A:The ideal pH for a citrus tree is 6.0 to 6.5, if it's on citrus roots, or 5.5 to 6.0, if budded/grafted to Poncirus roots or one of the Poncirus hybrids (citrumelo, citrange, etc.) Ideally, you should have your soil tested. A local extension office may do it for you, or even a local college or high school with a chemistry dept. Or you can buy fairly cheap pH meters or even cheaper pH testing paper (not very accurate, but perhaps close enough).

Potted citrus trees can be planted almost anytime of the year. Fall and Spring are two of the better times. Since newly planted citrus trees are not as cold hardy as more mature ones, Fall planting should be done at least two (2) months before freezing temperatures can be expected.

Spring is an ideal time to plant new citrus trees. Garden centers have a good supply to pick from, and the trees are ready to begin root and shoot growth. Make sure you give the new tree a sunny site and space the trees at least 12 to 15 feet apart. If you miss the spring planting season, don't worry. Container-grown trees are available year-round. They can be added to the landscape anytime.

Start with what you like. If you like oranges pick a naval, blood, or Valencia. If you like grapefruit pick the white Marsh or a pink Ruby. What you really need to consider is where your citrus is going to be grown. Some are more susceptible to frost damage than others. And although there is always talk about covering citrus trees to get them through the cold nights of winter it's a lot of work.

The state is working with the USDA and UF/IFAS to determine new management strategies for citrus diseases. Recommendations for dealing with trees suspected of having citrus canker will be available soon. For now, you should not move any citrus plant material or fruit from your property and avoid coming into contact with the suspect plant to prevent spread of the disease. Do not mail or bring samples of suspected citrus canker or greening to extension offices.

Oranges and grapefruit are highly susceptible to foot rot disease, caused by Phytophthora citropthora and P. nicotiana. Some rootstocks offer considerable resistance to that disease. So on infested land, it's important to use such a stock. Rootstock variety has some effect on the strength of flavor of the fruit, the sweetness, total yield of the tree, and cold-hardiness of the tree. Some citrus scion varieties are difficult to root from cuttings.

Air layers work best with a stem thicker than a finger -- maybe thumb size. But thinner stems can be layered if you're very careful not to break them. It's easiest to work when the plant is actively putting out new growth, since the bark will "slip," meaning it will peel cleanly away from the wood. Cut a ring around the stem, cutting through the bark to the wood. Don't go deeply into the wood. You can use a knife or the blade of a pruning clipper.

Please do not mail or bring in samples to your county extension office. Instead, please ask them to send an agent out to examine your tree.

pH is a measure of the acidity ("sourness") or alkalinity ("sweetness") of soil. The scale ranges from 1 to 14, but few soils are more acidic that 5 or more alkaline than 9. A pH of 7 is perfectly neutral, but most plants grow best when the pH is a slightly acidic between 6.5. Soils in areas with low rainfall tend to be alkaline. Where rainfall is high, soils are more often acidic. This happens because rainfall gradually washes calcium from soil.

Sooty Mold - Appears as a black, sooty growth on the upper side of leaves. Is harmless, but indicates that an insect was or is present (usually aphids, whiteflies or scales). Whiteflies. As these piercing-sucking insects feed on the undersides of the leaves, they secrete a sticky, clear fluid that drops onto the leaves below. Sooty mold grows upon this secretion. Sooty Mold Water or Varietal Problem. The problem of splitting fruits usually occurs in the early fall.

Chewing insect - Usually either a grasshopper or caterpillar. Damage is usually contained to a small proportion of leaves and should be ignored. The caterpillar is called an Orange Dog, and is the larval stage of the beautiful Giant Swallowtail butterfly.

Trees are simple in that slings can easily be wrapped around large branches. Once the slings are in place, a block and tackle or hoist can be easily attached.

To be able to make a delicious glass of fresh juice in the morning there are a variety of citrus juicers available. Using these juicers allows you to make the most out of your oranges, lemons, limes, tangerines, and grapefruits. To get fresh juice in the morning Citrus juicers are created just to handle these specific types of fruits. Other juices may not handle citrus fruit as well because they contain different components like seeds, thicker skins and segmentation.

All of them; there is no best tree. Each one offers very good abilities all of which complements the paladin's play style. A better question to ask yourself would be, "What kind of Paladin do I want to be?" If you are beginning a new Paladin, your first five talent points should go into Spiritual Focus. This will help you in every way in your quest to reach level 60, since it allows you to reliably heal in combat (especially so once you receive Concentration Aura).

First of all, if it's your first all grain then forget the pH. Or at most measure it only for your records. Don't waste money on a pH meter you may never use again - at this point you may yet discover that mashing isn't for you. But realistically, pH papers are fine. Don't waste your money on a meter at all. If you really want to, then check the pH both of the water prior to the mash, and of the mash itself. Also check your sparge water pH, especially if you treat it with some sort of acid.

Citrus can be replanted, but must be purchased from certified nurseries that are registered with the state. Decontamination requirements have been lifted for lawn maintenance companies operating in canker quarantine areas. However, the Department encourages good sanitation practices to protect plants from harmful pests and diseases. Citrus material (trees, fruit, rootstock, leaves, potted citrus plants, etc.) should not be moved from the state without a limited permit from the USDA.

Clearwater city limits include a wide array of soil and site conditions that should be considered before planting any tree, but the best suited trees for most soil conditions is the "Live Oak" (quercus virginiana). The Live Oak is tolerant of many pests and adverse conditions such as salt spray and drought. The Live Oak has been adopted as the "City Tree" for Clearwater due to its' top notch performance and the benefits it provides. Back to top