Why are my oranges so small?

[Intriguedbybonsai]

I have a potted Washington Navel, and this is it's first year setting fruit. Only 3 oranges made it to the ripening stage. I tried one of the oranges, and it was great, but really small compared to the navels you see in grocery stores. They are about the size of clementines. Is this normal? How can I make them grow bigger?

[cynthia_h]

When you say "potted," what size container and what size plant?

Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9

[Intriguedbybonsai]

[img]https://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y134/Skeletor619/navel.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y134/Skeletor619/downsized_1218110947a.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y134/Skeletor619/downsized_1218110947b.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y134/Skeletor619/downsized_1218110948.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y134/Skeletor619/1218110948a.jpg[/img]

I'm not sure what size you would call it. I think pictures can be a better judge. It was a bareroot tree I ordered about 2 years ago. Bought the pot at Walmart, and have been using a mix of potting soil, and citrus/palm soil ever since.

[DeborahL]

I was born in Escondido. Small world.

[ruggr10]

I'm guessing that moving to a larger container could help you out. That is not a very big pot.

[rainbowgardener]

That would have been my suggestion too, time to pot up to a larger size pot. I'm thinking the oranges are small because the tree is so small. I'm surprised a tree that small is even fruiting. Time and patience and more soil!

[Intriguedbybonsai]

I was born in Escondido. Small world.

Indeed it is...

@ ruggr10 and RBG
I figured the pot it is in was large enough, but I'll take your suggestions. Thank you.

[DeborahL]

Is the tree a dwarf? I planted my Meyer lemon in a 24 inch pot. The garden center says a dwarf or semi-dwarf lemon can live many years in a 24 inch pot.
Maybe the same is true for your orange tree?
Oranges love Escondido so we know it's not the weather.
I'm actually third generation. The heat was getting to me so 10 years ago to Oceanside I went !

[Intriguedbybonsai]

If I could take a guess I would say it's a semi-dwarf. The graft is rather high on the rootstock. I'll try a larger pot, but not too much larger. I don't have much space on my apartment balcony.

[DeborahL]

Right-and you'll want to be careful about too much weight on the balcony.
Does your balcony face west or even better, southwest? That's the best sunlight.

[Intriguedbybonsai]

Our apartment faces the east, and it does get alot of sunshine throughout most of the day.