🍊 Plant Profile: Siam Red Pomelo

📊 Basic Info

• Variety: Siam Red Pomelo (Tubtim Siam)
• Planting Date: Spring 2023
• Yield Performance: ★★☆☆☆ (First blooms appeared in 2025; steady production expected by 2026/2027)
• Fruit Traits: Green skin with vibrant ruby-red flesh. Known for its intense sweetness, high juice content, and lack of bitterness.

📖 Variety Overview

A premium pomelo variety from Thailand, prized for its unique contrast between the emerald rind and deep red interior.

• Appearance: Features large, lush leaves with prominent winged petioles. The tree is sturdy and well-adapted to the local sun.
• Growth Habit: Loves full sun exposure in Rowland Heights. It is heat-tolerant but requires consistent moisture during the fruit-set phase.

📅 Precise Ripening Months

Pomelos have a long maturation cycle in Southern California, typically taking 8–10 months from flower to harvest:

• Primary Harvest Window: November to February.
• Peak Quality Month: December and January (This is when the flavor profile is most balanced and the sugars are at their peak).

🛠️ Care & Management

• Aphid Control (March–May): Use Neem Oil or horticultural soap on new spring flushes. Controlling ants in the garden is crucial, as they protect aphids from natural predators.
• Nutrient Strategy: Apply phosphorus and potassium-rich fertilizers in late February to support blooming and fruit retention.
• Irrigation: Maintain steady soil moisture during the summer to prevent fruit drop or rind splitting.