Plant Care
Citrus
Every garden deserves a citrus tree. In all but the coldest districts, citrus trees feature in backyards. They’re incredible survivors, but will perform better and bear wonderful crops if they’re well cared for.
Where to grow
Plenty of Sun – Citrus trees need to be in full sun. If you’re short of sunny spots in the garden, grow citrus in pots that can be moved to take advantage of changing patterns of sunlight. Although citrus are traditionally grown in terracotta, these pots can be heavy (and expensive!). Yates have the perfect solution: their Tuscan pots are lightweight, surprisingly inexpensive and have that wonderful Mediterranean look that goes so well with citrus. Tuscan pots come in a range of sizes. The large 50 cm size is big enough to grow almost any type of citrus tree happily for many years.
Good Drainage – In the garden citrus must have good drainage. This is particularly important for the popular, long-bearing lemon variety called ‘Eureka’ because it’s more susceptible to the problems caused by water-retaining soils. In heavy clay soils it’s best to put some extra effort into preparation. Before planting, raise the level of the bed as much as possible, dig in some gypsum and plenty of old organic matter (compost, aged manure or commercial soil improver).
Fertiliser
Before Planting – Mix some Dynamic Lifter organic pellets into the soil before planting. Dynamic Lifter’s gentle organic nature means that it won’t cause root burn, even if it accidentally contacts some of the roots.
Established Citrus – Feed with Thrive Granular Citrus Food at least twice a year. Citrus are very greedy plants and, because of the extra demands imposed by their heavy crop, it’s always best to use a specifically formulated food. Occasionally switch to Dynamic Lifter organic pellets to improve the levels of microbial activity in the soil.
Potted Citrus – To reduce the risk of root burn, citrus in pots should be fertilised with a slow release plant food. Here again, Dynamic Lifter is suitable, or choose controlled release Nutricote pellets.
Pests & Diseases
Scale
- Symptom: Lumps on fruit and leaves that can easily be scratched off.
- Remedy: Spray with Yates PestOil, or a horticultural white oil.
Fruit Fly
- Symptom: Grubs inside fruit
- Remedy: Spray program with Yates Fruit Fly & Insect Killer or Lebaycid
Gall Wasp
- Symptom: Lumps in branches
- Remedy: Cut off and destroy before end of August
Cold damage
- Symptom: Curled-up leaves. Reddish-brown patches on back of leaf
- Remedy: Move potted citrus to warmer position
Citrus leaf miner
- Symptom: Trails and twists in newer leaves
- Remedy: Spray with PestOil or clip off affected leaves.
Comments (29)
Add a comment
Helen anne
Yates site member
11:15, 11 September 2009
I have a bush lemon that has gone real thick from the bottom leaves are curled trails on leaves scale on it and black spot I was thinking of pruning out middle growing branches pruning back fertizing spraying with some pestoil with this do the leave curl though
Jeanette
Yates site member
14:06, 20 September 2009
we bought an old house with a very neglected garden in which was a Myer lemon. This lemon had spread heavily at the bottom and was in a bad way. so we cut out most of the bottom branches which were on the ground and cut the rest of it quite heavily. We could almost hear it sigh with relief. It really thrived after that and bore lots of fruit. I didnt know if it was the right thing to do but it worked so give it a try.
dawn
Yates site member
15:06, 20 September 2009
we have a orange tree that is not growing had it two years can you tell us what we are doing wrong yet we are growing a peach tree from a small cutting an in the three years we have had it its going so well it . could you tell us how long before we could get fruit this is the first time its has flowered
Iain
Yates site member
21:06, 05 October 2009
We had to relocate a lemon (dwarf Meyer I think) last year from an established position to another area to make way for a new building and since then all the leaves have fallen off and although the tree has attempted to flower it has not had any new leaves on it yet, the tree is still alive. Is there anything I can doo to promote new growth and get the tree back to health
Kate
Yates site member
12:21, 19 October 2009
We have 2 old (maybe 50+ yrs) orange tree that has been transplantd recently to our garden. The trees were cut right back to move and in its first Spring lovely new growth formed. However this Spring the Stumps are looking sad (bark peeling off and looking dry) and the leaves seemed to have curled with the orange and brown spots on back and holes appearing from some sort of pest! I have sparayed with Pest Oil but does not seem to have improved. The trees have been mulched, fertoilized and watered well. Though are rather exposed to wind maybe this is a problem? Please send me some advice!
