Choosing between the many varieties of citrus trees can be confusing. There seems to be an endless selection of orange trees, grapefruit trees, dwarf lemon bushes and even limetta shrubs. But one of the most unusual and captivating tree species is without a doubt the citron citrus tree.

The citron is a slow growing and small tree with the maximum height of only 8 to 12 feet. It has stiff branches, willowy twigs and oval shaped leaves. The leaves are quite often lemon scented and are evergreen in nature. What many gardeners love most about the citron citrus tree are its large white and purple blossoms which display a brightly colored center.

The fruit of the citron tree is oblong and rather unusual in shape compared to other citrus fruits. Though there are some tree varieties which are more common than others almost all citron fruits are covered with a rough rind with a soft, sweet and watery flesh.

Some varieties of citron citrus tree include the fascinating and unique “fingered citron”, the “Corsican” variety which was introduced to the US by explorers in 1891 and etrog, diamante and Bajoura.

Though the origin of the citron citrus tree is not known for certain, it has been found to have a long and fascinating history. The earliest signs of citron harvesting were found to be in 4000 BC when excavations discovered citron seeds among other food stores and harvesting tools.

Other signs of the citron history include a Jewish coin from 136 BC which depicts a citron-like fruit on one side, a reference made by a Chinese writer in 300AD and records of the fruit being imported into Greece from Persia were it was then cultivated and enjoyed by the privileged in 200 BC.

Today citron citrus trees are found in regions around the world which have steady year-round temperatures with little chance of sudden frost or cold nights. Citrons are used quite often in cooking in places such as Guatemala, Indonesia, India and Porto Rico.

Citron citrus trees require sufficient aeration and need proper and consistent pruning to produce adequate fruit. They will also need regular fertilization, room to produce a large roots and a monitored watering system.

Knowing how to recognize fruit problems is not easy and it can take quite a bit of time to familiarize yourself with the signs, warnings and characteristics of each type of fruit-related ailment. However, not all citrus tree fruit problems are common in North American regions.

The two most common types of fruit diseases are referred to as fruit drop and citrus scab. Here is a brief description of each:

Fruit Drop: The signs of severe fruit drop are quite obvious. Early in the fruit formation period, small immature fruit will fall from the tree in large quantities. Though it is normal for a fruit tree to drop some of its fruit as a self-thinning process, an abundance of fallen fruit is a much more serious issue. Fruit drop is most commonly caused by stress, late frost, lack of water, too much water or even inadequate fertilization.

To avoid Fruit Drop consider fertilizing your tree annually in the spring growing season. It is also imperative to use a fertilizer which is specifically designed with the needs and requirements of citrus trees in mind.

Citrus Scab: This fruit infection is common, and can lead to wasted fruit as well as premature leaf drop. Citrus scab can be identified by the accumulation of small brown raised marks on the skin of maturing fruit. Citrus scab may also result in brown, dried areas on leaves and delayed growth and development.

Citrus Scab and other similar citrus tree fruit problems are caused by overly-damp conditions and excessive watering during wetter seasons which lead to a build up of aggressive fungus. Controlling citrus scab is not difficult for the most part and all that is needed is a fungicide spray or treatment.

It is also recommended that you refrain from watering your citrus tree with a sprinkler, as a drip hose near the base of the tree is much more effective and will prevent the spread of citrus scab and other citrus tree fruit problems.

The Satsuma orange was very popular as a “Dooryard” tree in the Houston area until 1911 when a very cold November caused a loss of most of the trees. Even though the Satsuma is one of the hardiest citrus tree varieties, even it couldn’t withstand the 8 degree and colder temperatures. To make matters even worse, the area was hit shortly thereafter by a bad hurricane in 1915 causing over 90% loss of crops. It has been a slow road back to production since then.

The Satsuma is what we typically call a mandarin orange, again referring back to its Japanese roots. It is a sweet, juicy fruit with a very loose skin that makes it extremely easy to peel. The sweetness and lack of seeds make it a particular favourite of children who often find regular oranges too tart to eat. Its popularity among the younger set might also come from its common use in a summer favourite… marshmallow fruit salad!

