How to Plant
Citrus is good for you!
- Citrus fruits exceed the recommended daily requirement for Vitamin C.
- Citrus juices are naturally fat-free and cholesterol free.
- All citrus fruits are an excellent source of Potassium.
- One average size navel orange has only 62 calories.
- One tablespoon of lemon juice has 4 calories and only a trace of sodium, making it a good substitute for salt flavoring in many foods.
Citrus Varieties
Navel Orange All navel varieties are derived from the Parent Washington Navel. Navels are seedless and bear a fruit of excellent quality. The date of fruit maturity is the greatest distinction between navel varieties.
- Parent Washington Navel Season: Mid-November to Early March
- Early Navel Season: February to June
- Late Navel Season: May
Valencia This sweet flavored orange is often referred to as the “Summer Orange” because it matures form April to September. The most common varieties do contain seeds. Two newly introduced varieties contain few to no seeds. All varieties make excellent juice oranges.
Blood Oranges These unique oranges have deep red internal color. Upon maturity the rind will also blush reddish color. Each variety has its own distinct flavor and size. Do not let the name “blood orange” deter your interest in this fruit. These oranges have rich orange flavor with a little raspberry taste. They make excellent juice and are very refreshing.
- Moro Season: December to April
- Sanguinelli Season: February to June
- Tarocco Season: December to February
Sweet Oranges The sweet orange varieties are smaller but just as sweet as the Navel and Valencia varieties. They are a well-colored fruit with a rich sweet flavor. They are excellent oranges for juicing.
- Hamlin Season: October to Mid-February
- Trovita Season: November to January
Tangelos The result of a cross between a mandarin and grapefruit, Tangelos have qualities of both parents. They are fairly easy peeling. Fruit shape and taste varies greatly between varieties.
- Minneola Season: January to May
Mandarins/Tangerines The term ‘tangerine’ is actually interchangeable with mandarin and is not a separate fruit classification as often thought. A wide choice of varieties are available in this category with varying characteristics. Generally mandarins are small fruit, juicy, easy peeling with a rich, sweet flavor.
- Algerian (clementine) Season: Late November to February
- Fairchild Season: November to early January
Lemons The notable characteristic of lemons is their acidic flavor. The backyard citrus grower has the great advantage of picking lemons from the tree at their peak maturity for finest flavor. Lemons have the most vigorous tree growth of all citrus. Pruning is recommend for a more compact tree. Pruning will also promote dense foliage, adding to a more attractive backyard landscape.
- Eureka Season: Distributed throughout year – 4 to 5 harvest periods or more
- Lisbon Season: Winter and Spring
- Meyers Season: Distributed throughout the year in warmer areas
Limes Limes are an acid fruit with two distinctly different classifications of large-fruited and small-fruited. The large–fruited limes are best represented by the Bearss variety. Mexican lime is the most common variety of the small-fruited lime classification.
- Bearss Season: Year round
- Mexican Season: July through November
Pummelos This fruit is closely related to the grapefruit, but has its own distinct sweet flavor. The pummelo is the largest fruit of the citrus family. Originating from Asia, there are hundreds of different pummelo, each region of the Far East having its own favorite variety. The fruit are thick-skinned and some varieties lack juice. To eat, you must segment and remove the membrane.
Grapefruits Grapefruit varieties come in three basic color types: White, Pink (Red Blush) and Red. They are often thought of as the Breakfast Citrus. The old types of grapefruit have been the only good producers in the desert areas, but the introduction of several new varieties have expanded the growing areas throughout California and Arizona.
- White Grapefruit Season: January to June in desert areas. Others areas will be later, even into November
- Pink Grapefruit (red blush) Season: January to May in desert areas. Other areas will be later, even into November.
- Red Grapefruit Season: January to May
Kumquats These small symmetrical trees with their attractive dark green leaves make beautiful ornamental plants. Varieties on dwarf rootstock are excellent container plants.
- Nagami Season: Mid-November to February
- Fukushu Season: Mid-November to February
Citrus Tree Care
Pruning Citrus trees do not require pruning to remain productive. You may want to prune to control vigorous types such as lemons. Citrus bark is very susceptible to sunburn, especially after heavy pruning. It is advisable to remove suckers from below the graft any time they appear.
Proper Container Removal
- If possible, check to make sure that the prepared hole is the correct depth by placing the tree (in its container) into the hole. The top of the soil inside the container should be level with the ground around the perimeter of the hole.
- Lay the plant on its side next to the prepared hole.
- Place the blunt end of your pruners inside a drainage hole at the bottom of the container, and cut around until the bottom of the container comes off.
- Supporting the exposed root ball, carefully place the plant in the hole. Again, make sure that the top of the root ball is level with the ground around the hole.
- Cut all the way down the side of the container, and gently remove it from around the root ball, leaving the tree in place.
- Fill in the soil, taking care to not disturb the root ball. Make sure that the original root ball doesn’t get buried under new soil (the top of the original root ball should be level with the soil around it).
- Please note that your citrus tree may decline or die if these guidelines aren’t followed.
Hardiness
28° F: Mexican Lime
26° F: Arizona Sweet Orange,Bearss Seedless Lime, Early Hamlin Orange, Eureka Lemon, Limequat, Lisbon Lemon, Moro Blood Orange, Oro Blanco Grapefruit, Rio Red Grapefruit, Ruby Red Grapefruit, Sanguinelli Blood Orange, Tangelo, Tarocco Blood Orange, Trovita Orange
24° F: Cara Cara Navel Orange, Clementine Mandarin, Fremont Mandarin, Meyer Lemon, Owari Satsuma Mandarin, Valencia Orange, Washington Navel Orange
20° F: Calamondin, Kumquat
Tree Sizes
Dwarf : 6 – 8 feet x 6 – 8 feet
Compact : 12 – 15 feet x 12 – 15 feet
Full : 22 – 30 feet x 20 – 25 feet
Fertilizing: Valentines Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day
