Everyone loves to eat citrus fruits like orange, lemon, grapefruit, mandarin, etc. It contains Vitamin C, which is beneficial for our health as it prevents problems like skin diseases, bleeding gums, weakness, anemia, etc.
These tasty fruits are added to a balanced and healthy diet. But growing citrus trees is a demanding job.
It is necessary to provide essential nutrients to the trees for better nourishment and growth. You need high-quality fertilizers to provide adequate amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
Let us discuss some of the best citrus tree fertilizers and what you should consider while buying any tree food.
Ā Fertilizers for Citrus Trees – Top Picks
1. Miracle-Gro Shake-N-Feed Citrus Plant Food
This plant food is enough to provide all the nutrients like iron, potassium, sulfur, and magnesium to citrus trees.
The microbes in the soil help in breaking down the compose to absorb the nutrients. You can feed enough nutrients to your citrus tree by using this Miracle-Gro fertilizer.
It gives strength to roots and increases water efficiency to help the plant grow strong. You need to feed this fertilizer for three months.
There is no risk of burning if you use it more than usual by mistake. Let us explore all its features in detail.
Features:
- Apply this fertilizer in a new or existing ground to grow citrus, mango, and avocado trees.
- It contains an adequate amount of nutrients like potassium, sulfur, magnesium, and iron.
- You need to feed this fertilizer for at least three months.
- There is no risk of burning or overfeeding if you use it as mentioned on the label.
2. Jobes 15-Spike Brown 1612 Citrus Tree Fertilizer
You can decorate your yard by planting beautiful and healthy trees. You can use Jobes 15-spike fertilizer to grow healthy trees by providing enough nutrients. The slow-release formula helps in the overall growth of the trees.
There is no risk of burning, mess, lousy odor, and waste if you use this plant food. If you want better results, you can apply this fertilizer to your lawn in the early spring season.
The NPK ratio is 9:12:12, which is perfect for the growth of citrus trees. Know its features to decide whether you should buy it or not.
Features:
- There is no need to mix or dilute the fertilizer.
- There is no chemical runoff, and therefore, it will not affect your trees adversely.
- You have to apply this fertilizer continuously for better results.
- It will not burn your trees if you apply it directly.
3. Down-to-Earth Citrus Tree Organic Fertilizer
Get a green garden full of citrus trees by using the Down-to-Earth organic fertilizer. It consists of soil amendments, potting material, and composts. When you mix it with the soil, microorganisms start stimulating and feeding your trees’ essential nutrients.
It is one of the best citrus tree fertilizers that can transform your garden differently. You will get satisfactory results because it contains high-quality ingredients that can do wonders for your trees. Go through its detailed features:
Features:
- It is a perfect natural fertilizer with the required 6-3-3 formula.
- It contains organic ingredients, and hence, it is not harmful to your garden.
- This formulated plant food contains zinc, iron, calcium, and sulfur.
- The amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are enough for promoting the growth of citrus trees.
- It is a perfect fertilizer for all types of citrus fruit trees and vines.
- Different meals in this plant food like feathers, alfalfa, basalt, fishbone, greensand, potash, kelp, langbeinite, and zinc sulfate.
4. Dr. Earth Organic 708P Citrus Fruit Tree Fertilizer
It is another organic fertilizer for growing citrus trees and making your garden green and beautiful.
It contains soil microbes and mycorrhizae for stimulating root development. After applying this plant food, you will observe that the growth of trees will be consistent.
Your plants will get all the essential nutrients instantly. You need to feed them after a few months. If you apply as mentioned, then there is no need to add any chemical fertilizers. Let us explore some of its unique features.
Features:
- This plant food helps in stimulating root development healthily.
- The fruits grown on the trees will be well-developed and tasty.
- It contains all the organic ingredients.
- There is no sewage sludge, chicken manure, or GMOs.
- You need to feed this fertilizer to your trees after a few months.
- It contains probiotics, soil microbes, and mycorrhizae stimulate healthy root development.
5. FoxFarm Happy Frog FX14640 Organic Citrus Tree Fertilizer
It is another one of the best citrus tree fertilizers that help grow different trees, like oranges, avocadoes, and lemons.
It is made with a natural formula consisting of adequate nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus.
It promotes robust vegetative growth and enhances the health of your trees. The ForFarm 7-3-3 fertilizer provides essential nutrients to keep your trees beautiful and healthy. Consider some of its detailed features.
Features:
- It is a naturally formulated fertilizer for feeding citrus trees like oranges, lemons, and avocados.
- It is made with natural ingredients, and hence, it is entirely organic.
- An adequate amount of nitrogen helps in robust vegetable growth.
- The formula of fertilizer consists of mycorrhizal fungi, sulfur, and calcium.
- It is a 7-3-3 fertilizer formula that involves soil microbes to enhance nutrient uptake.
Buying Guide
There are plenty of the best citrus tree fertilizers available in the market, but you cannot buy any random one and use it in your garden.
