By Jennifer Olvera, Garden Guides Contributor
About Citrus
Citrus is the common name for the genus of plants in the Rutaceae
family, which hails from Asia's tropical and subtropical regions.
The aromatic, evergreen-like large shrubs and small trees feature
large thorns, white-petaled single flowers or corymbs of flowers
with multiple stamens and alternating leaves. The plants produce
highly fragranced fruits with leathery rinds and juicy, pulpy
interiors; the rinds are prized in cooking, while the latter can be
peeled, segmented and eaten fresh or squeezed for juice.
While not especially labor intensive, citrus plants prefer sunny
locales and must be cultivated in a frost-free setting,such as a
glass greenhouse,with moist, humid air in order to thrive. To grow
citrus plants, the temperature in winter should not dip below 55
degrees for varieties such as the Calamondin orange, below 50
degrees for lemons or below 41 degrees for most other citrus
plants.
Site Preparation
Citrus plants demand a sunny, preferably sheltered spot and need to
be watered regularly and fed once a week with citrus fertilizer
during the summer.
Because citrus trees do not go dormant like deciduous trees, you
can expect plant growth to slow significantly during the
winter.
Special Features
Citrus boasts medicinal benefits. For example, vitamin C
pills,which are derived from oranges,are used to prevent scurvy.
Lemon juice helps relieve the pain of bee stings.
While many citrus fruits,such as tangerines, oranges and
grapefruits,can be eaten fresh, varieties like limes and lemons are
quite tart and generally require sugar and/or the addition of other
ingredients to enhance their flavors. However, a slice of most any
kind of citrus fruit can brighten a glass of ice water or boost the
flavor of soda and cocktails.
Depending on the variety, care, climate and age of the tree, a
single plant can produce up to 1,000 pounds of fruit per season.
The good news is, unlike fruits such as plums, citrus trees retain
ripe fruit for months.
Choosing a Variety
Selecting citrus trees that grow well in your area is integral to
success. It's best to choose plants from nurseries that grow their
own product, ideally budded onto a desirable rootstock, as it
better ensures that what is sold will thrive in your region.
The tree should sport healthy-looking, dark green leaves and a
straight trunk that doesn't need support. It should have little, if
any, fruit since a newly planted tree needs all its energy to
establish itself.
It's important to remember that different citrus varieties have
different growing periods, so choosing them wisely will ensure the
widest window for enjoyment.
Planting
Refer to the planting zone in your area to determine when planting
should take place.
Dig the hole twice as deep as the width of the plant and at least 6
inches wider than the diameter of the pot or root ball. Carefully
place the tree, holding the sides of the burlap, into the hole;
position your citrus plant at grade level. Remove all tarpaper and
string, but leave burlap intact. Slowly add water at the base of
the hole while filling it with soil.
Refill the well every 3 days for the first 2 weeks and twice daily
(morning and night) afterwards. Then, water your citrus plant every
3 weeks during the winter.
Care
Do not fertilize, with the exception of a compressed, slow release
fertilizer added into the last 4 inches of backfill, until after
the first year. Then, using citrus food,such as 16-8-4 or
16-8-2,fertilize the following March, June and September.
Harvesting and Storage
Citrus should be allowed to ripen on the tree. However, it's
important to note that color is not a good indicator of ripeness in
the case of citrus fruits. Tasting the fruit is the best indication
of ripeness.
If you plan to store citrus after picking,mind you, it keeps ripe
longer on the tree than when picked,take care not to bruise or
break the exterior of the citrus, as damaged fruit decays quickly.
Keep the fruit in the refrigerator or a cool, moist place,38 to 48
degrees with 95 percent relative humidity,for several weeks. At
room temperature in dry conditions, fruit will last about 10 days.
