How to Make a Sour Grapefruit Plant Sweet

If your grapefruit still taste sour, add a tablespoon of sugar to each cut half.

Grapefruit is a member of the citrus family, along with oranges, lemons and limes. Grapefruit trees thrive in warm climates, and most commercially produced grapefruit is grown in Florida. In general, it has a sweet flavor with just a hint of sourness. However, due to planting or climate conditions, some can have a strong sour taste when harvested. Proper planning, planting, growing and harvesting will allow you to grow sweet grapefruit-producing trees.

Things You'll Need

• Potash sulfate
• Epsom salts

Instructions

1. Plant your grapefruit trees in a climate that stays warm in the summer; cooler or variable weather patterns during the summer can lead to a higher acidity content of your grapefruit harvest.

2. Leave the grapefruit on the tree as long as possible. Allow them to sweeten naturally by picking them at the last possible moment.

3. Sprinkle about six cups of potash sulfate around the base of your grapefruit tree. Create a mixture of 2 1/2 gallons of water and two teaspoons of Epsom salts -- magnesium sulfate -- and use that to water over the potash sulfate. Repeat as necessary.

References

• ABC; Gardening Australia; Fact Sheet: Citrus Care
• Wegman's Nursery: Citrus Care Guide
• Burke's Backyard: Citrus Glut Recipes
• United States Department of Agriculture Healthy Meals Resource System: Grapefruit Fun Facts