Growing a garden or trees on your property requires a lot of patience and time. You don’t necessarily have to have gardening skills to do it. However, you do need to have the right products and tools for the job.
If you want citrus fruits, it is important to find the best trees for your preferences. You need to know how to plant everything correctly. However, you also need to choose the best fertilizer for citrus trees, as well.
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What Kind of Fertilizer for Citrus Trees?
You will find a variety of citrus trees. These can include lemons, oranges, limes, and grapefruit. Some trees bloom and produce fruit at different times throughout the year. It is important to learn when these trees bloom and when to plant them for the best fruit selection.
Some trees can be grown inside your house or business, such as the kaffir lime tree. However, most citrus trees grow so large that they must be planted outdoors. You may be able to keep the tree inside while it is small, though.
Within the list of citrus trees, you can find many different species. For example, an orange tree can produce navel oranges, blood oranges, or mandarin oranges. It depends on the species that you choose.
The fertilizer you select matters because there are many fertilizers on the market. Make sure that the product shows that it can be used on citrus-producing trees because then you can use it on any citrus tree. The key is to choose the right fertilizer.
You have access to many options. You can use spikes that hold all the nutrients needed. You can also find sprays and mixtures, as well as traditional and organic mixtures.
The first step is to make sure the product is designed for citrus trees. Once you find a variety of fertilizers that do that, you can choose the one you like best.
It might be best to use the spikes if you are busy and don’t want to walk around spraying each tree. The sprays might be best if you want longevity. Each product is different, so you need to pay close attention to each one’s ability.
The 10 Best Fertilizers For Your Citrus Trees
It is time to learn which fertilizers are best for citrus trees. The helpful table below shows you all the products and quick facts for your convenience. Feel free to browse it and check out the reviews below the table.
The Miracle-Gro Citrus, Mango, Avocado Shake ‘n Feed Plant Food comes in a 4.5-pound container. It offers continuously released plant food. This means you can shake out the recommended amount once, and it feeds the plant for a long time.
This fertilizer comes in a 8-2-10 (nitrogen-phosphate-potash) formulation. Most of the time, fertilizer formulas all include these three numbers, and they always indicate the percentage of those nutrients. It is common for citrus tree fertilizers to have more nitrogen and potash/potassium than phosphate because those nutrients get depleted faster.
You can use this fertilizer on existing and new in-ground citrus trees, as well as mango and avocado trees. It contains more magnesium, potassium, iron, and sulfur. Citrus plants need more of these minerals to prevent nutrient deficiency.
One application of this product can feed your plant up to three months. The continuous release option ensures that you do not burn nor overfeed your plant.
It also makes it easier to feed your plant. You measure out the right amount of food and sprinkle it around the tree. You don’t have to mix anything or guess at the right amount of fertilizer.
2. JR Peters Inc 52524 Jacks Classic Citrus Food Fertilizer
The JR Peters Jack’s Classic Citrus Fertilizer comes in a one-pound bucket with a resealable lid. It comes in the 20-10-20 formulation. It’s designed to give the right combination of nutrients.
It works well on mangos, limes, kumquats, lemons, grapefruits, and oranges. It focuses on enhancing the micronutrient levels of your citrus fruits. That helps you produce stronger branches, more fruit, and greener leaves.
The advanced formulation gives your plant high-quality nutrients. You can deliver more professional-looking results to your garden at home.
Jack’s Citrus feed also helps your plants take in more nutrients. The plant can get nutrients through the leaves and roots.
With the product, you get a pre-measured scoop. Just use one scoop for each gallon of water when it is time to feed. Make sure you know how much water your tree needs to live and grow.
Citrus trees tend to need regular watering when they are new. This can take up to two years.
It’s most helpful to dig a small moat around the tree, usually eight inches from the trunk, and keep it moist. When you fertilize, know how many gallons of water you’ll need and mix up that much food, and then feed your plant.
3. Jobe’s Organics Fruit & Citrus Fertilizer Spikes
The Jobe’s Organics Fruit/Citrus Fertilizer Spikes are more efficient than sprays because they don’t require any mixing. If you want to have organic fruits, it is important to use organic fertilizer and soil. However, this product is designed for potted citrus trees.
The spike version is quite easy to use. Each spike comes with all the nutrients your plant needs. You just insert the spike into the soil while following directions for placement.
You get six spikes in one package, but you can purchase three or four packages at once. This allows you to save a few dollars and get more spikes.
The fertilizer is pre-measured for your citrus trees. Therefore, you feed each tree the right amount based on size. If your plant is 30 inches in diameter, you will need one full package of spikes to feed it.
All of Jobe’s Organics products come with Biozome. It’s a combination of Archaea, Mycorrhizal fungi, and healthy bacteria. This proprietary blend improves the soil’s quality. It also increases root mass and helps your plants fight disease.
4. Miracle-Gro 4852012 Fruit & Citrus Plant Food Spikes
Miracle-Gro 4852012 makes it easy to feed your plants. The spikes are pre-measured with the fertilizer, so you plant it and are done.
You can get more fruit and lusher foliage than if you don’t feed your plants. This product does contain natural ingredients, but it isn’t considered organic.
