Citrus trees thrive in Arizona’s climate, but caring for them can be tricky if you don’t know what you are doing. These citrus trees tips will come in handy when you are maintaining your trees in Arizona.
Did you know that trimming your fruit trees actually isn’t a good idea? Most people trim their trees just to make them look good, but citrus trees are considered bushes and that means that their branches grow low to the ground naturally.
By trimming Arizona citrus trees, you are helping lead your trees to a shorter life span. You always want to keep in mind the health of your tree because this will help lead to better fruit production.
There are times of the year where you may need to trim your trees, but make sure to only trim off a little amount. Why is this? Not trimming your tree will leave extra leaves and branches that will protect the trunk from sun exposure.
To make it easier to water and fertilize, you can trim the bottom of your tree a little, but make sure to keep a few thick branches that touch the ground. It also might be necessary to trim some branches that might be growing into other branches or branches that might be growing erratic.
If you are going to shape the foliage of your citrus tree, make sure you are using the right techniques and keeping the health of your tree in mind. You never want to trim so much off that you are exposing branches to the sun.
So when is the best time to trim Arizona citrus trees? It is best to trim your citrus trees in the spring because then they will be ready for the harsh temperatures Arizona sees in the summer. Even though citrus trees do very well in Arizona, they can get sun damage easily. That is why you want to make sure your citrus tree isn’t trimmed too much so that it will still provide the trunk with shade. It is also acceptable to do a little bit of trimming in the fall, but make sure to avoid it in the winter just in case we see cold temperatures that may lead to frost.
When it comes to maintaining citrus trees in Arizona, you just have to remember that the trees are actually considered bushes and that the health of the tree is more important than the look, so keep that trimming to a minimal!
Helpful Tip: When it comes to water sprouts, you will want to remove these. Not only will it make your citrus tree look nicer, but also it is good to remove these because they will actually not be able to produce fruit that is edible. You never want these water sprouts to take over your Arizona citrus tree!