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How to get the most out of your citrus plants

Graham Ross shows you how at Engall’s Nursery. - by Graham Ross
  • 11 Dec 2020

What's a backyard without a lemon tree? Or a courtyard, balcony or front entrance without a potted lime, mandarin or cumquat tree. Be rewarded with an abundance fruit in your garden with our top tips for growing citrus.

WATCH: Graham's at Engall’s Nursery lending a hand and sharing his top citrus tips

1. Hedge

Man hedging citrus plant with electric trimmer
Brent Wilson

Calamondi (Citrus mitis) is a cross between a tangerine and a cumquat and is great for sweet-smelling hedges, providing pretty blossoms, fruit and privacy. Use shears or an electric trimmer to shape, and turn the fruit into marmalade.

2. Feed

Graham Ross with citrus plant
Brent Wilson

Citrus trees are hungry, so feed with citrus-specific fertiliser around the tree's drip line - half a bucket for mature trees and a couple of handfuls for young ones.

3. Dispose of fallen fruit

Rotten citrus fruit
Brent Wilson

If left on the ground, the fruit will quickly rot and attract fruit flies and disease. Discard, but don't put diseased fruit in your compost. If you have a bucket-load, there may be too much acid in the peel for your compost to cope with all at once.

4. Grafts

Where to graft a citrus plant
Brent Wilson

The trees you buy are grafted so they are stronger and more pest- and disease-resistant. The rootstock is selected for its vigour and resistance to disease. The top section, the scion, produces healthier foliage, flowers and fruit. 

5. Prune

Pruning citrus tree
Brent Wilson

Citrus trees produce lots of fruit, so branches can get heavy and be damaged by winter winds. Remove a third of the immature fruit to lighten the load and divert energy into producing bigger, healthier fruit down the track. If the tree is in its first year, remove two-thirds of the fruit. You'll be rewarded later as your tree grows its strong bones.

You might also like:

How to grow citrus

How to fix curling leaves

How to prune lemon trees

  • Garden
  • TV
Graham Ross
Graham Ross
Radio broadcaster and television gardening presenter, Graham Ross, has educated, entertained and inspired Australia’s gardening community and aspiring green thumbs during a career that has spanned more than 50 years.

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