Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
oyster123_gw

Source of Gold Nugget Mandarin

Oyster123
18 years ago

I live in Concord, in the San Francisco Bay Area. I have checked with Armstrong, Orchard, Navlet's and Capital Nurseries (in Sacramento) to locate a Gold Nugget mandarin, to no avail.

I also contacted wholesaler Four Winds, but it does not carry it. Brokaw Nursery in So. Cal carries it, but it cannot ship north of Santa Barbara due to quarantine issues.

I left messages with Willits & Newcomb and Menlo Growers, and am awaiting responses.

Does anyone know of a retail outlet that carries this mandarin in my area?

Thanks,

Oyster

Comments (31)

  • tucsonorchardguy
    18 years ago

    Yesterday 3-2-06 I bought a 5 gal Gold Nugget Mandarin from a nursery in Tucson, AZ ($30) that came from Willits & Newcomb. From ground to top leaf in the container it is about 6 ft tall, columnar & spindly with long vicious, thorns.

  • Oyster123
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    tucsonorchardguy,

    I FINALLY tracked down a source of Gold Nugget: Menlo Growers of Gilroy, CA. They are a wholesale grower of citrus. I am asking a local nursery to place an order to Menlo for me. I didn't realize this plant was thorny. My owari satsuma is nearly thornless.

    Thanks,
    Oyster

  • joereal
    18 years ago

    that thorny spindy thingy could be rootstock thingamajiggy.

    I've just tasted lots of gold nugget citrus fruits from a tour and the tree is a "spineless" thornless thing of wondrous beauty. Fruits are superb even in cooler coastal climate.

    Leaves are slightly bigger than willowleaf mandarin, but still willowleaf like, only fatter.

  • sunnym
    18 years ago

    was at Menlo Growers 2 weeks ago, they were out of GN, but had the shasta golds. I bought the SG instead.

  • gwarrington
    18 years ago

    Are Menlo Growers wholesale only? Can anyone go and buy there or do you need a tax #?

  • bencelest
    18 years ago

    They sell to the public. But call first. I went there twice but they were close. Also call first if they have what you want.

  • Oyster123
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Menlo Growers shipped the Gold Nugget to my local nursery for me to pick up. I called them, and they priced my 7-gallon plant at $89. I hope at that price that it is a specimen plant. I'll check it out this weekend. I wonder what MG would have sold it to me for, had I dropped by their place? $89 sounds pretty steep, but since I could not locate this variety of citrus anywhere else, and it is supposed to be a great-tasting mandarin that ripens in early summmer, I don't have much choice.

  • gwarrington
    18 years ago

    Thanks bencelest - don't know why I didn't think to just call them in the first place.
    g

  • ezawada
    18 years ago

    oyster,

    shoulda picked it up....a couple years back..you could get 5gallons on site for only $20....
    i'm heading there in a couple weeks to get some more !! Will let you know what 7 gallons are going for.

    EZ

  • bencelest
    18 years ago

    Last year they were $79 but you have to belong to a certain citrus organization like the scion exchange or something. These are the 5 foot trees.Pretty stiff but they are tall and very good looking trees.But some are on the $40 range when they are about 3 feet in height..

  • Oyster123
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    ezawada,

    All right, go ahead and make me feel bad by posting the price and showing me how much I lost by procrastinating. Actually, I didn't think about buying GN until I heard about it on Farmer Fred's gardening talk show three weekends ago, so I didn't waste time trying to find one. I bet that by now the price of a 7 gallon tree (which could very well be double a 5 gallon tree), wholesale, is around $50, and figuring gas at $2.50 a gallon, Gilroy is 70 miles from Concord, and I get 24 mpg, all of which means the cost of the tree is around $65 (not including wear and tear on my car). Still a loss when compared to $89, but I can live with that, under the circumstances.

    Of course, based on what bencelest said above, the wholesale cost might be even higher than what I guessed.

