Orange trees are fairly easy to care for as long as they are in a warm climate. Just 2 hours exposure to temperatures at 24 degrees or below will kill them. To produce well, orange trees need to be planted in a location with full sun and well drained, neutral soil. Soil that is even slightly acidic should be amended with lime. Young trees need frequent watering; older trees can often thrive simply on rainfall. It is important to let the tree dry out between waterings as they are susceptible to root rot. Orange trees should be fed every six weeks until they reach 3 years of age. After that, fertilizer is only needed three times per year. Gardeners looking to skip the work required with a young tree should look for a transplant that is about 3 years old. The best specimens at the nursery have straight trunks, sturdy branches and uniformly green leaves. Established orange trees are relatively care free. Few pests bother with them. Those that do usually only affect the appearance of the leaves.
Oranges, part of the Rutaceae Citrus family, come in three basic types. The most popular are the Sweet Oranges. These include Valencia, noted for the best juicing; Washington, the most common of the navel oranges; and the exotic Blood Orange. The second most popular type of orange tree is the Mandarin, also known as the Tangerine. The trees and fruit of the Mandarin are much smaller than the Sweet Orange. Popular varieties of Mandarin include Clementine and Satsuma. Finally, there are many kinds of hybrids. The most common hybrids include the Tangelo, Sunburst and Tangor. Most hybrids combine the Sweet Orange with Mandarin and Grapefruit. Grown in the right climate, hybrids yield prolific crops of sweet, juicy fruits.
Oranges were first grown in southern Asia. Legend has it that Spanish explorers brought seeds to Florida in the 1500s. Early inhabitants of Florida largely ignored the trees, however. It wasn't until the early 1800s that farmers began planting orange trees as a cash crop. Around the same time, missionaries brought orange trees to California. Farmers in the west were also a bit slow to catch on to the crop's potential. But, by the end of the 19th century, production there began to rival that of Florida. The Sunshine State continues to be the largest worldwide producer of oranges, followed by California, Arizona and Texas. However, oranges are a popular crop worldwide and are grown almost anywhere that the winters are mild.
Orange trees should be about 3 feet high at the time of transplant. Ideally, the home grower should space each tree about 20 to 25 feet apart. This will ensure that the trees have plenty of room to spread and become strong producers. Citrus lovers with smaller yards can still enjoy success with orange trees that are more confined, they just aren't likely to see bumper crops.
Although the size of the orange tree at maturity will vary a bit between species, most will reach a height and width of 20 to 30 feet. Trees need to grow to a minimum of 12 feet to produce well. Some dwarf varieties that are available through select suppliers grow much smaller, yet produce the same amount of fruit as their larger cousins. Under ideal conditions, orange trees can produce as many as 100 fruits per season.
Many trees that are commerically available have been grafted. These types will produce fruit in about three years. Seedlings take much longer, about 10 to 15 years, to begin production. Orange trees can live to be quite old, even over 100 years. Production does decline, however, starting around year 30 of the tree's life. Most varieties of Sweet Orange have two growing seasons, with harvests in both May and December. Mandarins typically fruit in the winter. Sweet smelling blossoms quickly give way to small green globes. Unlike many other fruits, oranges will not continue to ripen after they have been picked. Leave them on the tree until you are ready to eat them. Color is not a factor in ripeness, as a green or yellow fruit may be ready to eat. After about a month on the tree, the fruit is usually ripe enough to eat.
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