Citrus trees are a popular and rewarding addition to many backyard gardens, providing delicious fruit and a touch of exotic beauty. However, to get the most out of your citrus trees, you need to provide them with the right nutrients, and that means choosing the best fertilizer.
Not all fertilizers are created equal, and some may not be ideal for the specific needs of citrus trees. In this guide, we'll explore the best fertilizer for citrus trees, taking into account factors like nutrient content, ease of use, and safety for your trees and family.
Our Top Picks:
Best Overall Citrus Tree Fertilizer: Miracle-Gro Citrus Tree Fertilizer
Best Slow Release Fertilizer: Jobe's 01002 Citrus Tree Fertilizer
Best Organic Option: Down to Earth Organic Citrus Fertilizer
Best Easy-to-Use Formula: Ez-Gro Citrus Tree Fertilizer
Best Water-Soluble Option: J R Peters Inc Citrus Tree Fertilizer
Best Complete Organic Fertilizer: Hoss Complete Organic Fertilizer
Also read: Best Fertilizers for Fruit Trees
With the right fertilizer, you can help your citrus trees grow healthy, strong, and full of juicy fruit. Keep reading to discover the best fertilizer for your citrus trees and enjoy a bountiful harvest.
TL;DR
Citrus trees require a balanced source of nutrients to grow healthy and produce abundant fruit. Here are six popular fertilizer options for citrus trees:
- Miracle-Gro Citrus Tree Fertilizer: This fertilizer provides a balanced source of essential nutrients, including nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, to promote healthy growth and abundant fruit production.
- Jobe’s 01002 Citrus Tree Fertilizer: This fertilizer is specifically formulated for citrus trees and contains a balanced source of essential nutrients, including nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, to promote healthy growth and abundant fruit production.
- Down to Earth Organic Citrus Fertilizer: This organic fertilizer provides a balanced source of essential nutrients, including nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, to promote healthy growth and abundant fruit production.
- Ez-Gro Citrus Tree Fertilizer: This fertilizer provides a balanced source of essential nutrients, including nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, to promote healthy growth and abundant fruit production.
- J R Peters Inc Citrus Tree Fertilizer: This fertilizer is specifically formulated for citrus trees and contains a balanced source of essential nutrients, including nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, to promote healthy growth and abundant fruit production.
- Hoss Complete Organic Fertilizer: This organic fertilizer provides a balanced source of essential nutrients, including nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, to promote healthy growth and abundant fruit production.
Also read: Best Fertilizer for Tomatoes
Miracle-Gro Citrus Tree Fertilizer
We have used this product extensively and have found it to be an effective and cost-efficient fertilizer for mature lemon trees, citrus, mango, and avocado trees.
One of the best features of this product is that it contains essential nutrients like iron, sulfur, magnesium, and potassium, which are crucial for healthy plant growth. It promotes more fruit and lush foliage and is easy to use with spikes that release nutrients directly into the root zone. The spikes can last up to three months, making them an efficient and long-lasting solution for tree fertilization.
At ColumbiaFlorist.net, we recommend this product for mature lemon trees and other citrus trees. It is an easy-to-use fertilizer that works well for trees, shrubs, evergreens, fruit, citrus, and palm trees. It can be used annually, in the spring and early fall, for a continuous release of nutrients.
Also read: Best Fertilizers for Peppers
However, one downside of this product is that it can be overpowering on young or potted lemon trees. Also, the spikes can be difficult to insert in hard soil, and the plastic toppers provided are not of the best quality. But with a little bit of patience and care, the spikes can be inserted into the soil, releasing the essential nutrients required by the plants.
I have seen many positive reviews on the ease of use and effectiveness of the product, but some negative reviews mention the difficulty of inserting the spikes in hard soil and the lack of quality in the plastic toppers. But at ColumbiaFlorist.net, we have found that with a bit of preparation and patience, the spikes can be inserted into the soil, and the plants will thrive with the essential nutrients.
In conclusion, Miracle-Gro Citrus Tree Fertilizer is an effective and cost-efficient fertilizer that is suitable for mature lemon trees, citrus, mango, and avocado trees. At ColumbiaFlorist.net, we recommend this product to anyone looking for an easy-to-use fertilizer that promotes healthy plant growth and lush foliage.
Also read: Fertilizers for Palm Trees
Jobe’s 01002 Citrus Tree Fertilizer
This amazing product is perfect for those who want to promote healthy growth in their fruit, citrus, and nut trees.
One of the standout features of this product is its ease of use. The pre-measured spikes are mess-free and easy to apply, making fertilization a breeze. The slow-release nutrients ensure a continuous supply of nutrients to the plants, and there's no wasteful runoff or mess, making it safe for both plants and people.
At ColumbiaFlorist.net, we have found this product to be ideal for use on fruit, citrus, and nut trees. We have used Jobe's Fruit & Citrus Tree Spikes on a transplanted olive tree that quickly regained full foliage after application. However, we did not use the spikes on a potted tree due to unclear instructions about the minimum distance from the trunk.
