There’s something magical about growing your own garden. From picking out the right plants to the day you take that first bite, the effort you put into producing home-grown fruit is so worthwhile. To help you get started, we’ve chosen two favourite Aussie fruits you’ll love in your backyard.

Growing lemons:

Lemons are great as a refreshing drink during the summer and can even be used as an effective natural cleaning product. Lemon trees love sunlight so they should be grown in an area that receives about six hours of sun. For colder temperatures however, they are best to be grown in a container within a greenhouse or covered porch.

During the warmer seasons, lemon trees will need a larger amount of water. It’s important to keep the soil and roots of a tree well-moisturised, so they would benefit from mulch applied to the soil. Fertilisers with high nitrogen content don’t mix well with these plants, as it can cause the fruit to bear thicker skin.

Tips:

• Pick a healthy lemon-tree with green, glossy leaves
• Make sure your tree receives plenty of sunlight and water
• Opt for citrus-based fertilisers 

Growing pears:

Just like lemons, pears flourish in locations with plenty of sunlight. However, they are vulnerable to wind so their branches may need to be staked to prevent breakages.

Pruned pear trees tend to bear more fruit but be mindful of over-pruning as this encourages barren shoots to form. It may be worth pruning neighbouring trees as well, to allow your tree to bask in air and sunlight.

You’ll know that your pears are ready to be picked when they’ve reached their full size and have lost their dark-green shade. Pears will be still be hard when they’re freshly picked and it’s best to keep them refrigerated. When you’re ready to take the first bite of your home-grown pear, allow it to cool to room-temperature and soften.

Tips:

• Plant during seasons with cool temperatures
• Apply preventive oils and sprays to repel bugs
• Keep your tree well-pruned

Find yourself wanting to expand your range of fresh produce?  Get the help of our Gardening experts here