Sebastian Emiliano Ponce and Osvaldo Nicolás Ponce are two brothers born and raised in Roca who undertook a project in the midst of a pandemic. Today they are partners of “Cítricos Alto Valle” located at Álvaro Barros 135, 2 blocks from Route 22 and Route 6 and they sell to the public, wholesale and by unit.
Much of the time is spent making deliveries that supply not only the majority of the nurseries found on Route 22, but also those on Route 151, extending the route to Neuquén capital, Plottier, Centenario, Añelo, as well as Villa Regina, Huergo, Godoy, Choele Choel and, through a client, Gabriela Medina, managed to supply nurseries in Trelew.
We started in May 2020, with a street sale, Nicolás told RÍO NEGRO. “In the beginning we published 15 plants on a Facebook page, and we sold them in 2 days. Then we bought 30 plants and with the money that Nación IFE gave us we bought 70 more plants and in 20 days we had sold approximately what a pallet brings,” said one of the brothers.
In the varieties of lemon trees that they sell, there are: «Genova lemon tree», «Pink lemon or variegated lemon tree», «Eureka lemon tree» and «Sutil lemon tree».
The lemon tree “Genova” It is the most requested for its fruits and the most traditional one found in any grocery store, explains Nicolás. The characteristic of the fruit of yellow color with fine skin and without seed.
The lemon tree “Eureka” It is of American origin and very similar to Genoa but with the particularity that inside the fruit, the pulp is greenish when ripe and a more acidic juice is obtained.
The lemon tree «Pink lemon or variegated» It is a very attractive plant due to its veined leaves, ideal for the garden, or in pots in galleries. It is one of the very ornamental citrus species. Its fruits are yellow veined with green and pink inside. Widely used in gourmet cooking.
The subtle lemon tree it has thinner, army green leaves. It is characterized by its thin skin and its spherical shape, in addition to its non-acid juice.
In the place there are also other citrus varieties such as navel orange of the “Navelina” and “Lane Late” varieties, juice orange of the “Valencia Seedless” and “Salustiana” varieties, tangerine of the “Tangot Murcott” variety, “Encore” and “Criolla” , kunquats – which we popularly know as kinotos – in the “Nagami” and “Meiwa dulce” variety, “Star ruby” red grapefruit and “Paraná white”. For the month of August they will expand this venture, with the incorporation of other types of species such as blue and white blueberries, Ponce said.
How to care for lemon trees
“All the lemon trees have four seasons, which bear fruit throughout the year,” explained Nicolás. Ponce also explained regarding the possible problems of a grafted lemon tree that bears fruit. «Sometimes it happens that the soil in our area is very clayey and caked and that makes it very difficult for the plant to develop»since the citrus is a kind of fine roots and having a very compacted soil makes it difficult for its roots to develop.
Another problem that must be taken into account is the lack of nutrients in our area. The soil lacks nutrients such as sulfur, iron and it is necessary to apply it to the bowl, at the time of transplanting the plant, said. For this, the expert advises doing prior to the transplanta cleaning of weeds and grass in a wide circumference, so that there is no root competition with other plants, since those weeds or plants will compete for those nutrients.
Another of the problems are the climatic factors because of all the citrus, The lemon tree is the most fragile and can suffer some type of stress from strong winds and also from frost.thus and as a consequence it affects the fruit. For this reason, it is advisable to cover it with an anti-frost cloth.
According to popular belief, when a lemon tree does not bear fruit, it should be beaten with a stick. A myth for many people and that more than once, when we talk regarding lemon trees, this suggestion arises. “This is not true and – the plant, like no living being likes to be whipped – in any case, what would be being done would be a forced pruning, removing branches from the trunk sector, so that the part of the trunk gains strength. crown allowing more sunlight to enter the trunk. explained the expert.
Nor should we underestimate the human factor that is fundamental, due to irrigation water, drainage and the properties of the soil, the orientation of the plant and if an animal lives in the house. Regarding the orientation to know how to locate the ideal place for the plant, each one will allocate in the patio that is receiving sunlight for most of the day, argued the expert.
Finally, Ponce expressed the advantages of having a lemon tree in a pot, since in addition to being easier to protect it from winter weather, it is better to adapt it to the place. You can put it in a pot for 2 or 3 years and then give it its definitive place, but always with a good specific citrus substrate rich in protein, mountain peat, rice husk, because it contains the necessary components for a citrus: a lot sulfur and a lot of iron and green chips.
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