My Edibles: Citrus Trees

Citrus Splitzer - lemon/lime

Comments: -

One of the grafts seems much more vigorous than the other (not sure which yet). It's also helped by the fact there are 2 grafts of one and only 1 of the other.

Spring 2011: Covered in flowers and just starting to grow teeny tiny fruit.

About a month after this  I decided to get rid of the fruit. There was just so much and I thought that it was a bad idea to leave them all. It didn't seem to like that and suddenly dropped all of its leaves. There are teeny tiny new shoots appearingon some of the branches (mostly on one graft not the other). No idea what I did wrong - I am SURE there was enough food, I am sure it wasn't too wet or too dry. I am hoping that it was a sunlight issue so I have moved into a sunnier spot.

Summer 2012: First day of the new year and I have noticed new shoots on the bare branches. I think that the weather has just started to warm up enough for it to get going again. Catch is that I think they shoots might actually be flowers not leaves. What is it thinking? All I can do is keep an eye on it and keep reminding my man to help fertilise!

Fruiting Months September and October

Planted: 2010

Height 0.75 metres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

First Fruited: 1 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Pollination: No

Fertiliser or Organics Used: Charlie Carp, Seasol, and my partner helps out too

Dwarf Lemon - Meyer (Grafted) ^8/10

Comments: -

Growing well

Planted: 2011

Height 1 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Shade

Water Given in: Spring

When I Fertilise: When Fruiting

Dwarf Mandarin - Imperial (Grafted)

Comments: -

Planted May 2011 as part of a citrus hedge along the fence line.

Picture taken 3rd Feb 2012. Imperial is plant second from the left.

Planted: 2011

Growing: In the Ground

Pollination: Self Pollination

Dwarf Mandarin - Emperor

Comments: -

Planted May 2011 as part of citrus hedge along fence line.

Picture taken 3rd Feb 2012. Emporer is plant second from the right.

Growing: In the Ground

Pollination: Self Pollination

Dwarf Lemonade (Grafted)

Comments: -

Planted May 2011 as part of a citrus hedge along the fence line.

I didn't follow the instructions and cut the top 3rd off the plant when planting. Seems to have resulted in the plant dropping must of its leaves. It has since sprung back with regular watering and feeding.

Picture taken Feb 3rd 2012. Lemonade is the plant on the far left.

Pollination: Self Pollination

Dwarf Orange - Navelina

Comments: -

Planted May 2011 as part of citrus hedge along fence line.Producing lots of flowers which I have been removing until the plant is better established.

Picture taken Feb 3rd 2012. Navilina is palnt on far right.

Growing: In the Ground

Pollination: Self Pollination

Dwarf Orange - Washington Navel (Grafted)

Comments: -

Planted May 2011 as part of citrus hedge along fence line. 

Picture taken Feb 3 2012. Washington Navel is the middle tree.

Planted: 2011

Pollination: Self Pollination

Australian Blood Lime (Grafted) ^10/10

Comments: -

New CSIRO developed native lime cross. Here's their spiel:

'Australian Blood' (also known as 'Australian Red Centre') is a hybrid between an acid mandarin and a native finger lime. It has blood-red rind, flesh and juice.

It is a nice plant. More prolific than the ordinary finger lime. Very weeping habit. Tons of round fruit which start off like a stumpy black finger lime and fill out to a round red fruit. Taste is very good - particularly in salads or chopped into 'wheels' and put into drinks. Skin is edible and sweet! 

Fruiting Months January, February, March, August, September, October

Planted: 2011

Height 3 Feet

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

Fruit Harvest: 3 kilograms per Year

First Fruited: 2 Months from Purchase in Pot

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: Self Pollination

Fertiliser or Organics Used: Organic Link

When I Fertilise: Winter and Spring

Backhousia citriodora - Lemon scented myrtle ^10/10

Comments: -

I have used the leaves to make lemonade ice blocks for the kids . Infuse some in boiling water and then discrd the leaves then freeze it .

Planted: 2003

Height 6 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Spring

orange joppa ^6/10

Comments: -

Its only 1 metre high 3/2/2012 but it has 10 oranges on .

Planted: 2011

Height 1 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Water Given in: Spring

Mandarin - Emperor ^10/10

Comments: -

Height 4 mts (18/01/2012) I planted this from seed and the mandarines are juicy and sweet .

Planted: 2003

Height 4 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Spring

desert lime

Comments: -

I used to work somewhere where this grew wild, and I used the refreshing  fruit for cooking. The crushed leaves are gorgeous too. The other fruit that grew there I have not found for sale anywhere- currant bush Carissa ovata. It has sweet fruit like dates.

Planted: 2011

Growing: In a Pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: No

West Indian Lime

Comments: -

Flowers well, only a few fruit so far but it is still young. The other lime took 3 years to fruit well.

Planted: 2010

Growing: In a Pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: No

Lemon Aspen

Comments: -

It seems impossible to overwater this tree, it was next to a paddle pool and had water emptied on it frequently last summer. It always looks glossy and healthy. Leaves smell lovely.

Planted: 2011

Height 2 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Pollination: No

White Sapote - Lemon Gold

Comments: -

Fell over in heavy rain and wind and had to be staked up. Splayed growth habit. Had flowers and small fruit in first year, but fell off.

Planted: 2010

Height 2 metres

Growing: In the Ground

First Fruited: 8 Months from Purchase in Pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: Self Pollination

lemongrass ^10/10

Comments: -

The lemongrass is West Indian variety. Used for mulch. Also a cardamom plant, native ginger and ginger plants. They all like a lot of water.

Planted: 2008

Height 2.5 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 3

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Pollination: Self Pollination

When I Fertilise: Never

Pest Control:

None

Comments

Wow they do flower and they do look a mess from here...I have five small clumps and I guess i am going to expect them to become like that haha...do you prune them or cut the long leaves back?

Microcitrus australasica - Finger lime

Comments: -

Extremely thorny. Flowers after rain. I have three- one is a new ricks red, one is a wild type, I am not sure what the other is. All flower well but no fruit yet.

Planted: 2008

Height 0.5 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 2

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: Self Pollination

Lemon - Lisbon ^10/10

Comments: -

Very healthy, bushy tree, flowers and fruits continuously. It has really nice flavoured, large lemons

Fruiting Months January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, November, December

Planted: 2008

Height 3 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

First Fruited: 1 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: Self Pollination

Fertiliser or Organics Used: compost and chook manure, kelp and fish emulsion

When I Fertilise: Winter

Lime - Tahitian

Comments: -

Now flowering and fruiting continuously after three years, covered in limes  (only a few fruit as a two year old). Seems to need the most fertiliser of any of my citrus.

Planted: 2008

Height 2.5 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

First Fruited: 2.5 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: Self Pollination

Fertiliser or Organics Used: compost and chook manure, kelp and fish emulsion

When I Fertilise: Winter and Spring

Lime - Tahitian (Grafted)

Comments: - it taste good ,looks good

Planted: 2005

Height 2 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Question: got lime 2years ago ,it flowers but nolimes ,what sort fertilizer i should use and when. i live sydney nsw

Lime - Tahitian

Comments: -

Easy to grow;

Beautiful perfumed flowers;

Fruits easily and quickly. Most of the fruit drops off (sting bugs? or too much fertilizer? Tring less blood and bone and giving some potash to encourage fruiting (it gets a lot of flowers!)

Planted: 2007

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

First Fruited: 1 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Summer

Pollination: No

Fertiliser or Organics Used: blood and bone; manure

Pest Control: Only problem: citrus stink bug. They denude branches and suck the sap from developing fruit causing fruit drop. Once I see them, I flick to the ground (with a stick) and stamp on them to kill them.

Organic Status:Organic

Finger Lime - Ricks Red (Grafted) ^10/10

Comments: - The red browed finches nest in it dense sikey foliage every year. It is the native food source of the citrus butterflies, including the Dainty Swallowtail. Small frogs like the protection of the thorns as well.  Fabulously product tree, I have been picking fruits for months and selling them at the local farmers market.

Fruiting Months January, February, March, April, December

Height 2 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 2

First Fruited: 0.6 Months from Purchase in Pot

Water Given in: Summer

Fertiliser or Organics Used: cow manure, compost

When I Fertilise: When Fruiting

Pest Control: suffers from scale

Organic Status:Partially Organic

Dwarf Lime - Tahitian (Grafted)

Comments: -

This tree is struggling, it keeps getting cut back hard to remove gall wasps and it has not had a chance to grow very much.  Gets scale and suffers from neglect. I will have to give it more attention if I want it to thrive, I wish I had bought a tree on trifoliata as the dwarf is too slow.

Planted: 2008

Qty: 1

Pest Control:

get spray occasionally with pest oil, I need to give this tree more attention

Comments

Kumquat - Nagami (Grafted)

Comments: -

Growing beautifully, I have my first crop of kumquats this year and I can't wait for the sensational sweet and lively sour little fruits - yummy.  A gorgeous tree which is highly ornamental - the main problem I have is that it looks so beautiful in fruit I am reluctant to strip the tree of its bright orange fruit.

Planted: 2008

Height 1 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

First Fruited: 2 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: Self Pollination

Dwarf Orange - Navelina (Grafted)

Comments: -

A lovely dense compact tree, I grow it in a row with dwarf citrus.  Beautiful scented flowers int he spring followed by high quality fruit.  Easy to peal, large juicy oranges.

Planted: 2003

Growing: In the Ground

First Fruited: 3 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: Self Pollination

Pest Control:

I have problems with Californian red scale on this tree, it was saved from a cheap reject bin during the drought.   I spray with eco oil and I have cut it back hard to produce a flush of vigorous new growth. 

Mandarin - Emperor (Grafted)

Planted: 2011

Height 1 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: No

Lime - Tahitian ^5/10

Comments: - I need this for my fish and chips Hahaha .

Planted: 2011

Height 0.5 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Water Given in: Spring

Lime - Tahitian ^8/10

Comments: - small fruit on at moment going away so will probs fall off

Planted: 2011

Height 1 metres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Pollination: Self Pollination

Fertiliser or Organics Used: seasol dynamic lifter

When I Fertilise: When Fruiting, Winter, Spring

Pest Control: pest oil for leaf miner

Lemon Grass (Cutting) ^8/10

Comments: - Great in stirfrys

Height 0.5 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 8

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Winter

Pollination: No

Pest Control: None

Organic Status:Organic

Backhousia citriodora - Lemon scented myrtle (Seedling) ^9/10

Comments: - Scented leaves makes the best tea

Planted: 2010

Height 1.5 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Summer

Pruned By: 50% in Summer

Pest Control: none

Organic Status:Organic