Hundreds of fruit and citrus trees just arrived at the nursery just in time for fall planting.

Growing Citrus in Patio Containers

The easiest and surest way to avoid potential freeze injury to citrus plants is by planting trees in containers that can be rolled into a protected area at the onset of adverse weather. Citrus are very special plants. Not only are they beautiful evergreen plants with lush, green foliage, but they have heavenly fragrant blooms in the spring and delicious fruit in the fall.

Invest in a well-drained potting mix (soil) to fill the container. Use a slow-release fertilizer such as Osmocote. Be sure to follow label directions. This slow-release fertilizer application should be done yearly in the spring (March). Plant one satsuma or citrus tree in the middle of the container. Annual flowers can be used in the container as an indicator for when to water the container. Citrus should be grown in a location which receives as much direct sun as possible. Watering is gauged by plant size and temperature. Larger citrus with more perimeter color plants require more frequent watering during hot, dry conditions.

When choosing a container for citrus, the larger, the better. Use a large container such as a whiskey barrel or 20-gallon container. If the container does not drain well, insure adequate drainage by drilling or cutting holes in the bottom. If using a wooden container, attach heavy-duty coasters to help mobility. Container citrus should be pruned to maintain a balanced shape, and to keep fast-growing limbs from
outgrowing the top of the tree. Trees that are not getting enough sun will become leggy. Prune back leggy branches to encourage side branching and a more compact growth of the top. Move to a location which gets more sun-preferably 8-10 hours of direct sun daily with morning sun and afternoon shade.