Saturday Morning With Jack Tame

Lemon treesThey love a warm, sheltered spot in full sun – protected from wind; usually not good with heavy frosts. (Meyer lemons possibly a few degrees below zero); protect the trees from heavy frosts with frost-cloth….…or grow them in a large pot that can be moved under frost shelter!Most citrus varieties are gross feeders – honestly: they’ll reward you with lots of fruit if you fertilise at least THREE TIMES per growing season (Oct – Dec – March); general fertiliser perhaps with some added sulfate of POTASH; “little and often” is the mantra.Good MULCH (past the drip-line), keep watered; they hate drought!They’re not good with root competition/crowding; (shallow rooters); keep grass away, especially Kikuyu.Pollination is usually not a problem; most varieties are “self-fertile”, but watch Meyer Lemons: when they are grown nearby a “seedless” orange, there will be pips – often heaps of them!Fruit maintenance: Don’t let young trees set too many fruit – prune some off to let the frame-work develop; next year let