Citrus trees can suffer from die-back, bug attacks, discoloured leaves and some offer little or no fruit.

Well, the good news is that with a few rules and a little love you can make these small trees very productive, even in the smallest backyards.

Apart from providing free fresh fruit, citrus trees are beautiful, with lovely glossy dark-green foliage, sweet-smelling flowers and a nice, natural shape that doesn't require much maintenance. Whether orange, lime, lemon, mandarin, kumquats or any other citrus, the same rules apply.

▪ For best results, plant your citrus in full sun. They will still produce foliage in half a day's sun, but will produce fewer flowers and it's the flowers that turn into fruit.

▪ Citrus don't love cold weather and frost can really knock about younger trees. As they become more established, they can begin to tolerate it.

▪ Warm breezes in summer and cold winter winds dry out and damage both new growth and flower buds. Plant your young tree in a protected spot.

▪ Good drainage is an essential for strong growth. If I was planting citrus this weekend, I'd improve the soil to a depth of 600 millimetres and a metre around the trunk. If I couldn't do that, I'd raise the bed by mounding the soil. If you can't do this, look at planting into large troughs or tubs.

▪ My best tip is to remove any planting or lawn underneath your citrus. Citrus are shallow-rooted, so avoid digging around and underneath.

▪ Mulch well to keep the roots happy.

▪ Citrus can be prone to pests and diseases. Remove any dead or diseased wood before it dies back and wipes out the entire tree.

▪ Most problems are caused by lack of water. I like to water mine a couple of times a week, year-round. You can get a good reading on how much water they need by simply touching and feeling the leaves. They're like skin; if it's smooth, full and cool, you're looking good. If the leaves are rough, crisp, hard and warm, then you need to water more often.

▪ Citrus can be attacked by borers. If you notice a new hole with sawdust around it, you can stick a coat hanger down the hole and squash the borer. If the tree is covered in holes, it's time to make the big decision of removing it and replacing it nearby with another.

.▪ If your citrus leaves are yellowing with green veins, then your plants have an iron deficiency. You can fix this in about a week during spring with iron chelates diluted in water and sprayed or poured over the plant's foliage and root system. I don't have this problem as I liquid feed every month or so with the complete fertiliser, Charlie Carp.

▪ Sooty mould is easily maintained with white oil. It also used for white fly, fruit fly and leaf miners. I make my own white oil with a cup of vegetable oil (olive, rice, canola), half a cup of milk and a quarter cup of dishwashing liquid. Shake well and dilute 25-to-1 for application. It makes about 12 litres of spray. Apply in the cool of the evening. It is a contact spray that suffocates the pest, so it only works when sprayed regularly during problem times.

Citrus trees are worth the time and effort. They are the little doers of our urban gardens and they're easy to look after when you follow a few simple rules. Look after your citrus because the results are so a-peeling...... Haha.