Citrus Tree Hedge?

14 years ago

Live in Sacramento CA area. Our backyard is separated by chain link fence with neighbor. Was told can use citrus to hedge, so can provide privacy while also providing fruit. Got a bunch of standard and semi-dwarf citrus plants at Costco (most nurseries only carry dwarfs) and was told the standards would grow the fastest.

Is using citrus as a hedge a bad idea, if so any other recommendations that provide fruit?

If an ok idea, how far apart should I plant them?

Thanks

Featured Answer

hoosierquilt USDA 10A Sunset 23 Vista CA

14 years ago

Citrus as hedges are used frequently, and are a great hedge option. Standards may grow a bit faster than a semi-dwarf (and nurseries mostly carry semi-dwarf trees, not dwarf trees, btw), but a standard citrus keep on growing. Upwards to 20' with a trunk to match. So what will happen is that standard tree will eventually have its canopy above your chain link fence you're trying to hide. So you're going to need to keep them in serious check and make sure to help the lower branches scaffold out and don't lose them. I think truly you'd be better off growing all semi-dwarfs so all your citrus grow at about the same rate and to about the same height (taking into consideration cultivar variances.) Some citrus tend to be more bush-like such as the Improved Meyer lemon and several mandarin varieties, others more upright, like a Ponkan mandarin. I think a "hedge" of citrus trees along a chain link fence would be a great idea, and would look pretty, smell lovely and provide lots of great fruit. You didn't tell us what varieties you've purchased, and which are standards and which are semi-dwarf trees, so hard to give you more info. As far as planting them, you can plant them as close as four to six feet if they're all semi-dwarf trees, even the standards can be that close, you'll just have to top those trees and keep them pruning more frequently. There's a thread on this forum from several years ago that has a photo of a year old hedge getting going:

http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/citrus/msg0619142917751.html

Why don't you tell us how long this fence is, and we can then give you some ideas on citrus varieties that would work well for your hedge.

Patty S.

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Comments (6)

Kippy
14 years ago
I asked the same questions about the costco trees a month or so ago.

We have a wooden fence, but the houses on the other side are on a rise, so having taller standards is what I want. I thought about doing some kind of espalier with them and suppose I can still work on that idea.

Our hedge is Key Lime-varigated Eureka-Clementine-Meyers-Bears (all standards) Willits and Newcomb were really good about answering questions about the trees. I am hoping that combo will make a nice hedge and not too tall.

I had picked up a semi-dwarf meyer, but moved to to a different spot by a dwarf or semi grapefruit and then a couple more mandarines for different areas of the garden.
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xrayvision
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks!!!

Right now I have a Meyer Lemon, Oroblanco Grapefruit, Millsweet Limetta, W. Murcott (Afourier) Mandarin, Clemintine Mandarin, and Bearss Lime tree Standard.

Tango and Kishu Mandarins are Semidwarf

They are still in their containers from Costco.

I have 28 feet of fence (that is in sunlight), the remaining fence gets shade from a Redwood and some other trees.

Thanks again!!!
bonitapplebum
7 years ago
xrayvision How did you end up planning your citrus hedge? Any pictures you can share of it?
bonitapplebum
7 years ago
Kippy How is your citrus hedge doing now? Can you share any pictures?
Ike Stewart
7 years ago
You really can't group all Citrus together, as mentioned some grows more upright than others, some have a very spreading growth habit. I have a couple of 20+ year old Satsuma trees that are 15- 20 feet wide and until I pruned them the other day were 12-15 feet tall (2 different varieties). Other varieties like many true oranges, as well as perhaps Pumelos and many Grapefruit tend to grow taller than wide. Also consider if you want citrus varieties with or without thorns, this can be a major issue when it comes time to prune back into a hedge shape.