Growing your own citrus

[helenas]

"Small citrus trees make great houseplants" - claims the article in january issue of "Fine Cooking". And again i'm tempted, especially after browsing through Edible Landscaping and Acorn Springs Farm catalogs.

[Priscilla]

Very romantic image. Maybe you could have your own Orangerie to haul the citrus into to overwinter, Helena.

[Jaymes]

I don't grow my citrus trees totally indoors, but do have a Meyers Lemon Tree right now. It's in a big pot out on my deck. When it starts to get cold enough to freeze most nights, I usually haul it inside and put it in front of a big window.

It flowers and sets fruit in the spring/summer, so it has fruit on it right now, and the lack of pollen-spreading bees in my living room is therefore not a problem.

I've done this at many different locales, and with differing varieties of citrus and it seems to work fine.

I love having it and smelling the aroma and using the lemons, as well as using the leaves in Thai food.

[Suvir Saran]

I have Meyer Lemon trees, Calamandin Orange trees and Kaffir Lime trees growing in the deck in the summer. They come in for the winter. Sit on a window and go back out in spring. The meyer lemons are still laden with unripe fruit that is slowly ripening. The Calamandins have only recently had flowers that had the entire apartment smelling heavenly and now I see tiny little fruits taking their place.

It works fine for us. We have now had them for over 3 years.

Custard apples, passion fruit, avocado and chile peppers are the other stuff that we bring in for the winter that keep going.... In fact one of the Jalapeno plants is over 6 years old and it has chiles for me all year long.

[Suvir Saran]

Oh, how could I forget our pomegranate tree. It too comes in for the winter. We have a lychee tree as well. But it has yet to have fruits..

By the way, I have a friend in NYC who has no outdoor space but a large apartment. He has used powerful lights and lots of humidifiers and is the only person I know that rivals our own tropical jungle. In fact he has a great variety of plants and trees.. all indoors all year long. And he does not even have day light... All through artificial light.. But lots of it.

If you have a window, you can always leave the citrus trees on it. They love the sun.

[tsquare]

I've had a very small lemon tree on the kitchen counter, with a south facing window, for some 12 years. Many years I get a flurry of blossoms, typically around winter solstice, perfuming the house. Occassionally, I get small green buds of fruit. One year, I actually got a full grown lemon. Wish I had a way to post that picture! It was pretty tasty, very sour. If I gave the tree more room to grow, I think it would do so. Needs another transplanting to flourish.

[La Niña]

My friends in northern Italy grow lemons inside all year. The room has glass walls facing the outside. The room is called the "limonaia." Gorgeous.

[Robert Schonfeld]

Mazal has two grapefruit trees that predate our marriage by three years. They're 28 years old. She started them from seeds from breakfast. She's kept them in New York apartment conditions. Not even a south window.

[Jaymes]

Mazal has two grapefruit trees that predate our marriage by three years. They're 28 years old. She started them from seeds from breakfast. She's kept them in New York apartment conditions. Not even a south window.

Do they ever flower? Bear fruit??

[Robert Schonfeld]

Mazal has two grapefruit trees that predate our marriage by three years. They're 28 years old. She started them from seeds from breakfast. She's kept them in New York apartment conditions. Not even a south window.

Do they ever flower? Bear fruit??

No, Jaymes. They lack every condition for that sort of progress. They are healthy, though. Mazal has kept them at about six feet.

[jess mebane]

Brayton and Jokie's backyard was thickly bordered with Grapefruit trees. Their lovely labrador Quesa would shamble out to the backyard and play catch with you forever, smiling. I shall start planting one after tomorrow's desayuna.

[Jaymes]

Brayton and Jokie's backyard was thickly bordered with Grapefruit trees...  I shall start planting one after tomorrow's desayuna.

Jess. I know where you live. And unless you're prepared to cover it each year during our occasional freezes, you might consider doing what I do, which is to plant it in a large pot so you can wheel it in during our winters, during which, it does usually freeze.

[jess mebane]

You are the blue answer fairy of egullet. Cheers, milady.

[Darienne]

I WANT to buy a Calamansi/Calamondin tree, but my source must be in Canada, preferably in Ontario. So far my searches have turned up nothing.

Any help out there? Please

Edited July 8, 2009 by Darienne (log)

[andiesenji]

I WANT to buy a Calamansi/Calamondin tree, but my source must be in Canada, preferably in Ontario.  So far my searches have turned up nothing.

Any help out there?  Please

←

I got information about

this site. from my friend who used to live near Hamilton.

She also suggested trying the university sites but didn't say which ones have horticulture departments.

Edited July 8, 2009 by andiesenji (log)

[Darienne]

I WANT to buy a Calamansi/Calamondin tree, but my source must be in Canada, preferably in Ontario.  So far my searches have turned up nothing.

Any help out there?  Please

←

I got information about

this site. from my friend who used to live near Hamilton.

She also suggested trying the university sites but didn't say which ones have horticulture departments.

←

Thank you muchly. I'll give it a try.

[Darienne]

I WANT to buy a Calamansi/Calamondin tree, but my source must be in Canada, preferably in Ontario.  So far my searches have turned up nothing.

Any help out there?  Please

←

I got information about

this site. from my friend who used to live near Hamilton.

She also suggested trying the university sites but didn't say which ones have horticulture departments.

←

Thank you muchly. I'll give it a try.

←

Starting with your post, I found Calamansi trees for sale in Ottawa. Unfortunately they, Richmond Nurseries, won't ship. Period. I begged. They said, No.

Now I have to find someone in Ottawa to get me one or two...or look further in Toronto. But thanks again for the leads....is there anything which you and Kerry do not know?

[andiesenji]

Now I have to find someone in Ottawa to get me one or two...or look further in Toronto.  But thanks again for the leads....is there anything which you and Kerry do not know?

←

I can't speak for Kerry, but for me the answer is that there are vast areas about I know absolutely nothing.

However, I "collect" odd facts and I do know how to ask for information and I know a lot of people, many met during the years that I traveled extensively while showing dogs.

Just as in the foodie community, the dog fancy is a sub-culture in which one is considered almost family if one has the same breed or has similar likes and dislikes. There were many trips, some crossing the country, where I never had to resort to parking my motorhome in a commercial campground. No matter where I went, there would be someone I knew who would offer a place to park, help with my dogs and hospitality.

Needless to mention that I returned the favor often.

I also know how to research things, having taken a course on private investigation techniques back in the late '70s and was on a first name basis with every librarian in my area.... Believe me, it is much easier now.

[Darienne]

I can't speak for Kerry, but for me the answer is that there are vast areas about I know absolutely nothing.

However, I "collect" odd facts and I do know how to ask for information and I know a lot of people, many met during the years that I traveled extensively while showing dogs.

Just as in the foodie community, the dog fancy is a sub-culture in which one is considered almost family if one has the same breed or has similar likes and dislikes.  There were many trips, some crossing the country, where I never had to resort to parking my motorhome in a commercial campground.  No matter where I went, there would be someone I knew who would offer a place to park, help with my dogs and hospitality. 

Needless to mention that I returned the favor often. 

I also know how to research things, having taken a course on private investigation techniques back in the late '70s and was on a first name basis with every librarian in my area....  Believe me, it is much easier now.

←

Thanks Andie,

The collecting of odds and sods of facts over a lifetime is fascinating.

My friend with the calamansi tree has generous allowed me to take one or two of her seedlings and for that I am overjoyed. Plus I am taking her a generous supply of chocolate-dipped candied ginger.

Edited July 9, 2009 by Darienne (log)