How to Plant, Grow, & Care for Citrus Trees (COMPLETE GUIDE)
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- Опубліковано 24 тра 2024
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Citrus is easily one of the most rewarding fruit trees you can grow. You can pull it off in-ground OR in containers, and this guide will walk you through every step of the process from variety selection to planting to pests, diseases, and harvesting.
IN THIS VIDEO
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TIMESTAMPS
00:00 - Intro
00:17 - Varieties
00:36 - Lemon Picks
00:52 - Orange Picks
01:15 - Lime Picks
01:37 - Cold Climate Picks
02:05 - Grapefruit & Specialty Citrus
02:59 - Where To Plant & Sun Exposure
04:02 - How to Plant Citrus In Ground
05:24 - Growing Citrus In Containers & Potting Up Valencia Orange
07:29 - Painting Tree
08:16 - Watering Citrus
09:39 - Fertilizer
10:15 - Citrus Pests
12:53 - Pruning Citrus
16:00 - When To Harvest
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How to grow perfect citrus: step 1 - move to San Diego 😂
I got to bring them in ,living in Kansas
It's possible down to Zone 6 or so, or even lower with more dedicated care!
That was basically the same thing I was going to say, if you aren't sub-tropical it becomes a lot of effort or a greenhouse.
Or move to South Florida!🌅🧡
I see citrus trees a lot in Arizona. 🤔
Here in Florida, all the orange farms shut down because there is like a million diseases. However, if you walk into a forest here you can find wild sour oranges and delicious mandarins growing wild in the shade. So I put my trees in the shade and they are doing amazing. Just a tip for my fellow Florida gardeners who are definitely having trouble 😉
That breaks my heart, I grew up in Orlando and remember the wonderful smell of the groves 😢
The orange groves were dug up to make room for the invaders from other states. The Florida I grew up in was better than it is now 100%
Sadly we aren’t the orange state anymore.
@@jessicasimmons3957 me too. sad.
Hence why to create a food forest where a good mixture of trees and plants with various layers can support and protect each other. Mono-culture farming isn't natural. Mother nature is telling us something.😀
Some pests that I deal with on my citrus that weren’t discussed:
Scale-This is hard to notice until it’s too late sometimes. Always check new plants from nurseries. I got a Meyer that had so much scale it ended up not making it. It was a young plant and it didn’t recover after I found the issue.
Spider mites- This is mainly when I bring mine in for the winter. I have to be diligent when I see webbing around my fruit.
Great video Kevin!
Great additions! Didn't want to bore everyone by covering all, but may do a followup citrus problems video soon
What do you do for spider mites?
Last year had problem with one of my brown select Satsuma had half dozen of Swallowtail catipillers so I left them have at it, so now it's bringing back new leaves. So hopefully have some beautiful butterflies around the yard.
I think I'm dealing with spider mites on my potted lemon (also indoors for winter in zone 7). What do you do about this?
@@carolynbradshaw7969 I found something online somewhere that said mix neem oil, a drop of soap, and water and to spray everything at 7 day intervals..... I got 1 spray done, but weather didn't cooperate to get a second one done and I don't want to spray inside. Neem oil stinks. Some plants seem o have gotten better, others not.... I used 1.5 tsp neem to a quart of water, but like I said, I'm new at this too and was hoping someone had more experience. Our citrus tree is 2 or 3 years old and we are somewhere between 5 and 6 for zones so moving it in and out between seasons.
We have 13 citrus trees and enjoy sharing all of the fruit with friends and neighbors, there is no way one family can eat them all. Our favorite novelty citrus is the finger lime! They are so much fun to eat fresh from the garden, just bite the tip off and all of the little caviar shaped fruit can be squeezed out to eat as a snack. They are also great to use as a garnish for fish tacos, or anything you would normally use lime juice on.
Love these! They don't seem to be as tart as a regular lime either.
They are new for a lot of people so it is fun to have friends try them out!
