Fruit Drop

It is a common and not an infrequent occurrence in citrus trees, generally, there is little reason for concern.

The tree will hold what it’s fit and able to. If it’s too young or not strong it will drop fruit to redirect energy into the tree. 

FRUITLETS

Citrus trees normally bear excessive flowers, a percentage of these will be carried forward through the season to maturity and harvest. Shortly after the citrus tree blossoms, even under the best of circumstances, the tree will naturally shed large numbers of small fruitlets, (pea-sized) fruit.

SMALL FRUIT

It is also common for citrus trees to have a sudden drop of small fruit ( 20mm diameter) in mid-November to late December when the heat and stress of summer begins. The stress of the drier weather causes this, however, make sure you’ve fed your tree well in the spring and watch the irrigation and watering. Keep the tree moist through dry heat. 

PRE HARVEST.

This is dramatic as you will have a tree full of lovely forming fruit going into the winter and they drop.

This is possibly due to the formation of an abscission layer between the fruit and the stem. Navels and Grapefruit sometimes are prone to this. 

Tree stress due to high and strong winds. Frost and drought are all problematic to a tree and it will drop maturing fruit to survive.

ALTERNATE CROPPING

Citrus are similar to many fruit trees, with a year on and a year off, biennial cropping. So the tree will just naturally have a light crop and drop fruit to maintain strength and vigour.

You can manage alternate cropping by reducing fruitlets in the heavy year.