Why do my lemons have thick peels and no juice?
In short this is due to a nutrient imbalance. I’m sure by now you know that citrus are hungry plants and generally if you feed regularly with a slow-release citrus-specific fertiliser according to manufacturers directions, you shouldn’t have a thick-skin problem. Problems arise when you bump up your soil with organic matter (which is very important with Perth’s sandy soils) as the specific nutrient in these products can be hard to measure. If you already have this problem, stop applying organic matter for a year or so and apply a higher Phosphorus fertiliser (the ‘P’ in NPK balances found on fertiliser packs). If you’re looking for organic fertilisers, bone meal and Rock Phosphorus should produce the same results. Always be careful with Phosphorus fertilisers though, this can be a major pollutant when it drops through the soil strata and is deadly to many native plants. Sometimes (for the patient among you) the same effect can be gained by allowing the nutrients in your soil to slowly level out over time.
Why do my orange rinds split?
Splitting skin is another common complaint and the answer isn’t a simple one. Some fruit such as navel oranges especially those with skins naturally thin are more prone to this problem than others such as lemons. It’s also been noted that trees heavy with fruit are more likley to have cracked skin, but noone really knows for sure the reason why. The most common theories are to do with cultural practices and environmental factors such as timing of rainfall or irrigation, temperature fluctuations and improper application of fertiliser. The best way to minimise the liklihood of this happening therefore is to ensure consistancy of your routine eg use reticulation to provide regular deep watering throughout summer, fertilise only once per year and rub off excess blossoms if you have this problem regularly.
Why are my lemons not ripening?
Citrus have quite a long growth and ripening cycle. Generally flowers will start in the late winter and fruit will only start ripening the following autumn/winter. It could be that your fruit just need more time to ripen especially if you are growing your tree in low light situations. Low light levels can even cause your fruit not to ripen at all. If your fruit is dropping from the tree before full size, this is a different problem which could be caused by fungal or environmental issues such as drought or excessive heat which would require more investigation.
Why does my lemon tree have thorns?
This is an interesting question. The answer could be that the rootstock has taken over the plant. Often desirable and more tender trees are grafted onto vigorous, spiney rootstocks which are more able to withstand the present climate. (Perth’s trees are often grafted onto citronella rootstock which is used to make mosquito repellent) If you don’t keep an eye on the rootstock and remove any suckers, it can easily take over the desirable grafted plant. But a second and more interesting reason is that sometimes when pruned excessively, citrus can start to produce thorns as a defense mechanism. Cool right?
Well this is all I have time for but if you have other questions, why not share them below and I’ll try to answer them for you.
Otherwise join me again next week when I’ll be discussing some great ways to use citrus during your bumper harvest time.
Photo courtesy of Gardening Know How.