How often and how to drip irrigate my orange tree?
Did you know that the citrus family is one of the most demanding in everything that has to do with the subject of irrigation?
That’s how it is. Their internal processes are impossible to carry out if the amount of moisture in the soil does not give them the happiness they need.
The consequences of not applying a good irrigation end up being devastating and the least we want is for something like this to happen to you.
That is why we have decided to give you this post about drip irrigation for orange trees so that you can always have a crop of 10. Are you interested?
Important points when drip watering an orange tree:
- Irrigation frequency: for the winter season, they can be set to weekly or fortnightly, depending on whether there is rain or not. In the dry period these irrigations should be increased to about three per week.
- Irrigation method: drip.
- Optimum time of day for irrigation: in the morning.
- Identify excess water: root rot, fruits that fall before ripening or that do not develop well, stems in poor structural condition.
- Identify lack of water: poor development of young trees, little foliage and flowers, fruits that do not grow as they should.
What irrigation needs do orange trees have by drip?
Orange trees need a more or less constant amount of water throughout their life cycle.However, in all orange trees the requirements will not be the same because factors such as age, climatic conditions, among others, influence.
During the rainy season, they are able to receive the appropriate amount of hydration naturally, but in the dry season this is not the case. Hence, various studies have shown that the most suitable way to offer correct hydration is the drip irrigation system.
How can we detect lack of drip irrigation in orange trees?
Trees that are in the process of development will see their growth rate slow down.
On the other hand, the quantity and quality of the foliage will also have negative consequences, which will influence the formation of fruits.
Oranges are fruits with high water content. If the tree does not have good support in this matter, the fruits may remain small or lack juice.
In general, orange trees (and almost all citrus) are capable of surviving a certain time in drought, but causing a negative impact on production.
How often should we drip water orange trees?
The irrigation needs in orange trees vary depending on the stage in which they are. Before flowering, its demands are not very high and much less when it is in vegetative rest because it does not suffer from transpiration.
The normal thing during these rest cycles is to provide a weekly or fortnightly irrigation, depending on the characteristics of the land. When the time is of greater drought and heat, the irrigations will have to respond to a more accelerated frequency, being located in about three weekly irrigations.
What is the best way to drip irrigate orange trees?
Drip irrigation of orange trees is considered the best way to fulfill this purpose because it ensures that the base of the plant will receive the liquid. In this way, irrigation supplies the necessary amount of water but drop by drop, which prevents waterlogging from occurring.
Also noteworthy is the fact that the drip irrigation system helps distribute the water better, ensuring that the entire plantation receives the same amount. This means, in turn, that there will be considerable savings in the amount of water used, because it is a very efficient process.
On the other hand, drip irrigation is advantageous for fertigation, which helps provide nutrients to crops without much more work.
How do we detect excess water in orange trees by dripping?
Orange trees are prone to different types of diseases when they are subjected to excessive irrigation.Root rot is the main condition that arises from excessive irrigation, but other symptoms can also be noticed, such as:
- Leaves that turn yellow and are sometimes confused with chlorosis.
- Stems that are soft to the touch.
- Fruits that fall prematurely or that develop but are in poor condition, losing their commercial value.
Drip irrigation of orange trees is the best way to achieve optimal soil conditions. All this task must be complemented with the use of appropriate fertilizations that improve conditions and promote an optimal harvest.
The idea is to know very well the characteristics and demands of the plantation to be able to adapt what is described here and offer you exactly what you need.
Bibliographic references
- Study of the effect of drip irrigation in a field of orange trees Navelina variety comparing it with another irrigation amanta, Á Casanoves Caballero – 2018 – riunet.upv.es
- Use of potassium nitrate and potassium chloride in drip irrigation in Valencia Late orange trees on different patterns, MG Montesinos, IRG Bolinches… – Alquibla: Revista de…, 1999 – dialnet.unirioja.es
- Project for the design, planting and drip irrigation of 29.57 ha of orange trees and construction of a water storage pond on the El Serafín farm in …, J Fernández Reyes – 2014 – idus.us.es
- Deficit drip irrigation in Salustiana adult orange trees for seven years, JR Castel, A Buj – Agricultural research. Production and …, 1993 – pascal-francis.inist.fr
- Design and implementation of technical irrigation [micro – sprinkler irrigation and drip irrigation] in an avocado and citrus orchard in the town of Mallarauco, A Marin, A Veronica – 1996 – sidalc.net
- ECONOMIC-PRODUCTIVE EVALUATION OF THREE LOCALIZED IRRIGATION SYSTEMS IN ORANGE (Citrus sinensis L.), A PANNUNZIO, PT SORIA, L BORELLO – core.ac.uk
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