How to Grow Kumquat

Learn how to grow Kumquat trees at home and what to make with your harvests with this ultimate guide! Kumquats (Citrus japonica and hybrids) or Cumquats are very ornamental citrus that produce masses of small fruit. Kumquats can be eaten straight from the tree, with the skin being edible too. They make beautiful, abundant additions to the garden, especially if you like jams and marmalades.

Kumquats are evergreen and provide dense bushy foliage, which makes them great for wind protection or screening.

What parts of Kumquat are edible?

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Quick Tips on How to Grow Kumquats at Home

PLANT

Plant in Spring or Autumn

SOIL

Free-draining soil. Slightly acidic.

LOCATION

Full sun – part. 6-8 hours.

CARE

Prune after fruiting for shape or size.

FERTILISE

Feed with compost and keep well mulched.

PESTS

Aphids, snails, birds, fruit fly.

HARVEST

Harvest when deep in colour.

REPRODUCE

Can be grown by seed but may differ from the parent plant.

Why Grow Kumquats at home?

Here are some of the many reasons to grow Kumquat

Hardy, low-maintenance fruit tree
Perennial
Ornamental and edible
Prolific producer
Dense busy shrub
Grows well in pots and containers
The whole fruit is edible
Great for making jams and preserves

Popular Kumquat Varieties

Nagami – Japanese variety with small oval-shaped fruit. Bright orange when ready. Sweet skin and tart flesh. 1-2 seeds in each fruit.

Meiwa – Larger round orange fruits. Sweet skin and flesh. A hybrid of Nagami and Marumi varieties.

Marumi – Round fruits that are quite sour or tart. Mainly used for preserving.

Variegated Kumquat – Stand out ornamental variegated leaves and fruit. Variegation disappears on fruit usually once ripe. Also known as Calamondin or Calamansi.

TOP TIPS TO GROW KUMQUAT

Choose a sunny location
Mulch around the base (avoid touching the trunk)
Free-draining, slightly acidic soil

When to Plant Kumquat

Ideally, plant your trees in Spring or Autumn. If you are growing in containers, protect new plants from extreme heat or cold.

How to Grow Kumquat

Choose a sunny location with 6-8 hours of sunlight.

Dig a hole twice as big as the pot and loosen the roots if they are tightly bound.

Free-draining soil with compost.

Mulch to regulate temperatures and reduce weeds.

Give it a deep water.

Care/ Maintenance

Feeding

Feed with compost or liquid fertilisers in late winter after fruiting.

Watering

Deep water especially in summer.

Pruning

Prune after fruiting for shape. This can make it denser and bushier. Always check and remove growth below the graft.

Pests / Disease

Aphids, leaf miners, and citrus gall wasps. Natural pest management.

How/ When to Harvest

The great thing about growing Kumquats is that they can last a long time ripe on the tree. This makes them really beautiful and ornamental and gives you time to preserve the fruit in batches. The fruit is ready when it is rich in colour. It can be a good idea to harvest using scissors or snips as the branches are thin and can rip or break if you pull the fruit off.

Reproducing

Kumquats often have 1-2 seeds inside. These can be grown, but results can vary but why not give it a try! Most citrus are grafted onto rootstock for disease resistance.

Cooking and Using

Kumquats fruit prolifically, so it’s a good idea to have a few recipes on hand. The great thing is that you don’t need to peel them as the skin is edible too!

Kumquat pairs well with: Honey, custard, passionfruit, chocolate, vanilla, cheese, greens, mint, ginger, pear, cinnamon,

Kumquat ideas:

Dehydrated
Jams and marmalade
Cocktails
Candied
Baking
Salads

Preserving the Harvest

Kumquats can be made into jams, chutney, marmalade, and relish. They can also be preserved whole in salt or liquor. Dehydrating slices is another easy way to preserve the harvest.