When choosing citrus varieties, Satsuma mandarins (Citrus unshiu) are a good choice if you want seedless fruit that grows on one of the most cold-hardy types of citrus. When maintaining mandarins, you need to consider their distinctive pruning requirements that are not needed by other citrus fruits; Satsuma mandarins require skirting to prevent their branches and fruit from touching the ground. Other pruning techniques, such as removing dead branches, are common among other citrus varieties. The best time to prune your satsuma tree is early in the spring once the last chance of frost has passed.
Cut off any shoots that grow from the trunk of the tree below the graft.
Remove any branches that grow lower than 18 inches from the ground, cutting just above the branch collar to skirt prune the tree. Make a set of three cuts to remove branches larger than 1 inch in diameter. Cut under the branch 6 inches from the base one-third of the distance through the branch. Make a second cut down through the top of the branch 8 inches from the base halfway through the branch. This should cause the major part of the branch to break off, which protects the branch collar from damage. Make a final cut just above the collar, taking off the remainder of the branch.
Cut away any vertical branches in the canopy at their bases because these water sprouts produce dry, flavorless fruit and use a large amount of the water and nutrients of the tree.
Prune away any dead or diseased branches from the canopy.
Take out any branches in the canopy that prevent dappled sunlight from reaching the ground. Prune each quarter of the canopy at a time to make the job easier.
Top your young Satsuma trees by cutting the top one-third off each year in spring after the last frost, if you want to control the tree's height.
Things You Will Need
- Hand pruners
- Sanitize your pruning equipment with diluted bleach before you begin, after removing diseased branches, and once you finish pruning each tree. This prevents the spread of diseases between parts of your tree or to another plant in your garden.
- Do not paint cuts on your tree after pruning it because the paint may prevent the tree from naturally healing itself or trap in decaying organisms against the wood, according to University of California Agriculture and Natural Resouces.
- University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources: Growing Citrus in the Sierra Nevada Foothills
- University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources: Pruning Citrus
- University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources Garden Web: Citrus
- University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources: Citrus for the Home Garden in Contra Costa County
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