G A R D E N I N G / / T H E B AROS S A MAG | 29
Growing Citrus
Citrus are a staple in any Aussie backyard.
They produce bumper crops of zesty fruits
and include lemons, oranges, mandarins,
limes, blood oranges, grapefruit and
cumquats and many more.
Citrus trees would have to be one of our
most questioned about plants at Barossa
Nursery.
They grow really well here. However,
can be a little temperamental if not
treated right or not in the right position.
In this article I will try to give a bit of
a guide to growing citrus in the Barossa.
Firstly, it is important to remember that
citrus trees are a subtropical plant.
We do though, recommend holding
out for warmer temperatures.
In terms of position, citrus require
an open sunny position (full sun is best).
There are some gardeners out there who
recommend this, but in our many years
of experience we have found this to be the
worst thing you can do.
40-50cm pot (at the very smallest!)
but bigger if possible.
Full size citrus grow best in the ground.
But if you do need to plant one in a pot,
nothing smaller than a half wine
barrel size.
One thing citrus hate is heavy
clay soils that don’t drain well. Citrus hate being transplanted at the best
of times and teasing the roots just stresses
the plant out even more and as a result
they can sit there and ‘sulk’ for years! This can lead to an unhappy citrus or
even death. So if you have a heavy clay soil
make sure you dig in plenty of compost
and gypsum to help break up the clay. Water in well with Seasol at planting time
– Seasol is a great plant starter and reduces
transplant shock while stimulating root
growth. Just remember, even though citrus don’t
like a poorly drained soil, doesn’t mean
they don’t like/need water. Dig in compost or cow manure at planting
time as they like a nice nutrient rich soil –
but remember, no fertiliser down the hole
as it can burn the roots. Fertilise on top
of the soil only. During winter, it is too cold for them to
take up nutrients, so often a citrus will turn
a bit yellow or get curled leaves over the
winter months and come Springtime
they are starving!
Citrus in pots - Yes you can grow citrus
in pots, however make sure you only use
a good premium potting mix. And a good feed in Autumn, before
Winter, helps too so they are well fed
before the cold hits.
Never use garden soil in a pot. Over time
it can compact like cement and your plants
will never thrive. If you follow these tips, citrus are really
easy to grow and will reward you year
after year with an abundance of juicy,
delicious fruit.
They also need a well-drained soil.
They will tolerate our cold, frosty
winters here; however winter is their
most stressful time. They enjoy a good soaking (especially
over summer) like most other fruit trees.
The best way to water citrus trees in the
ground is via a dripper system.
Therefore, we do not recommend
planting citrus in winter. Long, slow soaks less often - overnight
is best on a 4L/hour dripper or so.
Rather plant them in Mid-Spring right
up to Mid-Autumn for optimal results. This way the water soaks down nicely
and deep into the soil and their roots will
follow this water and grow deep, meaning
a much hardier tree.
It can be a bit confusing because winter is
the best time to plant all of your other fruit
trees (stone fruit/apples, etc), so naturally
people think it is the best time to plant
citrus too.
WORDS KRISTEE SEMMLER
THE BAROSSA NURSERY
One thing I always try to tell customers
when buying citrus, is to not tease the
roots at planting time.
A good premium potting mix will provide
good nutrients, good drainage and a good
basis for a healthy tree.
Pot size matters too. The bigger the better!
For a dwarf citrus nothing smaller than a
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Both potted citrus and citrus in the
ground are hungry plants and can
turn yellow when they need a feed.
So fertilise them regularly with a good
citrus food every season – especially in
early spring.
Available as full size plants or dwarf
to suit any size garden, they are a must
have for fruit lovers.
Happy Gardening!