Home :: Newsletter

Oranges

Citrus sinensis
Year-round

In Our Garden

Sanquinelli Blood Oranges
These beautiful oranges were chosen for the garden for their distinctive interior. The rich red juice of this variety is a great addition to many salads, marinades, and desserts.

Cara Cara Navels
Introduced from Venezuela this cross between a Washington navel and the Brazilian Bahai, Cara Cara navels have pink flesh with a sweet taste and low acidity.

Valencia

Washington Navels
Navel oranges are actually secondary oranges that develop at the base of the primary fruit. The Washington Navel variety was developed in Brazil and imported to California in the late 1800’s.

In History

Oranges are native to China and Southeast Asia. The tree made a slow path west through India and Arabia before finally reaching Europe where it was recorded as growing in Sicily in A.D. 1002. It was the Spanish who later brought the orange to North America where they planted it around missions in California.

A pity, but oranges were unknown to both the ancient Greeks and Romans.

Cultivation

Growing Tips:
Citrus is ideal for cultivation in the Central Valley where the summers are hot and the winters are mild. Orange varieties should be selected for growth in a region based on their tolerance for frost and freezes --- in general, the sweeter the fruit, the more heat it requires for a ‘fruitful’ production, and the less likely it is able to withstand a prolonged period of sub-freezing temperatures.

Soil type is relatively unimportant to a citrus tree provided that the soil is rich in nitrogen, moist and drains well. Avoid standing water in the soil to discourage fungal diseases from attacking the trees.

Harvesting Tips:
Unlike many other fruits, oranges do not continue to ripen once they have been harvested, and it is not wise to select for harvest based on color alone. Truth-be-told, the best way to tell if an orange is ripe is to peel it and take a bite! If you taste one right off the tree in July, however, you’ll be puckered-up because these fruits ripen in late fall --- at the very earliest!

 

Pest Management

Here is a list of common pests and diseases that may affect your orange tree in California. For more information follow the link provided to the University of California Integrated Pest Management website.

• Citrus red mite
  These tiny arachnids can be hard to detect, and may go not even be noticed until they have left! There are different varieties of mites, and they are a common pest to a wide range of vegetables and fruits. They suck the liquid out of plant foliage, and often leave yellowing at the feeding site. Often, plants will recover once the mites have left…
  Click for more info.
• Leafrollers
  Especially troublesome to fruit trees, leafrollers can cause serious damage to both leaves and fruit. Besides being eaten, leaves are rolled and tied up by silken threads to create shelter for the larvae, which can actually defoliate the tree…
  Click for more info.
• Citrus cutworm
  Night-feeding larvae that burrow into the soil during the day make their presence known by severing plant stems and chomping away at the foliage and buds of just about any crop…
  Click for more info.
• Citrus thrips
  Commonly found in gardens and on farms, thrips are a blessing and a burden. While their feeding can cause some scarring to leaves, flowers and fruit surfaces, the effect on overall crop yield is insignificant. Some varieties play a beneficial predatory role by feeding on other insects…
  Click for more info.
• Mealybugs
  The mealybug is attracted to trees, vines and shrubs where it is content to suck sap from the plant’s stems, leaves and shoots. They excrete honeydew and produce wax, which are difficult to remove from fruit…
  Click for more info.
• Whiteflies
  The nymphs and adults extract juices from plant leaves, causing them to turn brown and curl. They prefer warm climates, and reproduce very quickly under appropriate weather conditions…
  Click for more info.
• Aphids
  In the early 19th century, the Phylloxera aphid wiped out the grape production throughout Western Europe. Aphids are extremely prolific, producing upwards of 20 generations in one season. They live in dense populations, and when living situations become too stressed they can flee by growing wings…
  Click for more info.
• Scales
  It is difficult to recognize these often immobile creatures as insects. They lose their legs just days after hatching and will firmly attach themselves to any plant surface where they pierce the plant and suck out its juices. Their plentiful honeydew attracts other pests and promotes mold growth, and in large infestations the damage can be devastating…
  Click for more info.