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Florida Gardening

How do you prevent weeds from growing under orange tree?

16 years ago

I am struggling with what to do with this. I know you are not supposed to mulch under citrus tree due to the roots being close to the soil surface (cuts off oxygen, nutrients, etc).

So, what do you do? I admit having lightly spraying with Round-Up -- then, worrying about killing the tree or tainting my oranges (..both me and the tree are still alive..).

I see the start of the Weed Invasion again. My plan for this year is to eliminate as much of the weeds in my yard as possible. So, when I do get busy with work/life, etc., I won't have to carve out a month to get the garden under control again.

Do any of you have success with this weedy area under the citrus trees?

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Comments (7)

an_ill-mannered_ache
16 years ago
do what they do at ECHO...
(it's time to put to rest that crazy IFAS warning about mulches near citrus.)

Here is a link that might be useful: green mulch under citrus
barbcoleus
16 years ago
Well that is very interesting Ill because I just spent a couple weeks clearing out weeds and decreasing the grass under my grapefruit tree. My tree really looked bad-the leaves were quite yellow and the veins were green so I added iron, manganese, and fertilizer. It looks good now but I'm not looking forward to the next session of weeding and although I use roundup around the rest of my garden, I really don't want to use it under my tree. I'm afraid of growing a third eye.
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SaintPFLA
Original Author
16 years ago
BarbC: ha ha ha...'third eye'...too funny! Yeah, that's my fear too with over-use of RoundUp.

IllManneredAche: LOVE your blog!...where the heck have I been...never knew you had one. I'm saving it to my favorites so I can go back to spend some time reading it.

I have no clue where to get the perennial peanut plant, but do you think I should try out some cypress mulch?
an_ill-mannered_ache
16 years ago
ECHO had mulch right up to the trunk, though it was very shallow against the trunk. the main fruit guy there, danny, who was like TOTALLY passionate about COMPOST, said they've never had any problem with fungus.

you can find perennial peanut at nurseries (i've seen it increasingly). it's good stuff. i'd warn you away from cypress, mainly for environmental reasons. tree trimmings, esp those from the power company, make a great mulch. the power company trims mostly smaller limbs, which have a LOT of lignan in them. good soil enhancer, if you believe the french. best of all, it's free.

barb -- about the mulch and feeding. read this particular pub from ECHO -- changed my gardening life...

Here is a link that might be useful: principles of ag for humid tropics
PRO
Jan Sword-Rossman Realty 239-470-6061
16 years ago
I have live mulch under my grapefruit and lemon trees, Both live mulch(Garlic chives, Thai basil, ginger and herbs) and the trees are doing fine. I fertilize the outside of continuous curving for grapefruit & lemons.
Jan
pnbrown
16 years ago
Perrenial peanut - we need that, for sure, got about a hundred citrus trees and forty persimmon. Weeding and/or mulching them is too much work.

Can you start it from seed?
lonelygardener
16 years ago
I know of a gardener in the tampa bay area that has no weeds under his trees There is all mulch and they are doing great. The shallow roots are loving all the yummy stuff from the mulch, but if you areinto spraying them instead of pulling them out try Vinagar and a shot of clear alcohol with a pinch of soap gets them ever time.

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