Hi! I have a four year old orange tree. It is loaded with oranges but is looking quite sad. It has lost a lot of leaves although there are lots of new ones forming. I am struggling to find a happy medium with when to water and how much. I am wondering whether there is a rule of thumb for taking early fruits off young trees? Thanks, Alison.

Orange trees are like all members of the citrus family they love a little TLC to keep things on an even keel. The essentials are to prune in late spring to remove any dead or diseased growth and to allow plenty of sun light into the centre of the tree. Apply Tui Citrus Food in spring and autumn around the drip line of the tree, this supplies all the nutrients the plant needs to produce a reliable crop of fruit. With young trees, remove 50% of the fruit for the first few years, this encourages the plant to put the majority of its energy into growth above and below the ground as opposed to fruiting.

Water is a vital element from late spring until mid autumn, aim to water deeply at least once a week during this time - 1-2 buckets of water a week is a good guide. Adding a layer of mulch around the root zone will help keep the soil cooler and limit heat stress in the soil.