How to Groom Orange Trees
- 1). Walk around the tree and examine the branches. Determine where the dead branches are located and what other branches might need to be cleared away.
- 2). Locate the graft joint of the tree. The graft joint is a small bump in the tree trunk that designates the beginning of the actual tree. The tree branches will begin to spread out above this joint.
- 3). Cut away any small branches (called suckers) which are located below the graft joint with the hand shears. These branches are not fruit bearing and will ultimately draw resources away from the rest of the tree. If the suckers have not been cut in a while, they may be too thick for hand shears, in which case use the pruning shears.
- 4). Cut away all the dead branches from the tree with the pruning shears.
- 5). Cut away branches that are in the center of the tree with the pruning shears. An orange tree needs to have its center open to allow light and air to get to the lower branches. Cut any branches that cross the tree center or cover the top of the tree.
- 6). Remove all long, thin branches by cutting them down to the base, leaving the thick, fruit-bearing branches.
- 7). Cut off any branches that are higher than 8 feet.