How To Grow The Best Citrus Trees In Florida

by | Mar 8, 2019 | Tree Information | 0 comments

Tampa Tree Care Service Grow The Best Citrus Trees In Florida

To have an orange tree in your yard is one of the perks of Florida living. Here is all the info you need to know how to grow the best citrus trees in Florida.

Planting Trees In Florida

  • Citrus needs a well-drained, sunny spot to grow and you need to plant at least 15 feet from your home.
  • Remove grass from the area and dig a hole a little bigger than the size of the container.
  • Add compost to the hole. Don’t add peat moss or top soil. They will have the ground too wet. Citrus trees are not fans of wet soil and need to be dry in between water sessions.
  • Put the plant a bit over the soil surface, fill up the area around the root ball and press the dirt firmly. The top of the plant’s soil should still be visible. Do not mulch. This keeps in unwanted moisture.
  • With the leftover soil, make a “bowl” around the freshly planted tree.

Water once a day for up to five days by filling the bowl with water and then draining. Repeat this a few times until you’re sure the water has gotten to the bottom of the root ball. After the first five days, the tree should be watered once or twice a week in the wintertime and two to three times a week in the summertime, depending on rainfall. Don’t let grass grow around the tree’s base.

Tampa Tree Care Service How To Grow The Best Citrus Trees In Florida

Oranges against a blue sky

Fertilizing

  • To grow an orange tree correctly, fertilizing is a must.
  • A month after planting, apply a citrus fertilizer.
  • Sprinkle it around the drip-line.

Spraying

This is the part of maintenance for citrus trees that most folks fail to do. However, it helps the tree produce better and more fruit as well as fights off insects. Spray in spring, summer, and fall.

  • In spring, spray when you see the first flowers. Never spray if there are many blooms already open. This could interfere with pollination required for fruit production.
  • In late spring or early summer, spray when the fruit is around 1/4 inch to help to set the growing fruit.
  • In autumn, spray when the fruit is ripening.

If you aren’t sure how to spray your tree, get a company that specializes in tree service in Tampa to do it for you.