Specialist Citrus Tree Care in Melbourne
Garden citrus trees are a staple of Australian suburban life.
A quiet observer of barbecues and backyard cricket games, a cornerstone of baskets of home grown produce shared with neighbours, a reminder of your father who planted it back in the 70's.
At Sweetwood Tree Care, we like to think of our work as paying service to the humble gardens and backyards that help bring so much colour to our lives.
We are not just another tree company. For us, this is a passion project, a vocation, a dedication to bring to life the lush green leaves and branches laden with bright yellow lemons swaying in the breeze.
Although notoriously hardy, Citrus suffer from numerous ailments and pests. From nutrient deficiency, poor structure, to pests like Citrus Leafminer, Scale and the ever-present Citrus Gall Wasp.
These can stunt growth, limit fruit productivity and even kill a mature tree.
However Sweetwood Tree Care is imbued with years of specialist knowledge and experience in treating and managing these ailments, with years spent testing different techniques and strategies, recording the results and choosing only the most effective solutions for long term health.
We take a holistic, scientific approach. Treating not only the tree, but considering the variety of environmental factors that influence the specimen. This includes soil type, insect life, adjacent tree species, aspect and history of land use.
We offer both long and short term treatments for health, pest infestations and pruning. We don't just care for your trees, we share our knowledge of how you can help care for them long term.
All our work is conducted by certified arborists and our pruning practices adhere strictly to Australia Standards AS 4373-2007.
We are fully qualified and insured; and based in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne.
Services - Citrus Care
Pruning
-Ornamental
-Structural and directional
-Regenerative
-Tip pruning, to encourage fruit production
Pest & Disease Treatments
- Citrus Gall Wasp
- Citrus Leafminer
-Scale
-Aphids
-Sooty Mould
-Fruit Fly
-Snails and Slugs
-Fungal infections
Specific Health Requirements
-Specialized fertilizer applications as per assessment of nutrient deficiencies
-Assessment of water requirements
-Mulch applications
Complete Tree Health and Structure Assessment
Every tree we care for is inspected for health, structural integrity and the presence of pests / diseases. We also consider aspect, soil quality, watering arrangements and historical care.
On request, we can issue a brief report on the tree including observations, expected future outcomes and our recommendations for long term care.
Services - Regular Tree Care
Yes, we can also look after all your trees!
- Tree pruning (for ornamental and safety / risk reduction purposes)
- Tree removal
- Size and weight reduction
- Dead wood removal
- Hedge trimming
Myths about Citrus Trees
Gall Wasp is impossible to control, you might as well not bother
Gall Wasp, with correct technique and timing of pruning, 'peel and reveal' exposure of larvae and correct disposal of contaminated plant matter can effectively control infestations. Trees in our care after 2-3 breeding seasons can show an 80-90% reduction in wasp infestation.
Anyone can prune a lemon tree, it's not complicated
Well... Your gardener who claims to know what they're doing CAN prune your citrus. But lopping off branches without any adherence to Australian Standards of pruning will irreparably harm the trees health and structure.
My tree is slowly dying, I guess there's not much we can do to bring it back?
Citrus are very tough trees, when they have access to the appropriate nutrients, water, pest reduction measures and a vibrant biome of beneficial invertebrates, they can come back to life over the course of just a few seasons. Even older trees!
My regular arborist can probably look after my mandarin tree just fine
Australia has some great arborists, and they do excellent work, however if you were to ask them about the specifics of selecting and timing fertilizer applications to discourage Citrus Leafminer infestations, you might be hard pressed to get a detailed answer.
