Do you fancy a freshly squeezed orange juice? As we know that there is nothing better than harvesting your own food, I am going to explain how to plant an orange tree step by step, so that you can savor its delicious fruits either by making juices, or as a dessert.
So, take note of these tips and you can have your harvest assured.
Main characteristics of the orange tree
The orange tree is an evergreen tree whose scientific name is Citrus sinensis . It is native to China and Indonesia, where it enjoys a temperate and mild climate throughout the year. Of medium-fast growth, it can reach a height of 8m, although in cultivation it is normally not allowed to exceed 5m. Its white flowers bloom in spring and are slightly aromatic .
Bearing this in mind, this is a fruit tree that can grow without problems in climates with very light frosts, down to -4ºC, as long as they are short-lived. Unlike other fruit trees, it does not need cold hours to flower ; however, during the winter we will see that it stops its growth due to low temperatures.
How to plant an orange tree in the garden
Now that we know its main characteristics, let’s see step by step how to plant it:
- The first thing to do is decide on the place where it is going to be planted. This will have to be exposed directly to the sun , in sandy soil and preferably without limestone, with a pH between 6 and 7.
- Next, a 1m x 1m hole will be drilled . Why so big? Because in this way the quality of the soil can be improved, something that will help the orange tree to better withstand the transplant.
- Once we have the hole finished, we mix the earth that we have extracted with perlite (20%) and a little earthworm humus (10%).
- We pour a bucket or two of water to thoroughly moisten the planting hole.
- We extract the orange tree carefully from the pot.
- Finally we plant it, and water again .
If it is very windy in your area, it is advisable to put a stake on it so that it can stand upright until it is held in place by its own roots.
And ready. Depending on the age of the tree, it is likely that next season you will be able to enjoy your first harvest 🙂 .
