When and How to Prune Citrus Trees

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Simple steps to promote new growth & more delicious fruits
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Pruning is an important part of keeping your citrus trees productive and healthy. Whether you’re growing a lemon, lime, orange, or grapefruit tree, trimming it each spring helps it resist diseases and grow higher-quality fruit. Simply cut off dead and diseased wood and thin out overcrowded branches. Keep reading to learn when to prune citrus trees, how to prune new and established trees, and how to follow pruning best practices!

Pruning Citrus Trees

Prune citrus trees in the spring after the last chance of frost passes. Use sterile shears or loppers to cut dead, diseased, and damaged wood back to the healthy part of the branch. Then, trim off branches that cross each other just above the branch collar (the raised ring next to the trunk or a main branch).

Section 1 of 3:

When to Prune Citrus Trees

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  1. If you live in an area that experiences mild winters, it’s safe to prune citrus trees after you harvest the fruit in the winter or in early spring. This retains some of the tree’s foliage to protect it against any cold weather. It also prevents you from damaging any buds, as they don’t appear until late spring. [1]
    • Do not prune citrus trees in the summer or fall. This can remove buds and reduce fruit production. It can also make your tree vulnerable to pests. [2]
  2. Citrus trees growing in colder areas need all of their foliage, even the dead branches, to provide a barrier against frost. Wait to prune your tree until mid to late spring to reduce the risk of new and old growth getting damaged by freezing temperatures. [3]
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  3. Once a citrus tree is established and producing fruit, it needs to be lightly pruned every 12 months. Regular pruning helps your tree produce more fruit that are larger and of higher quality. It also keeps your tree healthy by improving light and airflow, which helps reduce the risk of pests and disease. [4]
    • Regularly check your tree for damaged, pest-infected, and diseased branches and cut them off as needed.
    • Mark each year’s pruning date on your calendar so that you don’t forget to prune.
    • It typically takes new trees and heavily pruned trees several years to grow and produce fruit. So, they may not need annual pruning.
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Section 2 of 3:

Pruning Citrus Trees

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  1. Look at your citrus tree for any branches that are colorless, brittle, broken, rotting, or have spots of fungus. If the entire branch is damaged, use a pair of clean pruning shears or loppers to cut it off at a slight angle just above the branch’s collar, or the ring of raised wood next to the trunk. [5]
    • If the entire branch isn’t dead or damaged, cut it back to the healthy part of the wood.
    • If you’re not sure whether a branch is healthy, scrape off a bit of the bark and look for green tissue inside.
    • Dying and damaged branches are potential breeding grounds for additional pests and diseases.
    • Note : Do not snip off branches directly against the trunk. This removes the branch’s collar, which can reduce the tree’s ability to protect itself. [6]
  2. Take a look inside your citrus tree’s canopy for any branches that are lying on top of one another or rubbing against each other. Select which branch to remove and simply cut it off close to the main branch or the tree’s trunk. [7]
    • Landscaping specialist Gus Briones says to prune carefully so you don’t trim the citrus tree’s hardwood, which is thicker and darker than the tree’s other branches. Stick to trimming lighter-colored wood to reduce the risk of introducing any diseases to the open wounds.
    • Check how overcrowded your tree is by looking at its shadow around midday. If you don’t see lots of dappled light on the ground, it can use some pruning.
    • This process is called thinning out. It improves airflow and lets in more light to help your tree resist disease and grow better fruits.
  3. Citrus trees often form stalks of new growth, called suckers, below the tree’s graft line; this is the spot of scarred tissue near the base of the trunk. Suckers don’t grow fruit and can take nutrients away from your tree, so snip them off at the trunk or as close to the ground as possible. [8]
    • The graft line is where the citrus tree was grafted onto the roots of a hardier tree. [9]
  4. Water shoots are strong, fast-growing stems that shoot upwards from the trunk and major branches. If left alone, water shoots can suck up vital energy and nutrients from your tree. [10] So, snip them off with your pruners. [11]
    • Like suckers, water shoots don’t produce fruit. In general, the best produce comes from horizontal branches.
  5. When branches touch the soil or ground, they can rot or become a superhighway for pests. They also prevent air from moving around the trunk, which can cause disease. Trim back any low branches to the trunk until there’s at least 3 feet (0.91 m) between the lowest branches and the ground. [12]
    • Trim low canopy branches at any point. Just make sure that you keep your cuts clean without rough ends.
    • Trim the branches high enough off the ground so the leaves don’t get wet from water splashes from rain or water sprinklers. [13]
  6. Take a step back and focus on the overall shape of your tree. Look for branches that are poking out from the canopy in an unsightly way or make your tree look uneven. Then, use your pruners to trim back the unruly branches to give your tree a compact, uniform shape. [14]
    • For instance, remove branches that block your walking path around the tree or that bend over in a U-shape.
    • Gardeners also call long, gangly branches “leggy.” If your tree has “legs,” then it needs a trimming.
  7. If you live in Australia, your citrus tree may be susceptible to citrus gall wasps. These wasps lay eggs deep inside the new stems of citrus trees. As the larvae grow, a “gall” forms and causes the stem to balloon outwards. Simply use your shears to snip these branches off of your trees. [15]
    • Gather and burn the branch clippings or place them in a sealed plastic bag. This kills the wasps inside the galls and prevents the infestation from spreading.
    • If you see a number of tiny holes on a gall, the wasps have already come out of the stem. You can still snip off these spots, or leave them alone.
    • In most locations, it’s recommended that you remove the galls before August.
  8. Topping or heading newly planted citrus trees can encourage more branching growth and lead to greater fruit production. If your tree has any tall branches, simply cut off around ¼ of their length. [16]
    • Note : Wait to top young citrus trees until they’re 20 to 23 inches (50-60 cm) tall to prevent any potential damage.
    • Topping citrus trees also helps shape them and can prevent you from having to do more extensive pruning as they grow.
  9. If your citrus tree is unproductive or large and unruly, an extreme “skeleton” pruning can whip it back into shape. Start by removing dead and damaged wood, branches that cross over each other, and all the foliage. Then, prune off all of the tree’s branches and stems that are less than 1 to 2 inches (2.5-5 cm) in diameter. [17]
    • Skeleton pruning only leaves behind your tree’s main “scaffold” branches. This encourages it to grow new and healthy fruit-bearing branches.
    • Note : Do not trim off more than ⅓ of the tree’s height, as this can endanger it. If your tree is very overgrown, it may take several years of pruning to get it the height you want. [18]
    • It often takes 2 to 3 years for heavily pruned trees to regrow and produce fruit again. So, be patient with your tree.
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Section 3 of 3:

