How to Grow the Best Winter Citrus Indoors
Growing citrus trees as houseplants indoors has only grown even more popular since we first wrote about it last year.
Everyone seems to have one these days, and people all over the world are enjoying the challenge of growing these tangy, tasty fruits in decidedly un-tropical settings.
What Are the Best Citrus Trees to Grow Indoors?
More and more dwarf varieties of citrus appear on the market as breeders work on developing them. If you’ve got lots of space, though, you have a bit more freedom.
For the best-tasting fruits, we still recommend Meyer lemons, Kaffir limes, and calamondin oranges. These smaller varieties have been around for a long time, so they’re reliable and relatively easy to grow.
While you could start your citrus trees from seed, you’ll be waiting a long time for fruit. It’s gratifying to start them from seed, but it also can be pretty tricky.
If you want fruit sooner than later, look for trees that are 3-4 years old already. These should already be in 20 gallon or 7.5-litre pots.
How to Keep Your Citrus Trees Happy Indoors
Here are a few tips for keeping your citrus trees happy in your home, so they produce tasty fruit. These are the key things you need to think about to keep your citrus tree houseplants happy. If your citrus trees have any problems, check out our post about common citrus tree problems.
Good Drainage is Key
You may be tempted to repot your new lemon, lime, or orange tree as soon as you get it home, but resist that urge. Let your tree acclimate to its new climate, which is likely very different from the greenhouse at Mother Nature, before adding the stress of repotting.
When you do repot your citrus tree, don’t choose too large a container. It’s more important to consider what the plant needs, and that is drainage—and you should never go up more than 1 or 2 pot sizes, or you’re more likely to end up with root rot. You may want to stick with plastic nursery pots and set them inside a more beautiful decorative pot.
Citrus Trees Need Heat and Sunlight
With our sometimes dark and dreary BC winters, you’re almost guaranteed to need grow lights if you want your citrus to produce fruit.
They should have direct sun for 8-12 hours a day and temperatures consistently between 18º and 25º. Light timers for consistency are your best friend if you want the best chance of fruit.
Rich, Free-Draining Soil
Use soil with plenty of organic matter, but that drains well to prevent your citrus tree from having wet feet. You can add sand or grit to regular potting mix, as well as cacti or succulent soil to create a good mix.
Citrus trees prefer slightly acidic soil, so you may want to add some acidifying elements to help them feel more comfortable; sphagnum peat moss, iron sulphate, and sulphur are all ideal additions. Be very conservative with how much you add since your citrus plant will be in a pot; you don’t want to make it too acidic. You can also use a fertilizer for acid-loving plants.
Water Your Citrus Judiciously
Citrus does need consistent watering, but they prefer to stay on the dryer side of damp. Check the soil moisture in your citrus at least once per week, with your finger or a moisture meter. Water it well when the soil feels dry to about 2 inches, or your second knuckle.
Water it thoroughly so all the soil is drenched and comes out the drainage holes into the tray. Let the water sit in the tray overnight to soak up any extra it might need, and then empty the excess in the morning to prevent root rot.
Fertilizer Your Citrus with Acidic Fertilizer
While we usually say you shouldn’t fertilize in winter, citrus is the anomaly. In the spring and summer, you can fertilize every three weeks; in fall and winter, cut back to every six weeks.
What are you waiting for?! Come get yourself a citrus tree so you can enjoy the flavours of the tropics picked fresh from your own tree here in Powell River.