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469-333-TURFTexas citrus trees need plenty of care and maintenance even if you don’t cultivate them for profit, but for your own pleasure. If you are new to cultivating Texas citrus fruits, it’s time to take matters seriously, as the harvesting period begins in October this year and ends in May next year. Today, our lawn care Arlington, TX specialists want to offer you some sound advice on harvesting and caring for your citrus trees during the season to make sure you have the juiciest fruits on the table and the healthiest trees around.
In comparison to apples, for instance, which can be harvested all at once, citrus trees should be harvested only when the fruits reached full maturity. Check for the fruits sugar levels and colors by carefully picking fruit samples and testing them. Always make sure to not bruise the fruits.
As a general rule, don’t ever pull the fruit from the branch. The advice in this case is to twist the fruits upwards and on the side and then lift them upwards to reach an upside down position. This helps you remove them with care and without breaking the leaf spurs from the stem.
Have your lawn care Arlington, TX specialists design you a proper watering plan in case there is little to no rain present or if your fruit trees need some extra irrigation depending on your soil type. Also, mind the local watering regulations. Generally, your trees should get some 2 inches of water with each session, but factor in nutrients’ levels in the soil, drainage, current weather conditions and citrus trees’ specific hydration needs.
It doesn’t matter if you find some dry leaves fallen under the citrus trees, a fallen overripe fruit or some weeds – everything under the tree has got to go. Rake the areas around the trees and keep them safe from pests, weeds and anything that might attract diseases.
First and foremost, crops in general and fruit trees in particular should be kept safe from chemical fertilizers and soil adjuvant. The chemicals can infiltrate the soil, go all way through the tree via the roots and turn the fruits unhealthy for human consumption. If you have taken care of your Texas citrus trees properly in spring and summer, you shouldn’t need extra fertilization programs to keep them healthy. Fertilization during this time of year is also frowned upon because the newly planted trees will keep on growing, affecting their natural lifecycle and their winter hardiness. Moreover, this is harvesting season, so make sure fertilization doesn’t interfere with the trees being ready to be picked.
If you do grow Texas citrus trees for your pleasure only, make sure you always keep in touch with your lawn care Arlington, TX specialists – they can and will advise you on the correct harvesting, maintenance and protection of the trees during this time of year. Yellow jackets and wasps are attracted to everything sweet, so you need to also have some proper pest control in mind during citrus harvesting season.
