thisplace.com.au - Growing Citrus

Have you ever wanted to grow your own citrus fruits? Well now you can, just follow these steps and you are on your way to a fantastic supply of citrus fruit.

Planting is best in either later winter or early spring as long as the weather is not too hot nor cold. Bare root plants should only be planted in winter.
A well drained sandy loam to a minimum depth of 75cm is required for citrus trees. If you have clay soil or poor drainage then plant the tree into a mound of good soil, breaking up the surface beneath the good and adding gypsum or a liquid clay breaker firstly.
Add plenty of citrus plant food and compost to the soil so that it is full of nutrients. Citrus doesn't grow too well in acidic soil so if you need to check you can purchase a soil pH kit from your nursery or garden centre. If the pH level is below 5.8 then you will need to add some lime or dolomite to the soil before or after planting making sure you water it thoroughly.
The best planting method is by making a square hole and planting the tree so that the rootball is just below the surface.
By making a ring around the tree just outside the outer foliage you can fill the ring with water about four or five times allowing it to soak in thoroughly between waterings. Soak every other day for at least two months, daily if the weather is very dry or soil is drying fast.
For mulching it is best to use lucerne hay or sugar cane mulch.
You should not need to add fertiliser if the soil has been well composted with a loamy soil. Once the tree is established you can use a specially formulated and balanced citrus food from your garden centre. Apply the fertiliser around the drip line and not too close to the tree stem.

Source: Perrott's Nursery, Enoggera