Tips
Caring for citrus plants
Fertilise
Feed citrus with a complete fertiliser, preferably one that’s been formulated especially for the job. Thrive Granular Citrus Food is an effective slow release fertiliser for rapid growth and production. If you’d rather use an organic mix then sprinkle Yates Dynamic Lifter pellets around the base of the plant.
Weed and Mulch
Apply or renew mulch over the root system of the citrus tree. One thing that citrus trees really hate is having to fight with grass growing right up against their trunks. Grass is so greedy it will gobble up any nutrients it can get at.
Clear grass away from the base by hand, or carefully spray with RoundUp. When all the weeds and grass have gone, give the roots a really good drink and then put a 10 centimetre or more thickness of organic mulch (old manure, grass clippings, compost) over the entire root area. Make sure that the mulch is not contacting the trunk (because this will encourage root and collar rots).
Control Insect Pests
Nasty stink bugs (bronze orange bug and spined citrus bug) can be controlled with Rogor, or picked off by hand and squashed. These horrible creatures can squirt out a caustic substance when attacked, so be sure to protect yourself by wearing glasses, long sleeves and gloves.
Verrucosis
If your fruit has raised, warty lesions on the outer skin, chances our that they’ve been infected with a fungal disease called verrucosis. Spray thoroughly with Yates Champ DP before, during and after flowering.
Comments (3)
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pat
Yates site member
18:06, 06 November 2011
The best fertiliser for citrus is worm juice. I have got some new citrus plants which are only a year old and this year they are all flowering and have been giving them lots of worm juice and they love it. Because my trees are so young I have taken numerous buds off because I have been told it takes a lot out of the tree. Everyone should have a worm farm because the liquid is so good for everything in the garden.
linda
Yates site member
14:45, 12 November 2011
comfrey at the base also helps the trees and a old fashion help was urine
Linda
Yates site member
09:51, 19 January 2012
What is the most benefical ph for citrus fruit trees?
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