Citrus are very hungry trees. They aren’t set and forget at all if you want them to do well andproduxe good quality fruit. They need citrus fert about once a month, and minerals about once every 3. They need a decent amount of water and you’d benefit from mulching around the base. As for the swallowtail caterpillars, we need butterflies so if they’re not doing too much damage let them be. If they’re start to become a problem then pick them off or spray them (last resort)
Utricularkudos
That ground is dry, they need constant watering
vicms91
I would remove that concrete ring while you still can. If you leave it too long it will need to be smashed off.
Clear more of the grass, and add mulch (but not against the actual trunk).
Pee on it (the ground next to it) occasionally.
I would leave the caterpillars. I destroy cabbage whites on sight, but leave all others where I can.
Address any galls caused by gall wasps.
Looks like it could do with some pruning. Many guides online. I’ve found “IV Organics” (YouTube) to be pretty good (he’s American with a product to sell, so you’ll need to look past that). I try to do a little bit at a time, rather than one big session.
Biggles_and_Co
If that was my tree I’d be getting rid of the concrete ring, removing the grass from under the drip line, putting down some compost, organic extra pellets and mulch and giving it a good feed .. I always found less-fertiliser-more-often worked really well… I fed my trees a lot… if it was going to rain, feed… just after rain, feed… bored, feed.
Fun_Value1184
The roots are exposed and the soil is dry round the base, the roots are fairly dry sensitive to exposure and drying out. If damaged or sunburnt they can become an Avenue for fungal infection. you should add some garden soil rich in organic matter to cover them up to the buttress and then add mulch to retain moisture, but avoid mulch touching the trunk.
Getting rid of the grass round the base and moving the edging a little wider would be wise to promote future growth.
In winter you’ll want to remove the central most upright branches to open up the centre of the canopy to more light. Trimming the top most tips will promote compact growth down low, and will help access to fruit in future.
The leaves look a little yellow, once you’ve watered and mulched it, itd do with a liquid fertiliser foliar spray to perk it up and citrus granular fertiliser on the soil. Keep up regular fertiliser up until end of autumn.
SpadfaTurds
Why would you want to stop butterflies reproducing? They’re important pollinators and the caterpillars won’t do any permanent damage to the tree?
apachelives
Grass further away because they have wide shallow root systems, lots of mulch to keep the ground moist and cool, feed them every few weeks.
>Also, suggestions for keeping Dainty Swallowtail caterpillars (Papilio anactus) away from it? I took 5 of them off this afternoon
If your plant is half eaten away and suffering sure remove a few, otherwise leave them be.
Last-Literature2938
Seasol liquid fertiliser and mulch around the base out to the drip line but not against the trunk. A good deep soak twice a week.
8 Comments
Citrus are very hungry trees. They aren’t set and forget at all if you want them to do well andproduxe good quality fruit. They need citrus fert about once a month, and minerals about once every 3. They need a decent amount of water and you’d benefit from mulching around the base. As for the swallowtail caterpillars, we need butterflies so if they’re not doing too much damage let them be. If they’re start to become a problem then pick them off or spray them (last resort)
That ground is dry, they need constant watering
I would remove that concrete ring while you still can. If you leave it too long it will need to be smashed off.
Clear more of the grass, and add mulch (but not against the actual trunk).
Pee on it (the ground next to it) occasionally.
I would leave the caterpillars. I destroy cabbage whites on sight, but leave all others where I can.
Address any galls caused by gall wasps.
Looks like it could do with some pruning. Many guides online. I’ve found “IV Organics” (YouTube) to be pretty good (he’s American with a product to sell, so you’ll need to look past that). I try to do a little bit at a time, rather than one big session.
If that was my tree I’d be getting rid of the concrete ring, removing the grass from under the drip line, putting down some compost, organic extra pellets and mulch and giving it a good feed .. I always found less-fertiliser-more-often worked really well… I fed my trees a lot… if it was going to rain, feed… just after rain, feed… bored, feed.
The roots are exposed and the soil is dry round the base, the roots are fairly dry sensitive to exposure and drying out. If damaged or sunburnt they can become an Avenue for fungal infection. you should add some garden soil rich in organic matter to cover them up to the buttress and then add mulch to retain moisture, but avoid mulch touching the trunk.
Getting rid of the grass round the base and moving the edging a little wider would be wise to promote future growth.
In winter you’ll want to remove the central most upright branches to open up the centre of the canopy to more light. Trimming the top most tips will promote compact growth down low, and will help access to fruit in future.
The leaves look a little yellow, once you’ve watered and mulched it, itd do with a liquid fertiliser foliar spray to perk it up and citrus granular fertiliser on the soil. Keep up regular fertiliser up until end of autumn.
Why would you want to stop butterflies reproducing? They’re important pollinators and the caterpillars won’t do any permanent damage to the tree?
Grass further away because they have wide shallow root systems, lots of mulch to keep the ground moist and cool, feed them every few weeks.
>Also, suggestions for keeping Dainty Swallowtail caterpillars (Papilio anactus) away from it? I took 5 of them off this afternoon
If your plant is half eaten away and suffering sure remove a few, otherwise leave them be.
Seasol liquid fertiliser and mulch around the base out to the drip line but not against the trunk. A good deep soak twice a week.