I think that we can call ourselves very lucky to be able to have citrus trees in our California yards. Citrus trees are attractive, smell divine when in bloom, and produce delicious fruit. What’s not to love about them?! There are many different varieties to choose from, which could be good or bad, depending how quickly you can make a decision. Smaller dwarf trees can even grow in pots, although they are much happier in the ground.
But remember, you want to plant trees that you enjoy the fruit of. Most people usually pick lemon or lime if they have only room for one. Some even splurge on the tree that has three different fruits grafted onto one tree.
When picking a tree, read the label. Please read the label. See how big the tree can grow— however, any tree can be cut back to the size you want. Maintenance is key here. If you trim your trees every year, you will have small and healthy trees. If you do not, your lemon tree may turn into a huge bush, so read the label and pick the tree you can handle. Nevertheless, trimming will be very beneficial for the tree, so be sure to do that no matter the size of the tree. You want to pick a tree with a nice structure; branches that reach out to the sides and a stem that looks healthy. A few bites on the leaves are not a big deal as long as there’s a nice structure to the tree. When it comes to trees, look at the big picture, not the small details, so structure is the most important.
The tree may need some trimming after you purchase it. You want to have airflow in the middle, so remove unnecessary small branches. You do not want any branches that are dead or broken, so remove those as well. You also do not want branches that cross or rub against each other— choose one branch and cut the other. Even when both branches look healthy and happy, they do not like to touch and cross each other. Also remove the branches that are touching the ground, so you avoid getting disease from the soil. Branches that touch the ground are like a ladder to the whole tree: disease will slowly go up the low branch and spread to the rest of the tree. If the weight of the fruit causes the branches to touch the ground, put something under the branch to stop that from happening (a piece of wood will do). Once harvested the branch will lift up, and if it does not lift up, cut off the branch. Citrus trees can also grow in espaliering style, which is when branches go up the side of a wall.
Citrus loves to be fertilized. Purchase a citrus fertilizer and feed the trees every month, avoiding the hot months. The citrus usually gives you signs when they need feeding, and yellow leaves are the most common sign. Once you feed the tree, the leaves will turn green within several weeks. When not to feed the citrus, you may ask? When it is very hot. The tree is already trying to survive the temperatures, so growth becomes less of a priority. Also, do not fertilize before rain, since the fertilizer will just run off. You want your fertilizer to have zinc and iron, which helps in healthy growth. Once you fertilize, water the tree, so that the fertilizer goes in well without burning the roots.
You want your drip system to be around the canopy of the tree. Mulching is beneficial as well. You want to cover the ground with a layer of mulch like wood chips. However, do not cover the trunk of the tree, since that will bring rot to the tree and cut off the air supply to the tree. Covering the stem is a very common mistake— you want to see those top roots a bit. Sometimes the main trunk gets covered by soil in the nursery, so just check the trunk and uncover it if necessary. A covered trunk is the most common mistake I find with citrus trees.
When planting a tree, pick a sunny spot. Next, dig a big hole. Loosen the roots a bit with your hand. You want the bottom of the tree to be level with the ground. Water a lot; don’t put any fertilizer in the ground, only compost. Step around the ground to push it in. Fertilize it once you see new leaf growth in about a month.
If you see any bites on the leaves, and it is just a few bites, do not worry about it. Bugs need to eat too! If your leaves look like they have circle lines and the leaves curl, those are signs of citrus leaf miner which you can spray with neem oil. Sometimes you may see white flies (white fuzzy grouping) or aphids (small black bug) under the leaf. You can spray those with water, best on a strong stream and then follow with neem oil or simply remove that leaf, especially if only a few leaves are affected.
Your fruit can and will be eaten by critters, so sometimes you may have to harvest the fruits quicker or just share a few fruits. Remember that we are sharing our garden with nature so a few bites is just a part of gardening. If you have a small tree and you would like to enjoy your three oranges, put fruit covers bags over the fruit. Sometimes they are made of slippery material, while others are made of metal.
If you have a tree in your garden that is already fruiting, remove some of the fruit. The tree needs a break from all the production. If you have too much fruit, share it. You will become the best neighbor on a block thanks to a box of oranges. If you have a hard time removing fruit, there are plenty of people that will be happy to help. There are even organizations like Food Forward that will have volunteers that will do that for you.
In short, if you have a sunny spot in your garden, plant a citrus tree. Fertilize in cooler months and make sure nothing on a tree is broken or touching the ground. Plus talk to your tree— people say it’s crazy, but I can assure you that from experience, it really does work. Enjoy your fruit and share it if you have more than you can eat.
Happy Gardening!
Joanna Kotwis