I have one growing in my backyard! - Kevin
Finger Lime looks amazing, I've never heard of it before
Love finger limes. I just bought one as a gift for a friend. They are definitely a unique citrus fruit.
I'm a Filipino and I love Calamansi. You're contents are satisfying.
Thanks. Now im optimistic about growing orange trees here in Alaska.
This video came at a great time as I bought two citrus trees and want to transplant them to a bigger pot. But since I live in Florida it is very difficult to grow citrus here. I have heard that the University of Florida developed a couple of resistant varieties but they are not readily available yet. Meanwhile what Floridians are doing is growing citrus under other tree canopies. It seems that the insect that causes the greening has a harder time finding the citrus this way. I have also noticed that the trees last longer when grown in pots and surrounded by herbs like cilantro and oregano. But even doing all this they just last a few years. Hopefully we can have more resistant varieties soon.
This video came at the perfect time. I was looking at other videos of citrus trees in containers and this shows up about an hour later. Thank you!
I just got a greenhouse and I'm excited to grow citrus (zone 7/8!)
Surprised more of your neighbors haven't started veggie front gardens.
Always found strange, that the most popular variety we have here in Brazil is called "orange", when it was mostly sould when it's yellow(ish). Then I forgot some on my freezer, then boom, they became what they are named haha nice tips Eric ❤
Such a great video, thank you for putting out some great information on citrus care.
Best advice, add 1 part PINE (NOT FIR) bark (mulch) with 5 parts of the E.B. Stone Citrus & Palm mix for every hardiness zone below 10. Why's that? Pine bark is proven to promote aeration to the roots, and it helps reduce root rot. Example. If you live in zone 9, add 1 part pine with 5 parts E.B. mix. If you live in zone 8, add 2 parts pine with 5 parts E.B. mix. If you live in zone 7, add 3 parts pine with 5 parts E.B. mix. Good luck, and happy gardening!🍊🍋🥑
My coworker just gave me a baby dwarf kumquat tree and I'm soooo excited! I really want to plant fruit trees now that i have a backyard, thanks for this!
I’m growing a lemon tree in my kitchen/conservatory in Northern Ireland,for three years and it gives all year round lemons! Visitors are very impressed. It does have a fine web so must keep an eye on that.
I'm in Newport News VA 8a zone.Its a guy out here that has a big orange tree in his yard.We ride by and just be amazed
Last spring seeing your citrus hedge got me wanting to grow my own citrus in zone 6b. I've had a calamansi tree in a grow bag for the last year and it's been doing great. I was so excited to send pictures of the fruit to relatives in the Philippines this last November/December. Had some nice fresh calamansi juice to drink during a very cold Christmas season.
Definitely giving growing a citrus tree a try, nothing beats the taste of oranges straight from your backyard, my tree produced quite a lot i just finished using up all the oranges and its just now started flowering again 😅 i also have a buddhas hand growing in a container hopefully it flowers soon, the flowers look absolutely beautiful
One of the best harvests ever
Perfect timing! I ordered a Meyer lemon bush and it arrived this week. Mine will stay in a container because of the winters where I live. Thank you!
Great video! I grow citrus in zone 4 indoors in pots and have really good luck with them. Lots of fruit. I wouldn't say that all citrus is grafted though. My Meyer lemon, eureka variegated lemon, and key lime are mature trees from rooted cuttings. I've also been successful rooting cuttings and making cloned plants of these. Right now I'm trying to air layer a mandarin. But, yes- if it's grafted it's important not to bury the graft union
I was curious about this, because I don't think the one we bought from Lowes a couple years back is grafted either. Just looks like a straight stick.... and looked almost dead when we bought it. 😂 but it was also one of those novelty sort of things that came in a pretty bucket type thing like they expected you to use it as a centerpiece rather than to grow it too.