Related: Fertilizers for Garlic
One downside of this product is that the spikes may be prone to breakage, and they may not be suitable for potted trees. But as long as you follow the instructions carefully, this product can do wonders for your trees.
Jobe's 01002 Citrus Tree Fertilizer features a timed-release formula for efficacy and has an NPK ratio of 8-11-11. There's no chemical smell, and it's available in sizes of 5, 9, 15, and 160 spikes. It's ideal for use in early spring and late fall, providing the plants with the necessary nutrients for healthy growth.
The manufacturer of this product, Easy Gardener, distributes over 200 lawn and garden products. Jobe's Fertilizer Spikes for Fruit and Citrus Trees are specifically designed for continuous nutrient supply to the active roots of fruit, citrus, and nut trees. It's a reliable product that you can trust for promoting healthy growth in your trees.
In conclusion, Jobe's 01002 Citrus Tree Fertilizer is an excellent product for promoting healthy growth in your fruit, citrus, and nut trees. It's easy to use, has slow-release nutrients, and provides a continuous supply of nutrients. While there are some downsides, as with any product, we at ColumbiaFlorist.net highly recommend it to anyone looking for an effective and convenient fertilizer for their trees.
Down to Earth Organic Citrus Fertilizer
Down to Earth Organic Citrus Fertilizer is the perfect solution for all your citrus tree's nutritional needs. Packed with primary and secondary nutrients, this granular fertilizer promotes abundant foliage and lush growth for your trees, vines, and ornamentals. Although it can cause fungus, it's worth it for the amazing features it offers. With an NPK ratio of 6-3-3 and secondary nutrients like calcium, sulfur, zinc, and iron, this fertilizer is listed by the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) for use in organic production.
Its ingredients include feather meal, fish bone meal, alfalfa meal, greensand, langbeinite, basalt, sulfate of potash, zinc sulfate, and kelp meal. At Columbia Florist, we use it every two weeks until they see improvement, watering it down well and applying it on the drip line. The Down to Earth Organic Citrus Fertilizer is highly effective in revitalizing citrus trees, good value for the amount of fertilizer, and even helped revive a dying lemon plant in a pot. So why not try it out and give your citrus trees the love they deserve!
Ez-Gro Citrus Tree Fertilizer
This liquid fertilizer is perfect for various tropical fruit-bearing trees like citrus, lemon, lime, and avocado. With added potassium, magnesium, and iron, this fertilizer improves common nutrient deficiencies in citrus trees. Plus, it comes with a free measuring cup!
The advanced 20-3-19 nutrient formula promotes growth and fruit production, making it great for tropical fruiting plants like Meyers Lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit, mango, and kumquat, whether they're potted or in the lawn. We love that this fertilizer is highly concentrated and suitable for both potted and lawn-grown trees.
At ColumbiaFlorist, our customers have seen success in improving the health and growth of their citrus trees with this fertilizer. It's brought new growth and fruit production in various types of citrus trees. So, if you're looking to give your citrus trees a boost, the EZ-Gro Citrus Tree Fertilizer Concentrated is definitely worth a try!
J R Peters Inc Citrus Tree Fertilizer
J R Peters Inc Citrus Tree Fertilizer provides the optimum amount of nutrients needed by citrus plants and contains enhanced micronutrient levels that produce vibrant green leaves, strong branches, and more fruit. The high-quality nutrients are absorbed by the plants through the roots and leaves, so they get everything they need to thrive. It comes in granular form and releases nutrients slowly for the best results. This fertilizer is suitable for use on tropical fruiting plants like Meyer lemons, other lemons and limes, oranges, grapefruits, mangos, and kumquats. We love that there are no cons mentioned!
The advanced formulation contains powerful main ingredients and additional micronutrients, making it perfect for continuous feeding by adding to every watering. It can also be used as a foliar application, and it has no strong smell that may attract dogs.
At ColumbiaFlorist, we've used this fertilizer to boost nutrients for lemon trees, and the improvements were immediate! The tree continued to produce new growth, and we even saved a dying lemon tree by promoting new leaf growth using this fertilizer.
We used it once a week and sprayed it on the leaves to aid in recovery from root rot. If you want to see your citrus trees thrive, J R Peters Inc Citrus Tree Fertilizer is definitely worth a try!
Hoss Complete Organic Fertilizer
This fertilizer is certified 100% organic and has a good NPK ratio for lemon trees. The resealable package is great for storage, and the balanced formulation makes it perfect for any vegetables, flowers, or herbs. We love that it's OMRI certified for organic growing and comes in pelleted form, making it easy to apply. The only con is that it could have a smell since it's made from chicken manure.
The NPK ratio of 5-4-3 is perfect, and it includes 9% calcium for tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant. This fertilizer is ideal for small-scale gardens and should be used prior to planting and side-dress 4 to 6 weeks after planting. We apply 1.5 cups per 10 row ft. prior to planting and 0.75 cups per 10 row ft. 4 weeks after planting.
