How to Transport Citrus Trees
- 1). Consult a county extension service for the area to which you will be moving. Some areas of the country restrict transport of citrus plants to prevent the spread of citrus diseases. An agent with the county's U.S. Department of Agriculture authorized extension service will know the local laws concerning citrus transport.
- 2). Inspect the citrus tree for signs of disease. Signs include blotchy, yellowed leaves; small, lopsided, bitter fruit that remains green even when ripe; twigs that turn brown and snap easily in one hand; and stunted foliage. Do not attempt to move a citrus tree if it exhibits these signs.
- 3). Transplant a citrus tree planted in a ceramic terra cotta or concrete container into a plastic container. Use a container that is the same size and shape or slightly larger. If the container is the same size, free the root ball from the current container and slip it into the larger container. For larger containers, fill the container one-third full of potting soil. Place the root ball into the soil and fill in between the walls of the container and the root ball with potting soil. Plastic containers are light weight and easier to move than ceramic containers.
- 4). Prune away any leggy branches. Citrus trees have a naturally compact shape that does not need pruning, but one grown under low-light conditions indoors may develop spindly branches. Pruning these branches helps to keep the tree's compact shape and reduce weight to make the tree easier to move.
- 5). Slip a moving dolly beneath the bottom of a citrus container. Tilt the dolly back to shift the container's weight onto the wheels of the dolly. Toll the tree into its new location. If you are moving the tree alone, roll the plant onto a transport.
- 6). Take the tree off of the transport as soon as it arrives at the new location. Transport trucks are not insulated. A tree left in the truck for too long may suffer heat or cold damage.
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