Pruning Citrus
There are two parts to pruning Citrus
Part 1 Picking fruit.
Citrus require a good deal of sunlight and air movement through out the tree to enable it to grow well and produce good fruit.
When you pick the fruit do so with some secateurs or similar.
Select the fruit and then cut the stem back from the fruit usually about 3 leaves back but this can vary depending on the state of the tree .
Some time it is worth cutting further back to encourage new growth and to keep the size of the tree to size.
At the same time remove any diseased branchlets.
Part 2 Shaping
After fruiting is a good time to prune citrus before the new shoots and flowers appear.
Starting at the top
Part 1 Picking fruit.
Citrus require a good deal of sunlight and air movement through out the tree to enable it to grow well and produce good fruit.
When you pick the fruit do so with some secateurs or similar.
Select the fruit and then cut the stem back from the fruit usually about 3 leaves back but this can vary depending on the state of the tree .
Some time it is worth cutting further back to encourage new growth and to keep the size of the tree to size.
At the same time remove any diseased branchlets.
Part 2 Shaping
After fruiting is a good time to prune citrus before the new shoots and flowers appear.
Starting at the top
- Remove any dead and dying branches
- Remove any crossing branches that are rubbing on other branches or growing the wrong way
- Shorten back longer branches to where that branch divides.
- Undertake some general thinning out of smaller branches to let air and sunlight into the bush.
- Remove any dead or mummified fruit.
- Spray the bush with all seasons spraying oil thoroughly.