It is necessary to ensure that it is safe and provides all the essential nutrients to the plants. It must make your garden green and beautiful. You must consider a few things before buying any citrus tree fertilizer.
Organic or Inorganic
There are two citrus fertilizers available to grow different trees, i.e., organic and inorganic. Choosing any one of these two types is everyone’s preference. Let us understand the difference between them.
Organic:
The organic or natural fertilizer is made of natural ingredients like compost, earthworm castings, and poultry manure. No chemicals are included in this plant food. If you want to grow healthy and natural fruits, then you must go for organic plant food. There is no side effect of using organic fertilizer for growing trees in your garden.
Inorganic:
On the other hand, inorganic fertilizers are made up of synthetic ingredients and chemicals. It contains artificial elements like phosphorus, nitrogen, sulfur and potassium, sulfur, and phosphorus. These fertilizers are comparatively less expensive than organic ones, but they are easy to mix with the soil.
Chemical Content
If you choose to use inorganic fertilizer to grow citrus trees, you need to know the exact chemical content required for better growth. It is necessary to provide proper air, sun, and water to mix all the nutrients with your trees.
Make sure that you check the ratio of chemical ingredients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. The ratio must be adequate for your plant growth.
Form
Citrus fertilizers are available in different forms, and every state has its advantages and disadvantages. Know about these forms and choose anyone wisely.
Liquid:
These fertilizers are available with the ready-to-use solution in either a water-diluted or concentrated form.
The roots can absorb the liquid form of fertilizer quickly. You can also spray the liquid directly on the soil to make your trees grow healthy. The soil can easily absorb the nutrients and provide nutrition to the trees.
Granular:
You can also prefer buying a granular form of fertilizer, in which you get tiny grains or pellets. Sprinkle the granules on the soil and use a shovel to mix them.
If the granules are polymer-coated, then they will dissolve slowly in the soil. But there is an advantage that your trees will get a long-term supply of essential nutrients that will last longer.
Spikes:
You can also use citrus fertilizer in spikes to drive around the tree into the soil. It is another best option for long-term feeding to your trees for many months. If we talk about the cost, then it is relatively more expensive than granular and liquid ones.
Stages of Growth
It is necessary to check the growth stage of your tree and the soil condition. Every stage requires a different amount of plant food because the nutritional needs will also be different.
If you want to buy the specific fertilizer for better results, then you must test the soil in your garden.
You should know the exact nutrition needs of the trees before you feed them any fertilizer. If you have just planted your citrus trees, then there is no need to provide any fertilizer. You must water your trees regularly for better results.
Desired Effect
Tree growth involves root development, blossoms, foliage, fruits, etc. You must know what you need and then choose a specific fertilizer that works for your purpose. If you want to produce blooms, then you need a fertilizer with high phosphorus. It is necessary to test the soil and check the health of your tree.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is There Any Need of Fertilizer or Plant Food to Grow Citrus Fruit Trees?
In many cases, you can use any fertilizer to grow citrus fruit trees. Sometimes, you may not need plant food for a new plantation. You need to take care of the trees and water them regularly.
But you must know the condition of the soil and how much nutrient composition is required for better growth. If you want to use a safe fertilizer, it is better to test the soil and use fertilizer to fulfill the nutritional needs.
When is the Right Time for Fertilizing Citrus Fruit Trees?
If you are planting new trees in your garden, then you may not need to fertilize them. But if they are old for two or more years, then you need specific plant food.
The right time is the early spring season, when there are higher chances of better growth of these plants. You should also check the details of the fertilizer when you can use it.
How Can One Fertilize Citrus Fruit Trees?
Whenever you buy any package, make sure that you read the directions carefully and follow them. On the label, you can find the best way to use the product. If you buy the liquid one, then you can spray it using a sprayer or hose.
The granular one needs to be sprinkled under the tree area. The spiked one needs to be inserted in the soil at specific spots. The method, quantity, and other things are mentioned on the label.
What NPK You Should Prefer for Citrus Trees?
The correct N-P-K ratio for citrus trees is 5-2-6. One teaspoon of the plant food is enough to feed 4 inches of the pot when mixed into the soil. If the pot size is more than 12 inches, then you can double the quantity. You must repeat the application process three times.
How Is Chicken Manure Perfect for Citrus Fruit Trees?
Undoubtedly, poultry manure is a perfect fertilizer as it is nutrient-rich and can fulfill all the nutritional needs of citrus trees. You can use the granular plant food every six weeks from spring to late autumn. Many users get the best results after using this fertilizer in their gardens.
Conclusion
When you research the best citrus tree fertilizer, you will get many options. But you cannot pick any random one and start applying it to your garden. It is necessary to have enough information about the product you are buying.
You must test the soil and check the health of your tree. Ensure what you need and how your trees will grow in the garden. After analyzing everything, you should buy the specific plant food that fulfills your needs.
If you choose any wrong product, then it can ruin your beautiful garden by killing your trees. Therefore, you have to be very careful while picking the best fertilizer for your citrus fruit trees. You can choose any of the mentioned products and try them in your yard for better results.
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