All of the trees are in large pots, and I fertilise them with blood & bone every two months, and sprinkle a quarter of a cup of dolomite lime once every six months. This routine seems to keep the trees healthy and free of pests. Touch wood, they will keep on going like this year after year.
Here is the Tahitian Lime:
This one is a massive Lemon tree, not sure of the variety;
This tree is a dual grafted mandarin, Emperor and Imperial;
And finally, a Lemonade tree. It is a cross between an Orange and a Lemon. It needs a bit of care because two branches have snapped due to the weight of the crop;
Each tree is flowering again, so It looks like they have a continuous cycle. I like citrus trees, because they are so easy to manage. I think I might put a few more in around the pool area against the new fence. Maybe a few varieties of orange would do the trick. Then I would have all the ingredients for my marmalade!
john (dad) says
the trees are looking healthy gav. you must be doing it right for them to have grown so much
Chookie says
I like citrus too. The only pest that really bothers our lemon tree is stink bugs, and you can pick them off with barbie tongs and drop them in a bucket of water & kero. Hoping to plant a Tahitian lime in a sheltered spot next year.
Anonymous says
They look great Gavin! We have had our citrus (2x madarins, 2x oranges, lemon & lime) for 9 months and have had a few flowers which I have removed. I am hoping for some healthy trees like yours in the future.
One quick question, what type of timber have you uesd for your garden beds either side of the pots? I am still in the planning stages of my veggie patch.
Cheers, Lisa
Gavin says
@ Dad. Thanks, I must have learned something from you!
@ Chookie. I am glad I don’t get stink bugs down here. The tahitian limes are just fabulous. I hope you have some success.
@ Lisa. The timber I used was recovered river red gum that had been redressed to look new. It is as tough as nails and I had to pre-drill each hole for the coach bolts! Have a look at this post to get a better understanding of how I made them. Reducing Food Miles