When you bring your new citrus plant home from the nursery, it’s likely your first thought will be how can you make it grow faster. Shortly after that, you’ll be wondering how to grow a citrus tree that bears loads of fruit, and you’re not alone. After all, there’s nothing more satisfying that eating your own produce.
Citrus trees are some of the easiest fruit trees to grow in Australian gardens. Their popularity is deserved — they are ornamental yet productive, and have handsome, shiny green leaves and fragrant flowers. Not to mention citrus fruit adds wonderful flavours and zing to your cooking.
Equipped with these growing tips and everything you need to know about citrus plant care, whether in pots or in the ground, you’ll be harvesting box loads of fruit in no time at all.
Photography: Brent Wilson / aremediasyndication.com.au
Where to position a citrus plant in your garden for the most fruit
Citrus trees love sunshine, so if you can plant them in full sun that would be ideal. Otherwise, keep in mind that they typically need at least five hours of sun a day for maximum fruiting. In order to achieve this, planting them in a north-facing, warm and sunny position is best. In cooler climates, grow them alongside a sunny wall, where radiated heat will warm them. Alternatively, bring citrus pots inside during winter.
Watering citrus plants
Citrus trees like water, but any water must drain away quickly and not pool in the root zone. To prevent this, before planting, dig a hole in a potential planting spot and fill with water. If it takes more than 30 minutes to drain, the drainage is inadequate. Mound the soil or choose another spot.
Photography: Brent Wilson / aremediasyndication.com.au
When to feed citrus trees
Citrus trees have shallow feeder roots that need protection with mulching (the mulch shouldn’t touch the trunk) and feeding with citrus food and organic pellets throughout each season. Mature trees need two kilograms each of fertiliser and citrus food applied to the drip line each season.
Start young trees off with 200 grams of food and build up the amount as they grow. When grown as a garden tree, your citrus should be trained into four main branches. Open up the centre of the plant to increase airflow, and cut back shoots to a few buds after fruiting. Prune the young shoots to create bushiness.
Choose a citrus plant that is grafted onto a rootstock suitable for your local environment and soil type. For example, trifoliata rootstock creates a dwarf tree, which is cold-tolerant and resistant to collar rot, so it’s ideal for heavy soils and cool areas. Citrange rootstock makes a faster-growing, taller tree, intolerant of poor drainage, so it’s ideal for coastal areas.
Photography: Brigid Arnott / aremediasyndication.com.au
How to produce the most fruit from citrus trees
- Five hours of sunshine a day is needed for maximum fruiting.
- Citrus likes water but only if it drains quickly. Infrequent, deep watering is best.
- In cold climates, plant the tree in spring, when the soil has warmed up. In warm areas, trees can also be planted in autumn.
- Citrus trees don’t need pruning to fruit well.
Growing citrus in small spaces
Do you want to grow citrus but don’t have the room for big trees? One solution is to train your citrus flat against a warm, north-facing fence, a technique known as espalier.
Plant them at 1.2–1.5-metre intervals, about 30cm from the fence. Tie the stems to horizontal wires along the fence and place the wires about 20cm apart. This way the trees don’t encroach on the garden, but provide an evergreen screen to hide the fence.
How to grow lots of fruit on potted citrus trees
Everyone with a spot of sun can grow citrus in a pot, but be aware they need constant care, feeding and watering to produce a healthy crop. Half wine barrels (or pots of a similar size) and quality potting mix are needed. Choose a citrus grafted to Flying Dragon — a dwarfing rootstock that limits the growth of the tree, but not the fruit, and is ideal for pots.
Potted citrus needs root pruning at least every three years. This involves pulling the tree out of its pot, cutting 5cm off the roots all around the root ball with a bread knife and replanting into the same pot with some fresh potting mix and citrus food. This will make a significant difference to the number of fruit you will get the following season.
Photography: Brent Wilson /aremediasyndication.com.au
(Credit: Photography: Brent Wilson /aremediasyndication.com.au)How long does it take for a citrus plant to bear fruit?
If you plant a young citrus tree in your garden or a pot, you can typically expect it to take at least 2 years before it produces a substantial amount of fruit. In fact, some gardeners suggest pruning the flowers in the first 1-2 years to allow it to grow strong as it matures, which could result in a better yield and higher quality fruit in the future.
