Orange tree that needs help?

Question

I have two mature orange trees that need TLC. Please help; I do not know much about taking care of trees. I just bought this home about 6 months ago it was a HUD foreclosure and from my understanding by the neighbor the house sat empty for 2 years and other then rain water, they were not watered during this time. I live in Arizona with summer temps of 110+ with every little rain. There are every little leaves on the tree. It had some fruit on the tree but they where every small (about size of a golf ball) my neighbor also said that the fruit at one time was every large. Also at the ground level the bark is peeling off. I have been watering them about twice a week it is summer. Other then that I have not done any thing else. Is there some thing that I can do or is it to late.

Answer 1

If it's tough enough to have survived this long, it will survive now that you are watering it.  You can help it along, though.

The point of an orange tree, from the point of view of an orange tree, is to produce oranges with seed in them to make new orange trees.  This will take up too much of your trees' energy right now.  Pick all the fruit off, and if they bloom again from the water you are giving them, pick those off, too.

Once it sets out normal sized and normal density leaves again, you can stop doing this.

If they set out new leaves, you can feed them with citrus food.  Citrus feeder roots are shallow, and your trees' old feeder roots will have died from the desert heat and it will have just been starting to grow some new ones now that you are watering it again.  Don't dig the fertilizer in, water it in instead, and only put 1/2 or even 1/4 of what the box recommends so you don't burn the new little rooties.

Answer 2

Oranges are not that hard to grow.  The thing to remember with citrus is that they are gross feeders and they like a regular deep watering.  There will never be enough water for the trees if you rely on just rainfall in your area.

You are already on the right track, and when they recover use citrus food (available at nursery centres).  Don't fertilize at the moment they are heavily stressed.  Get some sea weed extract (seasol or other brands), its available from garden centres and is a mild tonic.  I does a marvellous job of reviving sick plants but isn't a fertilizer.

Keep up the watering but put the hose on the ground on the edge where the plant has grown out to.  This is called the drip line and is where the plant is getting most of its food and water not at the trunk.  Run on half for about a half hour, twice a week when the heat is on an then once a week as the season cools.  When the foliage returns then fertilize with cow manure etc then citrus food as the health of the plant returns.    

I'm in dry inland Australia and their are citrus orchards nearby so your temps are ok just the lack of water.

In regard to the fruit, I'd remove if the tree is doing poorly but leave if they revive.  The fruit will drop if there isn't enough water for it to mature but will return again to regular size with TLC.  If one dies and you replace be careful to buy a plant on a rootstock that likes your area.  Some rootstocks like more water than others.  Check with the local nursery which are the most successful for your area.

I think your on the right track you just need so time.

Answer 3

Trees are generally very forgiving. The only reason the fruits have been small, is because the plant is receiving very minimal requirements.

This can easily be fixed by getting some Plant food. Generally stores will sell an additive or something for watering and adding nutrients for the tree.

ONLY water the plant in the very early morning, or at NIGHT. Night time is most recomended. it will stop the leaves from burning in the sun. Water on the leaves during full sun can cause severe burning of the leaves killing off most of them.

Try feeding it some fertilizer, and plenty of water for a while. It should bounce right back after a couple months, as you don't experience too many freezing temps out there.

Hope this helps and good luck!

PS* use half the recomended amount of nutrients! The tree is already in "Shock" and adding too much nutrients can burn the roots and kill the tree! Only fertilize 1 time a week, or 1 time every 2 weeks. But keep watering it normally during the off days!

Answer 4

I too live in Arizona and have 15 citrus trees.  As others have stated the tree needs some fertilizer.  I believe you can give it a normal amount of fertilizer but make sure to soak around the tree before applying fertilizer, then soak it again after application.  Don't apply fertilizer every week or every two weeks.  Normally you fertilize citrus 3 times a year.  Don't over water the tree as citrus like to dry out a bit between waterings.

I don't know how much fruit there is on the tree but I would leave it on.  The tree will expend much more energy putting out new leaves then a bit of fruit.  I'm more concerned with the peeling bark. It may be sunburn because of the scarcity of leaves and their small size.  I would apply a white latex paint to the main trunk, at least up to the first branches.  Also, if there is dirt around the trunk, dig it away as citrus don't like dirt up on the trunk.

Keep a regular watering program and I believe in 6 months with the growth of some new leaves that you'll have a couple of good trees.  You may find that with some good watering that some of your fruit will split.  This would be normal after not receiving any water and now getting all it wants the fruits skin is just too hard and dry to expand as the inside grows, hence it splits.  Make sure you're watering deep, probe with an iron bar around the tree and see how deep the bar will go into the ground. It should go 2 feet or so.