Citrus Pruning

Story: Citrus Pruning
Episode: 3
Presenter: Trevor Cochrane
Air Date: 29th August 2020

Most citrus trees in Australia have finished fruiting at this time of year, making it the ideal time to give them a prune.

  •  The tools you’ll need include sharp clean secateurs, bypass loppers, and possibly a saw if the branches are thicker than 70mm. Depending on the tree you’re pruning, you may also need a battery powered hedge shear.
  • Make sure you have gloves, eye protection, and a sharpening stone handy if you need to sharpen the blades as you go.
  • The first goal with any pruning task is to evaluate the tree and decide what kind of shape you want to be left with. The shape will determine the way the tree grows in the future.
  • A standard practice for all pruning tasks is to try and remove branches that cross over each other and rub or shade another branch out.
  • The final effect should be an open structure and clear frame. You should be able to reach into the tree easily; light should be able to get into the top and branches should reach out allowing for easy harvest.
  • Kaffir limes are grown not so much for their fruit but really for their foliage so a light trim over all the foliage will encourage strong new growth in the spring.
  • A Eureka lemon is an enormous tree that should be shaped to keep the heart open to sunlight coming in with all of the fruit on the outside edge. Keeping a tree this size at a lower height will encourage bigger and juicier fruit.
  • Make sure you give your citrus a feed after pruning to support growth and encourage flowering and more fruit.

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