With proper nurturing, citrus trees provide a bounty of fresh fruit and fill your yard with an intoxicating aroma. The key is knowing how to get the most of of them. In this article, we’ll show you how to grow and care for citrus trees.
Consider your climate before planting
Citrus trees fare well in warm climates but do not do well in very cold weather for more than a few hours. That limits citrus growing to only the southernmost states in the U.S. Still, although most Southern states have warm climates, many nevertheless experience intermittent periods of frost, when temperatures dip into the 20s or lower for four to six hours overnight. Citrus trees can survive these cold blasts if they are properly protected, but the risk of damage increases the longer the frost lasts.
The best areas to grow citrus are in USDA Hardiness Zones 9 or 10 – essentially from Southern California, along the Gulf Coast of the United States and into Central and South Florida. Citrus can also grow in Zone 8, but the risk of damage from frost is greater and becomes greater still the farther north you live.
Choose the right tree
What’s hardy, what’s not
The ability of citrus to survive cold depends on how low the temperature goes but also the duration of the frost. Some citrus is hardier than others and has a better chance of surviving in USDA Hardiness Zone 8 with its occasional winter frosts.
In general, these are the citrus varieties that can withstand various levels of cold:
Citrus that can survive temperatures as low as 20 degrees Fahrenheit include:
- Grapefruit
- Tangerines
- Satsuma oranges
- Mandarin oranges
- Kumquats
- Meyer lemons
Citrus that can survive temperatures in the mid-20 degree range include:
- Sweet oranges
Citrus that need temperatures in excess of 30 degrees to survive include:
- Citrons
- Lemons
- Limes
Characteristics to look for
- A well-developed root system.
- A local variety. Choose one from a local nursery. Local growers are likely to have plants that are well-adapted to your area.
- A properly sized tree. Consider the space you have to work with. A standard citrus tree will grow about 20 feet tall and 20 feet wide and might not be right for a small yard. A dwarf tree will reach about 10 feet high and 10 feet wide.
- The yield. How much fruit do you want to grow? A large tree can yield 800 to 1,000 lbs of citrus a year, while a dwarf tree will produce about half of that.
Pro tip: Purchase a younger, smaller tree. Immature trees adapt better to their new environment than larger, mature trees.
How to plant citrus
In the ground
Choose a sunny location. Citrus trees do not thrive well in shaded areas. South-facing yards are always best to protect the tree from cold and strong storms.
Clear the area of weed and debris.
Dig your hole. Make the hole twice as wide as the root ball and as deep as the container you bought it in. Add water to the hole to soften the soil if it’s difficult to dig.
Remove the citrus tree from its container. Be careful not to damage the root ball in the process.
- Try laying the tree and container gently on its side, then push on the sides of the container to loosen the container slightly from the root ball.
- While a helper holds the container, grasp the plant by the base of the trunk and slowly pull it out of the container.
- If you don’t have help or don’t feel comfortable pulling the tree, use a sharp knife or scissors to cut the container from the top, then peel it away and pull the tree free.
Plant the tree. Put the tree into the hole, centering it and making sure it’s upright and not tilted. Backfill the hole with a mixture of native soil combined with compost. Smooth the soil and tamp it down gently to remove air pockets, but not so much that you compact the soil very densely.
Water your plant two or three times a week until it is well established. Ensure the topsoil is dry before you water, and don’t overwater the tree or root rot could take hold.
Do not fertilize right away. Wait about three or four months, then add 1 to 2 lbs of citrus fertilizer around the tree’s soil line.
In a container
Choose the correct sized container for your citrus tree. The container should be approximately 10 to 15 gallons.
Buy a mixture of well-drained potting soil. Sandy loam or Canadian peat mixed with composite pine bark works well.
Fill the container halfway with soil, then place the plant in the container and fill the container just to the top of the root ball.
Water regularly before the soil dries out, but don’t overwater the plant.
Apply citrus fertilizer three to four months after the plant has been established. You can also use a general purpose slow-release fertilizer.
How to fertilize an established citrus tree
Your citrus tree needs to be fed regularly. A common mistake gardeners make is not fertilizing trees enough or fertilizing them improperly. Here are some tips:
- For young trees, use a fertilizer with a balanced 10-10-10 mix (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) or 13-13-13 mix. Use a nitrogen-rich fertilizer, such as 15-5-10 for mature trees, four years old and older.
- Fertilize about every six weeks during the growing season, from late January-early February, through the summer. Fertilize only once or twice in the fall and winter.
- Each time you fertilize, give your tree 1 lb to 1 ½ lbs of fertilizer for every year of its growth. So a one-year-old tree will get 1 to 1 ½ lbs of fertilizer at each application, a two-year-old tree should get 2 to 2 ½ lbs of fertilizer, and so on. One pound of fertilizer equals about two cups, or one pint, of fertilizer granules.
- Spread the fertilizer under the canopy of the tree out to the edges of the branches and a little beyond. This encourages the roots to spread wide in search of nutrients.
- Water the fertilizer gently but thoroughly into the soil to help it dissolve.
How much to water citrus
Your citrus tree grows best when you use the Goldilocks method of watering – not too much, not too little. And watering needs are different. Here are some guidelines:
Young citrus trees require deep, regular watering. Newly planted or immature (under three years old) trees generally need a deep watering twice a week, although they may need more during very hot, dry conditions.
Mature trees (four years old or more) generally do well with just regular rainfall, unless you are experiencing drought conditions. Don’t over-do it, though. Overwatering a mature tree can lead to root rot or promote diseases in your tree.
Pro tip: Dig a shallow moat around the base of the tree, about eight inches out from the trunk. This will allow the water to pool around the trunk and slowly percolate into the ground around the roots without running off.
But what does “deep watering” mean?
- If you are using a sprinkler that is trained on the tree, 20 to 25 minutes of water twice a week will suffice.
- If you’re using a hose, lay it in the “moat” you dug at the base of the tree and turn it on low. Let the moat fill, then turn the hose off until the water seeps into the ground. Repeat the process.
- If you’re using a drip irrigation system, let it run for about two hours twice a week.
- Bubblers can run about 5-7 minutes twice a week.
Citrus pests
In subtropical climates, pests are attracted to some citrus varieties, such as lemons and grapefruits.
Types
Some of the pests that attack the citrus trees are:
Aphids
Aphids generally cause little damage to the plant. Aphids suck the sap from the branches and leaves, leaving behind a sticky substance known as honeydew that attracts a fungal disease called sooty mold.
Spider mites
They attack the citrus leaves, leaving them pale with spots and webbing straps. The leaf drops before maturity.
Mealybugs
Mealybugs are common in areas where leaves are overcrowded. Mealybugs suck the sap of the citrus plant and secrete honeydew, which forms black, sooty mold on the leaves. See this Lawn Love article for a more detailed explanation about mealybugs and how to get rid of them.
Citrus thrips
Citrus thrips are tiny orange or pale yellow insects that attack the young trees leading to the curled and distorted silvery leaves. Thrips also attack the citrus fruit, leaving scab and streak marks on the fruit.
How to control citrus pests
Citrus pests can be controlled using methods such as:
- Trim away infested branches, bag them and discard immediately away from your property to prevent the pests from recolonizing.
- Use insecticides, soap, and neem oil to eliminate aphids, thrips, and mealybugs from your citrus tree. Many good natural and chemical insecticides are readily available at local garden centers.
- Spray infested plants with a high-pressure nozzle to disperse aphids and mealybugs.
Need help?
Do you need help with your citrus fruit tree? Contact our Lawn Love yard care professionals to help with your citrus tree.
Main photo credit: Hans | Pixabay
