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Anyone know what the best time of year is for pruning citrus trees? I have a couple that need some serious work (because of prior neglect by previous owners).
John Dirgo, R, ABR, e-PRO
Island Trust Properties, LLC
808-987-9243 cell
http://www.hawaiirealproperty.com
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Aloha John,
Here in citrus country climate zone 9, lows 30's to highs of 110 we trim citrus of all kinds just before spring arrives in February/March to avoid trimming any blossoms.
For you in Hawaii I would think that would be just before the blooms start to set. We were told by an old citrus farmers that you can't kill them they are just big bushes! Make them any shape you want. Seems to be true we slaughtered a few 3 years ago and they didn't even mind!
At the Dolphin Bay Hotel there is an orange tree that is trimmed in a very unique way. It looks like a tire from a very large earth moving tracktor lying on its side, and is about 4-5 feet tall. What is so cool about this way of trimming is you do not have to climb a ladder to pick you just wander into the middle and pick those oranges!
Good luck and watch out for the large thorns.
mella l
mella l
Art and Science
bytheSEA
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John,
Probably sooner rather than later. Most citrus bloom in spring from new growth. If you cut them back now you will remove any fruit on the parts you remove, but the plant will put more energy into the fruits that are left, so they will probably be larger. It may also reduce the number that the tree drops off if the crop is too large. However, it could shock it into dropping some fruit?
Pruning now will give the trees the most time to recover before bloom time next year. This should also mean you will have more flowers and less vegetative growth next spring.
The usual advice here in Louisiana is citrus need little or no pruning, but neglect is different.
Watch out for very vigorous new growth, especially near where you remove branches. I try to keep my trees compact and minimize pruning, so I pinch out the tip of very vigorous growth after it has 6 or so leaves to slow it down, make it branch, and redirect some energy into less-vigorous branches. I pinch about 1/16-1/8 inch above a leaf that is on the side of the branch where I want the branch to grow, because the top new bud usually makes the strongest new branch.
Especially near where you remove a branch, do not let 2 or more branches start out right next to each other with a very narrow angle between them. This makes a weak crotch that is much more likely to break with a lot of fruit or in a storm. Leave the new growth that is headed most in the direction you want.
Allen
Baton Rouge, LA & HPP
Allen
Finally in HPP
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Allen's advice is pretty good. We've also had
success (sometimes) in giving half the tree a
good pruning one year, then the other half the
following year. Avoids a totally blank crop
the first year after a serious/recovery
pruning.
OLin
