Q: I have a green and healthy navel orange that is about 5 feet tall and that was planted about 4 1/2 years ago. But I have never had any fruit that matures. I get some blossoms, but I never get any oranges. What should I do about it?
A: First of all, your tree is not that old. Generally, it takes two or three years before a young citrus matures and bears fruit, and your tree is just a little bit older than that. But the other problem is that navel oranges generally don’t like a hot, dry climate like we have in Southern Arizona. If you get a hot, dry, windy day in June, all those orange blossoms can get knocked off and no fruit gets started.
For more do-it-yourself tips, go to rosieonthehouse.com. An Arizona home building and remodeling industry expert for 25 years, Rosie Romero is the host of the syndicated Saturday morning Rosie on the House radio program, heard locally from 8-11 a.m. on KNST-AM (790) in Tucson and KGVY-AM (1080) and -FM (100.7) in Green Valley. Call 888-767-4348.
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You can try to trick those navel oranges by planting other trees around them to protect them from heat and wind.
You may also not be doing enough fertilizing. August-September is a good time of year to fertilize; so try to do it as soon as possible. Then fertilize again in January-February and again in April-May.
Check charts online for how much and what type of fertilizer to use, depending on the size and age of your plant.