I was born in Socal and lived in SD for 25 years. Kudos on your food forest in that neighborhood. 👌👍
Just got an eureka pink lemon! So glad this video came out when it did, perfect timing to help me take care of my first citrus tree😁
Nice video. Its a reminder for me. I can’t wait for full spring. My Meyer lemon lost most of the leaves indoors so I fertilized it around Valentine’s Day and I hope the leaves come back. I need to check my root ball tomorrow.
nice to see you post this since I am getting a few citrus trees soon!
Something that surprised me when I grew my first young citrus tree is they root almost straight down for the first few years.
I have citrus in pots. Last year I had hundreds of flowers but squirrels and rabbits ate almost all of them. I just harvested the only Oro blanco on my tree. I have never tasted such an amazing fresh grapefruit…needed no salt or sugar! Wish I could keep the squirrels at bay…I just love citrus blossom fragrance!
I'd recommend putting cayenne , chili or black pepper powder to repel the animals
I was watching a video by an arborist. According to him, there are some issues with buying potted vs bare root trees and you have to be careful about planting too deep. Interesting stuff! I replanted my fruit trees after watching.
Thanks Kevin great info!! My finger lime is blooming after two years!! Super psyched!!
I"ve been afraid to grow citrus. After this video, I think I'm ready to take the plunge! Thank you!
Excellent video! I just bought a couple of lemon trees but wasn't sure how to grow them well. You helped a lot thank you!
Wow! Ive always wanted to grow oranges/ citrus at home eversince i was a child. Good job!
Totally agree about Cara Cara. I love it so much, I have two trees😁
You can air layer the waterspouts to get your own root stock that you can then graft onto from your other grafted stock. Best way to clone your citrus at home.
You can technically grow the root stock from seed from the fruit you have but that takes a bit longer.
Hi, is a watersprout a small branch growing at the bottom of citrus tree? I have a 5 year old lemon tree I grew from lemon seed.
What a thoroughly informative video... Thanks I learnt alot
Great video. Love watching you. Problem with all my citrus right here in OB. They’ve been planted about 4 yrs now & bud boy no fruit. SO frustrating. We put a Meyer lemon in a big pot & that’s actually growing well!!
This was an excellent tutorial! Thank you!!
Grey Water Basins are Awesome because the soap from the Shower and the Clothes Washer contains Phosphates. That is like Mother Nature’s Miracle Grow. My sister had the washer draining out the garage here in Florida. That was where the grass grew perfectly and was so lush and green. Great Videos Love Your Channel Thank You 🙏
Interesting! The idea of using grey water always baffled me because I thought the soap would be detrimental to the plants - even the kind I use which is more eco-friendly and nature-based.
@@NicolaiAAANo phosphate from the soap is one of the best fertilizers from the washer and the shower. That’s why a lot of people who have a septic system will divert the grey water aka washer and shower water right out to the lawn or the flower and shrubbery beds. Here in Florida is where it’s mined the phosphate in its raw form is really hard on the plants.
Not all citrus are grafted. Some are rooted from cuttings and you can grow some from seed. I have a lemon tree i grew from a Sunkist lemon seed about 25 or 26 years ago. It lives in a pot because i live in western Massachusetts. I also have a Key lime i grew from seed that's also in a pot. Both come in for the winter about October and go out in the spring during the day when it's about 50F/10C and come back in for the night. Right now that's March. They do both get scale in the winter despite a good couple of treeatments with insecticidal soap befo re coming indoors in October. But so far, ive managed to keep the scale mostly at bay. I have gotten one lemon from my tree in the 25+ years ive been growing it, and the lime used to bloom and produce a ton of fruit up until about three years ago. Id love a video on growing in containers!!
Those peach blossoms are gorgeous!
My lemon and mandarin are growing ok, my orange isn't but thanks to watching this pos iron feed needed, thank you. I live in UK so potted
im starting to make a lemom farm here in the Philippines. got 3 lemon tree. this video is helpful 🍋💛
This year i am going to try and start a balcony garden.
Hope to be able to grow some citrus in pots on my balcony here in the netherlands.
