How You Can Rejuvenate Your Citrus Trees This Winter
Give citrus trees a fresh start with these simple tips, and enjoy their abundant fruit and beauty
With regular fertilization and watering, citrus trees aren’t difficult to grow. But they do appreciate some extra care to look their best. If your citrus tree is looking rather lackluster, perhaps with a decrease in fruit production or a buildup of dead branches, or if you just want to keep your tree healthy and looking beautiful, here’s how you can rejuvenate it this winter and spring. It’ll soon be producing the fruit you’ve been eagerly anticipating while also gracing your garden with its beauty.
Fertilizing
Nutrient deficiency is one of the most common problems with citrus. Citrus trees need to be fertilized three times a year. An easy way to remember when to do that is to remember the holidays Valentine’s Day, Memorial Day and Labor Day. A more general timeline for when to fertilize is in midwinter, late spring or early summer, and late summer.
Use a fertilizer that is specially formulated for citrus, which will contain both the major and micro nutrients that they require. Follow the directions on the bag as to how much to apply, and water deeply after applying to help the fertilizer reach the roots.
Learn more about fertilizing citrus trees
Nutrient deficiency is one of the most common problems with citrus. Citrus trees need to be fertilized three times a year. An easy way to remember when to do that is to remember the holidays Valentine’s Day, Memorial Day and Labor Day. A more general timeline for when to fertilize is in midwinter, late spring or early summer, and late summer.
Use a fertilizer that is specially formulated for citrus, which will contain both the major and micro nutrients that they require. Follow the directions on the bag as to how much to apply, and water deeply after applying to help the fertilizer reach the roots.
Learn more about fertilizing citrus trees
Watering
Growing sweet, juicy fruit takes a lot of water, and proper irrigation is important for a healthy citrus tree. Water to a depth of about 2 feet. To determine how deeply you are watering, create a makeshift soil probe using a long screwdriver or a piece of rebar and insert it into the soil after you have irrigated. The probe should go down fairly easily to the depth that the water has reached — adjust the length of your irrigation cycle if needed to reach the appropriate depth.
There are a number of ways to water citrus, including sprinklers and drip irrigation, but basin watering is particularly effective and is also useful for applying fertilizer. To maximize your citrus irrigation’s efficiency, create a basin by adding a ring of soil about 6 to 8 inches tall around the tree, extending out to the drip line. The majority of the roots extend out to the drip line of the tree, which is how far the tree’s branches extend out. As the tree grows larger, the basin will have to be adjusted to the expanding drip line.
Growing sweet, juicy fruit takes a lot of water, and proper irrigation is important for a healthy citrus tree. Water to a depth of about 2 feet. To determine how deeply you are watering, create a makeshift soil probe using a long screwdriver or a piece of rebar and insert it into the soil after you have irrigated. The probe should go down fairly easily to the depth that the water has reached — adjust the length of your irrigation cycle if needed to reach the appropriate depth.
There are a number of ways to water citrus, including sprinklers and drip irrigation, but basin watering is particularly effective and is also useful for applying fertilizer. To maximize your citrus irrigation’s efficiency, create a basin by adding a ring of soil about 6 to 8 inches tall around the tree, extending out to the drip line. The majority of the roots extend out to the drip line of the tree, which is how far the tree’s branches extend out. As the tree grows larger, the basin will have to be adjusted to the expanding drip line.
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The watering frequency varies by the season as well as by the region you’re growing in. Wherever you live, it is important to let the surface underneath the citrus tree dry out before watering again to help protect it from fungal diseases. Contact your Cooperative Extension Office or local Master Gardener for information on how often to water citrus trees in your area.
Pruning
The appearance and health of a citrus tree can be greatly improved by pruning that focuses on removing any old, unproductive growth while allowing the tree to be an attractive feature of your outdoor space.
Any pruning of citrus trees should be done in spring, once the danger of frost has passed. This is first done by removing dead branches that tend to accumulate in the interior of the tree. It’s important to prune away dead branches, as they are a prime breeding area for harmful fungal diseases.
Once you have removed all dead branches, look for and prune out branches that are crossing each other and are in danger of rubbing against each other.
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The appearance and health of a citrus tree can be greatly improved by pruning that focuses on removing any old, unproductive growth while allowing the tree to be an attractive feature of your outdoor space.
