How to Grow Oranges in Florida

Growing your own oranges in Florida is one of the perks of living in the state. The fresh taste of tree-ripened oranges is worth the effort, but don't expect to get them immediately. It takes some time before any orange tree produces crops you pick for consumption. There are some techniques to help to grow oranges in Florida that make your tree stronger and a better producer. Once the tree is established, it supplies you with a crop of oranges every year but still needs you to perform some duties to help it remain healthy.

Things You'll Need

• Seed
• Water
• Location
• Seed or nursery plant
• Peat pot
• Paper towel
• Potting soil
• Larger pots
• Fertilizer
• Shovel

Instructions

1. Plant the seeds from an orange or use a nursery tree. The orange tree takes seven years, or longer, before it produces a good fruit crop. You save time if you plant a tree started at a nursery. Make sure you find a variety that grows well in your area. Nurseries normally supply these but if you plant from seed, use the seed of a locally grown orange. If you plant from seed, use steps 2, 3 and 4. Otherwise, skip to step 5.

2. Clean the seed that you took from the orange. Remove all the excess pulp from it and soak it overnight. Some people plant the seed immediately in a potting soil and small peat pot. Others remove the seed coat, the wrinkly white coat on the seed, and then soak it overnight and plant it. This process rushes the germination time. You can also put the seed between layers of damp towel and put it into a plastic bag until it sprouts, and then plant it.

3. Wait for the sprouts to appear. If there are three sprouts, the center one is normally weak. Remove it by snipping it off. Keep the pot's soil moist by either covering it with a plastic drape or keeping it in a plastic bag until you notice the sprouts emerging.

4. Protect the small plant for a season before you plant it into the ground. You'll need to move it to a larger pot. If you used a peat pot, simply bury the peat pot into a pot filled with soil. The peat disintegrates and provides nourishment for the plant. It may take several seasons before you have a plant that's at least a foot tall. Continue to increase the size of the container each time the plant becomes root bound. When it's a foot tall, plant it into the ground.

5. Plant the tree in an area with well-drained soil that receives a lot of sunshine. In order to be a healthy bushy tree it needs full sun. Put it in a protected area away from harsh winds and if your area experience some slight freezing weather, like Jacksonville, you need to plant it where it gets a southern exposure. You'll need to clear away the grass from an area three to five feet in diameter.

6. Dig a hole the depth of the root ball and 1.5 times as wide. Set the tree in the hole, backfill half of the soil and water. Finish filling the hole and pat down the dirt lightly. If you want a watering ring. Build up the soil around the orange tree. It should be higher than the ground and start at the edge of the hole and extend out so it's five to six inches high and at least six inches thick. This captures more water.

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7. Mulch around the tree to keep the ground from drying. The tree needs a deep watering several times week initially, then slowly reduce the amount of water until you only water once a week in hot dry weather. Wait until the tree shows signs of new growth before you fertilize. Use fertilizer once a month through the growing season and stop in November. Scatter fertilizer on the ground at least a foot from the tree and then water. After the first year planting, fertilize it three times a year, once in February, May and September. Once your tree produces, leave it on the tree as long as possible for the sweetest oranges grown in Florida.