[Arid_gardener] Question from Home-Hort WWW page

[Dick]

I am not sure that I have the answer to your question, Spencer, but the 
following may lead you to an answer. I assume you are in the Northwest part 
of the Salt River Basin (Phoenix), not N\W Florida or California..

Several years ago a friend had an identical complaint. I found that he was 
irrigating his tree five years in the ground in the same trench used when he 
planted the tree. The drip line, the outer reach of foliage, was quite a 
ways beyond that point exceeding the capacity of the feeder roots to supply 
water and nutrients to the foliage. He irrigated on schedule but in the 
wrong place and never deep enough.. He should have extended the trench to 
keep its center approximately  identical to the drip line.

Citrus should be irrigated at least three feet deep at the drip line, the 
only place where feeder roots exist to adsorb water and nutrient.  Citrus 
fertilizer should be applied in the same trench at the proper time. I don't 
know for sure if this is your problem here but it will be easy to check. I 
have four citrus over thirty years old that are still productive. If I leave 
the navals on the tree too long, I often find dry fruit but the production 
is far more than I and neighbors and kin can consume anyway so I have paid 
it little attention.

Naval varieties are better adapted to a more humid climate like Florida but 
I have no idea if that fact contributes to your problem.

If your tree blooms profusely but drops the immature fruit, the cause is 
probably cultural. I would inspect irrigation practices first. There is 
always some fruit drop that is a natural adjustment to what that particular 
organism can physically sustain without putting itself in any jeopardy.

If the tree blooms sparsely, that may be another problem beyond my 
comprehension.

Backyard citrus is common. You should get several responses to your inquiry.

Dick Gross, Master Gardener Volunteer
University of Arizona Maricopa County
Cooperative Extension.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: <swessling at qwest.net>
To: <arid_gardener at Ag.arizona.edu>
Sent: Thursday, January 10, 2008 1:30 PM
Subject: [Arid_gardener] Question from Home-Hort WWW page


> Spencer W. Wessling
> 85209
> swessling at qwest.net
>
> Sir,  I am a gardener from the Northwest and do not understand citrus. 
> Some years I have a good Navel production and some years a poor crop. Why. 
> Same attention each year.
>  I have a 7 year old Washington Navel and this year the orange pulp is 
> dry.  Why.  Plenty of water.
>  I appreciate any info. Both tees are healthy.
> Thank you for your time.
> S. Wessling
>
>
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