more on this, what height grow tent do you think i’ll need for this guy? I dont want to have to buy a new one in a couple of years. im seeing quite low heights online but i think its gotta be at least like 8 feet right?
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I read mature satsuma can reach 10-15 feet but can easily be kept at 8 feet https://www.gardenia.net/plant/citrus-unshiu-satsuma
My old oranges never exceeded 8 feet with 1 pruning a year and that included the pot. I had to bring them back inside every year back then.
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How is your frost doing?
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Madison where it looks like you got it, has some great basic pruning videos.
you think i should prune now? I’m always hesitant to prune when i first uppot because i feel like mroe leaves = more root development
Oh I am not the person to definitely answer that question- it’s only my second year growing citrus. I prune everything when I get it especially if ungainly. But, that’s just what I’m doing not to say you should. The videos are concise and great to give you an idea of how to shape it so it’s not droopy until heavy with fruit.
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I would prune off any branches growing 6 or 7 inches from the base of the tree right away. Those will be too low for sure as it grows. You can wait until later to prune any higher up the trunk and decide where you want to leave the first permanent branch.
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my owari satsuma is only about 3ft tall and wide. hasnt grown much in the 3 years ive had it in a 6gal pot despite me fertilizing it regularly. looks healthy and gives me about 6-8 fruit for the last 2 years. i just changed out the soil in may and its started blooming with my mineola on my south facing deck. i believe its on dwarf rootstock.
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ok so this first green tape is where the highest terminal bud growth ring. should i just cut it there? i think i’d keep lower branches for now and just cut them at about 6 inches what do you think?
And should i cut it now… or wait a season
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I’m amazed you’ve been able to grow it how cold you get up there I don’t care what you do. Sure it takes a lot of work. I live in Baton Rouge, so owari Satsuma are common place in neighborhoods and subdivision. However, I don’t know if the the winter or colder the last few years or what’s going on. Lots of people have lost their Satsuma trees even trees that are 15 years old. The younger trees under three years old are really vulnerable. I’m on my third one in the last 5 years and I cover it like crazy. about the height I’ve never seen a Satsuma over 8 to 10 feet tall and I used to go around and collect Satsuma for the food bank that people want to donate.
There’s lots of different opinions about those long water sprouts. I’ve gotten to where I trim. It’s impossible to cover the tree. If I do not I’ve been most successful the last couple of years growing inside very large tomatoe cage and putting 5 gallon bucket over the top wrapping the tree in frost cloth burlap, and a tarp if it is going to freeze.
I don’t care what the experts say at least my trees are not freeze tolerant the first couple years if it hits 30° you better do something
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its in a 6 gal pot. i bring it in when the night temps start to hit the upper 30’s in oct. put it out in mid may. i dont get any amount fruit like the ones in ground but its nice to get some fresh fruit around the new year. love the smells of the blooms as well.
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Have you given any thought to the Arctic frost satsuma I live in Baton Rouge, but I have my orchard in Mississippi a little north Growing zone 8B versus Growing zone nine I have really been looking hard trying a artic frost there
I did some research on the while back. This is what I found.
Why Arctic Frost Excels in a Pot Over Owari
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Naturally Smaller Stature: The Arctic Frost naturally dwarfs to about 4 to 6 feet tall in a container. Owari trees want to grow much larger and require aggressive pruning to stay pot-bound.
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The “Own-Root” Safety Net: Northern growers occasionally forget to bring plants inside before a surprise autumn freeze. If an Owari freezes to the container dirt, the tree is dead. If an own-root Arctic Frost freezes to the dirt, it will sprout right back from the roots as a true Arctic Frost.
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Better Indoor Resilience: Standard citrus varieties drop all their leaves when brought into dry, low-light winter homes. Arctic Frost handles environmental stress and sudden temperature shifts much better.
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good to know. ifi lose one of my citrus , il source this one out.
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From what I understand getting one grown from the root start is difficult you might end up having to do it yourself. All the commercial nurseries are starting to graft them I am leaning to not do it for myself because the Fruit quality is not as good as the owari with proper protection for the first three years, mine at least has a chance outdoors up here in 8b
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i like the taste of owari but love the mineola even more. mine came to me as a gangly 4ft plant and quickly got unruly to handle so after fruiting last winter i chopped it back to a small lower branch just 4in from the graft. it has since grew vigorously sending out multiple branches and is now blooming. its now a nice round 3ft tall compact tree.
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picture please 
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heavy rain the next couple days. ill see if i can get a pic after of it.
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Arctic Frost tastes terrible to me. The peel smells even worse
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Thanks for telling us that they really talk that one up.
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