Problems Growing Lemon Trees
I am having great difficulties with growing lemon trees in Karori. I have used all sorts of products, but my poor lemon tree will not produce any lemons. What can I do?
There are a few factors that could be the cause of your lack of fruit. Firstly check the position of your lemon tree. If it is an exceptionally exposed position e.g. with strong winds etc, young flowers will be blown off the tree and therefore have no fruit set. Check your drainage; lemons, like all citrus, do not grow well in heavy clay soils that are poor draining and this will lead to slow growth or death of the plant.
Is the tree growing in full sunlight? Some lemons will grow in semi-shade positions but will provide low quantities of fruit. It may be necessary in a Wellington environment to locate a specific micro climate for your lemon tree on your property e.g. somewhere sheltered that traps as much sun as possible. When planting new lemon trees, ensure that when the tree sits in the ground, the base of the stem should be slightly higher than ground level to prevent water pooling around the trunk and potentially causing rot.
Lastly, as ‘gross feeders’, citrus need regular feeding of a specific citrus fertiliser. Apply Daltons incredible edibles® Citrus Fertiliser every 4-6 weeks from late February to mid-April, recommencing late October to Christmas.
