Some help with my citrus

[ourarka]

Hi guys,

I seem to find it difficult to find much good advice for citrus trees here in the UK; everything seems to be USA based, but I know some of you on here really know your onions. I just wanted some general advice/reassurance/criticism with the state of my containerised citrus trees. I have pictures of them - they have overwintered in my conservatory, though I think the lime got frosted as I was late bringing them in. As always they are now building up good colonies of whitefly, aphid etc .... so looking forward to getting them outside.

Any advice, particularly on how to prune for health (as they really don't seem to thrive for me) would be great. I feed using Chempak winter/summer as advised previously by starloc.

They are:

1) Tahiti lime - really sorry for itself with lots of dieback and sticky leaves from pests
2) Unknown type - not sure what this it, looks healthy but very lopsided. How can I sort that?
3) Eureka lemon - smallest but healthiest, seems to have avoided the pests and lots of new growth
4) Calamondin - tall, standard type. Lots of whitefly, fruit never gets bigger than a pea.

[Bohobumble]

I hope someone who knows what they're talking about pops along soon, I was tempted by the kumquat in Aldi the other day but I resisted as i have enough to contend with this season without the challenge of citrus.

Good Luck!

[starloc]

For UK citrus they look quite healthy for this time of year, there are many ways to try to get rid of whitefly, if you are sure it is whitefly and you can manage the temperatures needed then use beneficial insects , i et them from harrod horticultural

Whitefly Control Natural Pest Control - Harrod Horticultural

the spider mite killers are brilliant as well

If your citrus have been repotted in the last few years then dont repot them for another couple or more, once they get there roots established again they will grow better, once the frosts have gone get them in as much sun as possible, and as well as the normal citrus fertiliser give them a top dressing of blood fish and bone, and if you can get it on ebay get some potassium nitrate, mix up a spray of 1 tespoon per litre of it in water and spray every week and as soon as you think its growing new growth spray the tree every few days it will increase the nitrogen and the tree will grow much faster
If you know round about when its about to flower you can spray with potassium nitrate or especially urea at the same dilution ( available on ebay ) every day and you will get more fruit and bigger fruit
A once a week spray with epsom salt solution at the same ratio helps as well

[ourarka]

Starloc - I was hoping you'd spot this thread ... and you haven't let me down!! I will take on board all that info. Many thanks.

On the issue of the lopsided plant? Should I simply sit it so the 'bushy' side is away from the sun, or can I prune it so that it gets the hint?

[starloc]

Eventually as thee plant droops, the other side will grow a matching branch, they always do, its usually orange trees I have had forming long arching drooping branches like that
they usually grow a matching one the next year as the drooping branch alters the plant hormones to stop it growing a the end of that one and make it flower, so the trunk the other side gets the growth hormones on the bend

[ourarka]

So, would it be better to get them all outside now - with cooler temps than the conservatory (obviously watching out for frosts - none forecast) but the benefits of higher humidity, the elements, predators etc ...... or would they be better kept in the warm for a while, but more susceptible to pests etc?

[starloc]

I would keep them in the conservatory for now, on a hot day though is fine to put them outside, but back in before it gets too cold, or just open a window for them?

although....saying that, mine are inside and outside randomly as some days its nearly 20C in the sun but the wind is icy blowing off a snow covered mountain....so im a bit carefull but at night a bucket of water from the well will freeze solid here overnight, so mine need to be in before it goes dark and not out till the sun melts the frost on the ground