- github
- moisture check:
- feel top 3–5 cm soil.
- if dry → deep-water to the dripline (in pots: water to slight runoff).
- avoid standing water >1 h.
- drainage pass (after rain):
- clear channels;
- make sure root collar stays dry/exposed.
- mulch:
- keep 5–8 cm organic mulch;
- pull back 10 cm from the trunk;
- top up thin spots.
- pests on new flush:
- look for leaf miner trails, soft scales/mealy fluff, aphids, mites.
- action: morning rinse + soap 1–2% or neem 5 ml/l (spray undersides at dusk); repeat in 5–7 days if needed.
- **sooty mold check:
- ** if leaves blackened, wipe a spot—then treat sap-suckers first, rinse foliage next morning.
- canopy & light:
- remove water sprouts, dead or crossing twigs;
- lift branches touching soil; don’t hard-prune.
- fruit load:
- thin crowded clusters on young trees;
- prop/support heavy limbs;
- pick up any fallen fruit/leaves.
- weed-free ring:
- keep a clean 50–100 cm circle around the trunk (no tools scraping bark).
- feeding (if it’s a feeding week):
- in-ground: side-dress mature compost around dripline; water in.
- pots: compost tea/vermicompost extract 2–4 l per tree;
- leach salts with a deep flush once/month.
- micronutrient watch:
- note pale new leaves (iron) or interveinal yellowing on old leaves (magnesium).
- plan chelate/epsom salt fixes on your next feed day.
- log it:
- date, rainfall (mm), liters watered, feed (y/n), pests seen, actions, fruit drop count.
- quick cues
- edges crisping → under-watering/heat: deepen mulch, water earlier.
- sticky leaves/ants → sap-suckers active: treat pests, then rinse sooty mold.
- many flowers, few fruit → heat/irregular water/nutrients: keep moisture steady; add potassium (seaweed/wood ash lightly).