Growing citrus trees is remarkably rewarding, especially when you bite into a delicious piece of sweet, tangy fruit. Maybe oranges are your favorite citrus fruit, or maybe growing lemons is your cup of tea. Whatever kind of citrus tree you prefer to grow, they all need nutrients to grow their best and produce fruit.
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Mature citrus trees require three applications of fertilizer spread through the entire year. Fertilizer ought to be applied in winter, late spring and late summer. An easy way to keep in mind when it’s time to fertilize citrus trees is by the holidays Valentine’s Day, Memorial Day and Labor Day.
Macronutrients. Citrus trees require nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus, which are called macronutrients. They are frequently referred to as NPK. Of those macronutrients, nitrogen is the most important for a wholesome tree and a good citrus harvest.
Fertilizers have three amounts listed on the labe, speaking to the proportion of potassium, phosphorus and potassium they contain.
Shown: Blood oranges
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Micronutrients. Along with macronutrients, micronutrients are also critical for citrus tree health. All these are iron, manganese and zinc.
Shown: Lemons
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What sort of fertilizer should you use? Citrus fertilizers are available in a number of forms. Granular is the very popular and is simple to apply. Additionally, there are spike and liquid forms out there. Using fertilizers especially formulated for citrus is recommended, since those generally provide both macronutrients (NPK) and micronutrients, and are easily applied.
Organic fertilizer can be obtained with the very same nutrients as well.
Shown: Healthy citrus foliage
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Yellowing old leaves are a sign of nitrogen deficiency. A foliar (liquid) spray functions fast for nitrogen deficiencies.
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Here we see leaves displaying indicators of manganese deficiency. Iron deficiency can also be something to look out for. Newer leaves will be light green with dark green veins.
Micronutrient deficiencies can be treated with a spray which includes iron, manganese and zinc.
Tip: Carefully follow the package instructions when employing any spray to citrus. Implementing it when temperatures are too high can burn off the foliage.
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Fertilizer Guidelines
Follow the directions on the fertilizer bag attentively. Citrus fertilizers vary in the quantity of nitrogen and other nutrients they contain. The label will tell you a lot of fertilizer you want and how to apply it.How much fertilizer to apply is based upon the size and age of your tree in addition to the proportion of nitrogen in the fertilizer you are using. To work out how much to apply, follow the instructions on your fertilizer bundle or refer to a fertilizing flea chart. Make sure you divide by three the yearly quantity of fertilizer needed. Do not apply everything at once!Lightly rake granular fertilizer into the top inch or two of soil.Water the whole area under the tree before and after applying fertilizer. Shown: Grapefruit
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In case you choose to apply a foliar fertilizer to the leaves, then make sure you do so when temperatures are below 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Leaves can be burnt by the fertilizer otherwise.Newly planted trees don’t require fertilizer for the first year. Wait till they have been in the ground for at least a year. When in doubt as to how much fertilizer to apply, use slightly less than recommended, since adding too much fertilizer can damage your tree. Shown: Kumquats
More: Citrus 101: Start Your Own Backyard Orchard
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