Planting an orange tree requires careful evaluation of your property and soil type. Learn how to plant, grow, water and harvest an orange tree correctly below.

If you've been wondering how to plant an orange tree, wonder no longer. These citrus beauties love to be planted in the springtime. They also enjoy sipping from well-watered soil, but they don't like sitting in pools of moisture.

Below, we'll outline everything you need to know to get started. We'll discuss how to prepare the soil, when to plant, and how to nurture a crop of mouth-watering beauties. Let's get started.

1. Time and Location

There's a reason why the south is the home of the orange. These trees require a lot of sunlight to thrive. Summer is certainly their best season, but there's a little more to it than that.

Orange trees, like people, need a bit of time to acclimate to their new surroundings. If you start the planting in early spring, then they'll be well-positioned to stand strong come summertime.

2. Soil Conditions

These are hearty trees that can survive in a variety of soil conditions. The main concern is drainage. If the soil doesn't drain well, then our orange tree is going to struggle.

For optimal conditions, plant your orange tree in a mixture of clay, organic matter, and sand. Then, you'll want to test the area using the "one by one" rule.

Saturate the ground until you have one inch of standing water on the soil's surface. That water should absorb into the soil after an hour. If it doesn't, then you know you need to change the conditions. Likely, adding more sand will help.

3. Planting

When it's time to plant your tree, take a look at the root ball. The hole you dig needs to be twice the diameter of the root ball. This will allow it to spread and flourish.

As for depth, the top of the root ball should remain an inch above your topsoil because it settles into the ground once established.

Are you planting multiple trees? If they're a standard size, space them anywhere from 12 to 25 feet apart. If you've invested in dwarf trees, then they'll only need six to ten feet between them.

4. Watering

In early spring, when you've first planted your orange tree, you should water it every few days. Consistent watering will help it grow. When you see that the top soil's dry, you'll know it's time to water.

Water the tree until you notice the first five to six inches of the soil are moist. Remember, it's important your orange tree moist, but not waterlogged. There should be no standing water. Here's more about watering citrus trees.

5. Harvesting

When will your golden fruit be prime for plucking? Citrus fruit tends to take six to eight months to ripen. Although this varies from climate to climate, if you've planted in early spring, then you can start checking your fruit at the end of the year.

January is often the best time for harvesting orange trees. When you think it's time, pick one of your oranges and test it for flavor.

It's important to only pick your oranges when they're ripe. They won't continue to ripen once they've been plucked from the tree.

How to Plant an Orange Tree

What are the essential ingredients for a successful orange tree? Time, care, and attention. As you start to wonder how to plant an orange tree, remember your timing and soil conditions. Orange trees will thrive in the summer and don't like to be oversaturated with water.

Growing trees is fun, but if you want to have delicious, seasonal citrus fruit right away, join the Craft Citrus Club!

Get a curated box of fresh-harvested citrus fruit from South Texas sent to your door every month!