Can you please talk about citrus plants, growing from seeds? 🥺 Thank you, Eric... I mean Kevin!
I started a lemon tree by accident- in Pittsburgh. It’s been 3 years and it’s thriving! Still no lemons yet but I might get some this year 😄🍋
Shoutout to the kalamansi Man i love those They remind me of when i lived in the phils It was always so amazing and refreshing Great video thanks ✌🏻🇺🇸🙏🏻
Thank you so much man, for this video,and a month ago, i put my mandarin seed to germinate in a wet towel, in a plastic bag, and i think a week or two weeks ago, the seed sprouted, so i planted it in the pot, you know, and it's growing good,AND GOING TO THE QUESTION,could you maybe film video about citrus seeds and how to grow them the right way, and of course all about grafting..
In my limited space i jave a mandarin from Wal-Mart about 20$ probably like 1.5 years which is in a time being container with catnip and thai pepper. So definitely start something if you're unsure about it because literally buying a tree a year or two older the price really goes up and its way better to be ahead of the game in this...i also got a Mexican lime which has some jade succulent and clover with it biking it back in a duffle its thorns got me alot its almost on its second pruning but not much fruit yet hence my advice start earlier...and a calamansi i started from seed from a calamansi i bought at the store...these trees really take patience but do really well if youre in the right climate without much effort only pest so far were hungry caterpillars but nature justs gets the trees going more...fun good trees go for it jealous of the grapefruit that might be next...my papaya though is like prolific soemehow perfect spot....and that started from a clearance one at Walmart 2 little plants in one little seed start pot 1 is like 10 feet tall and the other is adapting after alot of shock but adapted just in time to harbor winds and way more light. 2 trees for a buck or 2 lol but yeah i started some of your made in the shade mix where it originally was... limited space and not optimal conditions but people love it thanks for your inspiration and knowledge 🙏
I'm super excited about this year. I got a Meyer Lemon about a year ago and this year I kind of went a little nuts with buying things - blueberries, blackberries, an Owari Satsuma, etc. I just really hope that I can keep them alive because they all have to go into containers. I'm doing what research I can so they settle in nice and happy, so fingers crossed they grow up and provide lots of goodies!
Fingers crossed!
Thank you for this video. You have answered many of my questions regarding citrus. I really wish I could buy the kind of lime you are growing. I have never seen that in Texas.
Enjoyed this class. Got surprised you got calamansi. We, Pinoys have a lot of uses for it - as food and medicine. I personally use it to accompany our fish sauce (patis) for a lot of viands from Sinigang to fried fish :) I also use it as medicine - the juice is great for easing dry cough, the rind is especially useful for treating infections. Great episode!
I grew up with an orange tree in my backyard in LA (and a lemon in the neighbor’s yard that grew over the fence), but now I live in the PNW and thought I wouldn’t be able to grow citrus well. I really appreciate the callout for specific varieties that can be cold-hardy (loooove satsumas!!!)!
Kumquats, mandarins, Duncan grapefruit
Awesome video. Well done Brother :)
Great video, thank you!
Now there's one thing I'd struggle to grow in the UK. Great video ✅✅🙏🙏
I spy familiar dad shoes at 5:20 😂 Kevin, your citrus has BOOMED in 3 years! Looking good, brother!
Excellent video Brother
Just bought a Persian/Bearss lime today! And a Barbados cherry. Very excited!
Good choice!
Дружище вместо "органической" краски из банки лучше сделай смесь для побелки штамба деревьев сам, возьми гашеную известь, размешай её водой до состояния кашицы, добавь совсем чуть чуть медного купороса (можно и без купороса) этим уже можно красить деревья, если хочешь чтобы твоя покраска держалась долго то добавь в эту смесь "клейстер" клей из вареной муки который делается дома в кастрюле за 15 минут. Такая побелка защитит штамм дерева от грибковой инфекции.
Great video!!
It would be great to talk a little about citrus frendly insects!
