Best Satsuma cultivars for containers

Hi, I live in southern MN (4a) and am interested in growing a Satsuma (or 2 or 3…) in a container. I am trying to decide between Owari, Brown Select, Miho, and Okitsu to start with. I am hoping for a cultivar that does well in a container (with 4 -5 months of the year spent in a south-facing window), and one that has tangy (not sweet-only) fruit. I know that choice of rootstock should probably be one of my main considerations, but I am having a hard time locating a nursery that sells anything other than Kuharski or Carrizo. Would either of those rootstocks work just fine for a container-grown Satsuma? Thanks so much for your thoughts!

Kuharski is garbagr butAt least Carrizo is just a LITTLE BIT better. ONEGREENWORLD>COM grafts to flying dragon (very good) and brightleaf.com grafts to US897 (very good). I have a valentine pomelo on US897

Try McKenzie farms I know he was using flying dragon in the past

http://www.mckenzie-farms.com/

I have Miho, Brown Select and Owari in containers. All probably Carrizo rootstock. Same growth patterns. Owari ripened earlier and tasted best (sweeter, richer).

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None are going to taste like California grown citrus (ideal). They are not
going to taste as sweet for one thing, but good enough to grow in a location like yours and mine.

Poncirusguy, thanks for the tips! I checked with OneGreenWorld, and it appears that they do graft the Miho onto Flying Dragon. Unfortunately, they are out of stock. I am just trying to figure out how long I am willing to wait (on their waiting list). I hope to get something potted yet this spring.

7catcmom, how long have your Satsumas been growing (in containers)? How tall are they?

I have a Tango mandarin on Carrizo that has been growing well in a pot for about 6 years, and this is the third year fruiting. If I grew another potted citrus, I would pick Carrizo rootstock again for sweet oranges or mandarins. The pot dwarfed the rootstock and tree. It is about a 25 gal size pot. However, I am able to grow it outside all year.

I really like the fruit on my Owari, but it is an in ground tree.

I have several in 7-10 gal containers. 2-3 ys old. They’re weeping trees, so only reach 3-4 ft. My Owari gave us 20 fruit last winter. It split the main trunk with too much fruit and had to be cut back. Will have to thin them this summer.

Relatedly, does anyone know what “semi-dwarf” rootstock Four Winds uses for their mandarins? They do also sell rootstocks separately so I don’t get why they are so vague about what they use for their grafted trees.