HOW TO GROW ORANGE

Plant and irrigation
The best time to plant citrus fruits is spring, when the risk of frost is now overcome.
The soil before planting must be well worked and the burglary must be done deeply with special means.
A small “turnstile” is dug around each plant to retain water and irrigated abundantly. The soil must be
light very fertile and predisposed to a particular type of variety of oranges, in order to guarantee the
excellence of the fruits. It must have excellent regular drainage - avoiding water stagnation which would
damage the proper development of the plant.
The plants must be placed 3-4 meters apart, in order to facilitate lighting, a sunny position must always
be preferred.
Another important detail to consider is the climate: it must be temperate - between a minimum of 7
degrees centigrade and a maximum of 28-30 degrees centigrade in summer. Windiness must be
absolutely avoided, because it causes the flowers and fruits to detach, causing enormous economic
damage to the producer.
Fertilization
It is essential to ensure proper development of the plant Organic and non-chemical fertilizers are to be
preferred, so as to guarantee the authenticity of the oranges.
To be carried out when the vegetation is active, during the last days of the winter season and in any case
at regular intervals, in order to avoid shortages of substances useful to the soil.
Pruning
It must be absolutely balanced.We must limit ourselves to lightening the foliage, eliminating dry, broken
or debilitated branches. The "nerds", i.e. the long branches without fruit, must be cut when they arise at
the base of the larger branches, while the more peripheral ones simply emerge. Excessive cuts favor the
birth of excessive vegetation to the detriment of fruit vegetation.
Collection
It is carried out when the fruits have reached optimal ripeness, which varies depending on the varieties
of oranges.
The fruits are harvested with the help of special scissors, cutting the twig that supports them, but
leaving the rosette intact, whose ”green” color guarantees the freshness of the oranges. They are placed
in plastic baskets, the so-called ”panari”, and then placed in plastic boxes with a capacity of
approximately 20kg.
These boxes are then positioned at the edges of the plots and loaded onto pallets, to be taken to the
warehouse or on trucks directly, if they do not require particular processing phases.
In fact, oranges, depending on the requests and their destination, can be subjected to different
processing phases such as washing, brushing, waxing and fungicide treatment, to prolong the
preservation of the fruits; or left in the natural “raw” harvesting state, simply proceeding with selection
and calibration, for more immediate and optimal consumption.
They can also be collected with the leaves attached or in a tree stand, without being calibrated,
depending on the buyer's needs.
How to store them
First of all, it is important to buy fresh and natural oranges like the ones you can easily buy on our store.
To be such, the orange must be heavy and not soft, with a fine rind adhering to the pulp, with the
“green” rosette attached - guaranteeing a recent harvest.
Orange is a fruit that if well preserved stays well for several weeks. The fruits should be placed well
spaced apart in a cool, dry place.
Oranges intended for juicing, if soaked in cold water a little before pressing - get more juice.
ORANGES AND HEALTH
Orange is a fruit with unique health properties, a real gift for our health.
The main component is vitamin C - concentrated mainly in blood orange - which is very important for
the well-being of our body, as it strengthens the immune system Being an excellent natural
immunostimulant, it lowers the risk of flu, colds and fevers - typical of the winter season. For this reason
and also because it guarantees the integrity of the membrane, avoiding the risk of premature birth,
pregnant women should consume it daily.
It also contains vitamin A, vitamin B1,B2,B9, useful for preventing some genetic defects such as back
bifida .It is rich in vitamin P - which increases the strength and elasticity of blood vessels, and vitamin E
which protects us from cardiovascular diseases (ischemia) and prevents the formation of varicose veins,
varicose veins and cellulite.
Orange also contains many minerals such as calcium, selenium, bromine, zinc, iron, copper, phosphorus,
magnesium and potassium which are useful for our mental well-being because they promote good
mood.
In fact, the essence obtained from pressing the orange peel has a calming and antidepressant action;
while the infusion of the zest has digestive and spasmolytic properties.
Blood orange juice has unique beneficial properties because it is rich in anthocyanins which, in addition
to giving it its typical red colour, are excellent antioxidants. These sweep away bad cells from our body,
fight free radicals and have an anti-fogging action, thanks also to the presence of collagen, essential for
creating or repairing damaged tissues.
Anthocyanins also help us fight obesity, because they lower cholesterol levels in the blood, avoiding the
accumulation of fat, which is harmful to our health and with the help of peptin they cause a sense of
satiety, helping us regain healthy weight Other useful substances present in blood orange are lutein,
which defends us from the sun's rays and ultraviolet radiation, and carotene which protects our vision.
For all these characteristics the orange - especially "the red", is defined “the orange of health”!