If you enjoy the challenge of growing citrus trees in containers, you’ll be pleased to know that the Satsuma Orange is a very container friendly variety. Growing your Satsuma in a container will keep its growth to a minimum and you will be easily able to move it indoors during the colder months. Here are a few hints to help you succeed:

o A 20 gallon container is a good size to use, and make sure there are adequate drainage holes in the bottom.

o Use a light, well draining potting mix. It should specify on the package that it is suitable for container growing.

o Apply a slow release fertilizer once e early in the spring. Be certain to follow the manufacturer’s directions carefully as too much fertilizer may damage the tree.

o Plant your Satsuma orange tree where it will receive lots of direct sunlight and water as necessary.

o Bring your container in when temperatures start to droop in the fall. Even moving your container to the garage is easier than trying to protect it with plastic and shelters outdoors.

o Harvest your fruit when it is starting to turn from green to orange in September or October.

With fresh lemons as close as your kitchen garden pots, you’re always ready to prepare zesty lemon desserts or savory lemon butter sauces to compliment fish or vegetable dishes. Lemon butter, when sweetened, makes a perfect sauce for cake, especially gingerbread, a tangy yet sweet filling for tarts or pies, or a mouth watering pudding all on its own. Very similar to lemon curd, but a lot easier to make, sweet lemon butter sauce has a variety of yummy uses. Here is a holiday favorite:

Gingerbread with Lemon Butter Sauce

1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. butter
1 egg, beaten
1 c. molasses
2 1/2 c. sifted flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. hot water

Cream together sugar and butter then add beaten eggs and molasses. Blend. Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture and stir. Add hot water and beat by hand until smooth. Grease a 9×13 pan and bake at 325 degrees for about 35 minutes.

Lemon Sauce

½ cup sugar
2 tbsp. Corn starch
Pinch salt
2 cups water
¼ cup margarine or butter
1 tbsp lemon zest
3 tbsp. Lemon juice

Combine all ingredients and cook, stirring constantly until thick. Serve over gingerbread.

Lemon butter is equally tasty as a savory sauce over chicken, fish or vegetables. Here is a recipe for an easy and versatile lemon sauce that you’re sure to use over and over again.

Savory Lemon Butter

Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 tsp grated lemon rind
5 tbsp butter
1 tbsp flour
1.5 tbsp fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter and flour together. Add juice, zest and parsley and cook over low heat until thickened. Add seasonings to taste. Garlic can be added at this point as well if desired. Serve over desired entree.

Dwarf / Patio Key Lime Tree Full Size Fruit

This dwarf key lime tree is perfect for indoors or on the patio. The fruit is full sized and the tree is very hardy and easy to grow.

Calamondin Bonsai Tree

Do you love citrus trees, but have no room. This bonsai tree is perfect. This tree is an indoor tree and actually grows mini oranges you can eat.

Norpro Stainless-Steel Citrus Juice Press

No kitchen should be without a citrus juice press. It extracts all the juice from oranges, limes and lemons. The press is made from stainless steel and is dishwasher safe.

Tribest Citristar Electric Citrus Juicer

This automatic citrus juicer has an auto start and stop. The juice will pour directly into your glass. It is easy to clean and perfect for the cook in your family.

Here is a short description of four of the most popular styles of citrus juice press and how they are used.

Hand held Press

This gadget consists of two half circle cups that hold a halved lemon, lime or orange, and two long handles that you squeeze together to extract the juice. The long handles mean that it takes very little effort to extract the juice. This type of press is perfect for the smaller amounts of juice often required in cooking and baking.

Standing Hand Press

Another manually operated juicer, this works under basically the same principal as the hand held press except that the juice is gathered in a container that is part of the press. Instead of squeezing two handles together, the standing citrus juice press is operated by pulling down a small arm to squeeze the fruit that has been placed in the top part of the press. This method is great for producing single servings of juice for drinking.

