Citrus trees make a wonderful addition to any home. But large orchards aren’t needed for growing most variety of citrus trees. Growing citrus in a container makes perfect sense not only for people with smaller spaces, but also for people who never thought about growing citrus because of the cold climate they live in.
The many benefits of citrus trees from fresh orange juice and lemonade to simply owning a diverse garden can easily be your with a few simple tips and advice for growing citrus trees in your yard, on your porch or patio and even indoors.
The steps to successful citrus tree gardening begins with selecting the correct sized container. Somewhere close to a 10 or 15″ diameter pot is the perfect size. Use a smaller pot for one year dwarf citrus trees and larger for the two and three year dwarf trees.
As the citrus tree grows, you’ll need to increase the size of the container to a larger size container around 15 to 20. Don’t start with a large container right away. The soil moisture can get to be difficult to maintain and may cause root rot in the tree. Citrus trees need plenty of good drainage. Drilling a few extra holes in the bottom of the container will help control moisture levels.
Soil mixture is critical to a citrus tree grown in a container. The soil must not contain any peat moss or any other dense materials. A good airy, loamy soil is the correct consistency required for optimal citrus production. Adding a small amount of crushed lime stone and cedar or redwood shavings makes a good mix for newly planted citrus trees.
Prepare your new citrus tree container by placing about 1″ of soil in the pot. Place the new citrus tree into the container and fill it with soil. The top level of the soil should just cover the top of the roots. Use a stake if the citrus tree is a bit wobbly or needs some extra support.
You’ll need to replace the soil for your citrus tree once every two or three years to give the tree its desired nutrients and minerals.
Location, location, location. Its all about the sunniest spot for citrus. The brighter the better. Try to have it face towards the south all day and keep it out of direct wind.
Water your citrus tree so the soil is moist but not soggy. Sort of on the dry side of moist. Make a consistent watering schedule once or twice a week and giving the citrus tree a deep watering rather than a frequent sprinkling. Always check to see if the roots need watering and not the soil on top that is dry. This can be easily done with the purchase of a soil moisture meter from your local home improvement center or garden supply store.
Reference:
- sites.google.com/site/helpfulhandymanhints/
- groups.yahoo.com/group/the_helpful_handyman/
- thehelpfulhandyman.blogspot.com/
