisbon lemon trees grow on a sweet orange rootstock.
A lemon tree can produce 500 to 600 pounds of fruit each year.
A lemon tree can produce fruit year-round, but the main season is late winter and spring.
Citrus is one of Arizona’s Five Cs: Citrus, Cattle, Cotton, Copper, and Climate.
Lemons are rich in Vitamin C and contain about the same amount of the vitamin as oranges.
Lemons are used in drinks, soaps, lotions, and even make-up.
Lemons can keep for about 2 months if kept in the refrigerator. They will only keep for about 3 weeks when left out on the counter.
Arizona harvested 7,500 acres for processing and fresh market lemons in 2017.

Celebrating One of Arizona’s 5 C's, Citrus by Arizona Farm Bureau.

Home Maintenance Calendar To-Do: #CitrusHarvest & #Citrus

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Podcast

Talking about oranges ready for picking while not disturbing new blossoms blooming for next year's fruit. SavATree's John Eisenhower has suggestions on juicing and storing that juice in various ways. Justin Rohner of Queen Creek Botanical Gardens talks about Agriscaping and the many things to see at the gardens. What it takes to have a beautiful garden and eat it too!

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Julie Murphree of The Arizona Farm Bureau joins us with special guest Trevor Bales of Bales Hay Farm & Ranch Feed Store. Trevor's family farm dates back 6 generations. He discusses the history of the farm and the significance of hay farming in Arizona from production to feed. Plus, citrus is one of Arizona's 5 C's that benefits the entire country.