Manual Reamer

This handy juicer involves more of a pushing and turning motion than a squeezing one. The reamer sits atop a container and you place a half piece of fruit on it and push and turn it until the juice has been extracted and collected in the container.

Electric Press

If you want to extract larger amounts of juice at one time, an eclectic citrus juice press may be just what you need. There are many varieties available online and in home department stores in a wide range of prices to suit every need and budget.

They function in the same manner as the manual press except that an electric motor does the work instead of you! Many of the electric presses also have a selection of filter baskets that you can use to allow you to select the amount of pulp you want in your juice.

Whichever type of citrus juice press you choose, you are sure to enjoy cooking with and drinking all that fresh and healthy vitamin C!

Throw away the old idea that you have to have greens in a salad; instead, enjoy this fantastic and healthy citrus salad.

Get blood oranges if at all possible; pomelos are another good alternative, but they can often be expensive to purchase.

When picking fruits for this salad, you should stick to sweeter fruits, such as clementines, tangerines, navel oranges, and even grapefruit, in order to have a good mix of flavors.

Prepare all of your fruit; you can start by leveling off the fruit. Just chop the ends off, then stand it up for easier access. Following that, cut the peel off, leaving as little of it left on the pulp as you can, getting the pith out of the way as well.

Cut disks of fruit and make it aesthetically pleasing by coming up with a beautiful arrangement for it. Slice or chop shallots or red onions and sprinkle that over the citrus salad, along with some salt.

Top it all off with a salad dressing that will accent the wonderful flavors of the citrus fruit. Here’s my dressing recipe: citrus juice, sherry vinegar, olive oil, and a little bit of honey. Mix it all together and pour it over your salad; voila! When it comes to the citrus juice, use either lemon or lime; if you want to mix it up a bit, try sprinkling black pepper or cayenne into it.

Get that great anise flavor in by including fresh tarragon, and you’ll end up with a great way to wait out the winter in a very delicious salad.

Here is a quick reference guide to some of the most common citrus tree pests:

Aphids: Though it is next to impossible to not have any aphids present while growing trees, they can grow in numbers rapidly and can do a lot of damage in a short amount of time. The marks left by aphids are often confused with other citrus diseases because of the dark marks which appear on the leaves. Aphids can damage a tree’s growth by sucking the sap from their leaves and causing leaves to drop and dry.

Citrus White fly: A common pest to appear on all types of citrus trees, Whiteflies are a winged insect close in size to a common fruit fly. Whiteflies will often hide on the underside of a tree’s leaves and suck the honeydew sap from the leaves veins. Similar to aphids the damage left by whiteflies is often confused with leaf rot and is similar in appearance to mould.

Orange-dog caterpillars: A large insect, orange-dog caterpillars will eat and rip the edges of a trees leaves. Though this type of caterpillar is most common in Florida it can be found on plants which have been imported and sold in other regions. The best way to rid your tree of orange-dog caterpillars is to remove them by hand. But be warned, when disturbed this species will spring two red “horns” from its head and spray a foil smelling odor.

Citrus Thrips: One of the most damaging of all citrus diseases and pests, the citrus thrip will ruin a young tree’s leaves, fruit, blossoms and roots. These persistent pests are yellow and orange in color and can usually be found on the underside of the tree’s lower leaves. The marks left by citrus thrips will be quite evident as most of the fruit, blossoms and leaves which are attacked will shrivel up and dry out completely.

Citrus Bud mite: Though bud mites can attack any type of citrus tree, they are most commonly found on lemon trees. Bud mites will appear only in hot and humid climates and will enjoy feeding on the lemon blossoms and fruit buds. To rid your plant of bud mites consider using the same all natural sprays that you would to eliminate any citrus diseases.

The history of limettas dates back to early Roman times when lemons were used primarily for ornamental purposes. Still grown primarily in the Mediterranean regions, limettas started to make an appearance during the Gold Rush days and to this day California, Arizona and Florida are all popular limetta growing states.

