Citrus trees are spindly and breaking

8 years ago

we have a lot of citrus trees in our yard that were not taken care of over the years and while they are growing a lot, they are spindly with limbs that are all over the place and breaking as they flop over from heavy fruit.

would it be a better idea to just completely trim the spindly limbs down and then train the tree the right way or could i get away with allowing the tree to continue growing as it with all its unsupported limbs but provide manual support to it through trellis and other types of anchors?

there is so much growth and fruit i would simply hate to see it go to waste by hacking it all off.

Featured Answer

Dee

8 years ago

last modified: 8 years ago

If it were my tree, I would first remove any branches that are crossing or touching other branches. Then after all the fruit is harvested, trim back some of the older branches about 1/3 to encourage the limbs to thicken up for next year's fruit. You don't want to shock the tree by removing too much of its branches all at once. Then, the following year, if you still need to cut, do another 1/3. Fruit usually is produced on new growth so the fruit is usually on the tips of branches. Not sure if you use all the fruit that is produced, but thinning the fruit would help a bit too. You are lucky to have such productive trees.

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Comments (6)

poncirusguy6b452xx
8 years ago
Pictures please
Ike Stewart
8 years ago
I agree we need pictures, having said that my general rule is never prune citrus, with the possible exception of some wildly growing drooping limb
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ahappy camper zone10
Original Author
8 years ago
Thank you for the response you two. Here are photos. What do you think?
evdesert 9B Indio, CA
8 years ago
I agree with what Denise has suggested and would add that if you are giving the limbs additional support (looks like the ladder is holding up branches) to not do that. If you provide support the limbs will never thicken up properly to support the amount of fruit your tree is putting out. The branches need to bend a little to gain strength and thicken up, yes some may break, but when that happens just trim it back and it will grow back stronger and thicker next year. Your tree looks great otherwise.

Evan
johnmerr
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Prune off any limbs growing in a downward direction; any branches crossing the center; and cut back any watersprouts back to the general level of the canopy.