Lemon myrtles are lovely evergreen timber with lemon-scented leaves. These timber produce lots of incredible white flowers through the summer season. On this article, I’ll share my expertise on when and the right way to fertilize lemon myrtle.
The Function of Fertilizers in Plant Well being, Development, and Growth
Crops require 4 primary sorts of vitamins; structural macronutrients, major macronutrients, secondary macronutrients, and micronutrients.
The three structural macronutrients are carbon (C), hydrogen (H), and oxygen (O). These structural macronutrients are important for the manufacturing of glucose. This necessary sugar is used to fabricate cellulose – the fundamental constructing block of all plant tissue.
Nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (Ok) are the three major macronutrients. Nitrogen produces bushy foliage, whereas phosphorus is significant for flower manufacturing. Potassium helps crops flow into water and different vitamins extra effectively.
Secondary macronutrients carry out varied different features and embody calcium (Ca), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), magnesium (Mg), and sulfur (S).
Though crops get most of those vitamins by way of the soil, vitamins run out over time. That’s the place fertilizers are available in. Fertilizers replenish the vitamins within the soil, offering crops with optimum vitamin all year long.
Varieties of Fertilizers
Most fertilizers are both natural or artificial. Natural fertilizers have to be damaged down by organisms inside the soil earlier than crops can take in the vitamins. Artificial fertilizers don’t want to interrupt down, permitting crops to entry the vitamins immediately.
Nonetheless, artificial fertilizers include chemical compounds and salts that may kill helpful organisms inside the soil. Over time, this may occasionally cut back soil high quality.
A fertilizer’s NPK ratio particulars how a lot nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium every dose comprises. Use fertilizers with extra nitrogen if you’d like bushy foliage. If you need a ravishing show of flowers, select fertilizers that include extra phosphorus.
Which Sort of Fertilizer is Greatest for Lemon Myrtles?
Lemon myrtle timber (Backhousia citriodora) want well-draining soils that retain some moisture. The soil must include loads of vitamins to gasoline flower manufacturing. Lemon myrtles additionally favor barely acidic to impartial soils with pH ranges between 5.5 and 6.5.
Including natural matter, equivalent to compost, helps enrich the soil round your lemon myrtle. Lemon myrtles solely want fertilizing every year, so give them a slow-release fertilizer. This enables your lemon myrtle to entry vitamins for a lot of the yr, whether or not from the soil or fertilizer.
Select nitrogen-rich fertilizers if you’d like a bumper crop of lemon myrtle leaves to make use of within the kitchen. This promotes the expansion of bushy foliage slightly than flowers. If you need numerous blooms, use balanced fertilizers or ones which can be greater in phosphorus.
When to Fertilize Lemon Myrtles
Fertilize lemon myrtles every year within the fall, simply after the flowers end. Use slow-release fertilizers to offer your lemon myrtle loads of vitamins all through the winter. There’ll nonetheless be loads of vitamins left within the spring on your tree to make use of to supply new development.
In the event you’re utilizing lemon myrtle leaves for cooking, remember that fertilizers could have an effect on the style of the leaves. To be on the protected aspect, keep away from choosing lemon myrtle leaves for just a few days after fertilizing.
Tips on how to Fertilize Lemon Myrtles
Right here’s a fast information explaining the right way to fertilize lemon myrtle timber:
- Fertilize your lemon myrtle within the fall as soon as the flowers have completed.
- Sprinkle some slow-release fertilizer granules across the base of your lemon myrtle.
- Gently combine the granules into the soil.
- Water the soil totally to activate the granules.
- You can too add a layer of natural matter as mulch. This offers additional vitamin, helps the tree preserve moisture, and offers insulation through the winter.
Fertilizing Lemon Myrtle FAQs:
Does Lemon Myrtle Like Full Solar?
Lemon myrtle timber thrive in full solar. These evergreens want about six hours of full solar per day. South or west-facing features are perfect for lemon myrtles.
What’s the Greatest Soil for Lemon Myrtle?
Lemon myrtles want fertile, well-draining soils that may nonetheless maintain some moisture. Lemon myrtles thrive in impartial to barely acidic soils with pH ranges between 5.5 and 6.5.
How Typically Do You Water a Lemon Myrtle Tree?
Water lemon myrtle timber as soon as every week or so. Water extra ceaselessly throughout sizzling summers and fewer ceaselessly through the winter.
Wrapping Up
Feed lemon myrtle timber every year within the fall after the flowers cease blooming. Use slow-release fertilizers to offer your lemon myrtle loads of vitamin all through winter and spring. Keep away from harvesting the leaves for just a few days after making use of fertilizer.
For extra, see our in-depth information to rising and caring for lemon myrtles.
Edd is a budding content material author and gardener dwelling in the UK. He has a bachelor’s diploma in Inventive and Skilled Writing and has written for a number of gardening publications on-line. He’s keen about nature and sustainability with a deal with gardening and wildlife.
