Prevention Is The First Line of Defense Against Citrus Greening

Prevention Is The First Line Of Defense We Have Against Citrus Greening Disease

A well fed, healthy tree is the first line of defense in any war on pests, and citrus greening is no exception.

Plant your tree during the cooler weather to lessen the stress of transplanting. We recommend September to early April for North Florida and Central Florida gardens.

When you dig the hole for the new plant, make it at least four inches deeper than the 10g or 30g pot it came out of,  and a good 10-12" wider on either side. Use plenty of rich, loamy, composted soil in the hole to feed the tree for the next 3 months. Add a little peat moss if your soil is too sandy to help the soil retain moisture. A good formula would be about 10% peat moss, 40% native soil / sand, and 50% composted top soil.  If you'd like our formula for organic soil amendments to add to this mix, please sign up for our newsletter.  The first 4 emails you receive are a series entitled "How To Start A Successful Orchard In Florida's Sandy Soils."

Making a wide saucer around the plant to hold the water both when it rains and when you water is a good practice IF you live in a state with real dirt. This not only makes good conservation sense, but it will help your new citrus tree withstand the shock of transitioning from a drip-fed nursery irrigation system to your barren front yard.

HOWEVER:  the rules are much different in Florida's sandy soils.  Our "dirt" percolates way too fast for the saucer method to work, and the tree doesn't get enough water.   Drip irrigation is far better, because you use just a little water (like 3-5 gallons), and you give the tree 15 minutes to drink it up.  Unless we're into monsoon season, you will find that daily irrigation will minimize stress on your new tree.  And many growers recommend this supplementation for a minimum of the first two years after planting.