CITRUS THRIVES IN HEAT by Rose Crawford

Aerial photo of Southern California's San Juaquin Valley
Citrus Groves. In the 1960s-1970s, much of SoCal was covered
by miles of lemon, orange, grapefruit and kumquats.

Ever wonder why Southern California and Florida are the top producing states for citrus product?  While both states sit above the Tropic of Cancer in geological location, there is another common tie.  Both states can get extreme heat…Florida being more humid.

Sunkist is still the leading citrus brand that has remained
in Southern California. Ninety percent of Japan's Lemon imports
come from California USA.

Recalling the days when sunny Southern California had vast orange and lemon groves for as far as the eye could see, there are still several agricultural areas in California where citrus flourish. During the extremely hot days (above 95 degrees Fahrenheit), slow flooding irrigation around the trees once a week, soaking water down 3 to 4 feet into the roots seem to make the citrus plump and juicy.  Too much watering can easily destroy the crop. 

So how do you know when to water and if it is enough?  Here is a simple tip to help the individual citrus grower obtain successful crop.  Drive a stake into the ground about 2-3 feet.  If the stake goes in easily, the soil is damp.  If the stake cannot be driven in easily and hardly moves, you’ll need more water.  Do not sprinkle, but flood with a slow hose or drip system as water splashing up into the leaves can cause fungus and other maladies.

Water drips from dew most likely. Watch how you water,
making sure to flood irrigate, not sprinkle citrus.

Oranges need very little pruning.  Just take out dead and crossed branches as needed. Feed them some fertilizer three times a year (a heavier nitrogen mix is best, such as Virgoro’s Fruit,Nut and Citrus 12-5-8 slow release fertilizer spikes) in February, May and August.

For your personal gardens, see ways you can decorate around trees, lawns, veggie gardens and floral pathways with quality, cost effective decor.