Top 6 Natural Fertilizers to Boost Your Citrus Tree's Health

Learn how you can take care your citrus trees with natural, homemade Fertilizers

Growing your own supply of lemons, limes, and oranges in your yard can be so satisfying, but bringing the best out of your citrus takes some proper cultivation. In this guide, we're going to check out the best natural fertilizers for citrus trees to enhance your garden.

Why Choose Natural Fertilizers?

Here are some of the many benefits natural organic fertilizers from organic sources offer your citrus trees:

Better soil health: 

Organic fertilizers enhance soil quality with most nutrients and friendly micro-organisms.

Being environmentally safe: 

Natural fertilizers are safe to living things and do not increase the possibility of environmental pollution.

Controlled Release of Nutrients: 

Sustainable feeding with a guarantee that citrus trees are well taken care of over the long run.

Top Natural Fertilizers for Citrus Trees

Top Natural Fertilizers for Citrus Trees

1. Compost

Benefits:

High-Nutrient: Compost is high in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium three key nutrients vital to good tree growth. Nitrogen is for lush, green leaves; phosphorus is for good roots; and potassium is for quality fruit, and diseases.

Good Soil Structure: The compost in place shall add on the friability of the soil and hold on to more water. This means the soil acts as a store for a longer time, reducing the need to water frequently.

Improved Microbial Activity: The compost contributes beneficial microflora to the soil that will help in breaking down organic materials, with the release of the nutrients in a manner and a form that the citrus plants can take them up easily.

How to Apply:

Application: Apply a 2-3 inch layer of compost around the citrus trees at the base, out to the drip line of the canopy (under the canopy's outer reach).

Incorporate: Gently incorporate the compost a couple of inches deep. Be careful not to let it touch the trunk, which can lead to rot or disease.

2. Manure

Benefits: 

High in Nitrogen: Good for yielding more foliage and fruits, nitrogen is critical to the development of leaves and fruits and in which manure is rich. This will enhance more lush foliage and developmental growth for citrus trees. Microbial

Boost: Manure boosts the microbial activities of the soil that catalyze the decomposition of organic matter in the soil, leading to the release of nutrients into available forms for use by trees.

Boosts Soil Fertility: Over the long term, the manure boosts general soil fertility and structural development of healthy growth of citrus trees.

How to Apply:

Well-Decayed Manure: Apply well-decomposed manure to prevent burns that would be experienced by the roots of your citrus trees. Fresh manure is too strong and will burn your citrus trees.

Application: Apply manure under trees as a thin layer on the base of trees and incorporate it in the soil. Be cautious about excessive application as very high layers can lead to nutrient imbalances.

3. Bone Meal

Benefits:

Highly Phosphorus: This is another reason why bone meal is high in phosphorus. The phosphorus content in bone meal is important in fostering adequate root growth and a high amount of fruit. Phosphorus improves energy transfer within the plant, and when more energy is thus achieved, the setting of both flowers and fruits is better.

Source of Calcium: Bone meal is a natural source of calcium—a very important substance in keeping fruit disorders, such as blossom-end rot, away. Uptake of calcium ions directly leads to the strengthening of cell walls, resulting in strong and healthy citrus fruits.

Controlled Release: Bone meal decomposes in the soil very slowly, ensuring sufficient phosphorus and calcium at all times.

How to Apply:

Application: Spread the bone meal around the drip line of the tree which is the zone of the feeding roots.

Incorporation: At the dripline, gently incorporate the bone meal and irrigate it thoroughly, allowing the meal to begin its decomposition and release of the nutrient.

4.Banana Peels

Benefits: 

Potassium: In fact, banana peels contain high content of potassium, and it has a very central role in fruit development and overall health of the plant. Potassium takes part in water and nutrient conveyance in plants, augments disease resistance, and is essentially important for fruit production. Micronutrients: Banana peels also hold minute contents of calcium, magnesium, and other trace elements that might be useful for growing plants.

Chop and Bury: Another common way to use banana peels is to finely chop them and bury them around citrus trees at the base. This reduces the amount of time the peel takes to decay and therefore releases many nutrients into the soil.

Soaking banana peels: In water and using it to water plants is another good way to make a nutrient-filled solution for watering. The nutrients partially leach into the water, allowing it to be utilized by plants. 

