Growing Gorgeous Citrus Trees – Part 1
When considering planting a fruit tree most people start with a lemon tree and then add more citrus trees to their garden. These easy to grow, high yield trees are perfect for anyone starting with fruit tree growing as they are low maintenance, produce juicy fruit that most people love, fabulous to cook with and have low pest or disease problems. They can also be grown in a large container which is great in small spaces.
To keep your citrus trees in great condition follow these simple steps for easy growing..
Soil – is always the first place to start !! Make sure you have rich soil, filled with organic matter. If possible improve the soil at least one week before planting. Try adding compost, rotted animal manures, worm castings, green and brown lawn clippings and other chopped up garden prunings. I also like to add organic slow release pellets or blood and bone to the soil. Always mulch and water in with an organic liquid fertiliser. Allow to rest for a week or so and then you’ll have rich soil ready to plant your tree.
Choosing varieties – there are many citrus varieties available and if you’re in a small space you’ll find dwarf fruit trees great for staying small, whilst providing plenty of fruit. Think about the fruit you would use the most.
I grow lemons, limes, oranges, mandarins, blood oranges and tangello. We have plenty of space and we also enjoy all these varieties. A good idea is to ask your household what they like…if you all can’t decide have a vote !! Also keep a list of the fruit trees you’d like to plant, a sort of wish list, and then tick them off when planted. Fruit trees make a great gift, so consider this for birthdays, mother’s or father’s day. I know my Dad likes trees for Father’s Day.
Planting guides – Here’s a short video on planting trees. This may help you with this easy process of planting. It also helps to plant trees correctly to allow for wonderful new growth.
General care – once your new trees are planted, mulched and watered it’s best to keep up the watering, also using liquid fertiliser, for the first few weeks. It’s great if you have rain, but if not try to give the tree a drink every second day, for the first two weeks, then after that weekly for a few months, until you see some new growth.
This will allow the tree to establish deep root systems and strong new growth. Always water away from the trunk to encourage roots to spread and you can water over the foliage in the cooler parts of the day, the leaves will love this.
Next Blog I’ll discuss any pest and disease problems you may find and also add my harvesting and storing ideas…
Until next time…Happy growing !!
© cath manuel 28 may 2013
