Citrus trees in the landscape require little attention for the next few months. They should be shrouded in a canopy of dark leaves and laden with nearly full-sized fruits waiting for their rinds to color.

The warm days and cool nights trigger the rind coloration. The greater the difference in day to night temperature the more quickly and intensely the color change becomes.

The only cultural inputs should be watering. The key to judging the watering is looking at the soil in the morning. Go out first thing in the morning and gently dig into the soil. If the soil is dry down to three inches then water should be applied. This may mean that the watering schedules will be changed dramatically.

Its best top give the citrus trees a little drying out for a couple good reasons.

First, the slightly drier soil lets it warm as much as possible. Wet soils remain cool soils. This time of year the warmer the soil the better chance the roots have of efficiently absorbing nutrients. Its this last period of nutrient absorbtion that keeps the tree healthier going into the winter resting period. Any extra nutrients absorbed now will be stored over the winter for use next spring when they begin to grow.

A second reason for lenghtening the interval between waterings is to slow the potential of luxurient growth. If by chance this winter slaps us with some hard freeze nights the trees going into the period with less succulent growth will fair much better. The first freeze is usually the one to do the most damage.

This pre-freeze stategy does more good than most efforts the night of that first freeze.

For planning purposes for that first freeze, here are some hints.

Wrap the trunks and major branches of medium to older citrus trees with canvas, burlap old sheets or sheaves of newpapers for insulation. This can be done now with no ill affects to the trees.

Young trees can be covered with the same types of materials. Ideally a cage or frame should be constructed to hold the materials off the leaves. This, again is something to do now to avoid the last minute rush. Having the frame done ahead lets you simply go out and drape the material over the tree when freeze is predicted.

As a reminder when the cages and draped materials are used be sure to remove them the next day. This will let the tree and surrounding soil warm in the sun. If it freezes again the material is reapplied at dusk and will trap the heat absorbed during the day.

Otherwise, sit back and watch the fruits of you labors turn the fruits of the tree into the luscious, nutritional and beautiful food that can only be grown in the low deserts.

Written by Terry Mikel, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, the University of Arizona, 602-470-8086.
Material originally appeared in Arizona Republic
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