Do you have an orange tree on your property? It’s a wonderful thing to have that gives you a bounty of fruit year after year. But, are you taking care of it correctly?

Here we give you all our top tips for thriving orange tree care.

General Orange Tree Facts

Orange trees grow best in the tropical climates of places like Florida, California, and Arizona. They love to be warm all year. Here are some tips for planting a new orange tree on your property.

• Plant in a well draining sunny area
• Mulch around the entire base of the tree to keep the plant watered and help the soil drain better
• Once the tree has established itself, water every 8-10 days deeply
• Cut back on your watering during rainy season or when it’s cold outside to prevent frost
• If the temperature is going to be dipping below 28 make sure to protect your trees with plastic and mulching
• Trim any branches that sprout from the bottom of the tree. These will only sap energy away from making delicious oranges

Taking Care of Young Orange Trees

You’ll want to fertilize your young orange trees about three weeks after planting with about a ½ cup of fertilizer. During it’s first year you’ll fertilize every six weeks between February and September.

Don’t let your fertilizer touch the tree as it could burn it. You’ll gradually increase from ½ a cup to 3 cups over the course of this time period. In the second year you’ll want to fertilize five times, about every eight weeks.

You’ll continue to decrease the number of fertilizer applications by one year after year until your soil has developed into a healthy and nutrient dense environment for your orange tree.

Caring For Your Mature Orange Trees

Maybe you didn’t plant your tree. Maybe there was already a tree on your property when you moved in. To assure you’ll have yummy fruit every year you have to take care of that tree.

Consistently monitor the soil moisture and water whenever the soil is dry down to about 4 to 6 inches. Water 10 gallons for every diameter of tree trunk.

Trees that are five and older should get fertilizer every February, April, and September with about 5 pounds of 8-8-8 fertilizer. Keep about a 4 inch layer of mulch around the tree, but about a foot away from the trunk, to avoid weeds and reduce water loss.

Harvesting Oranges

All the watering and caring for your tree pays off when it’s time to harvest the ripe fruit on your tree.

Once you see the fruit go from flower, to green/yellow, then yellow, and finally orange it’s time to pick them. Make sure to choose one to open up and taste before you pick them all to make sure it’s time.

These trees will continue to produce every year as long as you take care of the plant.

Need Help Caring For Your Orange Tree?

Warner Tree Service has you covered. We can make sure you’re on a maintenance plan that will keep you in oranges every year.

Contact us now to set up your tree maintenance.