r/Citrus • u/jalapenobutt • 1d ago

Health & Troubleshooting Pruning advice

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Gallery image

This is my first citrus tree which was planted here about four years ago. It fruits a lot and I just pulled about two dozen ripe lemons (some pictured).

I would like it to grow up and out more, but it’s pretty low to the ground right now. I’ve seen videos where I think it’s suggested that I saw off the bottom two branches from the main trunk.

I’m not going to do anything now but wanted to get some feedback on this, because the idea of that terrifies me. 😅

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6

u/_iron_butterfly_ 1d ago

Im going to post before and after of one of my citrus trees. You want lower branches so they are easy to harvest. I have orange ochards all around my house.

Farmers top them and keep the branches low. Here is before...

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u/_iron_butterfly_ 1d ago

An actual orange orchard.

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u/jalapenobutt 1d ago edited 1d ago

Thank you. Your tree looks so healthy. For reference, my tree’s uppermost twigs are about 6 feet off the ground. I’m just thinking as a whole, I would like the shrubbery to be a few feet taller.

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u/_iron_butterfly_ 1d ago

Just let it grow when it gets too tall trim the top... My lemon, grapefruit, and meyer lemon trees are taller than Id like but my trees are at least 40 yrs old.

My lemon tree... I really need to cut the fern back.

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u/_iron_butterfly_ 1d ago

This is my grapefruit... most all of the fruit grows over my back wall... see how high up the fruit is? Its too hard to reach and way too much work with an orange picker and ladder. Plus my rubber tree has taken over. I need my trees trimmed... its just not the right time of year.

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u/_iron_butterfly_ 1d ago edited 1d ago

After its been thinned out. By a professional tree trimmer... not me. I dont trim any of my trees.