Although a member of the lemon family, limettas have a number of different characteristics that set them apart. Although yellow on the outside like a lemon, the rind is quite bumpy. The flesh has a greenish tinge to it and unlike a lemon that gets your mouth good and puckered, the limetta is quite sweet and not acidic. It has often been described as tasting like homemade lemonade without having to add all that sugar! As its popularity grows, chefs around the world are seeking it out for its wonderfully sweet and juicy flavors.

Some say this fruit is the ultimate one to use for making mouth-watering lemon pie and homemade lemonade. Because it is never bitter, it also makes great sauces to top seafood rice and other dishes. Limettas are also easy to preserve for cooking and baking and once sealed will keep for months, providing zesty lemony flavor whenever you need it. Limettas should be most abundant in produce markets from November to May.

Many online sellers of citrus trees offer limettas in containers for either use as houseplants or for outdoor gardening. It is recommended that limetta trees growing outdoors be brought inside during the colder months to prevent damage.

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When caring for citrus trees it is important to have all of the appropriate tools and products. One of the best ways to stay organized is to make up your own citrus health care kits which include all of the necessary tree essentials.

If you are one of the many people who love to grow their own citrus fruit and enjoy the time, patience and commitment it takes to care for fruit bearing plants then continue reading and find out how to make your own citrus health kits.

Pruning shears: This is of course one of the most important tools to include in your citrus health kit. Proper pruning and trimming is necessary to ensure health, steady growth as well as root structure and fruit development. When preparing your kit make sure to have a pair of sharp and reliable sheers which are capable of trimming all sizes and thicknesses of branch.

Mycorrhizal Treatment: Most mycorrhizal sprays contain living fungi which when applied to soil will assist both new and mature trees to colonize their root systems and will provide excellent soil conditions. These busy little fungi will in exchange for food bring nutrients and water to the tree’s roots.

Misting hose attachment: Water is essential for citrus health and can mean the difference between fresh, unspoiled fruit and dried, useless blossoms. When building your kit consider purchasing a misting attachment for your hose which will allow for you to gently water the upper branches and leaves of your tree.

Fertilizer tablets: All citrus tree varieties will thrive when given the appropriate amount of fertilizer. The most convenient way to ensure your tree is getting enough nutrients is to use commercial fertilizer tablets. These essential citrus products are easy to use and one tablet is often enough to nourish a tree for an entire year.

And finally, the last product to include in your citrus health kit is a Biostimulant. This dry, water soluble product contains everything needed to stimulate root growth and tree strength. Most citrus tree biostimulants will include humic acid extracts, amino acids, yucca plant extracts as well as sea kelp, beneficial bacteria and living fungi.

If you plan to harvest your fresh fruit, not for the kitchen but citrus fruit baskets then here are a few ideas which you may want to consider:

Use a unique container:

When arranging your citrus fruit baskets consider using something other than an ordinary wicker or woven basket. Instead pile your fruit into a container which can be used again. For example, try making an arrangement using a glass bowl which can then be used after as an everyday fruit bowl. Or try to arrange your citrus fruit into a glass pitcher, to be used to prepare and serve fresh lemonade!

Include some fruity essentials!

When gathering all of the gifts to include in your citrus fruit baskets try adding a few kitchen tools and essentials into the mix such as a lemon zester, juicer or even a fancy peeler! Other nifty additions could include stir sticks for fruity drinks or a set of summery and festive paper napkins!

Mix it up and add some food to your fruit!

When picking your fresh harvest to give as gifts consider including some food in your citrus fruit basket. For example, if you have decided to give a collection of sweet watery oranges, maybe include some dark chocolate treats which are sure to compliment the fruit. Or if you are giving some bright, savory lemons maybe include some liquors so that your recipient can prepare zesty Lemon Drop Martinis!

Growing you own fruit to use in citrus fruit baskets is a sentimental and creative gift option. Your recipients are sure to appreciate your gardening efforts and will welcome such a thoughtful and useful gesture!