Citrus trees

[NannyGreen]

Don't do it Peteyd if you want a life. They are worse than children or mobile phones, need constant attention, provide endless stress (and no fruit so far!), take up too much room in the greenhouse and need feeding all the time.

I had a moment of madness (not entirely sure I am sane now, but anyway) make sure you know what you are doing or you may purchase in haste and repent at leisure - although there won't be much leisure if you have citrus trees

[Plot70]

I have never bought a citrus tree as the seeds from supermarket fruits germinate so easily.
The money tree was a cutting taken in the mid 1970s.
It is now hollow like an old oak tree and still produces nice healthy leaves. It rather interestingly produces lush leaves on some branches while others rest rest for a year.
I have another one that is not the traditional variety having paler bark. It is a cutting from the early 1980s and retains a thick gnarled trunk.
Lets wait until after the last frost when they are out in the good light and I will start a new thread.

[ameno]

Don't do it Peteyd if you want a life. They are worse than children or mobile phones, need constant attention, provide endless stress (and no fruit so far!), take up too much room in the greenhouse and need feeding all the time.

I had a moment of madness (not entirely sure I am sane now, but anyway) make sure you know what you are doing or you may purchase in haste and repent at leisure - although there won't be much leisure if you have citrus trees

They're really not that difficult if you put them outside for the summer. Mine are usually outside tentatively from late March (brought in if frost is forecast, which where I am isn't often), and permanently from mid May, and come in mid to late November. When they're outside, all they need is feeding every 2 weeks or so and that's it, really.
Hell, even when they are in for the winter, all they really need is feeding one a month and keeping an eye for aphids and spider mite.

I think the one thing I'd recommend anyone buying a citrus tree is to buy one in flower or fruit. That way, you know it is mature enough to produce fruit.

[ecudc]

It can take over ten years for a seed grown citrus tree to fruit for its first time but the good thing if you do manage it then you have contributed to biodiversity the ones you buy from cuttings usually 2-3 years from when they strike the cutting so if you buy a small plant it may take a while.

I learnt the hard way that even against a south facing wall in a sheltered garden limes and small lemons will not survive below minus 4 and even the larger ones got nipped so it’s back to the conservatory for mine next year and will bring them in October to November time as it rarely gets that cold before then.