Canistel Cultural Calendar



From the Horticultural Sciences Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service
Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida


In Florida, young trees should be fertilized every 1 to 2 months during the first year, beginning with 1/4 lb (114 g) of fertilizer and increasing to 1 lb (454 g) per tree. Thereafter, 3 or 4 applications per year in amounts proportionate to the increasing size of the tree are sufficient, but do not exceed 20 lbs per tree per year.

Fertilizer mixtures containing 6 to 10% nitrogen, 6 to 10% available phosphoric acid, 6 to 10% potash, and 4 to 6% magnesium have been observed to give satisfactory results with young trees. For bearing trees, potash should be increased to 9 to 15% and available phosphoric acid reduced to 2 to 4%. Examples of commonly available fertilizer mixes include 6-6-6-2 [6 (N)-6 (P2O5)-6 (K2O)-2 (Mg)] and 8-3-9-2 [8 (N)-3 (P2O5)-6 (K2O)-3 (Mg)].

From spring though summer, trees should receive 3 to 4 annual nutritional sprays of copper, zinc, manganese, and boron for the first 4 to 5 years. Canistel trees are susceptible to iron deficiency under alkaline and high-pH soil conditions. Iron deficiency can be prevented or corrected by periodic soil applications of iron chelates formulated for alkaline and high-soil-pH conditions. Periodic applications of ferrous (iron) sulfate may be made to trees growing in low-pH soils.

Cultural calendar for mature canistel trees in Florida

Operation Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
General1 Apply NPK Apply NPK Apply NPK Apply NPK Apply NPK
Nutritional sprays2 Foliar applications during the warm season are more effective than during cool periods.
Iron applications Dry soil applications of ferrous (iron) sulfate to neutral and low-pH soils and liquid soil drench applications to high-pH soils are more effective during the warm season.
Watering Water trees during prolonged dry periods. Reduce watering to slow or stop plant growth and enhance flowering.
Insect control Monitor for leaf and fruit diseases. Contact your local UF/IFAS Extension agent for current control recommendations for more information.
Diseases control Monitor for leaf and fruit diseases. Contact your local UF/IFAS Extension agent for current control recommendations for more information.
Pruning Selectively prune trees after the harvest season. Follow-up pruning
1 NPK, nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium; apply granular fertilizer 3–4 times per year. Reduce the amount of NPK application during late summer, early fall to slow plant growth in preparation for flowering in the late fall.
2 Foliar nutritional spray materials should contain magnesium, manganese, zinc and possibly other micronutrients.


Fertilizer program for canistel trees in the home landscape

Year Times per year Amount/tree/application
(lbs)1
Total amount/tree/year Nutritional sprays
(times/year)2
Iron chelate drenches
(oz/tree/year)3
1 4-6 0.25–0.5 1.5-3.0 4-6 0.5-0.50
2 4-6 0.5–1.0 3.0-6.0 4-6 0.5-0.75
3 4-6 1.0–1.5 6.0-9.0 4-6 0.5-0.75
4 2-3 1.5–2.5 3.0–7.5 2-3 0.75-1.0
5 2-3 2.5-3.0 5.0-9.0 2-3 0.75-1.0
6 2-3 3.0-3.5 6.0-10.5 2-3 1.0–1.5
7 2-3 3.5-4.0 7.0-12.0 2-3 1.0–1.5
8+ 2-3 4.5-5.0 9.0-15.0 2-3 1.5-2.0
1 Use 6-6-6-2, 8-3-9-3, or a similar material.
2 The nutritional sprays should contain zinc, manganese, boron, molybdenum; it may also contain iron. Foliar sprays are more effective from April to September.
3 Iron chelated soil drenches (iron plus water) will prevent iron deficiency in high pH, calcareous soils; foliar iron sprays are generally not effective. Apply soil drenches from April through September.



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Bibliography

Crane, Johathan H., and Carlos F. Balerdi. "Canistel Growing in the Florida Home Landscape." Horticultural Sciences Dept., UF/IFAS Extension, HS1049, Original pub. Nov. 2005, Revised Oct. 2006, and Nov. 2016, Reviewed Dec. 2019, AskIFAS, edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs299. Accessed 4 Apr. 2017, 26 Oct. 2020.

Published 5 Apr. 2017 LR. Last update 26 Oct. 2020 LR
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