Oranges and Blood Oranges

Care of Orange Trees

The following information on care of citrus applies to oranges and blood oranges:

Planting: Citrus trees that are purchased in fall or winter need to be kept in the pots until late March or when all danger of freeze has passed. Do not plant these trees before late March or they will very likely die in the winter freezes. Bring them into the garage or house if there is going to be a frost and take them back out after the frost. Plant them in an area that receives at least ½ day of sun. If possible, plant them on the south side of a house or building or where they will get a lot of protection from winter winds. Citrus do not require full sun as most other fruit trees, however the more sun the more production of fruit. Plant them in existing soil without amenities, and make sure the graft is a couple of inches above the soil line. Water every few days while in pots unless it rains. Test the soil in the pot by pushing your finger into the soil. If it is dry an inch down, it is time to water. When planted in the ground, water every day for a few days and then back off to once a week unless it rains.

Fertilizing: Do not fertilize the first spring, but you could fertilize with an organic fertilizer such as Microlife once during the first summer.  In the next spring and summer, you can fertilize a couple of times.

Care: Citrus do not need to be pruned, but you could prune them if they get too big and in the way. And you can prune them on the top to keep them to a height for easy harvesting. You are likely to notice the new growth leaves start to curl. This is citrus leaf miner which is a leaf miner that affects the new leaves of most citrus. You can spray NEEM Oil on the new growth (both sides of leaves), and repeat a week later. This may stop the leaf miner, and it may not. The tree will still grow and produce even though the leaf miner attacks the leaves; but the tree will be more productive and healthier if the leaf miner is prevented.

Cold Tolerance: Some citrus have very good cold tolerance down to 22 degrees and some even to 10 degrees; but most can be damaged by freezes especially when they are young. In the first couple of years, if there is going to be a freeze, protect the plant by covering with a blanket with a large bucket of water sitting right next to the plant and under the blanket. Also pile mulch or leaves around the base of the tree to protect the graft. In this way, if the tree freezes, it will come right back. After the freeze, remove the blanket and pull back the mulch or leaves. As the tree gets bigger, it is less sensitive to freezes. Some trees, like limes, are very sensitive to freezes and should be kept in pots and brought in if there is going to be a freeze.

Harvesting: Citrus ripen depending on the variety. Some like limes may produce several times during the year. Some satsumas produce as early as August and others as late as December. Oranges can ripen as early as November and some in January. Except for satsumas and some limes, all citrus will change color before they are ripe. You can taste when you think they are ripe and keep tasting on a weekly basis. You will soon learn what they taste like when ripe.

Varieties of Oranges and Blood Oranges Available at the January 9, 2010 Sale:

Republic of Texas Orange Documented back to 1847 near Angleton, Texas. Medium to large round orange. Very flavorful. Very cold tolerant. A sweet flavorful orange. Will grow to be a rather large tree. My three-year-old tree is already 10' tall and has an upright posture. Best taste in early January.

Cara Cara Pink Navel Orange The color of the flesh is closer to that of a blood orange, the flavor had a hint of grapefruit with the typical excellent sweetness of a navel orange. Will withstand mild freezes but protect with a hard (26 degrees) freeze. Fully ripe in early December.

Marrs Early Orange A navel orange budsport relatively unknown outside Texas. It is commercially seedless, but seedy fruit can occur because of adjacent pollinizers. Marrs attains maturity in early October, sometimes in late September, primarily because of its low acidity. It bears heavy crops of very sweet medium fruit size but it exhibits a tendency to alternate bearing. It is grown for the fresh market.

Moro Blood Orange Most colorful of all the blood oranges. The exterior shows a bright red blush, and the internal color is deep red mixed with orange. The juice is equally dark, sweet and juicy. The fruits are medium-size, easy to peel and usually seedless. One of the most delicious of all oranges. Will withstand mild freezes but protect with a hard (26 degrees) freeze. Fully ripe in early December, but is very sweet weeks before.

Pineapple Orange Matures in late November and holds into February.  Fruit size, fruit quality and yields are a little better than Marrs.  The fruit is seedy, having 15 to 20 seeds.  It has a tendency to alternate year bearings.

Ujukitsu Sweet, very tasty mild orange flavors. A unique tasting fruit that you will never forget, and you will keep coming back for more. It is sometimes called a sweet lemon, and it looks a bit like one, but the taste is perhaps of the best tasting orange.

Navel N-33 The fruit of the N-33 Navel Orange tree is a lovely orange color, delicious, easily peeled, seedless fruit. It is produced by a medium sized tree and recognized as one of the sweetest oranges ever developed.

Sanguinelli A small to medium sized orange with sweet, juicy, tender flesh. There are very few seeds on the thornless tree. The fruit is at its best in February, providing an extended orange season being a very late ripening variety.