[Arid_gardener] Question from Home-Hort WWW page

[Dick Gross]

Judy, I have had a similar situation with Robertson Navals in a few fruit on 
several ocassions but not all the time and only in a few fruit at any given 
time. I don't know what causes the dry spots but Navals would prefer a more 
humid climate like South Florida.

I calculate the annual fertilizer requirement of 21-0-0, the only formula I 
use,  based on the trunk diameter and apply about 1/3rd in 3 applications 
split between March, June and September. I can't recall the formula now off 
the top of my head but I believe it is on the bag as ounces per stem 
diameter. If any readers have it at their fingertips, please share it. At 81 
I can't remember what I had for breakfast nor if I was even fed. I believe 
21-0-0 is the only fertilizer needed in this soil and climate and the only 
one I have ever used..

For years I drilled 1.5 inch diameter holes 18 inches apart and 15 inches 
deep in a shallow trench about 2 feet wide around the drip line. I fill the 
holes all the way full of Ammonium Sulfate (21-0-0) without regard to the 
quantity. Then I maintain a head of water about 1/2  in deep all the way 
arount the tree untill I can easily plunge a quarter inch rod at least 2 
feet deep in several places around the drip line. To penetrate that depth 
may take 12 hours or more but I don't shut it off until I do. After a tree 
nears adulthood, I never water in the basin unless it rains. Never!

This overall procedure, I theorize, keeps feeder roots deep while flushing 
salts well below rather than allowing them to concentrate in the zone where 
feeder roots are concentrated.

I have four mature citrus and several dwarfs. Not a single one of them 
suffered severe damage from the recent frost that fried every leaf on 
several other species.

Other citrus pundits care welcome to comment. If this email raises 
questions, Judy, don't hesitate to speak up.

Dick Gross, Master Gardener Volunteer
Maricopa County Cooperative Extension

Bcc: vosg, azcrfg

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <jzocco at newszap.com>
To: <arid_gardener at Ag.arizona.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, February 21, 2007 11:55 AM
Subject: [Arid_gardener] Question from Home-Hort WWW page


> Judy Zocco
> 85345
> jzocco at newszap.com
>
> My orange tree has beautiful,very large naval oranges on it every year, 
> but they are all real dry and woody inside. I fertilized them very well by 
> digging a hole under the drip line when I moved into the house in 1998 and 
> the next year they were dry and woody. Someone told me it was because I 
> put too much fertilizer on them, but I haven't fertilized them since then, 
> so why are they that way now? The lawn sprinklers go off three times a 
> week for 15 minutes a time.
>
>
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