Any pruning of citrus trees should be done in spring, once the danger of frost has passed. This is first done by removing dead branches that tend to accumulate in the interior of the tree. It’s important to prune away dead branches, as they are a prime breeding area for harmful fungal diseases.
Once you have removed all dead branches, look for and prune out branches that are crossing each other and are in danger of rubbing against each other.
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As with many types of fruit trees, citrus are made up of two parts: the rootstock (the roots and lower trunk) and the scion (the upper trunk and upper part of the tree). They meet at a swollen area near the bottom of the tree, called a bud union.
Occasionally, small branches arise from the rootstock, called suckers. On close inspection, they look a little different than the rest of the tree. The leaves will often be smaller, and the branch may have more thorns. These should be removed at the base of the tree, or they can take over the entire tree, as they are more vigorous than the scion. Any fruit produced from the rootstock will be extremely sour and inedible.
Occasionally, small branches arise from the rootstock, called suckers. On close inspection, they look a little different than the rest of the tree. The leaves will often be smaller, and the branch may have more thorns. These should be removed at the base of the tree, or they can take over the entire tree, as they are more vigorous than the scion. Any fruit produced from the rootstock will be extremely sour and inedible.
A sucker from the rootstock rises above the regular growth of a citrus tree. Its leaves are smaller and it has more thorns than the rest of the tree, helping to identify it as a sucker that should be removed.
Protecting From Sunburn
Citrus bark is highly susceptible to sunburn, which causes peeling bark that is highly susceptible to fungal disease. For trees that are allowed to grow in their natural large shrub form, the risk of sunburn is minimized, as the lower branches shade the trunk. However, citrus that have been pruned up into a more traditional tree form may need to have their trunk protected from the sun. This can be done by painting the exposed areas of the trunk and branches with white latex paint mixed with water at a 1:1 ratio. Tree wraps are also effective as sunburn protection.
Citrus bark is highly susceptible to sunburn, which causes peeling bark that is highly susceptible to fungal disease. For trees that are allowed to grow in their natural large shrub form, the risk of sunburn is minimized, as the lower branches shade the trunk. However, citrus that have been pruned up into a more traditional tree form may need to have their trunk protected from the sun. This can be done by painting the exposed areas of the trunk and branches with white latex paint mixed with water at a 1:1 ratio. Tree wraps are also effective as sunburn protection.
An exposed citrus branch that is sunburned has begun to peel, creating an ideal environment for fungal disease.
Mulching
There are many benefits of adding mulch to citrus trees; it has a rejuvenating effect, as it moderates soil temperature, reduces weeds, improves the soil and increases irrigation efficiency.
Use an organic mulch, such as compost, and apply it in a 2- to 4-inch layer around the tree so that it extends out to the drip line.
Tip: It’s important to keep mulch 1 foot away from the base of the trunk, or the moist environment can create the perfect environment for fungal disease next to the trunk.
Lowly Mulch Makes Magic in the Garden
There are many benefits of adding mulch to citrus trees; it has a rejuvenating effect, as it moderates soil temperature, reduces weeds, improves the soil and increases irrigation efficiency.
Use an organic mulch, such as compost, and apply it in a 2- to 4-inch layer around the tree so that it extends out to the drip line.
Tip: It’s important to keep mulch 1 foot away from the base of the trunk, or the moist environment can create the perfect environment for fungal disease next to the trunk.
Lowly Mulch Makes Magic in the Garden
Uneaten Fruit
Sometimes it’s hard to eat all the fruit that a citrus tree produces. If the uneaten fruit remains on the tree, it can attract insects as well as roof rats, possums and javelinas, depending on where you live.
Any fruit that you won’t be using should be picked off the tree, and any that has fallen to the ground should be removed.
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Sometimes it’s hard to eat all the fruit that a citrus tree produces. If the uneaten fruit remains on the tree, it can attract insects as well as roof rats, possums and javelinas, depending on where you live.
Any fruit that you won’t be using should be picked off the tree, and any that has fallen to the ground should be removed.
More on Houzz
Read more gardening guides
Find a landscape designer
Browse gardening tools
Citrus trees are large shrubs that are often trained into small trees in the residential landscape. They have evergreen foliage made up of dark green leaves. Most types of citrus produce their fruit in winter and on into spring; lemons and limes can appear at other times of the year.
Let’s look at the steps needed to reinvigorate citrus trees and to keep them healthy, beautiful and producing delicious fruit for years to come.
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