Monthly Tip

In California, most soils contain adequate nutrients for citrus growth, except nitrogen. Nitrogen is the primary nutrient required by the trees, and there are commercial fertilizers balanced specifically for citrus. One-year-old trees will need 1/10 of a pound of nitrogen, while mature trees need approximately 1-1/2 pounds. These amounts should be divided into two to three applications.

Blood meal without all the fillers is an excellent source of nitrogen, or you can purchase a balanced product that contains zinc. Spread the fertilizer evenly over the entire root area and water in.

For more information, refer to the UC Pest Note on Fertilizing Citrus, and Questions and Answers to Citrus Management from the UC Davis Home Orchard website.