CITRUS CARE TOP TIPS FROM BABY BIO
13 October 2009
The glorious scent of a citrus plant in flower is just one of the many reasons lemon trees, Calamondin oranges, Kumquats and many more types of citrus are increasingly popular as houseplants. If you have a warm sunny room or conservatory then the experts at Baby Bio have these top tips to ensure success growing one or two at home.
Sunshine, water and feeding are the key with citrus. Most of the types available in garden centres need a very bright, sunny position to do well.
They can go outside in full sun during the summer months but need to come back indoors before it gets cold. So choose a sunny south facing position and place the citrus plants where they will receive maximum light.
Watering is important too. Citrus grown in free draining compost can be watered freely but any water must be allowed to drain away. An easy way to ensure good drainage is to place a layer of pebbles in the tray below the pot so the base doesn’t sit in water. Citrus bloom best with extra humidity. Plants can be grouped together and misted daily to create these conditions. Top Tip: citrus much prefer rainwater to tap water!
All citrus benefit from generous feeding. The easiest way to achieve this is to use a good quality feed such as Baby Bio Citrus Food. This contains the perfect balance of nutrients for year round use and as you’d expect from Baby Bio, it comes in a handy bottle so you can add a few drops to the water when watering.
If your plant has outgrown its current pot, repot using a citrus compost or a soil based compost if the former isn’t available.
There aren’t too many pests that bother citrus; spidermite, scale insect and mealybug are the usual culprits if you spot any problems. They are best eradicated by spraying with Provado Ultimate Bug Killer. This powerful bug killer not only knocks out any pests on the plants but will continue working for a further two weeks to eliminate any hatching eggs. Make sure you spray both upper and lower surfaces of the leaves and repeat sprays as necessary until all signs of infestation are gone.
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