Caring for citrus plants
Tree Surgeon and Gardening Tips from Eastbourne, East Sussex.
In the UK we have a temperate climate where our winters are characterised by wet but not too cold weather and in the summer it is warmer, still slightly wet but doesn’t get too drought like. Eastbourne especially on the south coast of England is names the ‘sunshine coast’ as it boasts the most sunny days on our island. These conditions are suitable for growing citrus plants and we are able to grow lemons (Citrus x limon ), Seville Oranges (Citrus x aurantium), some Limes (Citrus x aurantiifolia) and Yuzu (Citrus x junos). It is noted that limes do prefer warmer climates but it is still possible to grow them in the UK.
Most of citrus trees need winter protection as although they are ok to stay outside in the summer, any frost will certainly kill young plants and damage older trees. The best way to grow these trees is to plant them in terracotta pots. This will allow the soil to breathe and to release any extra moisture. Plastic pots will hold the moisture and even though citrus trees have a lot of juicy-ness inside the fruits, the soil should be pretty dry and well drained (it is very easy to over water them!).
They love to say in a sunny spot to place them in a slightly wind protected area, facing the south or west in order to maximise sunshine time. They enjoy high humidity so grouping it with other plants or trees is best and try and water it about once a week, with rain water. Fertiliser is needed for these plants as they require a lot of nitrates in the soil, you can use citrus feed in your water or we like to use liquid seaweed. Prune in spring and remove any dead or weak looking leaves from the centre. This will allow air flow into the centre of the tree and improve growth. Pruning is best to be done at this time and when the tree is outside so it can encourage new growth. Trimming can be done in September if you would like to keep it at a desired size. Re-potting is suggested every 2-3 years but be careful not to up scale too quickly.
It is vital to move your trees inside during the winter as they will not be happy with any frost, this is why it is best to plant them in pots for easy moving. Also look out for late frosty nights in Spring that can sneak attack your plants.
Problems that can occur and what they mean:
Sticky leaves mean that you might have mealybugs on your citrus tree. They are also the most common sign that you are over watering these plants. Although they do not technically cause any damage to the trees themselves, they do eat all of the nutrients in the soil and if that have run our of that then they start attacking the roots of the plant. The best way to get rid of these creatures are to wash the leaves with organic soapy water. Use natural anti septic and a cotton bud to remove the actual mealybugs and spray the plants with a mix of water and vinegar 10:1. Neem oil is also reported to be a great natural disinfectant for plants.
Leaf Drop this is a sign of stress and can mean that there is sudden shock from heat, cold or not enough humidity. Also over watering might be the problem here to look out for signs on what it needs.
Leaf Damage little pests known as citrus leaf miners lay their larvae in the stems so prune all leaves in September allowing for new leaves to replace.
Yellow Leaves- This can be a range of things, under watering. Lime in the soil which causes the poisoning of the leaves known as Cholorsis, red spider mite or low temperatures.
We are going to write another blog about the special citrus fruit Yuzu mentioned above as this Japanese beauty needs a whole post on its own. In the mean time if you need any garden care services please feel free to contact us here.
