Things You'll Need:
- Orange trees
- Available grove
- Fertilizer
- Mulch or compost maker
- Shovel
- Water
- Pruning shears
- Trowel
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Step 1
Make sure the grove you want to plant the orange tree in is available and legal for you to property plant in. Orange trees grow best in regions with mild winters. This includes places like California, Florida or the Southwest. The grove should be in a slightly sloped place (this provides great drainage), that gets at least equal parts shade and sun, if not a little bit more sun than shade.
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Step 2
Plant orange trees when they are young saplings. Make sure when you buy them they are healthy and fungus free. A licensed nursery can help you with this process, but in general, the saplings should have healthy, green and shiny leaves. The trees should also have sturdy branches and bark.
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Step 3
Plant the orange tree saplings in the grove area by digging a hole that is about 1 foot deep by 1 foot wide. Set the sapling in the hole.
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Step 4
Cover up the roots with 3 to 4 inches of dirt with the trowel. Mulch by hand, patting it firmly into the ground. Next, scatter fertilizer around the tree. Saturate the area around the orange tree with plenty of water.
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Step 5
Water the trees with a large amount of water every 4 to 6 days so that the water will hydrate through all of the roots. This is crucial within the first month of planting the orange trees in the grove. After 1 month, decrease the amount of water you use, extending the length of time between waterings. Start to water every 8 or 9 days.
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Step 6
Do not fertilize until the weather cools off again, once a year. Once it is cooler, use fertilizer once a month as the tree grows stronger.
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Step 7
Prune the orange trees as they become stronger with more and more branches. Pruning should take place each early spring to make room for more growth. Harvest oranges from the grove trees when they are a medium to deep orange and the size of a fist, or larger.
