The right leaf, at the right age
Citrus leaf norms only hold for spring-flush leaves of the right age from non-fruiting shoots. Sampled any other way, a leaf analysis can't be read against them — so we sample it properly.
Citrus · Sitrus
Independent agronomy for citrus orchards.
Fruit size and rind quality are made by nutrition and water over the whole year. We sample the right leaves at the right age, map the soil where the roots actually feed, and advise independently of any supplier.
What we measure, and when
A citrus season, measured.
Each sample is timed to the crop stage where it tells you the most. We work across the Olifants River Valley — Citrusdal and Clanwilliam — and elsewhere in the Western Cape.
| Season, July to June | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flowering & fruit set | Aug | Sep | Oct | |||||||||
| Cell division & fruit sizing | Oct | Nov | Dec | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | |||||
| HarvestVaries by cultivar: mandarins, navels, Valencias | Jul | Aug | Sep | Apr | May | Jun | ||||||
| Leaf sampleSpring-flush leaves, 4–7 months old | Feb | Mar | Apr | |||||||||
| Soil samplingWith the leaf sample, under the emitters | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | ||||||||
| Soil moisture monitoringYear round — citrus never stops | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun |
Crop stageLeaf samplingSoil samplingMoisture monitoringTiming is approximate and shifts with region, cultivar and season.
What we look for
Where citrus gain or lose quality.
The questions we put to every block's numbers — answered independently, with no product attached to the answer.
Nitrogen timing and rind
Nitrogen drives set and fruit size, but late or excessive nitrogen gives coarse rinds and delays colour. The timing is worth as much as the amount.
Potassium and fruit size
Potassium supports fruit size and rind strength; too little is linked to small fruit and rind disorders in some cultivars, too much to coarse rind. We aim for the middle.
Magnesium and micronutrients
Magnesium, zinc, manganese and boron shortages are common in heavy-cropping orchards and on acid soils, and show up first in the leaf analysis.
Acidification under the drippers
Years of fertigation acidify the soil right under the emitters while the work row stays unchanged. We sample where the roots actually feed, so the lime goes where it's needed.
Shallow feeder roots
Most citrus feeder roots sit in the top of the profile. Probes show how deep each irrigation goes and whether the wetted zone matches the root zone.
What you get back
Numbers you can act on, kept season after season.
We keep every result, so this season's numbers always sit beside last season's — and you get a written report after every visit.
- Leaf analysis on correctly sampled spring-flush leaves, plotted season on season
- Soil maps under the emitters and in the work row
- A fertiliser programme by nutrient, timed for set, sizing and rind quality
- Lime and gypsum recommendations where the drip zone has acidified
- Probe readings year round, with refill and full points per root zone
Other crops
The same independent approach, crop by crop.
Contact
Talk to an independent agronomist about your citrus.
Evert Bergh, agronomist. Based in Durbanville, serving farmers across the Olifants River Valley — Citrusdal and Clanwilliam — and elsewhere in the Western Cape, and nationally.