Growing Guides

Citrus Growing Guide

GROW WHAT YOU CAN EAT™

Citrus trees are some of the easiest and most rewarding fruit trees you can grow in California and the Southwest. This guide covers how to plant, water, feed, and protect your tree, plus quick facts for every citrus variety we carry.

Quick Care Basics

Sun: Citrus loves sun. Give it 6–8 or more hours of direct sunlight a day. The warmest, most sheltered spot in your yard is best.

Soil: Citrus needs well-draining, slightly acidic soil. Soggy soil is the number one cause of trouble. If your soil is heavy clay, plant in a raised mound or a large container.

Water: Water deeply, then let the top few inches of soil dry before watering again. Young trees need more frequent watering while their roots establish. Mature trees need deep, less frequent watering.

Feeding: Feed with a citrus fertilizer in spring and summer, following the label. Skip feeding in late fall and winter.

Mulch: Spread 2–3 inches of mulch around the tree, keeping it a few inches away from the trunk.

Pruning: Citrus needs little pruning. Remove dead or crossing branches and any growth below the graft. Prune lightly after harvest.

Planting in the Ground

  1. Dig a hole about twice as wide as the container and just as deep.
  2. Gently remove the tree and loosen any circling roots.
  3. Set the tree so the top of the root ball sits slightly above the surrounding soil.
  4. Backfill with your native soil, firm gently, and build a small watering basin.
  5. Water deeply right after planting.

Growing in a Container

Choose a pot with drainage holes about twice the size of the nursery pot. Use a well-draining potting mix, and move up a size every couple of years. Containers dry out faster than the ground, so check the soil often. Pots let you move your tree to catch sun or shelter it from cold.

Frost and Heat Protection

Citrus is sensitive to hard freezes. When temperatures drop near freezing, cover your tree with frost cloth overnight and remove it in the morning, or move potted trees against a warm wall or indoors. Young trees are the most vulnerable. In extreme heat, water deeply and give young trees some afternoon shade.

Common Problems

  • Yellow leaves: Usually overwatering, poor drainage, or a need for fertilizer.
  • Leaf curl or sticky leaves: Often aphids. Spray with water, or use insecticidal soap.
  • Fruit drop: Normal in small amounts. Stress from drought or heat can cause more.

Variety Guide

LEMONS

  • Meyer Lemon: Sweet, floral, thin-skinned lemon. Zones 9–11. Harvest winter to spring.
  • Eureka Lemon: Classic tart lemon. Zones 9–11. Fruits nearly year-round.
  • Lisbon Lemon: Tart, productive, handles heat and some cold. Zones 8–11. Harvest winter to spring.
  • Variegated Pink Lemon: Striped fruit with pink flesh and variegated leaves. Zones 9–11. Harvest fall to winter.

LIMES

  • Bearss Lime: Juicy, nearly seedless, and hardier than other limes. Zones 9–11. Harvest summer to winter.
  • Mexican Key Lime: Small, tart, aromatic. More cold-sensitive. Zones 9–11. Harvest summer to fall.
  • Australian Finger Lime: "Citrus caviar" with tiny pearls inside. Thorny. Zones 9–11. Harvest summer to fall.

ORANGES

  • Washington Navel: Sweet, seedless, easy to peel. Zones 9–11. Harvest winter to spring.
  • Cara Cara: Pink-fleshed, low-acid navel. Zones 9–11. Harvest winter to spring.
  • Blood Orange (Moro): Ruby-red flesh, berry flavor. Color deepens with cool nights. Zones 9–11. Harvest winter to spring.
  • Midnight Valencia: Classic juice orange. Zones 9–11. Harvest spring to summer.

MANDARINS

  • Owari Satsuma: Early, sweet, cold-tolerant. Zones 8–11. Harvest fall to early winter.
  • Clementine: Sweet, easy-peel, holiday-season fruit. Zones 9–11. Harvest late fall to winter.
  • Tango: Virtually seedless, rich and sweet. Zones 9–11. Harvest late winter to spring.
  • Gold Nugget: Very sweet, bumpy rind, late-season. Zones 9–11. Harvest late winter to spring.

GRAPEFRUIT

  • Ruby Red: Sweet-tart, ruby-pink flesh. Loves heat. Zones 9–11. Harvest winter to spring.
  • Oro Blanco: Sweet, low-bitterness, thick easy-peel rind. Zones 9–11. Harvest winter.

Compact and smaller versions follow the same care as their full-size variety.

Questions about your tree? Contact us at hello@fastgrowingfruittrees.org.

GROW WHAT YOU CAN EAT™