At Foley's we stock a range of lemons, oranges, mandarins, limes, cumquats, grapefruit and more! Here is your complete guide to growing citrus written by our Foley's team.
It is important to remember that fruit bearing plants need a lot of nourishment in order to produce strong and healthy fruit and foliage. To keep your citrus healthy year round, it is vital you give them attention, especially during the growing season.
Tips for growing in the ground:
Full sun is important for citrus to grow well, or at least 6 hours of sun.
Good soil drainage is vital for a healthy citrus plant, so choose a location in the garden that you know has good drainage, or start by improving the soil by adding cow & compost. While we want well draining soil, a balanced mix that can still hold the right amount of moisture is preferred. To help with this, especially during the hotter months, apply a seaweed solution like Seamungus or Seasol.
Fertilising citrus trees on a regular basis is crucial. At Foley's we recommend using cow and compost spread around the rootzone of the tree and watered in well. You may also use a slow release fertiliser every quarter and if you notice your tree is lacking nutrients, a liquid fertiliser is wonderful for a quick hit of nutrients.
Growing citrus in pots:
Full sun is important, however sometimes we choose to grow citrus in pots due to lack of space. In this case you may find moving your pots throughout the year to find the sunniest spot will give you the healthiest plant. Ensure your citrus is receiving at least 6 hours of good sun per day.
Good quality potting mix that drains well yet retains the right amount of moisture is crucial for healthy plants and selecting a mix that has added slow release fertiliser is an ideal start to your citrus journey.
Fertilise every quarter (the beginning of each season) with a slow release fertiliser. During the growing season (Spring through Autumn) a liquid fertiliser (like PowerFeed) works wonders for fast growth and maintaining a healthy plant.
Repotting your plants every 2 years will maintain plant health. You can either pot your plant up a size to continue its growth, or if you want it to remain in the same pot, simply trim back 25% of the rootball and repot back into the original pot.
Citrus trees are one of the higher maintenance plants in the garden. This is because pests love them and they require a lot of ongoing nourishment to keep them happy.
It is essential to frequently treat for pests and consistently feed your citrus tree to keep them healthy and bearing delicious fruit.
Common pests and diseases on citrus:
Aphids - These bugs love the new leaves of your citrus. They can be controlled by ladybugs, however if the lady bugs have not yet started to feast on your aphids you can apply White Oil or Eco-Oil.
Bronze-orange bugs (stink bug) - These bugs love feeding on developing fruit. In the juvenile stage (during Winter) stink bugs are vulnerable to White Oil & Eco-Oil. In their adult form in Spring and Summer, you will need to manually remove the bugs via squashing, vacuuming up or dropping into soapy water.
Note: wear eye protection when dealing with these bugs.
Citrus leaf miner - New leaf growth becomes distorted, twisted and marked with silver lines as the larvae of this pest burrow under the surface of the leaf. Tip prune affected growth and apply White Oil or Eco-Oil.
Gall wasp - The wasp lays eggs under the bark and the branch develops an ugly lump in response. Cut off affected branches (best done late Winter). There are no current chemicals for the homeowner to treat this pest.
Scale - This pest can often attack a plant that is under stress. So ensuring the tree has adequate water and fertiliser, and spray with White Oil or Eco-Oil.
Remember - water daily until established!
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