The rewards of growing your own citrus trees extend from adding aesthetic interest, structure, and color to your landscape to consuming your own freshly grown fruit. Beltran’s Nursery and Landscape offers a wide range of fruit trees for sale on Pine Island.
Selecting a Fruit Tree
Identifying the space you have available for a fruit tree is the first critical step in making a purchase. Our knowledgeable and experienced professionals can provide the information needed to make the best choice for your property. Since we live in the USDA Hardiness Zone of 9, we sell fruit trees appropriate for the region. You can be sure that the orange, tangerine, tangelo, lemon, and cocktail trees purchased here will thrive in this particular climate and in the soil common to the area.
Incorporating Your Tree
For your citrus fruit tree to thrive, make sure to place it in the full sun in soil that drains well. You should avoid placing the tree among plants that are watered frequently because citrus trees do not like wet feet and need to dry out between waterings. You’ll need 15 feet of clearance around the tree to make sure that the roots and canopy have adequate space to grow. Dig a hole about twice the size of the root ball. Place the plant about an inch higher than the surrounding soil, fill in around the root ball and pack the soil firmly. Fortunately, you can take all the work and planning out of the equation by taking advantage of the landscaping services we provide.
Water Concerns
Taking care of your fruit tree will include regular watering. However, overwatering the tree can easily result in the roots rotting. Keep the soil moist at all times until the tree is completely acclimated to the yard or garden. Once it is, you should scale back watering to when the soil has at least partially dried. The specific water needs of your tree will depend on your soil, the tree, and recent precipitation, and our staff will happily help you with appropriate information.
Fertilizer
To keep your fruit tree in healthy, productive condition, you’ll need to make sure that it has the right amount of nutrition. With a citrus-specific fertilizer you can do just that. While the tree is young, you should apply fertilizer fairly regularly, tapering off to a less frequent fertilizing schedule once the tree has matured.
To Prune or Not to Prune
Pruning a citrus tree isn’t usually necessary. Some small shoots stemming from the root might pop up in the beginning, and they’ll need to be removed. Otherwise, when pruning is advised because of ill health frost damage, or to keep the tree more compact, it should wait until spring. This will give the tree time to regenerate before the next fruiting season.
The benefits of adding fruit trees to your landscape are many. In addition to having the classic Florida aesthetic appeal, you’ll have the typical benefits of the fragrance of citrus fruit wafting through the air, and the fruit itself for your family to consume. Stop by to browse what fruit trees we have for sale on Pine Island here at Beltran’s Nursery and Landscape and speak with our helpful staff to decide what’s best for your property. Our contact number is 239-362-4327. We’re always happy to help fellow Floridians add a bit of citrus to their landscapes!