The Orange Tree's Lack of Nutrients

Nutrient Storage

• Orange trees store nutrients up for spring growth and fruit production rather than using them right away. By the time the tree starts growing and leafing out in the spring, it is too late to take up all the nutrients it needs for that year's growth. The fertilizer it needs for full crop production must be provided during the prior spring, summer and fall. A lack of nutrients shows up in the spring with less growth, fewer leaves and a smaller crop of fruit.

Growth

• While an orange tree is young, it needs plenty of nutrients in order to grow to maturity. Without the right combination of nutrients, it grows slower and can even become stunted and never grow properly. Since orange trees do not produce fruit until mature, slow growth due to a lack of nutrients delays fruit production by several years. In mature trees, the lack of proper nutrients also results in slower spring growth, which also reduces fruit production.

Chlorosis

• Yellow vein chlorosis is a disorder in which part of the leaf, usually along the veins, turns yellow. This weakens the tree by reducing its ability to process sunlight. Yellow vein chlorosis has a number of causes, one of which is a lack of nitrogen. Lacking the nitrogen necessary for proper health, the tree will not produce much fruit and becomes vulnerable to pests, disease and other disorders.

Fruit Split

• Like chlorosis, fruit split has a number of causes. Lack of nutrients or proper fertilization causes the oranges to split open before ready to harvest. This results in loss of the entire crop. Proper nutrients must be present at the start of fruit development to prevent splitting. A lack of potassium especially contributes to the problem. A tree without enough potassium produces fruit with thin skin. This thin skin easily splits open if the tree experiences any stress near harvest time.