Pruning Citrus Fruit Salad Tree

Q. When should I prune a "salad" tree?  Mine has 5 varieties of lemons and 2 oranges and is almost 5 years old.  I am afraid of pruning the wrong branches and affecting the varieties and yield.

A. Pruning a “salad tree” is more difficult than a fruit tree with only a single type of fruit growing on it. Think of your “salad tree” having different fruit growing on it, all sharing a common trunk or large limb. When pruning, it is important to remember that each type of fruit growing on that tree needs its own space.  

            Some types of lemons and oranges have stronger growth than others. Your job when pruning is to prune back the strongest growth of those varieties so that the weaker varieties can survive. Otherwise the weaker varieties will die out from competition and only the strongest growing varieties will survive. This is the main reason why “salad trees” end up with two or three varieties that survive after a few years.

            Your job is to be the chief mediator or referee when pruning. Surrounding strong growth needs to give up space through pruning so the weaker varieties have a chance at survival. When you bought the tree, each of the varieties had a label so that you knew where they were located. It’s important to keep these labels up to date so you see where different varieties are located. This helps to create space for new growth when pruning. It also teaches you which varieties are stronger than others.

            Citrus, in general, is easy to prune. Pruning is done immediately after harvest. Any suckers are removed from the main trunk up to a height of about 18 inches. The canopy, or top of the tree, does not need extensive pruning. If crossing limbs are found, the offensive limb is removed at the trunk or a major limb. If a limb is growing on top of another limb, one of them is removed in the same way.

            Rather than a “fruit salad” tree for small landscapes I prefer to grow individual trees planted close together; sometimes referred to as “planting in the same hole”. These individual trees are pruned separately so that they occupy their own spaces. The result is the same; smaller harvests at different times of the year but the pruning is much easier.