In deeper garden soils, provide 1 to 1 1/2 inches of water every 1 to 2 weeks in the heat of summer so that roots penetrate more deeply into the ground. Ripe oranges are fragrant, flavorful and sweet. This orange tree is easy to grow, and they have a small to medium size which makes them an excellent choice for any size yard. Once you pick them, they will not get any sweeter than they are at that moment. Arizonians can grow these orange trees and enjoy some of the fullest-flavored sweet oranges in the U.S.! Light: These sweet oranges do best when growing in a location that receives more than 8 hours of direct sunlight. Proper watering is the key to successful sweet orange tree culture in Arizona's low deserts. The website also has canning & freezing instructions, related events and fun and listings for every other state and many countries! Arizona' for fruit, vegetables, pumpkins and other crops. When you ask when to pick oranges from your orange tree, the simple answer is "When they are ripe." Use canal or collected rainwater rather than well or municipal water, which contain too many salts. Immature oranges are bitter or insipid. Remember that oranges ripen on the tree or not at all.