Instead, water with large amounts of water infrequently: about once every five to seven days in the summer and once every 10 days in the fall and spring. Install an irrigation head for each tree. If it is still moist then wait for a few more days before watering the tree. With ground-planted citrus trees, watering should happen about once a week, whether from rainfall or manually. Any automated watering system should be programmed to water an equivalent outdoor amount at a … If water is not given to the plant, it will reach a wilting point. All of this is taken into account to determine the evapotranspiration rate. Hi Marlene, you want a soil made for citrus trees. As soil depletes at evapotranspiration rate unless it is watered it will reach a point where the plant will wilt. If a citrus tree is allowed to dry out for more than a day, you won’t see the damage until you water it again, which may cause confusion. Again, be sure that the drainage for the container is excellent. Potted citrus need to be watered two to three times a week. The frequency in which you water the tree depends on a number of factors, such as soil and the weather conditions. This varies by types of soil (sand, clay, or loam) known as water holding capacity. Over-watering not only saturates your tree, but the soil around it which causes other imbalances. If your citrus tree loses all of its leaves due to over or under watering, do not despair. The most common problem homeowners have is watering too frequently but not providing enough water when they irrigate. Frequent watering may be needed depending on the humidity, climate and the size of the plant. Sophie revisits Australia's 'Mr Citrus', Ian Tolley, to discover the best ways to grow citrus trees in pots. Always make sure the water soaks into the potting mix and doesn't simply run through without soaking in. As mentioned earlier, how often and how much water to give to a citrus tree depends on the tree’s age, soil type, weather conditions such as temperature, humidity, and wind speed. Your key lime tree will need 28″ or larger in diameter pot as it gets larger. Citrus trees like a soil pH between 5.5 and 7.0. If the tree is not watered deeply, it will not have enough water for the week. Step 6: Get it back outdoors. While citrus trees have always been popular in areas where they thrive, lately they have also become popular in colder climates. Sign up to get all the latest gardening tips! Keep the graft above the soil level. Create a watering well with the extra soil dug out of the ground when planting to collect water for its roots. The point where all the air around the soil is filled with water. They like well-draining, sandy, loamy soil. How often should you water a citrus tree? If the drainage is poor, the tree will get too much water. In General, deeply water newly planted young citrus trees about once or twice per week for most of the year. Citrus trees like a deep watering roughly once per week in the spring and summer. Never let a citrus tree dry out completely for more than a day. Loam is a mixture that can be sandy-loam or loamy-clay as a general soil description. If it takes more than 30 minutes to drain, the drainage is inadequate. When the days start to warm up in early spring, take it outside for an hour or two of sun at mid-day; gradually re-acclimate it to the outdoor world. adroll_pix_id = "5YH5INRZ45CMPC55LNF3CM"; Water more often in sandy soils and when the weather is hot and windy. If watered in time, the plant will survive, but if not given water in time and the drys further, it can reach a permanent wilting point where the plant will dry completely. Find more gardening information on Gardening Know How: Keep up to date with all that's happening in and around the garden. The ET rate is based on plant health, soil, temp, humidity, and wind speed. Check out some of the citrus trees we have available: Lemon | Lime | Orange | Grapefruit. The longer the citrus tree is left in dry soil, the more leaves it will lose when you water it. 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Conversely, cooler temperatures slow growth, so watering limes should be reduced in … The amount of water and frequency to irrigate your citrus trees depends on a combination of factors such as the plant’s age, health, location, establishment, soil type, and weather conditions such as season of the year, temperature, humidity, and wind speed. Step 5: Feed it.