Every garden needs a lemon tree. That was the tradition in Auckland, but it’s not so simple here in Christchurch. One of the first trees I planted was a Meyer Lemon, but sadly it succumbed to frost. Its replacement was given a more sheltered spot, but a harsh winter did for that one too. We then placed a large metal barrel on the front porch and planted a tree there, which produced lemons over many years. I fed it regularly with citrus food and worm pee, and topped up the soil with compost.
However, in recent years it declined, did not respond to extra care, and last year I considered throwing it all out and starting again. In spring it produced a few green leaves and I was hopeful. I scraped out some of the top layer of soil, replaced it with potting mix, and bought a few pansies to keep it company. After flowering for a while the leaves of these became mouldy. I replaced them with hardier home-grown pansies which are doing okay, but today I found a toadstool growing beside them.
I’m confident this is a sign of sick soil, and I need to admit defeat, empty the whole barrel, and start again. The old soil will need to go in the red wheelie bin and something new will eventually be planted. Luckily we now have a substitute lemon tree growing in the back garden. This was a cutting taken from a neighbour’s tree before their house was demolished post-quake, which has survived and produced fruit.
The toadstool shows the time is here
this lemon tree will disappear
Ruth's Reflections 
Fungi in the garden can be a sign of good soil health. It feeds on decaying matter, doing a clean-up job. Because your lemon tree is in a container, it will need regular watering and liquid feed, rather than granular feed which can build up and make the soil toxic. Mulching with compost and straw will help keep it moist in summer. Planting under the tree can interfere with its shallow feeder roots. If it’s been in the container for a long time, repotting may be a solution – or saturaid, to help water and liquid feed get down to the roots instead of pooling on the surface.
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Thanks for your suggestions, but I really think the tree is past it. It has had plenty of watering and liquid feed. but it’s definitely looking very sad.
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I’m a bit of a softy for things that are ailing! I had to carry Dora out of the henhouse this morning.
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You may have to buy her a chicken wheelchair and take her for walks.
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I remember my mother trying to grow a lemon tree, too, but even though they would have a sack covering them, they also couldn’t survive the frost. However, a previous occupier of where I now live had more luck with a Meyer lemon tree, and it flourishes with very little attention. We might find growing lemon trees in Christchurch easier as climate change makes it warmer.
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That’s unfortunately true.
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I found a tiny yellow toadstool growing in my potted peace lily. I recently repotted them as I heard that applying worm juice over time can result in acidic soil; however one of them died after repotting. I’ve never heard of saturaid, which a previous comment mentions. Must look it up.
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My potted peace lily had produced no flowers for several months, then at the Summer Solstice I noticed a bud, and now there are six.
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