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General Care & Planting Guidelines

Citrus

Many Texas residents want citrus trees in the home landscape to enjoy their dark, evergreen foliage, fragrant blossoms and colorful, delicious fruit.

Julian W. Sauls Extension Horticulturist

CLIMATE - Citrus trees growing outside the Valley are at a distinct disadvantage with regard to climate, i.e., winter almost always will be accompanied by one or more freezes. Citrus trees are subtropical to tropical in nature; thus, they may suffer severe damage or even death because of freezing temperatures. However, several types of citrus have sufficient cold-hardiness to sustain some freezing conditions, particularly as mature trees. The resident of coastal and southern Texas who is willing to put forth the effort to provide cold protection for young trees, and sometimes even mature trees, can successfully produce citrus fruits.

SOIL REQUIREMENTS - All citrus trees require deep soil having both good surface and internal drainage. Surface drainage refers to runoff to prevent water standing around the tree. Internal drainage is the ability for water to percolate downward through the soil to preclude saturation of the root zone.

The presence of vigorous, healthy landscape trees is a good indication that the soil is sufficiently deep and well-drained for citrus trees. Should uncertainty about internal drainage exist, dig a posthole 3 to 4 feet deep and fill it with water. All water should drain from the hole within 24 to 36 hours. Soils requiring more than 48 hours to drain completely should be avoided unless raised planting beds are used.
Most citrus grows well in a soil pH range from 6 to 8. Avoid soils that have a high caliche content or are excessively salty, as citrus trees will not grow well in such soils.

SITE SELECTION - Most residential lots do not offer much choice in terms of planting sites for citrus trees. Nonetheless, several factors require consideration.

Avoid planting near septic tank lines to preclude future problems with tree roots clogging the lines. In cold-sensitive areas, plant citrus trees on the south and southeast sides of the house to provide some protection from northwesterly cold fronts. The house will lose considerable heat, providing some additional protection to trees planted nearby.

Planting under large, overhanging trees offers some cold protection, but growth and production of citrus under other trees is not entirely satisfactory. Citrus requires full sunlight for optimum growth and production. Plant most citrus trees 6 to 8 feet from buildings, driveways, walkways and fences, and twice that far from each other, to preclude later problems with pruning and tree size control. The natural form of citrus is for the ends of the lower branches to almost touch the ground when fruit is present, so allow for this natural growth at planting.

SELECTION AND PLANTING - Most citrus nursery stock available at retail is containerized, either having been grown entirely in containers or field-grown and transplanted to containers prior to sale. Normally, the bud union will be readily discernible as a cut area at a dogleg bend in the trunk. The cut area is where the top of the rootstock was cut off to allow the budded top to grow erect. This area should be healing over with bark at the time of purchase. The crook in the trunk will disappear within a couple of years, but the bud union will remain discernible for years as a distinct line of contrast between bark textures of the stock and scion. Container trees are available year-round and can be planted anytime. Best results come from planting during fall to late winter as the tree can become better established before the onset of hot, dry weather of late spring and summer.

Most container citrus trees are grown in a soilless medium that usually contains a fair proportion of peat moss. The roots of such trees tend to remain within the growing medium long after planting; thereby, resulting in poor establishment and growth. To avoid this problem, wash off an inch or more of the growing medium all around the root ball, including the top, immediately before setting the tree in the ground. Thus, the peripheral roots will be placed into intimate contact with the soil in which they must survive and grow, resulting in better tree establishment.

Planting depth is critical to the survival of citrus trees. The rootstock is somewhat resistant to foot rot disease, but the top is quite susceptible. If the bud union is too low with respect to surrounding ground, the tree could contract foot rot and die. The practice of scooping out grass and soil to form a large depression for ease of watering almost guarantees the death of a citrus tree.

Remove lawn grass in a circle 3 to 5 feet in diameter, centered on the planting hole. Dig the planting hole half again wider than the root ball. In a bare ground situation, dig the hole exactly the same depth as the root ball, but in lawn grass, dig it 1 inch less than the root ball depth. The best way to determine proper depth is to lay a shovel handle or similar object across the hole, with both ends laying on undisturbed ground or the lawn grass.

Mixing topsoil, compost, peat or other materials with the backfill soil is unnecessary in good citrus soils. Set the tree in the hole, backfill about halfway, then water sufficiently to wet the backfill and settle it around the roots. Finish filling the hole and tamp the soil lightly into place. Cover the root ball with 1/2 to 1 inch of soil to seal the growing medium from direct contact with the air and prevent rapid drying of the root ball.

Build a watering ring atop the ground around the tree, about 5 to 6 inches high and 6 to 8 inches thick. The ring should be slightly wider than the planting hole. If adequate soil isn't left over from planting, borrow some from the garden. Fill the water basin with water. When the water soaks in, it may be necessary to add a little soil to the holes made as the soil settled around the root system.

YOUNG TREE CARE - WATER - Newly-planted citrus trees require thorough watering two to three times the first week and one to two times per week for the next few weeks, depending upon soil type, rainfall and time of year. Then, apply water when the soil begins to get dry an inch or so down. Simply fill the water ring each time. The watering ring should erode away over time (4 to 6 months), at which time the tree can be considered established and watered as needed by soaker hose or sprinkler system.

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