In the elementary school I attended in Tempe, Arizona, I was taught about the Five C's of Arizona. They are: Copper, Cattle, Cotton, Citrus and Climate. For this post, I will be focusing on the fourth C of this list. Arizona's climate is ideal for growing citrus trees, however not all Arizonans know how to take care of them. When to prune citrus trees, the most significant errors commonly made involve how and. Many people are concerned about WHEN they must prune their citrus trees, though that is not the most important question involved. For some, the answer could be: NEVER! Perhaps a more appropriate question is: why should I not trim my citrus trees?

Why NOT to Trim Citrus Trees

When one Valley citizen asked The Arizona Republic's garden professional when she must trim her citrus trees, this became part of the reply: "House owners like to trim their citrus trees for appearances. Did you understand that citrus trees are actually bushes and their branches naturally grow low to the ground? That's Mother Nature's way of protecting the fruit and bark ..." Those who have driven by the old groves that still exist in parts of East Mesa might comprehend this idea of citrus trees as overgrown shrubs. The popular mistaken belief that citrus trees need to be trimmed the same way as any other type of tree implies a shortened life expectancy for lots of citrus trees in the Phoenix area. When to prune their citrus trees, this is why I would like readers to ask themselves why they want to cut them before they wonder about. Whether the goal is to enhance citrus fruit production or merely to have your citrus trees contribute aesthetically to your yard, you need to keep their general health in mind when cutting.

How to Cut Citrus Trees

Even if done throughout the most ideal time of year, any pruning done should be very minimal. As Dave Owens, also referred to as 'The Garden Guy' states, "Citrus trees like to be left unpruned. The more foliage and dead wood on the tree, the more sun protection the tree trunk will get." John Begeman, another gardening professional of Arizona, explains that "more leaves equates to more and much better fruit," and also suggests pruning "just if you must and only utilizing the proper strategies." As described in a 1987 article by Lowell F. True, there is some cutting that might be required. Although it is best to leave a 'skirt' (branches that nearly touch the ground), it is all right to cut this away just enough to make watering and fertilizing easier. Errant branches might likewise be trimmed, specifically if they rub against other branches. When it comes to the outer foliage, the tree's shape, this may be 'shaped' for aesthetic functions, as long as excellent care is required to prevent exposing too much bark of arizona dui the tree to sunshine. There is only one type of pruning that can and should be done despite the time of year, specifically if you preserve citrus trees for their fruit: the removal of sucker development. These suckers are also called 'water sprouts,' and will grow from the trunk and even the roots of the tree. A layperson may feel this needed out of intuition or a desire to make the tree look nice, but in fact there is a great reason behind it. True states: "Make sure to get rid of all suckers developing from listed below the bud union [which is the site of implanting] They are from the rootstock variety and will not bear edible fruit. When delegated develop, they will take over the leading part causing your called citrus range to be reverted back to an undesirable variety." One crucial 'when' of pruning involves limbs that have actually been eliminated by frost, do not eliminate this nonessential until after spring development has begun, so you can be sure of the degree of the damage.

When to Cut Citrus Trees in Arizona

The best season to trim citrus trees is in the spring. The trees are less most likely to be damaged by extremes in temperature level if you cut them between about mid March to early May. Citrus fruit ripens in the late fall, from about November to February for a lot of ranges. Very little pruning during this harvest is also appropriate. During the winter season there is risk of frost, and during the summertime there is the opposite problem. Citrus trees are extremely conscious sun damage, especially during the most popular months of the year and during the most popular parts of the day. If the tree is not shaded during the afternoon, any bare trunk or branches need to be wrapped or painted (whitewashed) for sun defense. The tree is most vulnerable where it gets direct sunlight in the afternoon: the Southwestern direct exposure. This is why it is so important not to overprune citrus trees: branches subjected to direct sun will burn, and full direct exposure to the trunk can kill the tree entirely.

In conclusion, I want to re-emphasize that understanding when to cut citrus trees is not nearly as crucial as comprehending how to trim citrus trees. When to cut citrus trees is the sun, the number one guideline in knowing. The top guideline in understanding how to cut citrus trees is minimalism. Remember, they are in fact just large bushes.