The guaranteed analysis shows that it has a total nitrogen (N) of 5.0%, water-soluble nitrogen of 1.0%, water-insoluble nitrogen of 4.0%, available phosphate (P2O5) of 4.0%, soluble potash (K2O) of 3.0%, and calcium (Ca) of 9.0%.
At ColumbiaFlorist, we highly recommend Hoss Complete Organic Fertilizer. It's easy to use, and we've seen great results with our lemon trees. So, if you want your citrus trees to thrive, give it a try!
Buyer’s Guide
Citrus trees are popular for their sweet, juicy fruit and vibrant foliage. To keep your citrus trees healthy and productive, it's important to choose the right fertilizer. Here's a buyer's guide for the best fertilizer for citrus trees:
NPK
Nutrient Content (NPK): Citrus trees require a balanced mix of essential nutrients, including nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K), to grow healthy and produce juicy fruit. Look for a fertilizer that provides a balanced ratio of these nutrients, such as a 10-10-10 or 8-8-8 fertilizer.
Type of Fertilizer
There are several types of fertilizers available for citrus trees, including granular, liquid, and water-soluble fertilizers. Choose a fertilizer that is specifically formulated for citrus trees and provides the right balance of essential nutrients for your specific growing conditions.
Pack Volume
Fertilizers for citrus trees are available in a range of pack volumes, from small packages to large bulk bags. Consider the size of your citrus trees and the amount of fertilizer you need to purchase when choosing a pack volume.
Price
Fertilizers for citrus trees are available at a range of prices, from budget-friendly options to high-end products. The price of the fertilizer you choose will depend on the specific product and the type of fertilizer. Be sure to choose a product that fits your budget, but also provides the essential nutrients your citrus trees need to grow healthy and produce juicy fruit.
Efficacy
When choosing a fertilizer for your citrus trees, consider the efficacy of the product. Look for a fertilizer that has been tested and proven to provide the essential nutrients your citrus trees need to grow healthy and productive.
How to Fertilize Citrus Trees
Fertilizing your citrus trees is an important step in maintaining their health and productivity. To fertilize your citrus trees, mix the fertilizer into the soil around the base of the tree or apply it as a foliar spray. Be sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions for the specific fertilizer you choose, as over-fertilization can be harmful to your trees.
Questions you might be asking
What type of fertilizer is best for citrus trees?
Citrus trees require a balanced mix of essential nutrients, including nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. A balanced, slow-release fertilizer that provides these nutrients, such as a 10-10-10 or 8-8-8 fertilizer, is ideal for citrus trees.
How frequently should I fertilize my citrus trees?
The frequency of fertilizer application will depend on the specific fertilizer you choose and the growing conditions of your trees. A slow-release fertilizer may only need to be applied once every 3-4 months, while a liquid fertilizer may need to be applied more frequently. Be sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions for the specific fertilizer you choose.
Which natural fertilizers can I use for my citrus trees?
There are several natural fertilizers that can be used for citrus trees, including compost, bone meal, and rock phosphate. Fish emulsion, seaweed extract, and compost tea are also effective natural fertilizers for citrus trees.
Is it a good idea to use coffee grounds as fertilizer for lemon?
Yes, coffee grounds can be used as fertilizer for lemon trees, as they provide essential nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus. However, coffee grounds should be used in moderation and mixed with other organic materials, such as compost or soil, to avoid over-fertilizing the trees.
When should I apply lemon tree fertilizer?
Lemon trees should be fertilized regularly throughout the growing season, which typically lasts from spring to fall. Be sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions for the specific fertilizer you choose, as the frequency of application may vary depending on the type of fertilizer you use.
Should I use organic or inorganic fertilizer?
Both organic and inorganic fertilizers can be used for citrus trees. Organic fertilizers are made from natural materials, such as compost and bone meal, and can provide your trees with the nutrients they need to grow healthy and produce juicy fruit. Inorganic fertilizers, such as chemical fertilizers, can also be used, but be sure to choose a product that is specifically formulated for citrus trees and provides the right balance of essential nutrients.
What is the best fertilizer for citrus trees?
The best fertilizer for citrus trees will depend on the specific growing conditions and the stage of growth of the trees. A balanced, slow-release fertilizer that provides essential nutrients, such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, is generally best for citrus trees. Some popular fertilizers for citrus trees include 10-10-10, 8-8-8, and 6-6-6.
What is the best fertilizer for lemon trees?
The best fertilizer for lemon trees is a balanced, slow-release fertilizer that provides essential nutrients, such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Some popular fertilizers for lemon trees include 10-10-10, 8-8-8, and 6-6-6.
What is 6-4-6 fertilizer good for?
6-4-6 fertilizer is a balanced fertilizer that provides essential nutrients, including nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, in the ratio of 6-4-6. This fertilizer can be used for a variety of plants, including citrus trees, to provide them with the nutrients they need to grow healthy and produce juicy fruit.
In conclusion, when choosing a fertilizer for your citrus trees, it's important to consider the nutrient content, type of fertilizer, frequency of application, organic vs. inorganic options, and stage.
Sources we used in this research: