[Arid_gardener] Citrus pruning

[Olin Miller]

----- Original Message ----- From: "Kathy Calkins" <kathycalkins at qwest.net>
Sent: Monday, July 23, 2007 10:44 AM
> ...
> When is the best time to prune citrus?
========================================

Citrus trees do not need to be pruned annually  but should be pruned only
to remove suckers (shoots from the rootstock below the bud union), to remove
undesirable or dead wood, to remove crossing or rubbing branches, or to
allow in light to improve yield.  If you remove large limbs that expose
previously shaded parts of the tree to the sun (primarily the trunk),
protect from sunburn and resulting disease using either
trunk wrap material available from nurseries, or a latex paint.

If pruning is necessary, it is best to do it in late winter,  well before
spring bud break.

Olin Miller, Master Gardener Volunteer
U of A Cooperative Extension, Maricopa County AZ