Citrus Planting

PLANTING AND ESTABLISHMENT'

Container-grown entirely in an artificial, soil less medium--which requires special treatment at transplanting. After the planting hole is ready, remove the tree from the container and use a gentle stream of water from the garden hose to wash an inch or so of the medium from all around the root ball, thereby exposing the peripheral roots. Thus, the outer roots are placed in contact with the soil of the planting site and growth commences almost immediately.

Under no circumstances should soil around the proposed planting site be removed to form a shallow basin for watering--to do so almost guarantees that the young grapefruit tree will contract foot rot and die before its fifth year. The soil in the planting site should be at least as high as the surrounding yard, if not higher. In addition, the tree should be set slightly higher than it was in the nursery container to assure that the budunion will remain well above the soil.

Mixing topsoil, compost, peat or other materials with the backfill soil is neither necessary nor desirable in good soils. Set the tree in the hole, backfill about halfway, then water sufficiently to settle the backfill around the lower roots. Finish backfilling the hole and then cover the root ball with about in inch of soil to seal the growing medium from direct contact with the air and thereby prevent rapid drying of the root ball.

To facilitate watering, bring soil from the garden or elsewhere to construct a watering ring atop the ground around the newly planted tree. The ring should be about two feet across and several inches high and thick. To water, just fill the water ring immediately after planting. After the water soaks in, it may be necessary to add a little soil to any holes formed as the soil settled around the roots.

The watering interval should be every few days for the first couple of weeks, then gradually increased to 7 to 10 days over the next couple of months. The watering ring will gradually melt into the surrounding soil, at which time the young grapefruit tree can be considered to be established.

All weeds and lawn grass should be completely eliminated inside the watering ring, as the developing grapefruit tree cannot compete well. A systemic, contact herbicide will work very well, so long as it is not allowed to contact the young tree leaves or green bark.

The best way to protect the young trunk from herbicide damage and, at the same time, to prevent sprouts along the trunk is to crimp an 8-inch by 18-inch piece of heavy duty aluminum foil around the trunk from the ground to the scaffold limbs. Fold the foil lengthwise, bring the long edges past the trunk on both sides, crimp the two edges together and lightly squeeze the foil around the trunk.

While mulching of citrus trees is commonly practiced in southeast Texas where there is an abundance of materials to use, mulching is not recommended for citrus because it increases the possibility of the tree contracting foot rot, for which there is no cure. If you insist on mulching, keep the mulch at least a foot away from the trunk.

Fertilizer should be withheld until after growth commences. During the first year, a single cupful of ammonium sulfate (21-0-0) split into three or four applications is adequate. Use two cups in the second year and three in the third. Just scatter the fertilizer on the ground around the tree and water thoroughly. In areas other than the Valley, use whatever fertilizer analysis that is in general use in the area for trees and shrubs--simply adjust the rate based upon nitrogen content.

Cold protection measures for grapefruit trees will be required sooner or later. Soil banks are very effective for young trees; the soil should be put up about Thanksgiving and left in place until early March. Exercise care when taking down the soil bank, as the bark underneath will be extremely tender.

Blankets, tarps or similar covers are also very effective and have the advantage of being quickly draped over the young tree. The corners should be stretched outward and tied down. More elaborate protection can be provided by erecting a frame structure of wood or PVC pipe over the plant to facilitate the use of plastic or large tarps during particularly severe cold weather. Supplemental heat can also be provided under the covers; incandescent bulbs and heat lamps are useful.

MATURE TREE CARE
Watering should be slow and thorough; probably every couple of weeks would suffice in any but the very sandy soils. Nutrition should continue at about one cup of ammonium sulfate per year of tree age annually in split applications in February, May and September, i.e. a 6-year-old tree should receive about six cups of 21-0-0 for the year. Adjust the rate for other fertilizers based upon the relative nitrogen content.

Lawn grass should be kept back about a foot from the canopy of the tree. Other than cold damage, no pruning should be necessary, as the grapefruit tree will develop its natural shape without pruning. While mulching is not recommended for citrus trees, if you must mulch, keep the mulch at least one foot away from the tree trunk.

PROBLEMS
In addition, the Asian citrus leafminer attacks the new flushes of growth when the developing leaves are only about an inch long, leaving serpentine trails from their feeding and causing stunting and distortion of the leaf. Occasionally, trails or mines occur on fruit as well. Each growth flush is susceptible to attack and grapefruit should have four growth flushes annually. The spring flush is least damaged, since the leafminer does not over winter well, but the later flushes can be devastated.

There are no chemical controls available for home use, although citrus spray oils do deter infestation if the application is timed to the development of a new flush of growth. Otherwise, it is best to try to ignore the damage; leafminer will not kill the tree and indiscriminate spraying kills a lot of the natural predators and parasites that help to keep leafminer populations down.

There are very few grapefruit tree problems that are life-threatening--and the home gardener cannot do anything about those anyway. Many of the rest of the insects and diseases that afflict grapefruit can generally be ignored in the home garden, as blemishes to the peel affect only the appearance, and, in some cases, size of the fruit.

If one must spray, first identify the problem, then select the appropriate material and apply it properly and at the appropriate time to control the pest while minimizing damage to the complex of beneficial organisms that exist in citrus.

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