Plant Citrus in the Mojave Desert Just Be Smart About It

I receive quite a few questions regarding growing citrus in the Las Vegas Valley. Some people even accuse me of not telling people to plant citrus here. That’s far from the truth. But you should be aware that there are two strikes against citrus growing well here. It’s your job, after you are aware of that, to make the right decisions and care needed by them.

Calamansi fruit in Batangas, Philippines

            First of all, as I tell a number of my students, when we choose plants that are not 100% compatible with our desert climate then it will “cost” you in personal time,  energy and money to grow them here. That isn’t the same as telling people not to plant them.

            The first strike against them is their port to variable tolerance to freezing temperatures during the winter. Plant them in the warmest part of your landscape and keep them out of the way of cold winter winds. This may require establishing a man-made windbreak on your property to prevent these wins from causing damage.

            The second strike is when they flower. Oftentimes they flower in early spring when very light freezing temperatures are possible. If freezing temperatures occur when they are producing flower buds or small fruit flower and small fruit tolerance to these freezing temperatures are practically nil. This is the primary reason for erratic production of a fruit crop by one of our most popular “lemons”, Meyers, even though it’s one of the most freeze tolerant of the citrus.

            All citrus trees are subtropical. Most do very well on our farm in the Philippines where it is tropical. We don’t have the same problems with cold temperatures that wreck havoc on these trees in our cold desert climate.

            Plant citrus in your landscape and have fun and enjoy their production. But do it wisely. Understand the limitations of your landscape. Find or create “warm pockets” or “cool pockets” where you can grow quality food whether it is vegetables or fruit production. Finding or creating these microclimates will produce the highest quality food possible for you.

Harvest time of citrus University of Arizona