hey folks. went to TSC yesterday to get some chic feed and noticed they had a display of small citrus seedlings there. supposedly they only grow 4ft. tall. id like to try one indoors in a sunny window here in winter and mid summer in my greenhouse. how big a pot should i grow it in and how do you care for a citrus indoors? thinking a tangerine or kumquat. I’ve never grown one before so id like to know any tricks to help them grow better. would i be better off to keep it in doors year round? any insight appreciated.
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A few things I found are,during Winter,if the sunlight heats the top of the plant and the soil is cooler,the leaves will drop,so maybe use dappled light.A heat mat could be used,under or around the pot.
Insects like scale,mealy bugs and white flies may be attracted to them more, indoors.
When the temps stay above 50F,they can be outside.bb
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we keep our temps at 68f in the house . do you think this is warm enough?
Probably,but with full sun shining on the plant,that may heat the top part up too much,compared to the soil temperature.bb
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I have a lime I keep indoors by a south window in the winter. It does lose some leaves, but it seems like it’s due to moisture when I forget to water. It’s also by a heating vent so that probably helps keep the pot warm. The temp inside is probably around 65 depending on if the fireplace is on or not.
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I have a seedling citrus … only thing i do is water once in awhile and it just sort of sits all winter. I’ve since moved it outside and some of the leaves have been burnt from the sun. Out of the houseplants this one is pretty easy.
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anyone raise one to fruiting indoors?
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i just picked up a kumquat thats only about 12in. the oranges are bigger but i think they grow bigger as well. from what I’ve read this one stays about 6ft. in a 10 gal pot. they don’t give much for information on growing them.
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I have some seedlings that have been going for 10 years and no fruit, but I believe @anon47724557 has informed me that seedlings may never fruit unless allowed to get to full size! My understanding is the grafts or rooted cuttings should fruit just fine. I briefly had a lime in a pot that fruited for me.
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They like well drained soil, and let them dry out a touch between waterings. If you can get it, a high percentage of Turface in the potting mix, or even straight Turface, makes it much harder to overwater and they’ll be very happy.
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My friend John Panzarella of Lake Jackson,TX has fruited some seedling marumi kumquats in 3 gallon pots.
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i think the pot i put it in is about 6 gal. thats disheartening to know it takes that long to get fruit. i thought the dwarf ones would produce sooner. I’ve read to water them like hot peppers. i added extra pelite to the soil its in so it should do ok.
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I think your dwarf ones will probably be sooner. I bet they’re either grafts or rooted cuttings if they’re selling them at TSC.
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[quote=“moose71, post:7, topic:28307”]
“(anyone raise one to fruiting indoors?”)
Yes , ! I have a 6 footer. My favorite, most worth the effort citrus.
So I think , good choice,!
I move it out side for the summer, full sun, south facing bay window inside for the winter,
Usually has dozens of bite size fruit all winter.
I like the small size , for that citrus treat.
Mine is in a ~ 20gal pot heavy on perlight , so it’s easyer to move…
.its a " meiwa "
Here is the last fruit this year, and a newly pushing chip bud to start a new tree
I Have ate a fruit every few days off my little tree all winter.
So FUN
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how big was yours before you got fruit and how long before it got to 6ft? funny thing is there is no cultivar name on this plant. just the fruit name kumquat patio tree. sold by van zyverden. i googled them and they carry 3 cultivars of kumquat so why don’t they say what cultivar this one is is beyond me. thanks for the info. on it folks. can’t wait to eat my own citrus! nice to see it ripens over the winter. think I’m going to hang a led light over it during winter to give it a little extra light.
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Kumquat’s…
I got this one ~ 6 yrs ago as a 2ft. Tree.
From Stan …
http://www.mckenzie-farms.com/photo.htm
Has been productive for the last three years especially.
So not long.
Had one before that died suddenly , unknown reason.
They come true from seed, but it is thought that they do best grafted on a different rootstock, so I am budding them to trifoliate rootstock.
I like the Meiwa better that the more common nagami.
And unlike most citrus, you eat the peel and all.
A real treat.
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If your kumquat is sweet and roundish it is meiwa. If it is sour and ovalish it is nagami.
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I’m pretty sure if they are like the ones they sell at Home Depot in the spring they are grafted so they’ll fruit right away. I think citrus need a long time from seed until they fruit…maybe up to 10 years…not sure if they are any tricks either to speed that up like with other fruit trees (apples/etc)> I’d like to pick on up that is fruit and then use wood from that to graft…
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thats why i got it. i like sweet and sour and the fact you don’t have to peel it was a great selling point. from what I’ve read kumquats are also one of the most cold hardy of the citrus which is a big deal here in my z3b. i just hope our short day lengths up here in winter don’t kill it, may have to put a small led light over it to help it.
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I’ve read once they get about 4ft. to water stress them till the leaves curl, then water them well. it initiates flowering and fruiting. we’ll see.