Daily gardening tip · Southern hemisphere · Sunday 13 September 2026 · early spring
Harvest the Last of Your Winter Citrus
As early spring warms up your garden, it is time to pick any remaining winter citrus fruits before your trees start their spring flowering cycle.
15 minuteseasyharvesting
Inspect your lemon and lime trees for any ripe fruit left over from winter.
Hold the fruit gently and use clean pruning shears to snip the stem just above the fruit.
Avoid pulling the fruit off by hand, as this can tear the bark and damage the branch.
Remove any damaged or rotting fruit from the branches and the ground to prevent pests.
Why it works
Leaving ripe fruit on the tree drains its energy and can reduce the next season's harvest. Removing the remaining citrus now allows the tree to direct all of its nutrients and water into producing new spring blossoms and fresh growth.
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