Great information,thank you
I just wanted about 2 or 3 grafted lime an lemon plants in a half of barrel we live in tropical areas
Satsuma mandarin and a bearss lime .. coming soon to Central PA in containers.. and in the sun room in the winter
Fruit trees first and foremost! Great video much appreciated! brought back alot of great memories
I'll have to grow that Owari Mandarin in a container for sure!! we dip well below 0 for a couple weeks usually :/
It's an AMAZING variety
Amalfi lemon are the best for me, look into it their are great for cooking, limoncello, very juicy but with a complex balance between sour and sweet
I need help growing Rapini/Broccoli Rabe.. any tips? You guys always have my gardening answers🙏🏽
Excellent, Kevin
I have a Valencia and it is fantastic!!!!
Great information about citrus. I live in central Florida and deal with the citrus greening disease. It’s a shame because I love to grow my own citrus. As a master gardener i know this disease has been with us for a while but I’m still growing my trees. It seems I get about 7 years of productivity from the tree and then , off to the burn pile! I plant succession trees so I can have at least have a lemon, orange and kumquat giving me fruit. It’s sad, but it’s a way to deal with this until the University of Florida finds the solution. What can I say, it’s in my heart and soul to keep growing ! Thanks for sharing, I love watching your channel.
I had no idea about this! I'm from the North East and just went to Florida for the first time last month hoping to find tons of fresh fruit, particularly citrus since its the Winter. My family and I were sooooooo disappointed. It's nearly impossible to find any fruit grown near the Space Coast. I even seeked out small family farms like Nick's Tropicals and JTA farms but they barely had anything to offer. The farmers markets were pathetic as well. Was I missing something or just in the wrong part of FL? I'll be going to Naples again in a month so hoping it's better then.
Bummer to hear this! At least you're still giving it your best shot and enjoying what you get!
It has been a hard time for the citrus industry in Florida for past decade or so. I trust the information I get from the University of Florida about the Citrus Psyllid Moth that started all the trouble. Dr. William Lester in Hernando County studies plant medicine and has been a wealth of information. Also there is a great UTube video by Mongi Zekri all about citrus greening and what is being done to eradicate this infection. I’m not giving up and keep learning as a resident of Florida for the past 50 years. Best of luck to you!
I hope it can be resolved!!!@@miriamgaylord1003
Thanks for the tip Eric!
😂😂😂
Hi Kevin, i’m new in gardening and your channel helped me alot.
I have 4 citrus trees, an orange has leaves, green and healthy. But the other 3 (lemon, Chinese orange and bitter orange) that lost the leaves and its been nearly 4 months nothing! Just a stick in the ground. Is that okay? Or should i prune or do something?
The bitter orange nearly 2 meters high when i bought it.
The others around 70-90cm
The takeaway for me is you have an outdoor shower… 😍
Thank you Kevin, though I live in a colder climate you have inspired me to grow citrus
I'm super allergic to oranges and avoid most things in that vein (lemon and limes seem not to bother me), but I recently discovered that I can have calamansi, and I've never been so happy! I hope that I'll be able to grow my own one day.
Try the Lane Late Navel....it's to die for
Thank you, Kevin!
I've been a subscriber since last year, and I've been trying all of your tips for my citrus. mine are in containers I'm growing peaches, citrus and apples.
Can you do more videos on how to care for fruit trees in containers, I'm just North of you in the Central Valley
Thanks,
I appreciate your hard work
Definitely
It is easy to grow citrus further north. You just order a dwarf variety, put it in a container in front of a sunny window with a grow light over it and you are good to go.
