The best time to take a cutting from a lemon myrtle is in the spring when there’s visible new growth. You may be able to purchase clippings from a garden store if you don’t have a lemon myrtle tree available to you. The seeds of a lemon myrtle tree have a very low germination rate, so new trees are almost always cultivated from cuttings.

Warmer colors typically mean an acidic reading. If your soil is too acidic, you can raise the pH by adding a base like limestone or wood ash to the area where you want to plant your tree. [5] X Research source Cooler colors usually mean the soil is alkaline. If your soil is too alkaline, you may be able to lower the pH by adding sulfur or aluminum sulfate to your soil. Both are available at home and garden stores. [6] X Research source

You can either plant your cutting in a pot or directly into the garden. A pot will allow you to bring your cutting inside as it grows into an established tree, but you will need to transplant it into your garden once it outgrows the pot.

During the driest months of the year, check the soil every 2-3 days and water until the ground is saturated but not flooded. After about 3 years, the lemon myrtle will be established and will be able to recover quickly from dry periods.

Cover your plants with sheets or a plastic tarp if the temperatures will drop below the freezing mark. You can remove the plastic once the weather warms up.

Established trees may still need occasional pruning in order to increase their yield.

Read the label on your fertilizer for information on how much to use and when to apply. It’s best to apply fertilizer in the fall. This is when plants naturally absorb nitrogen, and it will be stored until spring when your tree is naturally entering a period of growth.

Young myrtles are especially susceptible to myrtle rust.

If you see any signs of myrtle rust in Australia, call the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water, and Environment (DPIPWE) at 1800 084 881 to reach the biosecurity service in your state. In New Zealand, call the Ministry for Primary Industries at 0800 80 99 66. Lemon myrtle has been cultivated in South Africa and the southern United States, but no information is available on reporting myrtle rust for these areas.

Approved fungicides contain copper oxychloride, mancozeb, or triforine as their active ingredient, and they must only contain one of these.