Plant Doctor Archive

Pruning Citrus

WE have about nine citrus trees in our garden and we would like to know when and how to prune them. Some are getting big. Thank you.

CITRUS are usually self-shaping but they do need a hand when things get out of control. It's best to prune out damaged or diseased wood. Also, take out anything that looks as though it may have had borer. Citrus produce flowers and fruit on the ends of the branches, so prune after fruiting and before flowering starts again. Sometimes it's rather difficult and will have to sacrifice flowers for shape and better fruiting later. Oranges and grapefruit don't like to be pruned or thinned too heavily, whereas mandarins can be cut back to the second or third shoot down the branch.

Reproduced with permission from the former Weekend Gardener magazine. The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the RNZIH.