Citrus Calendar: Orange, Lemon, and More

Citrus is evergreen, so there is no true dormancy, and the calendar revolves around freezes, bloom and slow fruit development. Different types ripen in different seasons.

Key points

Choose citrus types by your coldest nights.
Prepare freeze protection before the forecast turns cold.
Taste, not color, tells you when fruit is ripe.
Check state quarantine rules before moving plants or fruit.

Which citrus types tolerate cold best?

Citrus is sensitive to freezing temperatures, and tolerance varies by type. Some mandarins and kumquats handle cold better than oranges, while lemons and limes are generally more cold sensitive. Extension publications from Arizona, Florida and Louisiana discuss these differences for their regions.

Choose a type that matches your coldest nights, not just your average winter. Hardiness zones do not capture frost frequency, so ask extension for local experience with each type.

Container citrus offers flexibility in cold areas, since pots can be moved to shelter. Choose a roomy pot with good drainage and a mix that does not hold water.

How do you protect citrus from freezes?

Plan protection before the cold arrives. Watering the soil before a freeze, covering trees with a breathable fabric that reaches the ground, and placing a heat source safely under the cover are common practices described by extension offices. Young trees are the most vulnerable and need the most attention.

Wrap or mound the trunk of young trees in cold areas, and uncover once the freeze has passed so heat does not build up. Check the National Weather Service forecast during cold snaps.

Water the soil before a predicted freeze
Cover to the ground, not just over the top
Uncover when temperatures rise

When do citrus trees bloom and set fruit?

Citrus typically blooms in spring, often with a heavy flush of fragrant flowers. Only a small share of flowers set fruit, and fruit drops during the weeks after bloom as the tree adjusts its load. Do not worry about natural drop.

Fruit then grows through summer and ripens months later. Some types hold fruit on the tree for a long period, so harvest can spread across many weeks.

Watch for natural fruit drop and do not react by overwatering or overfeeding. A tree that sets a heavy crop sheds fruit it cannot carry.

What does the watering and feeding calendar look like?

Citrus needs steady moisture, with deep, infrequent watering preferred over frequent shallow watering. Container trees dry out faster and need closer attention. Heavy rain after drought can cause fruit splitting.

Feed according to a soil or leaf test and local advice, rather than a fixed schedule. Nutrient management rules vary by state, and some regions restrict fertilizer use near waterways.

Mulch around the root zone but keep it away from the trunk. Check soil moisture with a finger or probe before watering, since overwatering is as harmful as drought.

When is citrus ripe?

Color is not a reliable guide. Fruit can be orange outside while still sour inside, and some varieties are ripe while still green. Taste is the best test, and extension publications describe sugar and acid balance as the key quality measure.

For example, if one orange is sweet and the next is sharp, leave the tree for another few weeks and test again. Lemons and limes can be picked whenever they reach usable size and juiciness.

Keep a tasting log. Write the date, the tree and how the fruit tasted. Over seasons, you will learn when each tree peaks in your yard.

Taste fruit from several parts of the tree
Leave fruit on if it is still sharp
Record what you taste each time

How should you prune citrus?

Citrus needs less pruning than deciduous fruit. Remove dead wood and crowded branches, and cut back suckers growing below the graft. Avoid heavy pruning in cold areas just before winter, since new growth is tender.

Wait until after the last frost risk has passed before cutting freeze-damaged branches, as the tree may regrow from lower on the limb than you expect.

Do your pruning in a way that keeps the canopy within reach, so that you can protect and harvest the whole tree without a tall ladder.

What pests and diseases should you know about?

Citrus pests and diseases are serious in some regions, and quarantine rules may restrict moving plants and fruit. Ask your state agriculture department before buying or moving trees across state lines.

This guide offers no product advice. Consult extension for current recommendations, follow the label exactly, observe pre-harvest intervals, and protect pollinators during bloom.

Buy plants only from reputable nurseries that follow state rules. Illegal movement of plants can spread serious diseases and cost whole regions their crops.

When to get local help: Ask your county extension office or state agriculture department which citrus types and rootstocks are recommended and what quarantine rules apply.

Sources and further reading

Last reviewed: November 2026. Educational information, ranges only. Confirm timing with your county extension office.

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