Growing Citrus Trees
Call me a plant dork, but shopping for fruit trees is one of my favorite things-to-do!! For me, its a sign Spring is on its way!! Early February seems to be the perfect time of year to find the best selection of fruit trees for our southeast region of the United States.
First, we scout out our local big box home improvement stores, and our local produce stands. If we can’t find what we are looking for at these two places, we will head over to a nearby plant nursery. This year, we are looking forward to purchasing a lemon tree and a lime tree.
Currently, we own three satsuma trees and two orange trees. We have a small backyard, so we enjoy having the fruit trees planted in containers on our back patio. The fragrant flowers usually make their appearance in late February, which is so delightful! We always like walking past the trees in full bloom. It seems we can’t get enough of the sweet blossoms!
Gardening in the southeast region, hardiness zone 8b, along with the preferred growing conditions, makes growing fruit trees nearly low-maintenance and hassle-free.
Preferred Growing Conditions:
Climate, Location, and Sunlight
- Keep in mind my climate is the lower southern region of the United States. With that said, my backyard patio receives the minimum requirement for direct sun exposure by providing the trees with 6 to 8 hours of daily sunlight. Also, a good thing to note is the design of my patio area, which helps to shield the trees from excessive wind.
Adequate Soil and Container
- Both selections, soil AND container, should provide for proper drainage of water to alleviate root rot.
Watering
- I wait until the top 1 or 2 inches of soil has dried out completely before I water thoroughly. A good rule of thumb for me has been to water once weekly on ‘Water Wednesdays.’ Also, during certain times of our hot southern summers, I may need to water more often.
Fertilizing
- I use an organic fertilizer I purchase from our local grocery store or home improvement store. When I need something more, I will stop by our local plant nursery. For more information, check out this LSU Ag Center link:
Pruning
- I usually prune my potted citrus trees ‘lightly’ and after new growth has appeared, generally in March.
Cold Protection
- For the occasional ‘hard’ freeze, we will move some of the trees to a cold frame or string the non-led type of Christmas lights throughout the branches of the tree to provide a little warmth.
Pests
- We haven’t experienced any pest problems, although the foliage provides a good food source for the giant swallowtail larva.
For more information
Check out the following links: