Monthly Maintenance Calendar for Citrus Trees
Jan 18, 2025
The table below gives a month by month guide to the the weather conditions, pests and diseases or problems you might encounter with your citrus trees. Suggested actions are also provided. Photo above is us checking the health of our Silverhill satsuma mandarin trees.
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Month |
Pest/Disease/Problem |
Action |
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JANUARY Mid-Summer Temperature: Warm- Hot Rainfall: Drought-Dry-Humid- Wet- Torrential. Pests thrive in warm conditions. Be vigilant of scale and aphids |
As summer temperatures soar, increased chance of pests and diseases. Stressed trees are susceptible to pests, diseases. |
Regularly check leaves, branches and fruit. Water citrus trees regularly and deeply to prevent stress. Planted trees, weekly, Potted trees 3-7 times per week |
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Aphids, mites, citrus leaf miner, scale insects, thrips. Check for citrus leaf miner damage (curled or silvery trails on leaves). |
Use pheromone traps. Spray for insects with horticultural oil. or Plant Soap. Add natural predators like ladybirds to control outbreaks. |
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Warm, humid conditions can lead to fungal diseases. Brown rot, Sooty Mold, Phytophthora Poor drainage around trees |
Preventative copper spray (fungicide), especially after heavy rain. Trees planted in wet area: install drainage to remove surplus water |
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FEBRUARY Late-Summer Consistent Care Temperature: Warm- Hot Rainfall: Drought-Humid- Wet- Torrential. Pests thrive in warm conditions. |
Pests: Red scale, aphids, mites, thrips, citrus leaf miner, white fly
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Re-set pheromone trap. Continue monitoring. Prune heavily infested areas. Apply horticultural oil or Plant Soap or re-add beneficial insects. Last resort, insecticide |
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Time to be vigilant about fungal diseases such as black spot, sooty mould, verrucose (citrus scab) |
Regularly inspect leaves. Remove affected leaves and burn or dispose of in rubbish. Do not put in compost. Use Copper or other fungicide as needed. |
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Uneven watering stress-can make trees susceptible to pests. |
Check irrigation system and soil moisture |
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MARCH Early-Autumn Pre-Dormancy Treatments Temperature: Cool mornings-Very Warm days. Rainfall: Drought-Dry-Humid- Wet- Torrential. |
Yellowing leaves |
May need magnesium or Iron. Epsom Salts, Magnesium Sulphate or similar. see our Iron. |
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Hungry tree. Prone to attack by pests and disease. |
Apply fertilizer, compost, manure, or pellets. e.g. Daltons citrus food - Strengthens trees for cooler months. |
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Citrus fallen on the ground |
Remove fruit- avoid attracting pests. |
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Alternaria brown spot, greasy spot, root rot |
Continue applications of copper fungicide. Great for fungal diseases. |
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Pests: Red scale, mites, aphids . |
Pheromone traps, monitor, spray oil or Plant Soap if needed. Predatory mites for biological control. Prune any diseased branches. |
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APRIL and MAY Mid-Autumn Temperature: Cool Mornings-warmish days
Rainfall: Dry-Humid- Wet |
Treat leaf spot or mould issues before trees enter dormancy. |
Spray copper as a preventative or to treat fungal disease. |
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Too cold outside for plants like finger limes if you have frosts |
Move your potted plants inside, into a sheltered warm place or use our Frost Covers |
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Weed Management |
Keep the area around the base of trees free from weeds to reduce competition for nutrients and water. |
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Lack of vigilance |
Make sure you check your citrus regularly. Less pests as it cooler |
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Dense tree, insect and sooty mould infestation. Ugly shape |
Remove dead branches. Spray Oil or Plant Soap. |
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Over wintering of pests. Re-emerge in Spring |
Remove leaf litter and decaying fruit. Pests winter home now gone. |
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JUNE Early-Winter Temperature: Cold Rainfall: Wet |
Risk of root rot low due to cold, but ensure roots don't get waterlogged |
Preventative copper spray |
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Some citrus trees susceptible to frost/snow damage |
Cover trees with frost protection eg our Frost Covers |
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Dense tree, insect and sooty mould infestation. Ugly shape |
Remove dead branches/ prune for airflow/shape. Jun-September when Lemon Tree borer is not active |
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JULY Mid-Winter
Temperature: Cold-Very Cold Rainfall: Wet |
Overwintering pests- sap-sucking insects such as aphids, mealybugs and scale |