5.Eggshells

Benefits: 

Calcium: Calcium is a major player in the prevention of blossom end rot and aids in the formation of strong cell walls in plants. 

 Other Macronutrients: They further contain traces of nitrogen, phosphorus, along with magnesium, all crucial in a plant's growth. 

 How to Apply: 

Pounding and Scattering: Pounding eggshells into a fine powder form and scattering them across the soil base of citrus trees can help improve soil calcium over time. 

 Steeping in Water: Another method is the steeping of pounded eggshells in water, producing a calcium-rich solution, which may be utilized to irrigate plants. It is done because the calcium is allowed to leech out into the water, which subsequently is drunk by the plants

6.Coffee Grounds

Benefits: 

Nitrogen: Residue coffee grounds found in spent coffee is an excellent source of nitrogen that is required in vegetative growth and the entire health of plants.

Soil Structure and Earthworms: Coffee grounds improve soil structure both by improving soil's moisture retention capacity and attracting essential earthworms, which help in soil aeration.

How to Apply:

Sprinkle: Sprinkle by applying it around the base of citrus trees. Incorporate into Soil: When coffee grounds are incorporated into the soil, it will help avert compaction and help better integrate the nutrients into the soil.

Suggested Organic Fertilizer Products

Here are some top natural fertilizers to be found online to make your trip a little easier with your gardening. Check it out; this is a great selection from Amazon to use with citrus trees to increase health and productivity.

Down to Earth Organic Citrus Fertilizer Mix 

$19.79

• Down To Earth Citrus Mix is a one pound box of fertilizer with 6-3-3 formula and is listed by the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) for use in organic production
• Formulated with primary and secondary plant nutrients like calcium, sulfur, zinc and iron, plus selected micronutrients
• It supplies the proper ration of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium that helps promote lush new growth, abundant green foliage, fragrant blossoms and bountiful fruit An option for citrus trees of all kinds and may also be used to feed other fruit trees, vines and ornamentals for equally enjoyable results
• Ingredients: feather meal, fish bone meal, alfalfa meal, greensand, langbeinite, basalt, sulfate of potash, zinc sulfate and kelp meal

Buy Now

Jobe’s Organics Granular Garden Fertilizer, Easy Plant Care Fertilizer for Fruit and Citrus Plants and Trees

$8.61

• Package contains 4 Pounds organic fruit and citrus fertilizer grains and is produced to avoid wasteful runoff, mess, hazards and smell
• Plant fertilizer is formulated with a 3-5-5 NPK to provide fruit and citrus plants the nutrients they need for a high yield and vibrant foliage
• Jobe's organic fertilizer contains no synthetic chemicals and are OMRI listed for organic gardening by the USDA
• Application is simple and should be done every 4-8 weeks or as needed during the growing season
• Jobe's organic fertilizer is easily measured to provide the right amount of nutrients for fruit and citrus plants without risk of over fertilizing Customer ratings by feature

Buy Now

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Other Care Tips for Citrus Trees That Thrive

Soil pH and Citrus Trees: Acidic to Neutral Soil. Citrus trees prefer a slightly acidic to neutral soil pH of 6.0-7.0. Test your soil for pH and increase or decrease it using lime or sulfur. Mulching: Mulching is the process of applying organic material around the base of citrus trees. Mulching serves to keep the soil moist, moderate soil temperatures, and limit weed growth. Keep the mulch several inches away from the trunk to avoid rot. Watering: Citrus trees need a regular supply of water, particularly during fruit development. Apply water deep enough at least once a week, though in making adjustments on irrigation consider the soil as well as the prevailing environmental conditions. Pruning: Pruning should be done regularly to keep the shape of the citrus and to allow better air movement. Remove dead and diseased branches and thin the dense branches to allow sunlight into the interior branches.

Incorporate into Soil: When coffee grounds are incorporated into the soil, it will help avert compaction and help better integrate the nutrients into the soil.

Conclusion

Feeding your lemons, limes, and oranges natural fertilizers will help take care of your trees in a healthy environment while being friendly to Mother Nature. Add these organic options to your gardening routine, and enjoy bountiful harvests of juicy, flavorful citrus fruits.