    BTW, when I spoke to Menlo Growers last week, I was told that the plant they shipped me was the last large one they had, and that all that was left were buddings. Better call them first before going there, unless it's a short trip for you.

  • bencelest
    18 years ago

    oyster: You are lucky Menlo growers shipped you your plant.
    I was told that they don't do that when I was there last.
    You on the other hand just made out in my book because 70 miles is a long ways to drive just to buy a plant. Plus
    your time involved $89 maybe a little high but you save a lot of your time. EZ lives not too far from you. Let's put it this way: The difference is roughly $30 between a 3 feet and 5 feet tree plus more branches on the sides. You will harvest a lot more on your favorite citrus in no time so that$30 difference you can pretend you bought those extra fruit in the store.
    The advantage of going over there in person is you can pick the biggest tree they offer. I even asked if there are other place they store their trees.
    They have other places too that they grow their citrus if you are willing to go a few blocks from their main nursery.

  • gwarrington
    18 years ago

    I paid $55 for a 7 gal. (standard) Gold Nugget today at Menlo. It is worth the trip just to see their stock, and as bencelest stated, to pick out "your" tree. The problem is getting the stuff home. Even my Suburban is a bit short for much or their stock, and it would be a long windy drive home in the back of the pickup.

  • rickjames
    18 years ago

    Not to change the subject but since this has come up, is there a quarantine within California?

    And I have tried to talk to that Menlo Growers owner (I think) and he was not very friendly at all, which is too bad since he has such an interesting selection compared to other local growers. Can you just walk in to his place or what? And does anyone know if he will have the gold nugget dwarf available again in the near future?
    TIA.

  • bencelest
    18 years ago

    Yes. as long as the gate is open you can come in and look for someone to help you. There's only the owner Mike is his name and the guy in charge who usually taking care of the whole nursery and usually Mike is not around he delivers the citrus to a lot of nurseries within 50 mile radius. So it's hard to find someone to help you. You'll just have to call them to find out.
    the best time is to go there around 10 or 2 oclock.

  • MikeP46
    18 years ago

    Four Winds Growers has just started carrying 1 year old Gold Nugget mandarins grafted on Flying Dragon rootstock for $23.00. I just ordered two! Yea!

    Mike

  • ezawada
    18 years ago

    Oyster...next time you're wondering what it costs, and someone tries to let you know based on their information....just deal with it. I was only answering your question....and btw. I can't make you feel bad...You made yourself feel bad all on your own. Enjoy the citrus !!

  • Oyster123
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    ezawada,

    You didn't realize I was just joking? Hopefully others got the gist of my response. This forum is meant for helping each other, not for throwing barbs. Sorry you took it the wrong way.

    bencelest,

    thanks for the supportive words. I just hope the GN is as good as I've read and heard. With this particular citrus and the others that I already have (Owari satsuma, Washington navel, Minneola tangelo and Trovita) I'll have fresh citrus 7 months of the year!

  • worms
    16 years ago

    Oyster, I knew you were joking, no worries, I'm sure others did as well. It's hard to be jokey online, isn't it, so easy to misinterpret without the person, in person.

    Does anyone know of a GN source in So Cal?

    Thanks.

    EK

  • altadenamara
    16 years ago

    Burkards Nursery in Pasadena has both dwarf and standard GNs.I was there this morning. I ate the last two fruit from my two bushes last week. They weren't very acid, after sitting in the hot sun for weeks. I'm thinking of adding a third bush. They're seedless, delicious!

    Here is a link that might be useful: Gold Nugget Mandarin

  • bigmario
    16 years ago

    Do the GNs do well in pots?

  • siegel2
    16 years ago

    Just wanted to add that the Gold Nugget Mandarin tree that I planted a couple of years ago produced lots of fruit last winter and the mandarins were some of the best ones I've ever eaten.

  • altadenamara
    16 years ago

    BigMario, my GN in a pot is doing better than the one I planted in the ground. It's covered with little fruit for next year. The tree in the ground has no fruit at all, or blooms.

