Over-size Oranges

Categories: Fruit Growing

I have some orange trees in a disintegrated granite with a good many

small pieces of rock still remaining in the soil. What I wish to know is

whether it is probably something in the soil that makes them grow too

large, or is it probably the method of treatment? What treatment should

be adopted to guard against this excessive growth?



Young trees have a natural disposition to produce outside sizes of

fruit, and this is sometimes aggravated by excessive use of fertilizers,

sometimes by over-irrigation. We would cease to fertilize for a time and

to regulate irrigation so that the trees will have enough to be thrifty

without undertaking excessive growth. Such soil as you describe is

sometimes very rich at the beginning in available plant food, and

fertilization should be delayed until this excess has been appropriated

by the tree.