Naranj - Sour Orange Trees نارنج

Newly planted trees should be watered about twice per week. Adjust the frequency based on weather conditions and soil type. Create a water well or basin around the drip zone to collect the water for the tree’s roots. Provide enough water to saturate the entire root zone. To give enough water run a sprinkler for 20 minutes. A bubbler system can provide enough water in 6 minutes while a drip system would run for 2 hours to saturate the soil.

Fertilize citrus trees with a balanced fertilizer. Use the manufacturers general recommendations. Organic sources of fertilizer include manure and blood meal. Bone meal is a great source of phosphorus. Potash is often used as an organic potassium input in agriculture. Specialty fertilizers that contain a balanced amount of NPK are commonly available and often sold as citrus food.

Prune fruit trees in the Winter to maintain size and shape to prepare for Spring growth. Thin the tree in the Summer, and remove excessive fruits. Remove any dry twigs and branches. Cut off any new growth below the graft or very low in the tree, this will direct the plant’s energy to its main branches. Thin your trees during the Spring and Summer seasons to ensure the plant’s energy is directed as desired. If the plant provides an overly large quantity of fruits for that branch. Reduce the quantity of fruit so that what remains grows larger. This will also prevent broken limbs. Harvest ripe fruit to prevent undesired pests.

The basics of integrated pest management is cleanliness and the use of a combination of methods. This means we use of organic pesticide when the pest population reaches a threshold that requires action. Horticultural oils such as Neem oil is an organic pesticide that controls tiny, soft bodied insects. Use organic Bordeaux and Liqui-cop to manage fungus causing diseases such as powdery mildew, rust, and leaf-curls.

Keep a clean environment, free of weeds and dropped fruit that host insects or attract animals. Harvest when fruit reaches size and store indoors. Use repellants and bird netting to protect your harvest from other animals.