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I went back for potting soil and somehow came home with two more fruit trees. That's pretty much how this food forest project has been going lately!
I found two kumquat trees that needed a new home, brought them back with me, and eventually decided to plant both of them in our Central Florida food forest.
Since they're still small and we're heading toward their first winter in the ground, I'm also thinking ahead about freeze protection. That sent me down another rabbit hole learning about growing kumquat trees in Central Florida.
I Went for Potting Soil and Rescued Two Kumquat Trees
I wasn't actually planning to buy two more trees that day. I had gone back for potting soil, saw these kumquats, and decided they deserved a chance.
That's one of the fun parts of slowly building this food forest. I don't have to buy everything at once or have the entire thing planned perfectly. I'm adding trees as I find them and learning about each one along the way.
Watch the Kumquat Rescue
Here's the first video from the day I ended up bringing both kumquat trees home:
Can Kumquat Trees Grow in Central Florida?
This is one fruit tree that makes me feel a little more confident about planting in the ground here.
Kumquats are among the more cold-hardy types of citrus and can be grown throughout Florida. That makes them very different from some of the tropical fruit trees I'm experimenting with.
They're also relatively compact trees. A mature kumquat can reach around 15 feet tall, making it easier to fit into a home landscape than some much larger fruit trees.
Do Kumquat Trees Need Full Sun?
Kumquats can tolerate some partial shade, but full sun is the better choice if fruit production is the goal.
That's something I'm considering throughout the food forest as I decide where each tree belongs. It's not just about finding an open spot. I also have to think about how much sunlight that location receives and how large the surrounding trees will eventually become.
Do You Need Two Kumquat Trees to Get Fruit?
Here's something interesting I learned after bringing home two: you don't need two kumquat trees for pollination.
Kumquats are self-pollinating, so a single tree is capable of producing fruit.
Apparently I didn't need two—but that doesn't mean I'm complaining about having both of them!
How Big Do Kumquat Trees Get?
Kumquat trees are slow-growing evergreens and generally stay on the smaller side compared with many fruit trees. They can reach roughly 10 to 15 feet tall at maturity.
That smaller size is another reason I think they're an interesting addition to a home food forest.
What Do Kumquats Taste Like?
Kumquats are unusual because you can eat the peel along with the inside of the fruit. The peel is sweet while the flesh is more tart, giving the whole fruit a sweet-and-sour flavor.
Different varieties can taste different, too. Two common types are Meiwa and Nagami. Meiwa tends to be sweeter and less seedy, while Nagami tends to be more tart.
When Do Kumquat Trees Produce Fruit in Florida?
In Florida, kumquat fruit generally starts maturing in the fall and can continue through the winter and into early spring. UF/IFAS lists the season as roughly October through March.
I'm looking forward to seeing how these two trees develop and, hopefully, eventually getting fruit from trees we planted ourselves.
Planting Our Kumquats in the Food Forest
I ultimately decided to put both trees in the ground. That makes these a little different from my soursop experiment.
My soursop is much more sensitive to cold, so I'm keeping my soursop in a pot for now so I have more flexibility when temperatures drop.
With the kumquats, I felt comfortable getting them established in the food forest, while still planning to give these young trees some extra protection this first winter.
Do Kumquat Trees Need Freeze Protection in Florida?
Established kumquat trees are surprisingly cold hardy, especially compared with many other citrus and tropical fruit trees.
But these aren't large, established trees yet. Mine are young and newly planted, so I'm planning to be more cautious if we get a hard freeze this winter.
I'm going to keep these plant freeze covers from Amazon available so I can cover the young trees when our temperatures are expected to get especially low.
I like that approach better than assuming that because kumquats are cold hardy, a small newly planted tree needs no protection at all. As they become larger and better established, I'll be able to see how they handle our winters.
Watch Us Add the Kumquats to the Food Forest
Here's the second video showing the trees after planting and why I'm thinking ahead about freeze protection:
Building Our Central Florida Food Forest One Tree at a Time
These two kumquats are just part of what I'm adding.
I also recently found a Hamlin orange tree that was originally around $200 and marked down to about $50. You can see that find and what I learned about planting citrus here: When Should You Plant an Orange Tree in Florida? My $50 Hamlin Orange Tree .
Between the orange tree, these kumquats, the soursop and the other fruit trees I'm collecting, this is definitely turning into a learn-as-I-go project.
That's also what makes it fun. I want to see what grows well here, what needs extra help, what survives our winters, and eventually what actually gives us fruit.
If you grow kumquats in Central Florida, I'd love to know how yours handle winter and whether you protect young trees from freezes.