Citrus Trees Nola

If you’re buying fruiting trees in New Orleans, you have a couple of choices. You can buy from a big box store that may or may not know anything about their trees. You can get a graft or a start from a friend. You can drive out to Metairie and tour Ray’s back yard. Or you can sprout your satsuma from little seeds you saved from your morning snack. Options.
Were I you, I would recommend going to visit Ray. We have a key lime tree just bursting with blooms in our front yard and a fig tree that’s thriving in our back yard, both purchased for practically a scream from Ray.
As Robert Y mentioned, this is someone’s house. The back yard and side yard are totally devoted to fruiting trees. Avocado, citrus, fig, olive… and oh, the varieties! We called ahead to double-​check that Ray would be home when we were in the area, and he was really excited to have someone drop by. He warned me that he was packing up all his trees for a show, and I told him what we had in mind. When we arrived, he had the trees we were thinking about waiting in the driveway so we could choose!
Of course we peppered him with questions about the size, shape, and general fertility of the trees we wanted. He didn’t just tell us; he showed us the answers. It’s one thing to just rattle off numbers («Well, yer key lime will be about 8 feet, but ya can make it behave pretty good with some clippers…») and another entirely to walk around to his lime trees to see an example of the pruning possibilities. And Ray can tell you how his trees weathered hurricanes, which ones need extra attention, and how to wrap them up should we ever have a bad winter.
He made triple sure that I had his phone number, which comes with strict directions: «Call me if you have any questions about your trees. Call me before you panic. I’m like CNN – always on, always open.» We have actually called twice with questions about our trees, and Ray both remembers us (or fakes it) and gives straight answers. He coached us through pruning a key lime, and he had some good solutions for the pigeons that keep stealing our figs. That expertise comes free with your purchase. Good stuff.
Ray is also generous and clever. When we visited, he gave us a whole bag of limes that he and his wife couldn’t eat. He loaded us down with stories about how to best care for the trees we had our eyes on. He made jokes with my partner and flattered me just enough. Ray is a savvy guy who also sells trees from his back yard.
As if this review wasn’t enough to convince you, we walked away with two very healthy 4 year old trees for less than $ 50. Not each. Total. When the Home Depot can beat that, let me know.
Accessibility notes: paved driveway. Grassy back yard.