Dwarf Orange and Peach Tree

Question

I have had the trees in containers for four years and have not had any fruit. The orange tree gets pea size oranges on it and then they fall off. The peach tree gets plum size real fast, but don’t get any bigger. I live in Las Vegas, so it gets very hot. Should I keep the plants in the full sun, or on the edge of the patio where I have them?

Answer 1

It does sound like a watering issue. Shade will help keep the soil moist longer, but in your area, I would definitely be watering them 2X a day once the heat gets above 80F and 3X a day once the heat is over 100F. You may want to repot the trees in larger pots as well to help keep them watered well, or add a dish to the bottom to act as a water reservoir.

Just in case, I would also add some bone meal to add phosphorus to the soil. Sometimes fruit trees will drop their fruit if the phosphorus is too low.