We should water frequently but in small amounts, so that the soil always remains mature. Never flood it. (See the guide to irrigation and fertilising).
Use herbicides with great care, bearing in mind that when you do this sort of work, you should remain totally calm. It’s better to use specific citric herbicides for saplings, that way we avoid stopping the little tree’s growth, or hardening it. During the first year of growth, never use ultra-low volume machines.
The use of herbicides by drip irrigation is recommended specifically for pre- or post-emergence, thereby keeping the wet surface clean. With this technique we will not need to use any other herbicides on the trees.
The use of trunk protectors is recommended. Phytosanitary treatments are very important as nowadays not only do we have to deal with common or garden plagues but we also have to deal with the Citrus Leafminer which we have to control if we are to achieve the saplings’ maximum foliar growth. Apply insecticides by drip irrigation or by direct injection into the root or foliar system every 15 days from the 20th of June until the first fortnight in October.
We should not do too much pruning during the first years of growth. It is better to let the tree grow abundant leafage so that it can cover itself in new branches, avoiding its hardening by excessive cutting and pruning.