GO JUICY FRUITY WITH CITRUS!

This month David Patch discusses citrus fruits, how to look after them and considers the best options

- David Patch

CITRUS FRUIT

Abit of a departure this month. Instead of talking about trees or bushes we can all plant in our gardens or allotments, we’re going to be looking at a range of fruit which needs to be grown indoors for at least some of the year. Plants which need a little extra tender loving care, but which richly reward you with fragrant blossom, evergreen foliage and exquisite scented fruit which can be used in the kitchen (or in your Friday night G and T!). Let’s explore the very popular world of growing citrus fruits, and see how best to successfully grow these delightful fruits.

Citrus are members of the rue family – a large group of shrubs and plants which all tend to have very fragrant flowers, foliage or fruits. Citrus are native to South and East Asia, as well as parts of Australia, but have an extremely long history of being Kumquat cultivated throughout the world. It’s thought they were introduced into Europe more than 3000 years ago via the incense trade route, which linked the Mediterranean with eastern sources of incense, spices and precious stones. Grown widely throughout southern Europe, citrus fruit enjoyed a boom in popularity in the 1800s in the colder northern half of Europe, when grown in specially constructed heated orangeries as a status symbol.