Citrus Trees in Oklahoma?

Believe it or not citrus can be grown in Oklahoma! We have managed to successfully do so for 3 years now. Now, you have to bring them inside when the temperature drops below 45 degrees F for more than one night, citrus like their soil temperature to be between 65-75 degrees F. Growing citrus can be very challenging because even a dwarf tree can get over 6 foot tall if not pruned regularly and properly. Citrus need a loamy soil which means adding a little bit of sand to the potting mix never hurts, unless you buy the citrus potting soil. Soil pH needs to be 4.5-5.5, citrus like more acidic soil. Sulfur pellets add a slow release component to your soil to help keep that pH consistency.

Watering your citrus tree is very important!

As far as watering is concerned citrus need to be moist. Citrus can survive our Oklahoma heat as long as watering is consistent and the soil doesn’t dry out. When feeding your Citrus trees always go for a citrus fertilizer, you can also add fish emulsion to your feeding schedule. Citrus trees mature around the age of 4-5, so don’t feel discouraged if the tree you just bought isn’t putting on fruit just yet. Lemons and limes take around 8-9 months to fully ripen.

A citrus tree can produce a lot of fruit on one branch therefore its good practice to limit the fruit to 1-2 fruit per branch, this lets the fruit get bigger and lets the nutrients get to the fruit better and no having to compete with other fruit.

Pruning should be done when the tree has little to no fruit or leave on it. If you are moving your tree in and out during the seasons you can do this when the soil temp constantly is around the 50-55 degree F. Fruit grows on a second year growth like most fruit trees you can prune up to 1/3 of the tree. Pruning in the winter or early spring is best. When pruning you want to make sure that there is sufficient air flow through the tree even when the tree is full of fruit and leaves.