Progress, Surprises, and Future Hopes
First Fruits of Our Search
This year, our quest to discover more interesting citrus fruit varieties for a sweeter grapefruit has yielded its first results. The fruits produced were impressively large, almost the size of pomelos (Shaddock). Remarkably, they had a thick rind and less bitter, pectin-rich partitions.
Flavour and Texture Observations
When we tasted the fruit, we noticed that the pulp was exceptionally juicy and distinctly sour, despite carrying a pomelo-like scent. Both the pulp and the juice tasted almost exactly like sour lemons. As a result, our attempt to create a sweet grapefruit appears to have yielded very large, aromatic, and juicy lemons. Additionally, the thick rind gives these lemons a long shelf life.
Looking Ahead: Future Fruit Potential
It is important to note that the flavour of the first fruits can sometimes be misleading. Therefore, we will wait another two years to see whether the fruits will become less sour as the tree matures. For now, we will wait another two years to see if the fruit becomes less sour as the tree matures. If it doesn’t, we may end up with lemons so large that one could make a whole glass of lemonade. Either way, we’re happy with these results, no matter how the fruit turns out.
Continuing Our Citrus Breeding Efforts
Meanwhile, we are not giving up. We will continue our citrus crossbreeding by planting seeds from fruits that may have crossed with navel oranges or yuzu lemons. As always, we eagerly anticipate the next surprise that our garden will offer.
#LoveHomeGrown
