A year in the life of your new citrus

By giving your citrus good care from the beginning, they’ll develop into healthy trees that will crop abundantly and, with their fragrant flowers and glossy foliage, add beauty to your garden. Here’s how to care for your new citrus year round:

August

Planting time. In most parts of Australia, planting in late winter or early spring gives your tree all of the coming warm season to put on as much growth as possible. In areas where there can be late frosts, it’s better to wait until mid-spring.

September

Give your new tree its first feed with something gentle such as organic pellets or blood and bone. Scrape back the mulch, apply the fertiliser, water well and then replace mulch.

October

To encourage growth, remove any fruit in your tree’s first (and second) years. With gloved fingers, squash dark-coloured citrus aphids (below, left) on new growth. Install citrus leafminer traps.

November

Begin fortnightly applications of horticultural oil to deter citrus leafminer and stink bugs. Note, only apply oil on cool days. Cut back watering to about once a week, twice in hot weather. On very hot days, use a finger test to check there’s enough moisture in the soil or pot.

December

Pull back mulch to fertilise with a complete fruit tree food, water well and pull out any encroaching weeds. Keep the water up to trees and water containerised trees daily during hot spells.

January

Wearing eye and skin protection, catch stink bugs or use an old vacuum cleaner to remove them. Replace citrus leafminer traps. Check foliage for scale pests and treat with a scale spray on a cool day. Set up shade for young trees during heatwaves.

February

Lightly trim leaves damaged by citrus leafminer (curled young leaves with squiggly lines). Visit the tree on very hot days to catch and squash stink bugs clustering at the base (remember to wear gloves and eye protection).

March

Fertilise again with fruit tree food at half the December rate. Reduce watering as weather cools, especially if autumn rains arrive. Check and remove shoots emerging from below the graft.

April

Remove unwanted lower branches to shape the tree. In cold-climate locations, move potted citrus to a warmer, wind-sheltered spot.

May

Begin fortnightly applications of seaweed extract, especially in colder areas, to help your citrus cope with the coming winter. Set up wind-protection barriers if required.

June

Don’t worry too much if your citrus leaves turn yellow. In the cooler weather nutrients struggle to move through the plant’s system. Leaf colour will usually improve in spring.

July

Spray the trunk with lime sulfur to control white louse scale and mites. Protect young trees from frost on cold nights by covering with frost cloth or netting. Wish your new citrus tree a happy first birthday! It’s well on its way to a long, productive life.

For more citrus care advice, check out our citrus tree care guide.