It allows you to feed your citrus plants once each season (spring and fall). It is designed for citrus plants, but it can also be used on palm trees.
The easy-to-use spike system releases the nutrients right to the roots. You get stronger roots, larger fruits, and healthier plants.
The spikes are easy to use. You prep the spike by putting on the lid. Drive each spike around the tree’s drip line – it’s just that simple!
You do get 12 spikes in the package. How many you use depends on the size of your tree.
5. Southern Ag Chelated Citrus Nutritional Spray
The Southern Ag Citrus Nutrition Spray comes in a 16-ounce bottle. It is designed to prevent the yellowing of the plant leaves. It can also correct yellowing disease if your plants already have it.
It has five essential nutrients that are all balanced together. That way, your plant gets all the nutrients that it needs to thrive. It contains magnesium, manganese, iron, sulfur, and zinc.
This product is suitable for all types of fruit trees, as well as ornamentals. It is designed to be sprayed on your plants.
You should purchase a sprayer or use a watering can, and you must dilute the product. Use about one tablespoon of product in a gallon of water. It is designed to work on all tropical fruits and citrus fruits.
This product allows you to spray the fertilizer onto the leaves and roots. It might be best to use it on the leaves if they have a deficiency. You can also spray it onto the roots to prevent mineral deficiencies.
6. Espoma CT4 Citrus-tone Plant Food
The Espoma CT4 Citrus-tone Food comes in a four-pound bag. You can also purchase a two-pack, three-pack, or four-pack.
This product is designed for organic gardening. All the ingredients are natural. It contains thousands of microbes, which help to keep the plant healthy.
It is designed for all citrus trees, as well as nut and fruit trees. You get a continuous, long-lasting feed time, as well. It ensures that your plants are balanced and fed.
The product helps the whole tree develop and grow correctly. When the fruit comes in, it is going to taste more flavorful and be larger, as well.
It comes in a 5-2-6 formulation. This isn’t as much as other formulas mentioned here. Therefore, you may need to feed your tree more often for the best results.
The fertilizer itself can be used indoors or outside. However, it smells pungent. Most people would not want it on indoor plants.
Please note that the instructions on the bag are for outside trees. You shouldn’t use the same directions for indoor plants because you will over-fertilize them. Instead of using one cup of the mixture, use 1/4-cup of the fertilizer for best results.
7. Jobes 09226 Organic Fruit & Citrus Granular Fertilizer
The Jobe’s Organics Fertilizer with Biozome comes in a 4-pound bag. It is an organic and granular fertilizer and is designed to work quickly for your fruit and citrus trees.
This fertilizer works well on new and established trees. Therefore, you can use it immediately on whatever trees you have.
It is OMRI listed by the USDA for organic gardening. Certified organic ensures that there are no synthetic chemicals in the fertilizer.
This product comes in a bag form, but it’s easy to pour from the bag. It is a 3-5-5 formulation, which means it doesn’t have as much nitrogen as potassium.
Usually, this isn’t an indication of a good fertilizer because you want more nitrogen and potassium than phosphate. However, this product contains the proprietary blend of Jobe Biozome, which isn’t included in other brands. It’s an extremely aggressive microorganism that can break down unwanted material, so you get better and faster results.
The Biozome also improves soil conditions. Your tree can resist insects, disease, and other unfavorable conditions. As such, the product helps you restore trees that are unhealthy or near dying while preventing problems with new trees.
8. Down To Earth Organic Citrus Fertilizer Mix
The Down To Earth Organic Fertilizer for citrus fruits comes in a 1- or 5-pound box. It is a natural fertilizer and uses a 6-3-3 formula. It is listed by the OMRI to be used for organic gardens.
This fertilizer is formulated with many necessary plant nutrients. These include sulfur, calcium, iron, and zinc. It also contains select micronutrients that your citrus tree needs.
This plant food provides the right amount of phosphorus and nitrogen, though it runs a little low on potassium. Still, this fertilizer helps to promote new growth, greener foliage, more fruit, and fragrant blossoms.
The product works well on all citrus trees. However, you can also use it on other fruit trees and ornamentals with good results.
This fertilizer mix should be used up to four times each year for established trees. New trees may need more applications. You do not need to mix this product with water.
9. Urban Farm Fertilizers Apples & Oranges Fruits and Citrus Fertilizer
The Urban Farm Fertilizers for Citrus fruit is a hand-crafted fertilizer. It is micro-brewed and in liquid form. It offers a 4.5-2-4.2 formulation.
This is a super-concentrated liquid formula. You should mix one quart of the liquid fertilizer with 64 gallons of water. The ratio is 256 to 1.
This product is designed to be used in many applications. These can include:
Hand watering
Drip watering
Hose end
Foliar
In soil
Hydroponics
It is made using organic components, such as:
Worm casts
Mycorrhizae
Humic acid
Enzymes
Kelp
Other minerals
However, it isn’t considered to be organic fertilizer. It does contain a lot of calcium, which can be helpful for citrus plants.
You get juicier fruits that are larger. Your fruits are also going to be more flavorful.
