Oranges in Zone 5

Certainly a great benchmark for us potted citrus growers. What’s your production normally like, and do you use a special growing mix? I’ve been meaning to up pot mine into some big pots as well.

There is a terrific potting mix that I use that I found on the citrus forum on the old GW. It is on line (the recipe) and it is called 'Al’s Gritty Mix. I make it up by the garden wagon load and it works beautifully for me. It has quite a few components that you must buy but it is the best for me. Try it! :blush:

I am in z6/7. Those are containers bought at Lowe’s made with somekind of fibre/plastic.Walls are about 3/8 thick. They are 21* wide.Fertilizer i use is Jack’s high performance (25 lb bag) from a.m Leonard (39.00 free shipping in the fall special) I also use Jack’s M.O.S.T at 1 tbs per 7 gls during bloom.
2017 spring they will be repotted to the next size container( final size)

My Page usely has alot,but this year due my scew-up in the shop it went into bloom at the end of december and all bloom fell-of(too hot in the shop) Meyer always good. Bloodornge not bad. All the others are too young for production.
Atemoya,Jabo’s too young.

We have been more zone 6 than 5 the last several years and apparently the oranges know it. They may not look perfect but here they are small and scrawny but yet dusting off another winter outdoors

Greg,
I have heavy clay soil here do you have some ideas to get them growing faster? I plan to replant their seeds. I have two that survived outdoors 3-4 years now without a covering…

Clark

Hi Clark, mine have been growing pretty slowly outside as well, so I’d love the same advice! Citrus grow in spurts, so anything you can do to keep them growing well during those spurts should help. Heavy clay seems like it could be a problem for Citrus as they tend to want really well draining soil to avoid root rot issues. Consider creating a raised bed to provide drainage and to heat up faster in the spring. A bit of a sheltered site to protect from winter winds could be helpful too. Those things may help your growth rate. BTW, there’s actually a mutant Poncirus out there that flowers starting in it’s first year.

1 Like

reminds me of this video of raising citrus in the midwest, though he used a greenhouse
Citrus Nebraska

1 Like

What kind of orange can you grow in your zone outside?

My orange tree grows for six months indoor and six month out of door. In ground, it would be a goner.

I just read that key lime can flower in 1 to 2 years from seed…lemons 2 to 3 years…this was in Florida… i might have to try some.

Warm I grow three type of citrus including the ones you’ve mentioned. My trees did not start producing until they were three years old. In the beginning like a lot of young fruit trees, they blossom but drop their fruit. I think if you were in Fla. you might have a better chance for what you have read. My Key Lime tree is now five feet tall and I just had my first real crop this winter. It is four years old.

Poncirus trifoliata are zone 6 hardy

2 Likes

I was reading about those today and they say that they are bitter oranges. Are they for eating fresh or do you cook with them. Personally I think just growing them would be enough fun when people see them they will freak out. They’re going to ask how can you grow an orange in Michigan? I’ll just tell them They came out with a new spray that keeps them from freezing, Lol!

1 Like

Mine are not fruiting yet but i plan to use them like lemonade. Hopefully i can keep them alive.

I was thinking of growing these citrus trees in pots that fit in holes in the ground but can be removed to take inside. That way they look like they are growing in the ground once a blanket of mulch is covering the hole up. I watched a video today where he says most of the meyer lemon trees die from root rot if they are cool and wet so maybe I’ll just leave on top of the ground. I just think it would be fun to fool people. He said the ones he has in his greenhouse they have heat on the pots.

1 Like

If you want to grow them in pots you might look at these Mckenzie-Farms

1 Like

I think that’s most people’s primary reason for growing them in areas too cold for other citrus. :slightly_smiling: The word “bitter” in the description is a big clue to their taste. I don’t consider them anywhere near edible, but no matter how much I dislike something, there are always some people who either enjoy or tolerate the same. Maybe I’d find it tolerable if served with a miracle fruit :wink:

1 Like

You will need to spray them thoroughly and drench the soil before you bring them indoors. The different types of insects and bacteria the soil will pick up from being in the ground can be bad. You will definitely bring in scale and whitefly.and who knows what else. A very attractive pot I find is the best way to go (a big one!).

2 Likes

I left one of my Trifoliate seedlings outside all winter, no protection, in a pot on the north side of the house where its get very little sun. It just started putting out new leafs. The ones I babied in the greenhouse are still dormant. Go figure.

1 Like