All this balmy weather has had me thinking about what is grown in climates warmer to ours and the first to come to mind was citrus fruits. Oranges and lemons can actually be grown quite successfully here with a bit of planning, now I'm not talking about fields of them but certainly you can grow a couple of plants and get some fruit from them.
Here I will go through the basics on how to do so.
When growing any plant not naturally growing in Ireland I always try and think about the climate of the place that they are native to. So the majority of our oranges and lemons here in Ireland tend to come from Spain and Italy and to a lesser extent Greece. When we think of the climate of these countries, they are hot and dry with the occasional glut of rain so this is something that we need to try and imitate when growing our citrus trees.
Firstly the soil needs to be well draining and loamy/sandy. You can buy soil specific to growing citrus such as Westland Citrus Potting Mix or you can make up your own by mixing 2 parts fine bark, 1 part peat moss and 1 part perlite. This is so that the roots of the plant are never sitting in water, citrus plants are extremely sensitive to this and will rot at the first hint of standing water.
The pot you plant them in must be easily movable. This is because you will need to move them indoors during the winter months. They are not cold tolerant at all so as soon as the temperature drops they need to be brought into an area that is warm and light, a greenhouse or a conservatory is perfect.
Citrus trees are hungry customers and so need regular fertilising, generally something you add to the water is the easiest method, Maxicrop Seaweed Fertiliser is ideal. You should use it once per week during the spring/summer growing period and then every few weeks in the Wintertime.
Aphids and Spider Mites can be problematic for Citrus trees, companion planting can be a great help to deter them. Lavender, Rosemary and Nasturtiums all work well. If the Aphids become a real problem you can use Grazers Cabbage White, Caterpillar and Aphid spray which is safe to use on edible crops and also doesn't contain any nasties to the environment in general and is safe to use around pets.
A very common complaint with citrus trees is yellowing or dropping leaves. This is usually always down to big swings in temperature or over/under watering. Consistency is key with citrus, they are very sensitive to change.
Finally Citrus whether Oranges or Lemons are very slow growing in our climate so if you are looking for a quick project they may not be for you. If you persevere, however, you will be rewarded with beautiful fragrant blossoms and hopefully some real Irish grown Lemons and Oranges which for novelty value alone are worth it!
Happy planting!
