Most Citrus prefer warm climates (zones 9+). They can be appreciated in any region by being kept in containers, and brought indoors for winter. Hardy varieties such as Yuzu Ichandrin, Sudachi Hybrid, and Flying Dragon can be grown outdoors in zones 8+.
Our citrus are grafted onto Flying Dragon dwarfing rootstock! They do well in containers and with adequate light, they make great indoor houseplants!
Jump to: Citrus Growing Tips, Growing Citrus in Containers, Site Selection, Planting, Watering and Feeding, Pollination, Pests
Quick Tips to Guide You:
1. Don’t Overwater! Citrus trees are very susceptible to root rot and overwatering is one of the main causes of failure. For both container and outdoor grown citrus, we recommend deep waterings. Be sure to allow soil to dry slightly before you water again. Potting media or soils with sharp drainage are recommended to keep your tree’s root system healthy.
2. Be sure to feed your citrus! Citrus plants are heavy feeders and require 3-4 doses of citrus feed per year. Especially after flowering, be sure to give them a good dose of citrus fertilizer to keep them lush and green.
3. Spray off the leaves frequently. This is especially important after flowering on citrus plants. Sweet nectar from their flowers drop onto leaves, which can cause a sticky mold to develop if not sprayed off.
Growing Citrus in Containers:
By growing citrus in pots, you can enjoy their evergreen beauty and fragrant flowers even during the coldest winter months. Our very dwarf varieties make it easy to keep the plants small while still getting large crops of full-size fruit. While most citrus are not hardy, growing them in containers allows you to bring your citrus plants indoors during the winter, protecting them from damaging cold temperatures.
Growing a citrus plant in a container is not difficult. For good growth and ultimate success, it is important to consider the following:
Choosing a Container:
It’s tempting to look for a large pot that would support a fully grown tree, but when you’re starting with a small one-gallon tree, you want to increase pot size incrementally to prevent excess soil moisture. Once the tree has grown to the limits of a pot, you should increase it 1-3″ in diameter. Once you are up to 7+ gallon containers, consider placing a wheeled dolly under the pot to make it easy to move it indoors and out. Ensure containers have excellent drainage!
Choosing a Soil Mix:
Plant them in a well draining and acidic soil. Most potting soils are high in nitrogen and naturally acidic but adding a bit of citrus mix can help lower the pH to the 5.5-6.5 range that citrus plants prefer. We recommend planting in a regular organic potting soil and then adding 30% – 40% perlite, vermiculite or coarse bark to help with draining. If planting in ground, then it’s recommend to plant in the native soil and to amend the planting hole with an acidic mix per instructions on the box of acidic mix of choosing.
Most garden stores will also have citrus or cactus mixes that are pre-made, and much preferable to regular potting soil. Check the label on the bag to see if any fertilizer has been added. If not, it is a good idea to incorporate some slow-release fertilizer as well.
Site Selection:
Citrus like an outdoor environment during the growing season. You can leave your plant outdoors in late spring, summer and early fall. Choose a site with at least ½ day sun. This can be a deck, patio, or any similar place. It should be close enough to your house or greenhouse so it is easy to move indoors in the fall.
In the fall, move your plant indoors to a location with significant light. A south wall with windows will work. If you do not have a suitable location, you can use a grow light, turned on about 16 hours a day.
The transition from indoor to outdoor growing conditions and vice versa should be done over a period of several days. An abrupt change of environment can cause leaf and fruit drop.
Planting:
Partially fill your new container with potting soil, making a mound in the center high enough so the original soil surface of the plant will be a couple of inches below the rim of the pot. Remove your plant from its existing pot and inspect the roots. Usually, it will be necessary to loosen them a bit to stop them from circling and get them growing away from the root ball. Loosen and pull out some roots from the edge of the existing root ball and drape them evenly over the mound of soil in the new pot. If roots are not long enough to drape them down the sides of the mound, simply rest the original root ball on top of the mound and fill the remainder of the pot, work soil around the roots and water well.
Watering and Feeding:
When you grow a plant in a pot, it is important to check soil moisture. With Citrus, the biggest danger comes from overwatering. During the growing season, a deep watering once a week is often enough. In the winter, when the plant is growing slowly, a deep watering every two weeks or even less frequently should be enough. Check the top 2-3 inches of soil to determine water needs. When dry, it is time to water. Be careful when watering dry plants as water may run off the side of the soil mass, giving the appearance of adequate water but actually leaving the root ball quite dry.
Fertilizing can be done with liquid or dry fertilizer. Dry fertilizer can be applied monthly during the growing season, while liquid fertilizer can applied during weekly watering. Micro-nutrients are important, including iron, zinc and manganese. Leaf yellowing between the veins is a sign of micronutrient deficiency. Be sure to follow label instructions with any fertilizer you use.
Pollination
Most citrus varieties are self-fertile so only one plant is needed for fruit production. Since citrus typically bloom in the winter, you may want to play bee and help move pollen from flower to flower. You can do this with a small brush, with the appropriate buzzing sounds. Citrus fruit usually ripens the winter after flowering.
Pests
Keep an eye out for pests! Citrus plants are as beloved by aphids and scale as they are by us. These little sap suckers are farmed by ants that bring their eggs up from underground and place them on your precious plant. If you see ants then you likely have scale or aphids on your plant, but not to fear! There’s an easy solution. Simply take an old toothbrush and scrub them down with isopropyl or rubbing alcohol or you can make a soap spray to suffocate the little buggers. Outdoors pests are not as much of a problem but still be on the lookout for them, especially leaf miners, katydids and caterpillars!
Indoors, the most common pests are aphids, spider mites, and scale. Thankfully, dwarf citrus are small plants and pests can be easily controlled. Dealing with pests most successfully begins with prevention. Before moving your plants indoors, spray them well with water to remove any unwanted guests. When they are indoors, inspect your plants every time you water them.
they can appear a variety of colors including, white, green, black, brown, ect.
Use Safer’s Soap and neem oil to treat aphids.
Spider mites live on the undersides of leaves and make some fine webs. Use Safer’s Soap or a similar spray to discourage them.
Scale is dark grey or brown and looks like a little bump on stems and trunk. Control scale by removing them with rubbing alcohol or spraying with horticultural oil at the summer rate.
If you have any questions about how to grow your own Citrus, please reach out to our customer service staff and we’re happy to assist!
info@onegreenworld.com – (877) 353-4028