Tips for Successful Pruning

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  1. Sterilizing your pruning tools is important, as it prevents the spread of disease and helps keep your tree healthy. Before you get pruning, wipe your tools with rubbing alcohol. Or, soak them in a mixture of 1 part bleach and 9 parts water for 10 minutes. [19]
  2. Make your first cut several inches from the branch collar, cutting from underneath and only going about ⅓ of the way through the wood. Then, snip off the branch just above the cut you made. Remove the remaining nub just above the branch collar. [20]
    • Doing a 3-part cut reduces the weight of the branch, which helps prevent the bark and other branches on the tree from getting damaged.
  3. It’s easy to get carried away when pruning your citrus tree, but removing too much wood can hurt it and limit its ability to bear fruit. Take a good look at your tree before starting to prune so you have an idea of what ⅓ of its size looks like. [21]
    • Pruning over the course of several days can help to keep you in check.
    • The best fruiting sites on a citrus tree typically lie on the outermost branches. If you cut these branches back a lot, you can reduce your tree’s fruit production.
  4. Large, falling branches can be a risk when pruning citrus trees. To prevent this, attach larger branches to the trunk of the tree with a zip tie before cutting them. Or, ask a friend to hold the branch as you make your cuts.
  5. Every 15 minutes or so, step away and walk around the citrus tree from a distance to check your progress. This allows you to monitor how much you’re pruning and if your tree is shaping up evenly. It’s also an opportunity to plan how to continue pruning.
  6. Put on goggles to protect your eyes from falling shoots and debris. Then, put on thick, well-fitting, gloves to protect your hands from broken branches and thorns. Make sure to wear a long-sleeved shirt and long pants to protect yourself from scratches, too. [22]
  7. Pruning your citrus tree can leave it exposed to the sun and vulnerable to sunburn. To protect your tree from sunburn, paint the trunk with a mixture of 50% acrylic paint and 50% water. [23]
    • Sunburned trees are more prone to splitting and infestations.
    • To help the paint adhere to the trunk, scrub the bark with a water and soap mixture prior to painting.
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    Spraying soap on black soot on citrus leaves does not work well. Is there a second way to get rid of it?
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    The black soot is a byproduct of sap-sucking insects. Spray neem or a similar oil for the insects, and the new growth should be unaffected.
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      • To avoid pruning branches that are growing in the wrong direction, attach small weights to the ends of the branch. This helps encourage them to grow in a different direction. [24]
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/citrus/citrus-pruning
      2. ↑ https://crec.ifas.ufl.edu/media/crecifasufledu/extension/extension-publications/2006/DEC-2006-hedging-topping-skirting.pdf
      3. ↑ https://harris.agrilife.org/files/2011/05/Citrus-Pruning.pdf
      4. ↑ https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/citrus/citrus-pruning?page=0%2C0
      5. ↑ https://txmg.org/jcmg/2019/07/19/pruning-of-hardwood-fruit-trees-roses-and-citrus/
      6. ↑ https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/yard-garden/training-and-pruning-fruit-trees-7-003/
      7. ↑ https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/citrus/citrus-pruning?page=0%2C1
      8. ↑ https://www.rhs.org.uk/fruit/citrus/grow-your-own
      9. ↑ https://www.rhs.org.uk/fruit/fruit-trees/grafting-ornamental
      1. ↑ https://extension.umd.edu/resource/water-sprouts-or-suckers-trees/
      2. ↑ https://www.rhs.org.uk/fruit/citrus/grow-your-own
      3. ↑ https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/citrus/citrus-pruning?page=0%2C1
      4. ↑ https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/citrus/citrus-pruning?page=0%2C1
      5. ↑ https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/grow-your-own/fruit/citrus
      6. ↑ https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/plant-biosecurity/citrus-gall-wasp-control
      7. ↑ https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/citrus/citrus-pruning?page=0%2C1
      8. ↑ https://harris.agrilife.org/files/2011/05/Citrus-Pruning.pdf
      9. ↑ https://extension.psu.edu/home-gardening-pruning-to-renovate-old-fruit-trees
      10. ↑ https://yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu/faq/how-do-i-sanitize-my-pruners-prevent-spread-disease
      11. ↑ https://www.portland.gov/trees/tree-care-and-resources/how-prune-properly
      12. ↑ https://www.aces.edu/blog/topics/fruits-lawn-garden/citrus-tree-care-for-the-home-gardener/
      13. ↑ https://www.tdi.texas.gov/pubs/videoresource/fstreetrim.pdf
      14. ↑ https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/citrus/citrus-pruning?page=0%2C3
      15. ↑ https://www.organicgardener.com.au/articles/making-citrus-cut

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