Grow Citrus Trees
Indoors or Out with a Gardenzilla Container

Citrus trees, including kumquats, Meyer lemons and mandarin oranges offer beautiful foliage, scented blossoms and abundant fruit bearing ability-making them ideal container plants.

When choosing the container keep in mind it must be large enough to give the citrus room to grow. Gardenzilla recommends their Ironzilla campana shaped urn in cast iron (CI0300ACG). If you are planning on moving your container from indoors to outdoors as the seasons change you may want to take weight into consideration. Gardenzilla offers a selection of fiberglass containers that can easily be moved from location-to-location, even when filled.

A lot of sunlight is required for healthy citrus growth-at least six hours a day is recommended. However, putting your plant in a partially shaded area will slow the growth of your tree and acclimate it.

• Preparing the Container: Use a container with drainage holes in the bottom. Place a layer of mesh over the holes to prevent soil from escaping and then add one or two inches of gravel.

• Planting your Citrus: Fill the container halfway with potting soil, place the tree in the center and continue adding soil until it is at the same level as the tree was originally planted. Leave a few inches of room below the lip of the container to allow room to water.

• Watering and Fertilizing: To avoid over watering your citrus, allow the first inch of soil to dry between waterings. Give your plant just enough water to make the soil moist, but not waterlogged. Sparingly use a citrus-specific fertilizer.

• Winterize: If you leave your container outside, keep a close eye on it because soil in containers will freeze quicker than the ground. The safest bet is to move your plant inside during the winter months to avoid freezing.

• Pruning: If your plant does not receive enough light it may become gangly and will need to be pruned back by about a third. This will help in continued growth but may be a sign your tree needs more light.

Planting and maintaining your citrus pot is easy and rewarding. Citrus trees can be grown from seeds straight out of the fruit from your local grocery store, but it will take many years to become a fruit bearing plant. Your best bet is to start with a small tree from your local nursery.