Peter
Yates site member
20:43, 22 October 2009
Thank you, I have printed this article on Citrus. My apologies, but I am raising this in relation to Carbaryl insecticide from another one, which lacks this contact convenience. The instruction calls for 12.5 grams per 10 litre. How can I measure this? One litre at a time would be ample for me. kind regards
Michael
Yates site member
10:23, 09 January 2010
1.25 grams to 1 litre. I don't know where you'll find a scale that goes that low unless it is in a chemistry lab or a drug dealers lounge room!!!
Mary
Yates site member
09:55, 30 October 2009
The leaves of my lemon tree was sprayed with Iron Chelate (the veins of the leaves were like skelatons). Now the leaves and fruit have been burnt and are dropping. When I prune the tree exactly how far back can I cut. In a vase shape, if I cut back to say a 5cm branch, will anything grow from that branch again?
Yvonne
Yates site member
14:11, 05 November 2009
We have a finger lime that is still green and we had one or two limes off it when we brought it but since then it doesnt seem to want to grow more, its in a well drained soil and plenty of TLC and last few days i put in the watering can some fish emollent and seasol now to sit and hope it comes off anything. can anyone solve the problem thank you Yvonne
Daphne
Yates site member
12:07, 06 November 2009
I think we may have pruned back our mature mandarin tree to heavily (chainsawed branches, two were twisted). It had mistletoe attaching itself all over the tree. The trunk wood looks ok & it had beared big fruit a couple of months ago (although the fruit wasnt very good). Will the tree still survive?? & what care is best for it?? We live in north queensland, Innisfail. Would love to keep it alive & healthy!! Any advice would be appreciated.
cheryl
Yates site member
11:09, 09 November 2009
Citrus trees are most forgiving but take time to recover from a heavy pruning. Just like if you had your long hair cut off it takes forever to grow it back again. I use compost on my citrus trees and fertilize with fish emulsion. They are steaming ahead.no sign of any disease. I like the idea of doing things organically.. I pick the creepy crawlies off by hand and squash them. hoping that their mates will get the message. A mixtre of cooking oil homebrand with some bicarb soda added to it with water say 2lites which you have added soap to preferably liquid.will make a spray up for your sooty mould. Spray late in the evening and make sure the sun doesnt get to it before you wash it off the next morning.It's easy to make your own oil based spray at home and it's totally safe. All you need is a little vegetable oil and liquid soap. Oil based sprays are very useful in controlling a wide range of insect pests in the garden. Pests like scale, aphids, smooth skinned caterpillars, mites and even young grasshoppers suffocate when their bodies are covered with oil. You can even use oil sprays to deter the citrus leaf miner.from Here’s how it’s done: 1. In a blender, combine 2 cups of vegetable oil with ½ cup of dishwashing liquid. Blend it up until it’s well mixed. This is your concentrate and can be stored in a jar. Be sure to label it and include the dilution rate on the label. 2. To prepare the concentrate for use, dilute 1 tablespoon in a litre of water, mix it well and spray the pest as well as both sides of the foliage thoroughly. 3. Always follow this dilution rate, because you can burn the foliage if it’s too strong and there are a few other rules; don’t apply it in hot weather and avoid using it on plants with hairy foliage as well as ferns, palms and cycads as this can also cause leaf burn. 4. Regular applications of this easy to make oil based spray will help protect your plants from many common pests found in the garden. Why don’t you try it yourself? And tune in and ask your questions on Gardening Talkback on ABC Riverina, Saturdays from 8.30am. Our phone number is 02 6923 4800 Let us know how you go with
cheryl
Yates site member
11:15, 09 November 2009
Iadded the last part from another web site I hope they dont mind.
matthew
Yates site member
20:00, 15 November 2009
i got a young persimmon tree with the young leavers curled .is this a problem? is some thing i can do? thanks
Sandy
Yates site member
22:53, 16 November 2009
I have a mandarin which has never fruited, but looks healthy can anyone help Sandy Perth W.A,
Heather
Yates site member
08:41, 06 December 2009
some of our relatively new citrus trees have been partially ringbarked, has anyone got any ideas what would do this? It has happened at the base of the trunk and also on some of the branches.
darrell
Yates site member
12:31, 09 December 2009
have a 2 year lemon tree leaves and flowers keep getting eaten by some thing not sur when i check cant see anything
Diane
Yates site member
13:50, 09 December 2009
I have a lime tree and the leaves are slightly yellow or pale green. What am I doing wrong and can anyone help me with this problem.
Elizabeth
Yates site member
15:25, 29 December 2009
I have two citrus trees, one lime & one Meyer lemon. They are both in the vicinity of 10-12yrs. old and, this season despite feeding with a recommended citrus food and sulphate of potash, both trees have a lot of new growth which is very pale with young, very curled leaves. Does anybody have an answer, please?
