Kippy:

This is one of my favorite topics. It depends on the rootstock more than anything else. For instance a Meyer lemon on dwarfing rootstock may not afford much screening.

Typical spacing is assumed to be for commercial orchards with cheap land and high costs for trees factored in. Then they allow extra for a tractor and trailer to come in and spray or collect the harvest.

For a screen I allow about 4 or 5 ft. for flying dragon & 6 ft. for trees on std trifoliate or 7 ft for sour orange. YMMV according to your rootstock and fruiting varieties.

According to the list, none of the varieties are particularly suited for screening growth. IMHO.

Citrus are a bush not a tree so plant them where you want and prune them so they go where you want. That said I would not go closer than 5 feet. The myers make a great hedge..why did you buy it on a dwarf stock? A line of Myers in bloom looks awesome and smells even better.

Thanks for the replies!

I will ask the source what kind of root stock, they were pretty quick to mention where to find that info on the tree tags.

As far as the Meyer, I thought I had grabbed a standard, but it turned out to be the dwarf. Might have to get a second one.

We have lots oranges, a couple of grapefruit and a nice tangerine in our orchard, all at least 60 years old. But only one good lemon and a pair of root stocks-picked up years ago as unknowns by my dad. And no limes. The townhouse's next door have a ton of lawn and well water, nice in SoCal, so we have one side of the orchard we want to plant to take advantage of the free water that roots can reach. But, I only have about 50 feet that is not occupied with other fruits(volunteer apple, a kiwi and some kind of grape)

So I was trying to keep the trees close, but not too close and have been getting advice everything from tight spacing to 25' apart. (the old oranges are closer than 25 feet)

Would love to hear more what you think

thanks

if you're planning long term, probably 10-12' apart.

if you gotta have that hedge now, 6-8' apart.

I found out the rootstock, feeling dumb it was right on the tag.

Bearss & Variegated Eureka are on Volkamerica

Key & Clementine are on Carrizo

and the Meyer, is a semi (not dwarf) on trifoliate

Any more ideas on their mature sizes and how far apart?

If you want a screen (hedge) you will not get the desired effect until years from now, if you plant them far apart. In New Zealand, they plant Satsumas on four or five foot centers on trifoliate or flying dragon then when they get large, thin them. This is why you should break away from the standard thinking, and plant for your purpose, not for some archaic idea of how a productive row of citrus should be spaced.

I've seen Cleopatra small mandarin, planted on 3 or 4 ft centers, used as a hedge, by the same Texas A & M experts that demand 12 foot centers for citrus. Get the results you need.