Spring is the Time,
Kerby's is the Place

April 17, 2013   

Orange juice, squeezed just minutes after picking? Now that's fresh.

Fresh picked oranges, juiced just minutes after you harvest them from the trees in your backyard. Now that's delicious and it is easier than you think. Kerby's has lots of citrus trees in stock now, waiting to make your backyard grove a reality. If you think your yard is too small, Kerby's has a solution to that: dwarf citrus trees. These trees produce full-sized fruits, but only grow five to six feet tall. Perfect for small yards, patios or even apartments. So whether you like a grapefruit with breakfast or make the best key lime pie in town, Kerby's has a citrus tree for you. Come check them out on the Fruit Walk, along with all of the other yummy fruit trees. It will definitely tantalize your taste buds. See below for information on growing and caring for citrus trees, and don't miss this Saturday's Citrus Workshop. 

Abby checks the tomato plants in her garden.

Remember that now is the time to keep watching for pests and disease in your veggie gardens. Abby helped in the garden this week by checking on the tomato plants growing in our Earthboxes. Fortunately the tomatoes are loving this warm weather and are getting close to harvest. No bugs have found them yet. There is nothing worse than losing veggies to pesky bugs, just before they've ripened, so we'll keep checking. To prevent problems, spray weekly with Triple Action Plus (neem oil) or Thuricide (BT). Both are safe for vegetables and help keep pests away.

Happy Gardening, The Kerby's Nursery Family	Forward to a Friend Follow us on Facebook

In This Issue
Growing Citrus Trees

Featured Plant

Upcoming Events
Workshop:
Growing and Caring for  Citrus Trees
Sat. Apr 20th at 10am

Citrus Trees
5 Gallon Pot - $49.99
Dwarf Citrus - $75.00  

Fortuniana Grafted Roses
2 for $50

While Supplies Last

Waterlilies & Venus Fly Traps are in

Click to See
What's Just in
at Kerby's

Avocado Trees $49.99 10" Pot

Featured Plant
Avocados
Persea americana

Did you know that avocado trees like the same conditions as citrus trees? Well-drained soil and full sun are all you need to grow tasty avocados. There are lots of varieties in stock now at Kerby's, including Haas, Lula and new this year Dwarf Wurtz (that's right - an avocado tree that stays 12 to 15 feet tall!) Come check them out along with all of the other yummy fruit trees on the Fruit Walk at Kerby's.

Growing Delicious Citrus

Below are some simple tips for growing great citrus. They really are one of the easiest fruits to grow in this area and offer you great nutrition, too.  

Planting -  Citrus trees don't mind our sandy soil because it keeps them from getting too wet, but they do need some rich material that can hold some water and nutrients close to the root system. For a 5 Gallon citrus tree, we recommend using one bag of our Kerby's Planting soil when installing new trees. See our planting instructions for more detailed information.  Citrus must be planted in an area that drains well; they will not tolerate wet soil or standing water.

Watering - Fruit split, fruit drying, blossom drop and other problems with citrus are often caused by poor watering practices. Newly planted trees should be watered daily for the first month, every other day in the second month and twice weekly in the third month. Thereafter trees should receive at least an inch of water per week over the entire root system. Did you know that a mature citrus tree can use up to 90 gallons of water per week! If mother nature is not supplying the water in the form of rain, make sure you are watering your trees to keep them healthy and the fruit juicy. 

What goes underneath a citrus tree? The short answer is nothing! Citrus have shallow root systems, with up to 90% of their roots being in the top two feet of soil. This means that any flowers or even grass will compete with the tree for nutrients. The healthiest trees are kept free of weeds, grass and mulch underneath.

Fertilizing - Just like us, citrus trees need their nutrients. For the first year, fertilize monthly with a complete, balanced fertilizer such as Kerby's 8-4-8. This fertilizer contains all of the important micronutrients, such as iron, manganese and zinc, which are all important for plant health and fruit development. In the second year and beyond, fertilize three times per year (spring, summer and fall). Spread the fertilizer evenly from the trunk of the tree out to the drip line.

Upcoming Events

Workshop: Growing Delicious Citrus
Saturday, April 20th at 10am

Citrus are a staple fruit tree in Florida. From oranges to tangerines, and lemons to limes there is a wide variety of citrus to suit everyone's tastes. At this workshop, we'll discuss planting and care of citrus trees and what you can do to get the best harvests.  

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Open Seven Days a Week
Monday - Saturday,  9:00am - 5:30pm
Sunday,  9:00am - 4:00pm