An orange tree looks great as a single plant on a terrace or balcony. Here you can find out everything you need to know about the heat-loving citrus plant.

Oranges are considered the most grown fruit in the world

Orange trees (Citrus × sinensis L.) are popular exotic species that unfortunately can only be grown in pots in this country due to their sensitivity to frost. With the right overwintering, they can still develop many of the fragrant flowers and, with a lot of luck, even some of the sweet, orange fruits. Cultivated predominantly in subtropical and tropical countries, oranges are considered the most cultivated fruit in the world. In fact, the orange is not a natural species, as the fruit, which comes from Asia, is a hybrid of mandarine (Citrus reticulata) and grapefruit (Citrus maxima) . We show what you need to look out for when buying an orange tree and how you can optimally care for the tree.

Buying an orange tree: what to look out for

You can easily buy orange trees in any garden center or nursery, but the following factors are important when making your choice:

  • Size of the plant
  • Type
  • He alth status
Orange trees are sold in different sizes

In principle, smaller specimens can be purchased without any problems, as orange trees grow very quickly. When choosing a variety, you should definitely pay attention to whether you want a sweet orange variety or prefer a bitter orange. Bitter oranges are unsuitable for consumption, but they are enticing with their strong floral scent. An essential criterion when buying an orange tree is the he alth of the plant, which you should always check before purchasing. Check the plant for pests and diseased parts of the plant to ensure a long life. With oranges, it is always a good idea to choose a grafted specimen, as this increases their resilience.

Plant Orange Tree

Professional repotting of the exotic plant is important for lush growth of orange trees, so that the roots can spread and new substrate is supplied.But how do you actually plant an orange tree and which location is suitable?

Suitable location for an orange tree

As a heat-loving plant, citrus needs special conditions for optimal growth. Specimens that are on the balcony or terrace should always be placed in full sun on the house wall or wall in summer. South and west locations are therefore particularly suitable due to the higher intensity of the sun. When growing indoors, you should always ensure a bright spot by the window. For orange trees that are both indoors and outdoors, it is advisable to allow for enough space. The Mediterranean plants can grow rapidly at the right temperatures and enough sun.

Orange trees can only be cultivated in pots

These tips should be heeded when choosing the right location:

  • Full sun
  • With culture outside: south or west side of the house
  • With culture in the house: bright place by the window
  • Enough room to grow

Planting an Orange Tree: Instructions

When planting orange trees, there are a few things to keep in mind so that the plant can grow well and develop flowers and fruits. The most important points are summarized below:

  1. The right time
    Repot your orange tree in February. Now the vegetation period starts and the roots start to grow vigorously again. Repotting before the growing season allows the roots to penetrate the new substrate more quickly.
  2. Choose a sufficiently large pot
    A pot that is too small often limits the growth of orange trees, so choose a suitable pot when repotting. This should usually be a third larger than the root ball so that new roots can form. Young orange trees are ideally repotted every year, older ones every few years.
  3. Choosing the right soil for the orange tree
    For the cultivation of citrus plants such as oranges and lemons, there is special citrus soil on the market that has all the right properties for cultivation bring in a pot. If you choose a different soil or mix it yourself, the substrate should be well drained and not clayey.
  4. Plant an orange tree at a suitable height
    When inserting the tree into the new pot, care should be taken to lay out a thin layer of drainage at the bottom of the pot. Thiscan be made of expanded clay or gravel, for example, and will drain excess water. Fill in a few inches of soil over the drainage layer before planting the orange tree. After insertion, the cavities should be filled with substrate.
  5. Water the orange tree well after planting
    In the last step, you should water the freshly planted tree vigorously in order to immediately provide enough water. However, be careful not to completely soak the soil with water.
The orange tree spends the summer in a tub outdoors

Care for the orange tree properly

Oranges, like many other citrus plants, require a certain amount of care, especially during the summer growing season. We show what needs to be considered.

Orange tree: how often and how much to water?

During the summer, orange trees require a large amount of water, especially when fruiting. Therefore, water your tree daily and avoid the soil drying out completely. Water that is low in lime, such as rainwater, is best suited for this purpose. During the winter you can then cut back the watering.

Orange tree: When and with what to fertilize?

Spring is a good time for the first fertilization of the year, when the growth phase begins. Basically, you only fertilize during the growth period in summer, you should stop fertilizing in autumn. The use of commercially available citrus fertilizers, which can be mixed with the irrigation water, is an effective fertilizer. As a more ecological alternative to normal fertilisers, it is worth using organic citrus plant fertilizer or using a long-term fertilizer such as our Plantura organic tomato fertiliser.

Pruning an orange tree: when and how?

Depending on what you intend to do, the timing and editing technique will differ. For the purpose of a topiary and to thin out inward growing and dead shoots, a cut in autumn is always a good idea. Ideally, perform the cut shortly before the transition to hibernation. Heavier pruning measures such as regeneration should be carried out in spring.

Orange trees can, depending on the purpose. be cut at different times

Note the following times when pruning orange trees:

  • Form and thinning: End of growing season (autumn)
  • Rejuvenation Pruning: Spring

For light pruning work in autumnyou can thin out the crown of the orange tree by removing densely growing shoots. So that the overwintering tree does not take up too much space, it is also worth lightly pruning overhanging shoots. A rejuvenation cut is a good idea when the tree is becoming increasingly bare and has hardly any leaves. Prune the plant back to a few stumps so it can sprout again through the summer.

You can find more tips for the perfect pruning of orange trees here.

Orange tree overwinter successfully

An essential aspect when dealing with orange trees is the annual overwintering, since the subtropical plant is not hardy. A temperature of around 10 °C has proven to be ideal for wintering, temperatures above 15 °C should be avoided at all costs. Too high temperatures also require a lot of light for the tree, which unfortunately is not sufficiently available in the German winter. Therefore, choose a bright but cool place for your orange tree.

Temperatures below 5 °C can severely affect your Mediterranean tree and should always be avoided

For the hibernation of the orange tree, a cool place should be chosen, but it should always remain frost-free. Even temperatures below 5 °C can severely affect your Mediterranean tree and should always be avoided.

At what temperature does it become critical for the orange tree?

  • Ideal temperature at 10 °C
  • Not below 5°C or above 15°C
  • Cool and Bright Place

You can find more information on how to properly overwinter your orange tree in our special article.

Category:

Fruit