How to Fertilize an Orange Tree

Overview

Oranges are a popular fruit that many people grow in their home gardens. The tree is attractive, and the fruit is delicious and nutritious. Whether you choose to grow a Valencia orange tree for the juice or a naval orange--which is excellent for school lunches and snacks because it has no seeds--the care of orange trees is the same. If you have a sunny location with well-drained soil, and your winter temperatures rarely dip below 25 degrees Fahrenheit, you can succeed in growing an orange tree. Fertilizing is easy: With one or more applications of fertilizer each year, you can assure that your tree will stay healthy and produce a profusion of tasty oranges.

Fertilizing Orange Trees

Step 1

Purchase a liquid or granular fertilizer designed for citrus trees. These products are generally high in nitrogen, with an N-P-K ratio of 16-8-8 or 20-10-10.

Step 2

Fertilize your tree three times each year during the warmer months if you live in a frost-free area (USDA hardiness zones 10-11); If you live in an area that receives frost, fertilize your tree only once each year in the late spring. Fertilize trees grown in pots every two weeks.

Step 3

Water your tree thoroughly before you fertilize it.

Step 4

Mix fertilizer with water according to label instructions, and then water the soil around the tree's drip line. Depending on the size of your tree, this can range from 3 to 8 feet or more from the main trunk.

Step 5

Spray your tree with chelated fertilizer that contains zinc if you notice that the leaves are losing their green color between the veins. Apply this fertilizer during the spring or summer months.