Garden Advice › Fruit & Veggies
Why is my citrus tree not fruiting?
The reasons that citrus do not fruit are varied:
-
Young trees sometimes produce an overabundance of flowers, all of them try to grow on as fruit and the tree is simply not strong enough yet. Often the little fruit yellow and drop off - next spring when it flowers, leave only one or two fruit in the clusters on each branch.
-
A young tree (less than 2 seasons in the ground or a pot will not generally be capable of growing much fruit, despite the fact it may have had some good fruit on when you bought it. It often 'rests production' the next year or two, while it's becoming established.
-
Watering - especially potted citrus, they need very regular water in the growing season. Because they take a while to succumb to the dry, it isn't always easy to detect, but it will inhibit fruit production.
-
There isn't enough sunlight and/or warmth. Is it too shady? Is it exposed in a very windy position, leading to defoliation?
-
The health of the overall tree is not good - mites and scale can suck the leaves and/or citrus verrucosis forms causing very significant bubbling and scaliness on foliage - often limiting fruit production. A tree is not able to produce fruit when it's under attack.
Compost is excellent for nourishing the soil around the tree and the nutrients are taken up at the roots of the plant. However, you may need to encourage it along with some specific remedies that Digger has resorted to, to kick start citrus trees that were looking a bit 'challenged.
They are:
Yates Thrive Citrus Liquid Fertiliser - dilute as directed, water it on regularly
Acquaticus 'Glow' - stinky but effective in feeding foliage and deterring mites and sucking insects
Yates Liquid Copper Fungicide - seems to control the verrucosis on the leaves.
Digger regularly inspect the undersides of citrus leaves for scale and hopes and squashes them by hand.