| my naval oranges are very hard and difficult to peel. my crop was about a dozen this year. what is happening |
| Growing conditions are to blame for your poor crop. As your tree matures it will develop lots more oranges. In the meantime, it's important to provide adequate water to ensure the oranges are plump inside and the rinds are supple. Citrus trees need a long deep soaking once or twice a week during the summer months when the fruit is maturing, and a deep soaking once each week during the rest of the year. You'll need to water as usual then wait 3-4 days and either dig down into the soil to check for moisture or use a metal rod to probe the soil. If you can push it down easily, the soil is moist. If it's hard to push down into the soil, the soil is dry and you need to water. Apply water slowly so it has a chance to trickle down and wet the entire rootmass. It will take some time to figure out just how long you need to run the water to completely soak the soil beneath the tree. Best wishes with your oranges. |
