You are wondering how often to water a citrus tree. Either you have one or several citrus trees planted in your garden or indoors or plan to do so. This care guide focusing on citrus tree watering tells you what to know about citrus humidity needs.
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Citrus Trees
Citrus trees are a favorite among gardeners because of their dark green foliage and bright, delicious fruit. There are many citrus varieties, with different colors and sizes of fruits.
Citrus trees love direct sunlight and warmth and do not tolerate cold temperatures or too much shade.
However, citrus trees are quite sensitive regarding water, especially when young.
Ensure you know how to water your citrus tree to give it the best chance at a long, healthy life!
How often to Water a Citrus Tree?
Water a citrus tree every 7-10 days. The ideal amount of water is 4-6 inches per month. Citrus trees need their soil to be kept gently moist at all times. Soak the ground completely when watering, and don’t water again until the soil’s top is dry. Citrus trees require soil with excellent drainage and do not like to be left sitting in water.
Watering Citrus Trees in Pots
If you are growing citrus trees in pots, water them as soon as the top 1-2 inches (2.5-5 centimeters) of soil are dry, depending on the pot size and the tree.
A small tree in a smaller pot may only need the first inch of soil to dry before being re-watered. The University of Florida recommends regular watering until the plantlets are established.
Larger citurs trees are happiest if allowed to dry down to three centimeters. The majority of the soil should be gently moist at all times.
How much water your tree needs will depend on the size of the pot, the size of the tree, the time of year, and whether the pot is being kept indoors or outdoors.
A good general rule is to ensure that the soil has been soaked through and subsequently allowed to drain until the top 1-2 inches (2.5-5 centimeters) of soil are dry to the touch.
Watering Citrus Trees in Summer
During the summer, while the tree is being kept outside, it will require more water than usual. Check it twice per week and water it when necessary.
Watering Citrus Trees in Winter
During the winter, while the tree is being kept indoors, it will require less water. Checking it once per week is enough during this dormant season.
If you live in a cooler climate and have moved your citrus tree indoors for the winter months, you must ensure your plant is not being dried out by indoor heating.
Citrus Tree Humidity
If you notice that the leaves of your citrus tree are becoming crisp or browning, try making a homemade humidity tray by filling a drip tray with gravel or clay pebbles and covering them with water.
Then, place the potted tree (with the usual drip tray) on top of the humidity tray.
Ensure that the water is not absorbed into the plant’s soil. When the water evaporates, it will add humidity around the tree.
It is incredibly crucial that you plant your citrus trees in containers or pots with drainage holes.
If your tree is in a pot with no drainage hole, its roots will sit in water for too long, which will likely be fatal.
Watering Citrus Trees in the Ground
When watering a citrus tree in the ground, water it deeply. Make sure you are watering it for long enough and that you are thoroughly drenching the soil.
Citrus trees in the ground require slightly less regular watering than citrus trees in pots because they have more soil to draw water from.
A general rule is to water your citrus tree once every ten days during the summer and slightly more often during mainly sunny weeks. Allow the topsoil to dry entirely before re-watering the tree again thoroughly.
If there has been a lot of rain recently, you do not need to water your citrus tree that week.
Make sure that you plant your citrus tree in a well-draining area. Try to grow it on sloping ground or a hillside. Alternatively, you could plant it in a raised bed.
You can test the drainage of your planting spot by digging a hole of approximately 30 cubic centimeters and filling it with water. Allow it to drain before refilling it.
Citrus Tree Drainage
The drainage is poor if an hour passes and it doesn’t drain for the second time. To improve the drainage, you must remove a good amount of the natural soil and replace it with fast-draining compost.
Alternatively, find a new location to plant your tree.
If you have just transplanted your tree from a pot to the ground, you will need to water it more frequently than usual––approximately twice a week–– until it begins to show new growth.
After that, you can revert to a standard watering schedule.
As important as the watering schedule is applying fertilizer correctly. Read more about this in the next section.
Fertilize Citrus Trees
Citrus trees should be fertilized during the growing seasons in spring and summer. Fertilize every other month and refrain from fertilizing in autumn and winter.
To know more about the right schedule, read the fertilization guidelines for citrus trees.
FAQ
The leaves on my citrus tree fall off after I water it. Why is this?
If the leaves of your citrus tree are falling off after you water it, this is often because you have allowed the tree to dry out for too long before watering it. Confusingly, citrus trees that are too dry retain their leaves until they are watered again and only lose them after being watered.
What will happen once I overwater my citrus tree?
If your citrus tree receives too much water, its leaves will become yellow and fall off, and the skin of its fruits may split. If left sitting in water for too long over a long period, citrus tree roots will suffocate, and the tree may die.
What will happen if I underwater my citrus tree?
If your citrus tree receives too little water, its leaves will curl upwards, dry, crisp, and fall off. If the citrus tree goes too long without water, it will die.
The Last Drip
Citrus trees are water-hungry and need watering every 7-10 days.
Daniel has been a plant enthusiast for over 20 years. He owns hundreds of houseplants and prepares for the chili growing seasons yearly with great anticipation. His favorite plants are plant species in the Araceae family, such as Monstera, Philodendron, and Anthurium. He also loves gardening and is growing hot peppers, tomatoes, and many more vegetables.