Hello Yobe,
I have heard that some citrus can be alternate year bearing meaning that one year the tree will have a heavy crop and the nixt year little or nothing. I may be way off but that's what I am guessing is going on. Did you get any flowers on the tree? Have you treated the tree the same way you did last year?
Andrew

Andrew is correct. Satsuma's are alternate bearing. My father-in-law has a 25 year old satsuma that does exactly what you are describing.

-Brett

Thanks for the reply, Brettay and Andrew78.

The Satsumas in Pensacola, at least in my neighborhood, are NOT alternate year producers. They have produced wonderful crops each fall since I moved here four years ago. I only have one tree and my neighbor has two and we would notice if they weren't producing. We and our friends and neighbors DEVOUR them.

Today my neighbor mentioned to me that after the blooms this spring she had many little fruits. And now she only has three or four. I went to look at my tree and there are NONE. In spite of wonderful flowers and two active bee hives in our back yard!

We have to rule out the alternate year thing. But does anyone know what is happening to our Satsuma crop this year?

How interesting that you bring this up now. I have one satsuma and it had a heavy crop last year and it bloomed this Spring. I noticed an aphid infestation on it while it was blooming and got rid of them, but lost all the blooms in the process. It hasn't bloomed again and no fruits. I just bought another satsuma yesterday and it has no blooms on it either, so maybe I still won't get any oranges. But if it's that alternate year thing, next year should be a blowout!

My dad used to talk about growing satsuma oranges when he was a boy. His father had orchards down around Beaumont. I sure wish he was here so I could ask him about it. I'll bet he knew and just never thought to mention it. Cheryl

Many citrus are alternate bearing with one bumper crop followed by a lighter one.

Sorry for bring up an older thread. But I would like to know the matured size of satsuma trees and if they are multi truck shrub looking? Also what about growth rate. I am thinking of buying one and have to decide if I should buy a 15g or 5g.

Thanks for helping

It is May 9 and I have decided to take out one of my 3 Dancy tangerines. I just picked off the last of the fruit, and although delicious, I have just too much of seeded tangerines, literally a thousand or more. Do the satsumas bear fruit earlier than Dancies?
I would like to replace it with a Satsuma, just for variety, but does anyone know how long it takes before any satsuma fruit will grow on the tree? And have I missed the bloom season, (there are no blooms on the satsumas in the nursery). It will be in full sun in semi-coastal Southern California. Citrus grows beautifully here, except for grapefruits which are not quite sweet enough.