Arizona Citrus Gardener
How to care for your Arizona (AZ)
or Lake Havasu City Citrus Trees
Orange Trees, Lemon Trees, Grapefruit Trees, Tangelo Trees, Lime Trees - Tending your Desert Citrus Grove. They may have thorns, but they can thrive in Lake Havasu City Arizona!
Planting
a Citrus Tree
Dig a hole that is the same depth as the root ball of the citrus tree,
and about 3 to 5 times wider than the root ball. To encourage
outward root growth, score the sides of the citrus tree's root ball.
After placing the citrus tree in the hole, backfill with the original
soil, filtering out the rocks. Soil amendments, composts, mulches, etc.
should be avoided. To prevent sunburn damage, paint the citrus
tree trunk with white latex pain. Do not fertilize the first year.
Pruning a Citrus Tree
Prune citrus tree only to remove suckers (growth below the graft union
of the tree), and dead diseased or damaged branches. Cosmetic pruning
can result in decreased yields.
Watering
the Citrus tree
The first year:
Summer: Water the entire citrus tree root system
deeply, to a depth of 3-4 feet every 3 days.
Winter: Water the entire root system deeply, to a depth
of 3-4 feet every 6 days.
After the first year:
Summer: Water the entire citrus tree root system
deeply, to a depth of 3-4 feet every 4-7 days.
Winter: Water the entire root system deeply, to a depth
of 3-4 feet every 8-12 days.
If you irrigate by a bubbler system, double irrigate citrus trees every
couple of months to leach out accumulated soil salts.
Fertilizing the Citrus tree
Do not fertilize citrus trees the first year. Do not fertilize in
August, November or December. In January or February
fertilize 1/3 the recommended annual amount for the trees, then
the same amount again in April or May, and the final third in September
or October, if the temperatures have dropped below 100 degrees. Because
of its high salt content, barnyard manure is not recommended for citrus
trees.
Iron Deficiency of a Citrus Tree
Liquid chelated iron is recommended for the Havasu citrus tree. It
can be mixed per the instructions, or sprinkled under the tree’s canopy
and watered in. It can also be sprayed directly on the leaves (yet
not in the heat of summer) for several weeks, until it greens up.
Ideal season for this is either spring or fall.