LivinLightly Permaculture solutions for sustainable living

It is quite difficult to grow citrus trees in Armidale, although I have seen several well established trees. Nioka is quite low and in a frost hollow near 2 small intermittent creeks and I have lost several citrus trees over the last few years.

I have had several citrus in large pots on the front verandah for the last 2 years and some of them have survived, but only the  cumquat actually looks happy. The verandah faces north and the trees get early morning sun in winter, so I had to make up a hessian curtain to shelter them over winter. Now I want to glass-in this area to make a greenhouse for plants and for passive heating of the bedrooms, so the pots have to go. 

Last year I planted a Meyer lemon and a lemonade tree next to the western-facing wall in the cat garden. This is the most sheltered spot I have and also backs on to the wood heater inside. Both trees have survived, the lemonade is very happy but the lemon is just hanging on - it is flowering madly but has no new leaves so far this year.

So I decided the western facing wall idea was worth pursuing. There had been a raised garden bed in front of the bedroom windows which got no rain as it was under the eaves and was blocking the air vents to under the house. So last Friday, Ivor and I pulled it apart to make way for some citrus trees.

We plan to pave the area leaving 4 x 1 m² beds for citrus trees. As it is west facing, the trees will not get sun in winter until at least mid-morning and the pavers and the brick wall behind them should create a warm microclimate. There is a pergola overhead which will be covered by kiwifruit vines and wisteria, which may also contribute some extra shelter in winter. I shall keep the vines pruned in summer so that the citrus still get enough light, but direct sunlight does not enter the bedroom windows.