Growing Citrus

[Weedygarden]

I'm wondering if any of you grow citrus? If so, do you have any recommendations or knowledge about growing them?

If you live where it is warm enough, you can grow citrus outside. If you live where it freezes, you can grow citrus in pots that you move out after the last frost, and back in when it gets cool.

I have seen people's lemon and lime trees with fruit that grew indoors in pots.

I do know that citrus can be finicky. They can drop their leaves when you change their environment. It is recommended to have a humidifier for them if you live in a dry climate. I do live in a dry climate and none of my plants lost leaves when I brought them in this fall.

@Snowman mentioned in the seed exchange thread that he is looking for orange seeds.

During the pandemic, I planted some grapefruit seeds and have 4 grapefruit plants. The largest is about a foot tall.

Last fall, 2023, I planted a lemon seed and it is about 6 inches tall. I repotted it a couple months ago, and again today, now a 3 gallon pot. It had some roots circling in the bottom of the pot, so it needed a bigger pot.
Relative to how fast it is growing, I know that it will need a larger pot in a few months. I am thinking that at some point in time, the top will need to be cut off so that it will be a dwarf, or semi-dwarf.

I do know someone who grows some in a greenhouse in Colorado.

I purchased a Meyer lemon and a lime this spring. None of these are very large, around a foot tall, and I expect that it might be a few years before they produce fruit. I have seen a few citrus plants in people's houses that produced fruit.

 

[joel]

Here in S.C. zone 8a, a few friends grow citrus trees in pots in their garage in winter.
I have a wild orange that will grow here outside year around, but it is bitter.
People south of us in lower S.C. zone 8b have some citrus outdoors year around.
I am not sure if it is very cold hardy variety or very warm in that area.

 

[snappy1]

I'm in 8b and trying to grow surinam cherries in lick tubs outside. I have 4 plants going and am covering them up while they are little and it is less than 30 degrees. They take a long time to grow!

 

[JustMe]

I bought both a lemon and a lime from HD this last summer and potted them in Dollar store mop buckets, but kept them outside next to the house for better protection, with the idea of them getting used to colder temps so I could eventually plant them in the yard. Not sure that's going to happen though.

So far we've had a mild winter, but has gotten into the 30's and even an occassional frost. They have grown and flowered and even have fruit on them but is only about the size of an apple seed. I finally brought them into the house as we will be dropping into the 20's by next week. The lemon looks ok, but the lime isn't happy. Lots of leaf drop, and turning brown.

I am still thinking of planting them out this spring, then mulching heavily before next winter in the hopes they'll survive. I'm not holding my breath, but in my yard you either make it or you don't, no extra coddling


I did a little reading up on growing them and seen that limes don't like wet feet, that may be a tricky one here in the wet PNW. Oh well, I had to give it a try

 

[Neb]

I bought both a lemon and a lime from HD this last summer and potted them in Dollar store mop buckets, but kept them outside next to the house for better protection, with the idea of them getting used to colder temps so I could eventually plant them in the yard. Not sure that's going to happen though.

So far we've had a mild winter, but has gotten into the 30's and even an occassional frost. They have grown and flowered and even have fruit on them but is only about the size of an apple seed. I finally brought them into the house as we will be dropping into the 20's by next week. The lemon looks ok, but the lime isn't happy. Lots of leaf drop, and turning brown.

I am still thinking of planting them out this spring, then mulching heavily before next winter in the hopes they'll survive. I'm not holding my breath, but in my yard you either make it or you don't, no extra coddling


I did a little reading up on growing them and seen that limes don't like wet feet, that may be a tricky one here in the wet PNW. Oh well, I had to give it a try

Do the pots have drain holes?

Ben