Care guide
Everything we would tell you if you walked into the nursery.
Watering
The single thing that kills most trees. Water when the top centimetre of soil is dry, not on a schedule. In a Cyprus summer that is usually daily for outdoor trees and every second or third day indoors. Water until it runs out of the drainage holes, then stop.
Light
Indoor species want the brightest window you have, but not the July afternoon sun through glass. Outdoor species genuinely live outside, all year, including winter.
Feeding
Liquid feed every two weeks from March to October, nothing in the coldest months. Half strength is better than double.
Pruning
Trim new shoots back to two leaves once they have grown six. Structural pruning happens in late winter, when you can see the branches.
Repotting
Every two years for young trees, every four or five for older ones, always in early spring. Trim a third of the roots and use a free-draining mix, never garden soil.
When something goes wrong
Yellow leaves usually mean too much water. Crisp brown edges mean too little. Send us a photo before you do anything drastic - most trees we are asked about are recoverable.