Orange trees are one of the most cultivated fruit trees in orchards: their beautiful white flowers, their long dark green leaves, their size, and of course, their delicious fruits make them incredible plants. And it is that, in addition, a single specimen produces so many oranges that it can feed a family without the need to acquire more.
But I am not going to lie to you, for that it is necessary to provide them with a series of care so that the harvest is excellent. Would you like to know which ones are they?
Orange trees are evergreen fruit trees whose scientific name is Citrus sinensis . They are native to China and Indochina, and grow to a height of about 7 meters, although if the care is really good and they are not pruned, they can exceed 9m. To have them perfect, it is recommended to grow them in a warm climate, where the minimum temperature is -4ºC or higher, and provide them with the following care:
- Location : full sun. They must be placed in an area protected from the winds, especially the saline ones.
- Soil or substrate : they grow without problems in clay soils. But if we have them in pots we have to use substrates that have good drainage, such as 60% mulch or compost + 30% perlite + 10% volcanic clay (to put as the first layer, inside the pot).
- Irrigation : frequent in spring and summer. It is recommended to water every 3-4 days, soaking the soil well.
- Subscriber : it is very important to pay them. For this we will use organic fertilizers, such as sheep manure or guano from bats or penguins. It is also very interesting to fertilize with algae extract fertilizer due to its richness in nutrients, but it should not be abused as it is very alkaline.
- Pruning : every 3-4 years, towards the end of winter, cleaning the center of the trees.
- Pests : miners, cochineals, red spider and white fly. To prevent them, during the autumn-winter it can be treated with insecticide oil, and during the rest of the year with Neem Oil or paraffin oil.
- Diseases : they can be infected by fungi such as Phytophthora, or by viruses or similar, such as the virus of sadness or psoriasis. To avoid them, avoid excessive watering, and carry out preventive treatments during spring and autumn with natural fungicides, such as copper or sulfur (if you have pets, keep them away from them as they are toxic products for them).
Take care of your orange trees by following these tips, and enjoy an excellent harvest
