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phippsy
assistant gardener
Australia
64 Posts |
 Posted - 30/09/2008 : 09:30:24
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We have a large lemon tree, probably 3mtrs at the top and shows signs of being pruned many moons ago. It gets plenty of fruit, but it never turns yellow until the fruit drops off the tree.
I know nothing about fruit trees, apart from not really being able to reach the bulk of the fruit I was thinking of using my 2-stroke pruning saw to bring it back to about a stump 1mtr high and letting it start again.
What can people suggest?
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Mary-Anne
garden sage
Australia
10809 Posts |
Posted - 30/09/2008 : 09:42:26
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Cute Amy..
I cant help as all my citrus trees have been dug up and removed they wont grow in my garden.
I gave Daniel the Navelina orange
Gail has heaps of success with hers and will help..
Friends are the flowers in the garden of life
Love Your Enemies... It Will Drive Them Nuts |
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The Estate
head gardener
Australia
3676 Posts |
Posted - 30/09/2008 : 09:51:40
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Do you feed it 
My basic weeding rule: if they grow in rows they're flowers;
if they don't they're weeds.
Melbourne |
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Mary-Anne
garden sage
Australia
10809 Posts |
Posted - 30/09/2008 : 10:02:10
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I do know that irregular watering will cause fruit drop I would try and fix the problem before taking the saw to it..
Friends are the flowers in the garden of life
Love Your Enemies... It Will Drive Them Nuts |
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Mary-Anne
garden sage
Australia
10809 Posts |
Posted - 30/09/2008 : 10:08:52
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Plenty of info on this link Gail put on..
Download the pdf about Citrus... Its will help
http://www.annettemcfarlane.com/fruit.htm
Friends are the flowers in the garden of life
Love Your Enemies... It Will Drive Them Nuts |
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Gail
garden sage
Australia
7707 Posts |
Posted - 30/09/2008 : 10:34:13
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Lemons are tough so you can't do too much damage too them. The main aim is to open out the centre so first look for the graft which would be about 30 to 50cm from the ground, remove anything below that. Now work your way up and look for the main branches - select nice strong branches, 3 branches if possible, evenly spaced as possible and facing out. Remove all other branches close to the trunk. Trim those main branches back to a manageable height say around a metre or metre and half - prune to an outward facing node/branch.
Keep any grass away at least in about a 2m diameter around the trunk. Give a good feed of whatever your favourite plant food is. If you have any, spread plenty of old manure or compost around it, and mulch. Always water in the plant food straight away, in future give a deep water only when you haven't had any good rain for a couple of weeks - more regularly when fruiting though too much water will lessen the taste of the fruit. A sudden large amount of water or rain while the fruit is developing will cause the fruit to split due to sudden growth.
In the future, remove any branches that grow towards the centre or cross each other. The idea is to create an open vase shape to allow good air flow.
Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit, wisdom is knowing not to use it in a fruit salad.
A ounce of common sense is worth more than a ton of intelligence.
Gail, near Gympie, Qld |
Edited by - Gail on 30/09/2008 10:40:29 |
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phippsy
assistant gardener
Australia
64 Posts |
Posted - 01/10/2008 : 08:42:57
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There is a prominent graft on the trunk, as most of my citrus have, so will start there. It used to have the grey water hose on it but I have been moving that around.
I want to prune it mainly so it isn't so big and ungainly, but also so much of the fruit just doesn't get used, there were too may on the ground but also too many I couldn't reach.
Will get a photo tonight to show you what I've got to deal with
Thanks
Jason
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The Estate
head gardener
Australia
3676 Posts |
Posted - 01/10/2008 : 09:07:29
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all citrus are just coming into flower now and if you prune now you will not get any fruit at all 
My basic weeding rule: if they grow in rows they're flowers;
if they don't they're weeds.
Melbourne |
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