[Arid_gardener] Question from Home-Hort WWW page

[George D]

Dick wrote:
> Helen, I have five healthy, fruiting citrus varieties that have never 
> had any fertilizer except Ammonium Sulphate 21-0-0 as prescribed on 
> the bag according to the trunk diameter because someone of authority 
> told me that desert soils (like ours) typically are alkaline but 
> contain all the nutrients needed by citrus in ample amounts except 
> nitrogen but need the sulfer to overcome excess alkalinity(salt). My 
> 30 year old healthy trees have borne that out. Too much nitrogen, I 
> have learned, will result in excessively thick rinds and vegetative 
> growth in lieu of fruit becaust the tree percieves no need to 
> perpetuate itself by producing seed. I have noticed that fruit on the 
> tree longer than normal tends to get dry but sizing I think is a 
> function of a tree with a well-balanced diet assuming the nitrogen is 
> applied in the right amount in a three foot band around the tree's 
> perimeter where most or all of the feeder roots exist.
>
> I believe irrigation is the first priority. It must be three feet deep 
> around the drip line. Between that perimeter shallow trench and the 
> tree trunk, my trees have not seen a drop of water that did not come 
> from the sky. There are no feeder roots there anyway.  I irrigate when 
> ever the soil in that band is quite dry at least three inches deep in 
> the trench whose center line is also the dripline. Flush irrigation 
> flushes excess salts below the feeder roots largely iliminating salt 
> burn on the foliage but will not do away with burn already on the 
> foliage.. Make yourself a four foot long probe with a broomstick 
> handle on a brass rod from your local hardware. When you can easily 
> sink it three feet around the drip zone, irrigation is deep enough and 
> you can shut the water off. The probe makes an attractive but 
> dangerous Zorro sword for children to play with. Store it in the same 
> place you stash your loaded shot gun.
>
> I add 21-0-0 as prescribed on the bag in that trench and water it in 3 
> feet in March, june and September.
>
> Your trees should explode with the right amount of water and 
> fertilizer at the right time in the right place.
>
> If any of this is unclear or confusing, don't hesitate to inquire 
> further. Master gardeners begging to ply their avocation
> abound. Further discussion is invited.
>
> Dick Gross, Master Gardener Volunteer
> U of A Maricopa county Cooperative Extension.
>
> --- Original Message ----- From: <hwbiz at cox.net>
> To: <arid_gardener at Ag.arizona.edu>
> Sent: Tuesday, December 25, 2007 1:19 PM
> Subject: [Arid_gardener] Question from Home-Hort WWW page
>
>
>> helen
>> 85310
>> hwbiz at cox.net
>>
>> the oranges on my tree this year are smaller than usual and are not 
>> very juicy.
>> what can I do to help for next year?
>>
>>
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>> Arizona
>>
>
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>


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