Who doesn’t love the smell of fresh lemon juice? How about the scent of bergamot orange leaves? Citrus fruits can stay in the garden from early spring to late summer. There’s a dispute on how much sunshine citrus trees need, but in past years it was custom to keep them in full sun for maximum growth and ripe fruits. Citrus trees need a lot of water, especially if they’re in full sun the whole season, but it’s crucial for good produce. Place them in a container or pot in the southern area of your garden, so that they can be easily removed once winter arrives.

Winter your citrus fruits at maximum 15°C, but protect them from frost! It’s common practice to leave your trees outside in late autumn for a bit of cold (but no frost) to affect them, mainly to get rid of certain parasites for the winter. Water them every three weeks in the winter, and see them bloom in the first weeks of February. Clip the youngest stems before overwintering and propagate them in a jar full of water. This way you don’t have to worry about grafting later on!

This article was written by Erika Topor, editor-in-chief at Kertportál Magazin.