I moved into a house in November and have four orange trees in the backyard.?

Question

1. When is the fruit good to eat?
2. What should I do to prepare for next season?
3. When is next season?
4. How can I tell what type of orange they are.

They are already orange, some more than others. The fruit is not real sweet but not too sour to eat. Someone share some knowledge please. Oh yeah, I'm in San Diego, CA.

Answer 1

Pick the fruit in January or the end of December. Fertilize and trim the tree afterward. I am not sure how to tell what kind of oranges they are but you could ask the neighbors if they have trees like this too, or bring one to a nursery specialist.

Answer 2

Navel oranges (large seedless, with belly button) are ripe now in San Diego. Valencia oranges (with seeds, for juicing) ususally are ripe there in the Spring. Then there are tangerines, manderins, grapefruit, pummelo, not to mention the hybrids.

Check with County Cooperative Extension/Master Gardeners in your area for detailed expert advice. UC Riverside is another source of information on Citrus--they have a research center.

A great book by Lance Walheim is Citrus:Complete guide to selecting and growing mor than 100 varieties... ISBN 0-9628236-4-3.

Where I am in Northern California, February is the time to spray for scale and aphids.

Answer 3

All I know is that all fruit trees attract bugs. You are going to have to spray them.