Jesley
Yates site member
09:31, 06 January 2010
I have a mango tree, it's about 3 metres tall..( I live in the south west and it does get very cold in winter and extremely hot in summer...I have had fruit from it in the past and this year although it had literally hundreds of little buds coming up It dropped all of them and there is only one mango left..it also has lost quite a few leaves (yellowing and dropping)..I do give it water regulary...the fruit grew to about an inch in size before falling off.. what can be done to rectify it in time for next season? It was also planted in a ditch (not raised) I don't know how to rectify that either..it's too big to dig out and replant raised.
Sue-Ellen
Yates site member
17:23, 08 January 2010
I moved in a home 2 years ago that has a large mandarin tree.IT seem to be healthy & has been bearing plenty of fruit.However,the fruit is only the size of a golf ball if not smaller.How can I over come this so we get large edible fruit?
Greg
Yates site member
18:24, 15 January 2010
See my comment just below about my lemonade tree. Fertilize with specific citrus fertilizer, and cut it back each year. Aim for a tree no more than 2 metres tall at trimming time. Your local nurseryman or woman should be able to guide you - 4 weekly general fertilizer doesn't hurt either. Plenty water too - think about it - that is what fills the fruit out. If you get green ants - don't discourage them too much.
Greg
Yates site member
18:19, 15 January 2010
I have a "Lemonade" tree (sweet lemon) - and it is bearing fruit like there is no tomorrow. I give it citrus fertiliser in September and March (4 consecutive weeks each time), and cut it back severely in July/August after the dry season fruit have finished (I live in the Tropics - Townsville). Apart from that- it is watered regularly. The fruit are beaut - I cannot give enough away, I get them falling and rotting on the ground. I love this tree - it gives soooo much with so little effort. Admittedly, it gets loads of sun, and has no competition within 10 metres - which I think helps a lot. Some of the fruit get some scale, but not a lot, and not enough to really concern me. The only thing to keep an eye on, is the shoots of the stem it is grafted to. I kept cutting them back - and now they hardly grow at all.
Barbara
Yates site member
13:54, 17 January 2010
We have a grape fruit tree that beare lots of fruit but the skin is very thik and not much flesh can anyne tell us why. we live in Albany W.A. Cheers Barb
Gillian
Yates site member
16:38, 17 January 2010
Hi, we have a lime tree in a pot that we planted about four weeks ago. I think I may have overwatered it as it is limp. The leaves are still green and moist. Can anyone please give some advice as we are novices at growing citrus in pots. Actually we are just starting out with our trees in pots growing so any advice would be good. We live in Perth, WA.
Connie
Yates site member
11:50, 26 January 2010
Hi we have a lemon tree that is 25 years old that has gall wasps those horrible lumps on the branches the whole tree has been affected how do l get rid of them and if l prune the whole tree right back will l kill the tree that is something l do noit want to happen as it is a feature in our garden any advice would be great at this stage
des
Yates site member
18:08, 31 January 2010
we have a lemon tree, 3 years old, in a pot. It flowers, has few fruit, and when fruit does appear to mature, is very dry????
Paul
Yates site member
14:56, 04 February 2010
Hi, I have a Citrus Splitzer tree (mandarin and naval orange) The tree seems to bud well, the leaves grow to a certain length, then they fall off. Does anyone know why? Its very frustrating. Thank you.
Lisa
Yates site member
14:32, 13 February 2010
I have two dwarf lemon trees planted 6 months ago with alot of lemons growing but none of them turn yellow? How long does it take for lemons to go from green to yellow? They are large in size, very juicy but just not yellow...
Julie
Yates site member
11:01, 15 February 2010
I have a Tahatian lime which was espalier planted it in the garden after purchasing it from a grower a mature one quite expensive. been in the garden for 4-5 mths and all the leaves have curled and are not looking healthy. there is no new growth either it gets plenty of water and is in sun all day. I need help afraid of losing it.
Jean
Yates site member
08:21, 21 February 2010
Like Barbara from Albany, W.A., I too have a grapefruit tree (4 years old) which is very healthy and bears lots of fruit, but has thick rind and not very much flesh. Perhaps I haven't been watering it enough. Please, somebody tell me what to do, as new fruit is forming now. I live in the Northern Midlands of Tasmania, and have Apricots, Nectarines and Plums which are doing well.
inetryconydot
Yates site member
17:49, 06 March 2010
Some may feel squeamish about eating it, but rabbit has a fan base that grows as cooks discover how easy they are to raise — and how good the meat tastes.
Ann
Yates site member
22:55, 12 March 2010
I have a lemon tree, a few years old, Fruits all year round. No disease and no problems until this season, the lemons skin have become very thick and the inside rotten by the time they are ready for picking. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Add your reply