Citrus Trees In Home Garden Useful And Ornamental

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31663, 26 April 1968, Page 6

Citrus Trees In Home Garden Useful And Ornamental

Citrus trees are eminently suitable for the garden because they fulfil two functions very readily. They are ornamental, being evergreen with dark green broadly ovate leaves and bear flowers almost throughout the year, some of which are very fragrant. They are also an economic proposition as a reasonably continuous supply of fruit can be expected. The lemon is the most widely grown and usually it is the variety Meyer, which is really a natural hybrid, probably between an orange and a lemon. This is an ideal home garden choice, much hardier than almost all the other citrus kinds and varieties. It forms a small tree or large bush about 6ft to Bft high bearing good crons which mature predominantlv over the winter-spring per’nd. The fruit is nearly orange in colour, medium sired, ’nicy and less acid than other lemon varieties. Standard lemons are also nonular. such as Eureka and Villa Franca. Contrary to belief citrus do not favour very hot conditions and are tolerant of a wide range of temneratures. some of them withstanding considerable frost when fully established. In spite of its ponularity in the home garden it is almost an exception to see a wellformed healthv lemon tree which is cropping really well. The reasons can usually be found to be similar in all cases and some guidance in their successful cultivation is

given which could be applicable to citrus generally. Drainage Important

Good drainage is important as citrus are intolerant of wet feet. Bad drainage encourages the fungus disease phytophthora, collar rot. This has been proved troublesome in the past and in order to overcome the problem different rootstocks are used, depending on the soil. For heavier wetter soils the trifoliate orange known as Trifoliata stock i employed and it has a wide range of compatability with othc varieties, but not with lemons. Meyer lemons may be grown from cuttings on their own roots. Select a warm sheltered position preferably with a northerly aspect. As these plants are gross feeders and yet shallow rooted, thorough preparation of the full spade depth should not be overlooked. Plenty of well rotted organic matter and thoroughly decomposed poultry manure will pay dividends. The worked-over planting site should be at least two feet in diameter and lib of blood and bone should be forked in before planting. Planting Technique

The young plants usually are sold balled up, wrapped in sacking. They should be immersed in water before planting to ensure that the root system and surrounding soil is not dry. Then carefully remove the sacking, spread out any long protruding roots in the hole and refill with top soil. When all the soil has been replaced and carefully

firmed the topmost roots should be just below surface level or the soil could be slightly mounded around the plant’s base area. Planting too deep can encourage collar rot. Providing a well-balanced tree has been chosen little pruning other than removal of undesirable and overcrowding shoots should be necessary during the initial years of establishment. The best times for planting in areas subject to heavy frosts are early autumn and in spring.

Citrus are inclined to surface feeding, in consequence cultivation should be both careful and shallow in their vicinity. Lawn planted specimens should be kept free of grass growing up to their trunks until about 4-5 years old and an area of 3ft diameter kept grass and weed free around them during this time. Before the onset of warmer and dryer weather apply a good mulch of organic matter to them but keep it away I from the base of the plant.