If you want a citrus plant to produce fruit quickly, consider getting a more mature tree or one that is already established in a pot.
When do lemon trees fruit in Australia?
While lemon trees generally bear fruit in Australia between late autumn and winter, in regions with mild weather, lemon trees can continue to produce multiple fruits throughout the year.
In fact, you can buy Australian lemons all year round, according to Citrus Australia. The industry body says limes are also available throughout the year, but that “the best limes are available from January to April”. It may also be different when you’re growing your own citrus trees.
Can you have too many lemons on a tree?
Whether it is worth removing some fruit from your flowering citrus tree is actually a commonly asked question. While it may seem counterproductive for those wishing to bear plenty of fruit, if a tree — or its branches — can no longer support the amount of fruit it has produced, you can end up coming away with nothing.
Similarly, just as is often the case with oversized vegetables, there is a correlation between quantity and quality when it comes to citrus fruit. Overcrowded fruit can often be smaller in size and less tasty.
In order to avoid this, it is best to remove some of the fruit, leaving behind the pieces closest to the thickest part of the branch.
When do orange trees fruit in Australia?
Oranges fruit at different times of the year depending on the variety. For example, navel oranges typically have their season in winter, from June to October, while valencia oranges have a summer season from November to February.
According to Citrus Australia, these are the two most popular orange varieties commercially grown in the country, but you’ll find other varieties fruit at different times. When you buy a citrus plant, you should be able to get details of the variety and when it will typically produce fruit.
What is the best fertiliser for citrus trees?
Sunshine, quick-draining soil, airflow, infrequent deep watering and seasonal feeding, in addition to the right fertiliser are the keys to citrus success. In cold climates, plant the tree in spring, when the soil has warmed up. In warm areas, trees can also be planted in autumn. The best fertiliser for citrus trees include well-rotted cow manures, potash, blood and bone or a handful of garden lime each year. Planting on mounded soil will prevent drainage problems, collar rot and fungal diseases.
2024’s top citrus fertilizer
- Scotts Osmocote Organic Plus Fruit and Citrus 800g, $13.46, Amazon (here’s why)
- Brunnings Organic Blood & Bone Based Fertiliser 2.5kg, $14, Woolworths (here’s why)
- Charlie Carp All Purpose Fertiliser 1L, $10.86, Amazon (here’s why)
The best citrus fertilizer in Australia in 2024
01
Scotts Osmocote Organic Plus Fruit and Citrus 800g
from $13.46 at Amazon
Best for: organic fruit
This plant food and soil improver has been formulated to boost flowering and fruiting of all citrus trees including lemon, lime, mandarin and oranges. It consists of blends of organic fertiliser and Osmocote that conditions the soil for up to 6 months.
Key features:
- Specifically designed for fruit and citrus
- Feeds for 6 months
- Promotes production of large, juicy fruit
02
Brunnings Organic Blood & Bone Based Fertiliser 2.5kg
from $14 at Woolworths
Best for: slow release nutrients
Brunnings Blood & Bone based fertiliser is a traditional organic fertiliser that releases its nutrients slowly into the soil. This is a suitable choice for citrus plants as the nitrogen and phosphorus formula will encourage healthy growth.
Key features:
- 2.5kg bag
- Suitable for all types of plants
- Can be applied very six weeks for best results
03
Charlie Carp All Purpose Fertiliser 1L
from $10.86 at Amazon
Best for: liquid fertiliser
Suitable for veggies, orchids, roses and of course, citrus trees, the Charlie Carp liquid fertiliser is a natural solution made from the invasive introduced species of European Carp. It provides a quick and simple boost of nutrients and oils to give your citrus the boost it needs.
Key features:
- Ready-to-use liquid fertiliser
- Rich in protein, Omega 3 oils, nutrients and trace elements
- Proudly Australian made
- Makes 300L
04
Brunnings Organic Fruit & Citrus Food 2.5kg
from $14 at Woolworths
Best for: abundant fruit-set on trees
The Brunnings formula combines organic nutrients with fertilisers to produce healthy juicy fruit in citrus plants. It is ready to use and simple to sprinkle on a wide variety of citrus and fruits, that continues to release nutrients for months.
Key features:
- 2.5kg bag
- Organic and fast acting nutrients including Potassium.
- Helps to produces large juicy fruit
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