We recently moved to San Diego in November, and I want some fruit trees so bad!!! I also found a dragon fruit plant in a very sad undersized pot buried under a plant that's been growing over our retaining wall. The poor thing is in DESPERATE need of some TLC, but I have no idea where to start Dx
I just lost 2 small lemon trees to, i think they're called shield-mites (hard brown bumps on your lemon tree). I think if im ever gonna try it again ill not grow them from seeds out of a restaurant😅
Could you please do a video on growing citrus in containers? Like what size container yields how much fruit. ROI
I used to work at a big box store back in the day and ran the garden center there and we used to sell what they called a fruit cocktail tree. Someone had grafted grape, pear, Apple, cherry, and anything else you will find in fruit cocktail on one root stock. They were like $100 for a small one but you essentially got five or six trees in one and you could grow all the fruit in just one spot. I don't know how they grew but it would be nice to see the results of one
Great video. How often do you fertilize if using a balanced fertilizer?
Im planning on moving back east when im done with school and part of my plan is to build a massive orangerie just so i can have my delicious citruses even if i end up in somewhere around usda zone 7
Thanks Kevin. I’m in Texas zone 9. I have 2 improved Myers lemons in medium pots. They survive our Texas heat cause I had to put them on the patio and not in the yard full sun. One is bushy the other is taller. I’m 5 ft and like your information on keeping them like shrubs. Should I prune the taller one back. It has 5 non ripe very small lemons and green in it.
I personally would, but that is up to you!
I just trimmed a branch off my new tangerine today, its so much taller than your citruses, the reason i did so was because it was the only branch that wasnt growing on top i believe the tree is pretty mature though, as it almost seems fake and the wood is very hard. I really didnt want a weird giant branch to the one side, there are several leaves growing from the trunk though so i assumed they will turn to branches over time. Its been potted im in 8b wish me luck lol
Thank you so much for this video. Now I know why my lemon tree leaved look the way they do. They are in need of more iron. Is there a liquid fertilizer that you could recommend?
I love Citrus as well I have two Tangerine trees and two tangelo trees and a lime tree😎
Hey Kevin, with pruning, do we want to get rid of inward facing growth/growth thats going to crossover other branches to help with airflow, or only matters more if going for that vase type shape like with your stonefruit? thanks for the great video!
I grew a citrus tree from a supermarket lemon, but I'm in NL (zone 8 I think?) and it was too much hassle moving it inside as it always got some kind of pest during winter.
After trying for a decade I pulled them out apart from the lemon
That's one tough plant
Can't be bothered with the constant chore of growing oranges and limes where I am.
Every insect and microorganism under the sun loves living on them
I see a lot of lichen and rotting trees you paint trees for sun but what do you think about spraying trees with like acid like don't people use lime for soil in some times of year we get heavy cold wet fog I think maybe a couple applications could be beneficial
Great video. Which lime and lemon would you recommend for Texas ???
I’m in NE Ohio in zone 6 and tried growing a citrus tree as a kid-that poor thing came to the brink of death every winter when my Dad would haul it up to my room for me, all the while getting poked by its thorns. I didn’t know about citrus being grafted then. (I grew that sucker from seed, so I was just growing rootstock.). My Dad was relieved when I finally gave up on it😂
I would love some helpful tips on getting larger size tangerines from our tree, if you have any. 😊
Grow hot peppers next to the citrus fruits to prevent bugs from eating them. Ancient Mexican technique. God Bless.
1:51 I love that zone 8b is a cold climate in this instance 😅 I'm in Buffalo zone 6b and can only grow the inedible flying dragon orange unfortunately....
That's a fun variety tho!
No mention of the amazing honeybell!
Do you have a recommendation for an iron supplement type fertilizer?
Perfect timing. Thanks Kevin. Question, where do you get your citrus trees (in particular yuzu, kumquat trees). Same zone as you.
Yuzu was from Four Winds Growers
Loving citrus and growing up in Ontario ca
Then finding out the city was a citrus grove
I f#%king love it here 😂
your citrus look so healthy!
It’s interesting you said all citrus trees are grafted. I’ve heard/read that citrus grows true from seed. Last year I started some grapefruit seeds from store bought fruit. In 6inch pots now (zone 7). Will they or won’t they be fruitful?