This product is made in the United States using a proprietary formula. Therefore, every batch is the same, and you can expect similar results each time you use it.
10. Dr. Earth 708P Organic 9 Fruit Tree Fertilizer
The Dr. Earth 708P Organic Fertilizer is designed to stimulate the development of your tree roots. It comes in a 4-pound box.
You can use this product to feed citrus and fruit trees. It can also feed plums, berries, almonds, and persimmons, as well as fruit vines, avocados, apricots, and nut trees.
This product contains a pro-biotic. It has seven strains of microbes, which are beneficial for the soil. You’ll also find ecto- and endo-mycorrhizae for root development.
These probiotics and microbes help your tree resist drought conditions. It can also increase your plant’s performance. You do not need to use a chemical fertilizer if you use this product as directed.
You get larger fruits and more of them. You won’t experience growth spikes with this product. Therefore, you may notice the fruit is more flavorful.
The nutrients are released into the soil quickly. However, it is also designed to feed your plant for many months. You get consistent quality from your citrus trees.
This is a 5-5-2 formula. It contains the same amount of phosphate and nitrogen. However, it has less potassium.
When to Fertilize Citrus Trees?
Citrus trees need the right nutrients to grow. They can require a lot of food, so it is important to fertilize them at the right time. That way, you have a healthy tree that bears plenty of fruit.
It is important to fertilize your citrus tree during its active growth period. This is during the summer and spring. It is best to fertilize every one or two months.
Most people also recommend that you fertilize the tree during its dormant period. This is during the winter and fall months, and you should fertilize every two to three months.
It is important to fertilize at the right time to ensure that your citrus tree grows and produces fruit. The winter and fall months should not be skipped. You want the tree to start producing fruit as soon as possible.
If you wait to fertilize until the spring and summer months, your plant is already behind. It is already hungry and trying to grow. Therefore, it might produce blossoms and fruit much later than anticipated.
You also need to know how old the citrus tree is. When the tree gets older, you don’t have to fertilize it during the dormant season. You may also have to fertilize less often during the regular growing season.
You can also use your judgment. If your tree has dark green, lush leaves, you probably don’t need to fertilize. If it doesn’t look healthy or the leaves are yellowing, you should go ahead and fertilize.
How Often to Fertilize Citrus Trees?
Knowing when to fertilize your citrus tree is important. However, you also need to know how often to do it. For new trees, it is important to fertilize regularly.
The problem is that it is easy to over-fertilize your tree. If you do that, it could ‘burn’ the tree and kill it. Therefore, you should read the package directions on your fertilizer for the best results.
When you fertilize and how often is also based on the type of fertilizer you buy. Some fertilizers are designed to last for many months. If your fertilizer is designed to last for three months, you should fertilize every three months like clockwork.
If you over-fertilize, your plant could die. It might get too many nutrients, which could kill it or cause it to go into overdrive.
It might seem like a good idea to over-fertilize. That way, you get more fruit and larger fruits. However, the opposite is usually true – you get less fruit, and it isn’t very big.
How to Fertilize Citrus Trees?
You can fertilize your citrus tree in many ways. You can do it through the roots or the leaves. Many products on the market are designed to do both.
It is important to follow the directions on your fertilizer package. You can find sprayed fertilizers, granules, and spikes.
You will need to know a few things about your tree. For example, you need to know the drip line.
The drip line is from the edge of the leaves to the ground. It is best to sprinkle/spray/insert your fertilizer around the drip line.
Sprays should be diluted. However, you can find sprays that are designed to be sprayed as is. Read the directions on your fertilizer to see how to dilute the liquid.
Granules do not need to be diluted or mixed with anything else. You will read the directions on the package to see how much you need. Usually, a scoop is included; you use however many scoops are necessary for the size of your tree.
Spikes work differently. Everything is pre-measured, so all you have to do is put the cap on the spike and drive it into the ground.
However, you need to establish the drip line first. Insert your spikes about two feet away from the center of the tree or near the drip line. Space the spikes about three feet apart for best results.
Conclusion
You now know that it is important to have good fertilizer for citrus trees. Without it, your tree could get diseased or have yellowed leaves. It might also suffer and not produce fruit as much as it should.
With fertilizer, your trees can look healthier, have greener leaves, and produce more fruit. You will be amazed at what a little work and fertilizer can do. However, it is important to choose the right product.
If you want something organic, you may want to go with Jobe’s products, as they are all organic. The spikes are easy to use and make fertilizing much easier. However, the Jobe’s Organics Fruit & Citrus Fertilizer Spikes are designed for indoor plants.
For larger trees (outside), you may want to consider the Espoma Citrus-tone Plant Food. It is suitable for all types (including indoor trees). It also has similar ingredients.
by mistake I poured a whole liter of citrus fertilizer into my lemon tree. what should I do?
I have had my lemon tree 🌲 for many years don’t get a lot of fruit don’t no why
What product should I use to fertilize my Myers Lemon Tree in a pot. She produces very well for us and we have had her for 7 years.
my manderine
Is more than 7 years old
But no fruits as yet
What shall do to. Get flowers on it