When to Plant Ponderosa Lemon Tree

Question

We purchased a Ponderosa lemon tree 2 wks. ago with flowers already on it. We haven’t placed in ground yet and it has fruit already bearing on it. Will it go into shock if we plant it now or should we leave it in the 3-gal. container it was puchased in?

We also purchased a Kinnow mandarin tree that is bearing fruit already and we haven’t put it in ground yet either. Will it go into shock if we transplant it while it is bearing fruit?

Answer 1

When planting fruit trees, it is best to plant them in the spring or fall. You should also remove any fruit from the plant for the first year. This allows the plant to focus it energy more on growing its roots and becoming well established, which will result in better yield and higher quality fruit in future years. This will help with avoiding shock: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/environmental/learn-how-to-avoid-and-repair-transplant-shock-in-plants.htm