  • birdsnblooms
    16 years ago

    Altad, have you checked pH? Is it getting enough light? At least you have a pot filled w/babies for next yr..What size pot is your GN planted in? Toni

  • altadenamara
    16 years ago

    Hopeful, the pot is a standard 15 gallon pot. The tree in the ground gave around 10 fruit last year, so may need a rest. No, I haven't checked the pH, but it's getting lots of light. It's only been in the ground for a little over a year, so is probably still adjusting to soil conditions.

  • birdsnblooms
    16 years ago

    Standard 15 gallon? LOL..That's one big pot you have there, Altadenamara..standard here in Il is 10-12"..LOL.
    Actually, I believe most of my citrus are in 5 gallon containers. Sure unlike CA..
    Okay, so your ground tree is getting enough light..how about fertilizer? Have you ever fed it, if so what did you use and how often?
    Maybe you should check pH..do you have a county agent you can send soil sample too? I don't think they charge, or if so, it's inexpensive.
    What do your leaves look like? Are they healthy? Toni

  • altadenamara
    16 years ago

    I'm getting some new growth on the GN in the ground. I only fertilized it once this year, which might be the problem. I did a soil analysis here in CA around 25 years ago, and it was pretty expensive. I've dumped so much stuff on my poor plants since then, it's probably changed, and would be slightly different for each plant, depending on many factors. Most of my plants are started in pots, in potting soil, which would negate native soil conditions even more.

  • birdsnblooms
    16 years ago

    Altadenamara, it was expensive? I've never had my soil analyzed, but have heard others discuss this very topic; they said it was inexpensive..I guess expensive vs non-expensive is relative. LOL.
    How about a pH meter? They start at 20.00..I use Rapitest. This way, you can insert in different areas of your land, at a one time cost..do I sound like an ad? LOL.
    Well, there's always tomorrow to fertilize. Do you by chance purchase the once every 3 months fertilizer? If you don't like to fertilize, that's the best route to go..lol..Just sprinkle and water. No mixing required..
    It's good hearing your GN is putting on new growth..I really would apply food, then see how it goes..
    Though some people don't share my belief, I use a hormone called Superthrive..it's a hormone w/50 vitamins..It works fantastic for all plants..great on seedlings/cuttings and stressed plants, too..
    Good luck, Toni

  • altadenamara
    16 years ago

    Toni, The soil tests seem to run from $20-50. If the plants are growing in various brands of potting soil that have had several years of different fertilizers dumped on them, the test would be mostly accurate for one plant only. What about the other 200-400 plants in the yard?
    IÂve used a slow release fertilizer with trace nutrients on my roses. I forget if it was 9 or 12 months. However, it degenerated rapidly, was gone by July from a January feeding. Are there slow release citrus fertilizers, with trace copper and minerals, that would work with both potted citrus and citrus in the ground?

    Meters for pH can vary in their accuracy. I tried to find some specs on the degree of accuracy of the Rapitest, and couldnÂt find any, even on the Luster Leaf website. Do you use it with the special cleaning pads after each test? The Kelway pH reader, for example, has an accuracy of + or - .2 . Test strips are supposed to be fairly accurate also. Usually my plants tell me when there is a pH problem, with hydrangeas blooming pink, in spite of the blueing formula, leaves that are supposed to be dark green turning a light green, either with the whole leaf, or just the veins, or weak, spindly growth. Our water here is very alkaline, so it goes that direction easily.

    I've tried Superthrive a few times, but haven't noticed much difference.

  • bznursery
    16 years ago

    Alta,
    You might just be very lucky that your 2 gold nuggets are on different fruiting cycles. The GN's are very very alternate bearing. The Univesity of CA almost didn't release this variety because of that fact. So if your trees don't sync up sometime down the line you'll enjoy plenty of the fruit each and every year.

  • altadenamara
    16 years ago

    bzn, Thanks for the info. That's good news. GN is one of my favorite citrus. Wish I had room for more.