Starting with Lemons (and Citrus)
The most popular lemon grown in New Zealand is Meyer, (it is not strictly a lemon but a cross between a lemon and a mandarin orange) but never the less has that tangy lemon flavour we all love.
They prefer a warm sunny position which is well drained. Lemons will get some frost damage on leaves and in hard frost on the fruit itself. Choose a warm spot with less chance of frost.
When planting make sure a large, deep hole is dug and work up the bottom to ensure the bottom is cultivated and the width of the hole is at least double the width of the root ball. Some compost can beaded to the soil.
Plant it so that the top of the soil layer in the pot is at the same level in the garden.
Then water well and mulch the surface with at least 50 mm of good compost. Keep this level of mulch up through out the year with regular top ups to keep the tree growing and fruiting well.
Citrus are surface rooted. Throughout its life the ground under the lemon (and all other citrus) should be mulched to keep moisture in the ground at all times and to provide nutrients for those surface roots. They are gross feeders requiring a constant supply of nutrients. Two applications of fertiliser each year will help. For organic gardeners use organic fertilisers and good compost.
Yellowing of lemon leaves is usually because of lack of moisture and nutrients. Both Magnesium and iron deficiency's have similar symptoms of leaf yellowing.
Use this link to identify the deficiency. Yara
Some people plant citrus in pots but this requires a lot of extra watering and nutrient addition. Soil in pots will heat up and dry out fast putting stress on the plant reducing its ability to grow well and produce fruit.
They prefer a warm sunny position which is well drained. Lemons will get some frost damage on leaves and in hard frost on the fruit itself. Choose a warm spot with less chance of frost.
When planting make sure a large, deep hole is dug and work up the bottom to ensure the bottom is cultivated and the width of the hole is at least double the width of the root ball. Some compost can beaded to the soil.
Plant it so that the top of the soil layer in the pot is at the same level in the garden.
Then water well and mulch the surface with at least 50 mm of good compost. Keep this level of mulch up through out the year with regular top ups to keep the tree growing and fruiting well.
Citrus are surface rooted. Throughout its life the ground under the lemon (and all other citrus) should be mulched to keep moisture in the ground at all times and to provide nutrients for those surface roots. They are gross feeders requiring a constant supply of nutrients. Two applications of fertiliser each year will help. For organic gardeners use organic fertilisers and good compost.
Yellowing of lemon leaves is usually because of lack of moisture and nutrients. Both Magnesium and iron deficiency's have similar symptoms of leaf yellowing.
Use this link to identify the deficiency. Yara
Some people plant citrus in pots but this requires a lot of extra watering and nutrient addition. Soil in pots will heat up and dry out fast putting stress on the plant reducing its ability to grow well and produce fruit.