Orange – Fruit garden

Orange is very esteemed for their vitamin C content. It is an essential wellspring of vitamin C for generally Americans. This is awesome organic product has more to offer healthfully than simply this one supplement, containing adequate measures of folacin, calcium, potassium, thiamin, niacin and magnesium. A large portion of the utilization of oranges is as juice. Eating the entire natural product gives 130% of the prescribed dietary stipend for vitamin C, not as much as the juice, however more fiber, which is not present in the juice.

The organic product is actually a hesperidium, a sort of berry. It comprises of a few effortlessly isolated carpels, or areas, each containing a few seeds and numerous juice cells, secured by a weathered skin, containing various oil organs. Orange trees are evergreens, from time to time surpassing 30 ft in stature. The leaves are oval and reflexive and the blossoms are white and fragrant.

Scientific Name: The scientific name of the sweet orange is Citrus sinensis, and the scientific name of the bitter orange is Citrus aurantium.
Common Name: Orange
Varieties of Orange : Marrs Early Orange,Navel Orange,Republic of Texas Orange,Moro Blood Orange,Tarocco Blood Orange,Vainiglia Sanguigno Blood Orange.

How to grow and maintain Orange:

Soil:
Soil requirements:
Citrus can be grown in a wide range of soil types provided they are well drained. Fertile, well-aerated soils with a pH of between 6 and 6,5 are ideal.The growth, development and production of a plant depend on the physical characteristics of the soil such as drainage, density, texture, water-holding capacity, structure, soil depth, the homogeneity of the profile, erodibility, and the degree to which water can infiltrate the soil. These characteristics differ in the various soil types. Physical soil properties determine the degree to which water is released for uptake by the plant roots, and the depth of the root system.

Soil Analysis:
A soil-analysis report of a certain orchard can only be reliable if the soil samples which are analysed are representative of the particular orchard.Soil should be sampled at the same time as the leaves.It is important that the samples taken represent a homogeneous field or orchard.A soil analysis merely indicates the chemical composition of the soil; physical problems such as waterlogging and plough-soles can only be determined by means of profile holes.

Planting:
Early spring is the best time for transplanting. Planting holes of 0,5 x 0,5 x 0,5 m
are prepared and the soil mixed well with 2 spadefuls of compost or kraal manure
and 250 g of superphosphate.

The young trees are planted to the same depth as they were in the nursery. Keep
in mind that loose soil tends to compact. The bud union should be about 300 mm
above the ground.

Once the tree has been planted, the soil must be firmly tramped down. A basin for
irrigation is made around the tree which must be thoroughly irrigated immediately
after planting. Irrigate again the following day to seal any cracks in the soil.

Irrigation:
During the first 6 months the trees should be irrigated twice a week and thereafter
every 7 days. The irrigation basin should be gradually enlarged as the tree grows, so
that it is always slightly bigger than the dripline of the tree. Be careful not to damage
the fine superficial feeder roots.

The water required depends on weather conditions. Saturated and poorly-drained
conditions could result in root rot, which will shorten the life of the trees. On the other
hand, a shortage of water may have the following effects:

Moisture stress during early spring while the tree is flowering, could result in
excessive drop of flowers and fruitlets, and the resulting crop will be small.
A serious drought followed by good rains could produce out-of-season
flowering and fruit setting.

A lack of moisture during October to January could result in acid fruit. Do not wait for symptoms of water stress before applying water. A tree can suffer from
stress well before any visible signs appear. A slight leaf wilt is a sign of a lack of water and this must be prevented.If a sprinkler is used, about 30 mm of water must be applied every 7 days, depending on the weather.

Fertilizing:
Do not fertilize the first spring. You can begin fertilizing with a slow release organic
fertilizer during the first summer’s growth. Apply 2 cups of cottonseed meal or slow release organic
fertilizer per inch of trunk diameter in February and May each year.

Harvesting:
Most oranges fall from the tree when fully ripe, but they are often very tasty much earlier.
The only way to know is to try one. Navel oranges lack acidity so they are often good to eat in September, when their skin may still be green, and they will be excellent by late October. You can harvest them until January. Blood oranges are usually tastiest around early January, but the flesh gets deeper in color the later the cold weather lasts into February. Ujukitsus are ripe in late December.

Pests:
If you notice the leaves on new growth starting to curl, it is most likely citrus leaf miner. This insect affects the new leaves of most citrus. You can spray Neem Oil or Spinosad on the new growth when it is the size of a mouse ear. Spray both sides of leaves, and repeat treatment every week to ten days. This may stop the leaf miner, and it may not. The tree will still grow and produce even though the leaf miner attacks the leaves. Once the plant gets tall, you likely won’t see the damage. Many growers ignore this problem since it is largely cosmetic.