No more curled leaves and dried fruits: with the right watering behavior your citrus plants will always stay fit and productive.
In principle, citrus plants are also becoming increasingly popular in our latitudes. Most people place these attractive plants in a bucket on the balcony or in the garden during the warm season. In a Mediterranean garden, for example, they are an absolute must.
Citrus plants not only look wonderful. The evergreen plants also enchant us with their wonderfully fragrant flowers and deliciously tasting, refreshing fruits. On top of that, citrus trees standing on the balcony or terrace effectively keep mosquitoes away. With a citrus plant you get a real all-round talent in the garden - pretty to look at, freshly scented and a perfect mosquito repellent.
The genus of citrus plants includes:
- Tangerines: Mandarin, Clementine, Satsuma
- Oranges: Orange (orange), bitter orange (bitter orange), bergamot
- Grapefruit: Grapefruit, Grapefruit, Pomelo
- Limes: Lime & Lime, Kaffir Lime, Rangpur Lime, Lemon, Citron, Kumquats
Although there are different types of citrus, all have oval, dark green leaves with a shiny, leathery surface. Nevertheless, it is above all the brightly colored fruits that make these plants an eye-catcher.
How to water citrus plants correctly?
Citrus plants are beautiful to look at, but anyone who puts them in the garden should also know exactly how to water them properly. Otherwise it can quickly happen that the leaves curl up and the fruits dry up. Accordingly, many plant lovers are very unsure how to water their citrus plants properly (reading tip: fertilize citrus plants - they need a lot of iron and calcium).
In principle, you can easily answer this question yourself by looking at the natural habitat of the plants. They all thrive in southern climes where rainfall is not regular. So they don't need too much water. That makes everyoneCitrus plants to very easy-care comrades. Just keep these tips in mind when watering:
Tip 1 - choose the right location:
The location of the plant is always important when it comes to watering. Citrus plants need a bright location all year round, because they thrive in their original habitat in the blazing sun. During the summer weeks, you can therefore also place the potted plants on a south-facing terrace.
In winter, however, the citrus plants should ideally be given a place in the conservatory.
Tip 2 - water once a week:
In spring and summer, watering once a week is sufficient under normal weather conditions. However, if it is very hot and dry in summer, then you will need to water your citrus plants twice a week. If, on the other hand, the citrus plants are in winter quarters, you have to water them every 14 days at most. Watering once a month is often sufficient.
Important: Citrus plants are watered rather little, but plentifully. The entire soil should be well soaked.
Tip 3 - Use a moisture meter & avoid waterlogging:
Watering should always be moderate, avoiding waterlogging at all costs. It is therefore ideal if you get a moisture meter (available cheaply here). So you are always on the safe side when you water the plants as soon as the display is in the lower green or even in the red area. Irrigation is not necessary beforehand. Without a moisture meter, you'll know when you need water when the leaves begin to curl.
You can avoid waterlogging by placing the planters on small feet. This allows air to get into the container through the opening at the bottom and excess water can drain off unhindered.
Tip 4 - it is best to water with rainwater:
Irrigation with rainwater is ideal, because too much lime in tap water is not good for the plants. However, if the tap water is medium-hard at most, you can use it for watering (reading tip: Water outdoor plants with tap water - you should pay attention to this).