How to prune a small orange tree

When to prune small orange trees

Small orange trees should be pruned in spring from early February to mid-March. In summer and autumn, buds can be removed, shoots can be controlled, and flowering branches can be cut from early July to mid-August. The pruned branches can be propagated by cuttings.

How to prune small orange trees

Pruning during the seedling stage : In order to cultivate skeleton branches for small orange trees to form a crown, leave 10 cm of the grafted seedlings after the first shoot matures and perform heavy pruning to cultivate main branches and promote the growth of new shoots.

Fruit-bearing tree pruning : Small orange trees can continuously produce fruit-bearing branches in each leaf axil. The time is from May to early June to produce summer shoots, and they can bear fruit when flower buds are produced in the same year.

Tips for Pruning Small Orange Trees

Small orange trees are cultivated 3-4 times a year, and flower buds are removed in time. Pruning during the growth and fruiting period is mainly to remove buds and control shoots. Pruning during the peak fruiting period is to reduce density and keep sparse, and prune more for trees with many flowers and less for trees with few flowers. Prune back during the aging period, and keep the shoots dense and sparse.

Small orange tree pruning precautions

The best time to prune small orange trees in summer is 9 days before they sprout. In winter, they cannot be pruned immediately after the fruits are harvested. When pruning small orange trees, the pruning intensity should be controlled according to the age of the tree.