Spray horticultural oil or Plant Soap to suffocate pests when temperatures are consistently above 10°C. |
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Dense tree, insect and sooty mould infestation. Ugly shape |
Remove dead branches/ prune for airflow/shape. Jun-September when Lemon Tree borer is not active |
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Low risk of fungal and bacterial diseases. |
Spray preventative cooper if you wish |
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AUGUST Late-Winter
Temperature: Cold-Very Cold Rainfall: Wet |
Overwintering pests- sap-sucking insects such as aphids, mealybugs and scale |
Spray horticultural oil or Plant Soap to suffocate pests when temperatures are consistently above 10°C. |
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Low risk of fungal and bacterial diseases. |
Spray preventative cooper if you wish |
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Dense tree, insect and sooty mould infestation. Ugly shape |
Remove dead branches/ prune for airflow/shape. Jun-September when Lemon Tree borer is not active |
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SEPTEMBER Early-Spring Temperature: Very Cold-Warm Rainfall: Dry-Humid- Wet spring foliage flush, new growth |
Fungal disease if high humidity. Scale & mealy bugs. Aphids damage new growth, spring flush |
Spray horticultural oils or Plant Soap. Copper preventative or as needed. Repeat in 7-10 days |
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Yellow leaves
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May need magnesium or Iron. Use Epsom Salts, Magnesium Sulphate or Our Iron. |
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Ensure tree is well fed- more resistant to pests and disease. |
Feed Daltons citrus food, seaweed, worm tea or compost |
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OCTOBER Late-Summer Temperature: Cool-warm
Rainfall: Dry-Humid- Wet |
Stressors- temp extremes, insects, and disease. |
Apply a seaweed tonic such as Tui’s Organic Seaweed Plant Tonic |
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Pests, such as scale, white fly, mealy bugs, aphids on trees |
Spray horticultural oils or Plant Soap. Repeat in 7-10 days |
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As warmth and humidity increases fungal diseases increase |
Spray copper as a preventative. Good Idea to spray some foliar feed. |
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NOVEMBER Late-Summer Temperature: Cool- very warm
Rainfall: Dry-Humid- Wet. |
verrucosis, brown rot and other fungal diseases |
After petal fall and when the fruitlets have formed, apply Copper, eg Yates Liquid Copper |
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Thrips and other pests |
Spray Horticultural Oil or Plant Soap as needed |
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Trees starting to look hungry |
Apply citrus fertilizer, and or mature compost, horse, sheep or chook poo. If too fresh, it can burn the roots. |
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DECEMBER Early Summer
Temperature: Warm Rainfall: Dry-Humid- Wet. Pests thrive in warm conditions.
Be vigilant of mites |
Prevention of disease and pest infestation important as the holiday period approaches |
Monitor plants for disease, infestations. Check irrigation is working. Apply foliar spray |
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Aphids, mites, citrus leaf miner, scale insects, thrips. Love warm dry conditions |
Use pheromone traps. Spray garden oil, Plant Soap and Bio Bit. Reapply 10 days or use predators from BioForce to control pests. Can’t use both at same time. Oil will kill control predators. Last resort, spray with an insecticide. |
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Lack of rainfall |
Mulch around tree, but away from trunk. Water regularly |
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Weed Management |
Keep the area around the base of trees free from weeds to reduce competition for nutrients and water. |
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Decaying fruit |
Remove fruit- limit disease or insects |
Bio-bit: Got caterpillars chewing through your citrus? An application of Bio-bit—an effective, 100% organic spray—will sort them out quickly and cost-efficiently. Next time caterpillar season rolls around, give me a call and I’ll get some to you. It’s a fast fix with a gentle touch.
Plant Soap: This is exactly what it sounds like—a 100% organic plant soap that targets flying, biting, and sucking insects by suffocating them on contact. It’s a popular choice for good reason. Not only does it protect your plants, but it also leaves the foliage with a healthy, glossy shine. That bonus sheen helps water bead off the leaves, reducing the risk of fungal and bacterial growth and keeping your trees looking fresh and thriving.
We regularly spray organic chemicals in the nursery such as copper, insecticide oils and liquid feed. We also regularly check the health of our trees and remove dead material and weeds. This greatly reduces our need to spray non-organic chemicals.
Irrespective of what we are spraying, we place great importance on our health and safety. We always wear a mask, cover our eyes and hands, and wear covered footwear. We also wear a spray suit as this keeps our clothes cleaner. See photo below.
We recommend that you protect your, eyes, hands and lungs when spraying. Even if it is just liquid plant food.
