Dwarf Citrus Trees in Containers for Indoor Growing

Growing your favorite citrus fruits doesn’t have to stop as the temperatures drop. Planting dwarf citrus trees in containers allows you to bring in your fruit trees to enjoy all year round. While it isn’t difficult to grow citrus in pots, there are some aspects to consider if you want to be successful.

To create the dwarf fruit trees that we can enjoy in small orchards as well as indoors, citrus growers have actually grafted traditional varieties onto a small rootstock. They’re marketed as small trees that grow anywhere from 8′ – 12′ tall, but when they’re planted in containers, they actually remain much smaller.

All citrus love the sun so if you bring your tree indoors, be sure to place it near a window that has a southern exposure (away from vents). The next best place would be a western exposure; but the more sun exposure it has, the better it’ll grow and produce. Another thing to consider is acclimation. If you only recently purchased a citrus tree and planted it in an indoor container, you won’t have to worry about acclimation until spring – if you plan on moving it outdoors.

However, if your dwarf has been soaking up the backyard sun for several months, it’s best to bring it onto the porch under an overhang for a couple of weeks. This will let the dwarf citrus become used to a shady (and covered) environment gradually.

Popular Dwarf Citrus Trees:

• Meyer Lemon
• Kaffir Lime
• Blood Orange
• Key Lime
• Mandarin Oranges
• Kumquat

Citrus Tree Containers

There are as many styles of containers on the market as there are gardeners, which makes it easy to find one suited to your personal taste and home decor. However, consider that while terra cotta pots are ageless and fit into many decorating schemes, they can also be difficult to move once filled with soil, a tree, and water.

Many gardeners favor a lighter-weight pot or container so they can move their dwarf citrus from the outdoors, to porch or patio and into the inside of the home with relative ease. The most important aspect of whatever container you choose should be drainage. Don’t choose a decorative pot that lacks the proper holes for excess water to escape.

The container should be about one “size” larger than the original container that the dwarf citrus was planted in when you purchased it. Every couple of years, you’ll want to transplant the tree into a container that’s the next size up to prevent it from becoming root bound.

Soil for Citrus Trees in Containers

When it comes to planting in containers, a traditional garden spoil just won’t do. These are much too heavy and don’t drain well for container planting. Think “light and fluffy” when if comes to potting soil. You want a light, potting soil that has a blend of peat, soil, and sand. You can mix those ingredients up on your own, but it’s usually handier to purchase a made up mix. Indoor citrus trees should be watered about once a week. Keep the soil moist at all times, but not drenched.

Fertilizing Citrus Trees in Containers

Citrus love acidic soils, so use an acidic fertilizer about every 4-6 weeks. For an organic boost, your used coffee grounds are a welcome addition to the container. Many coffee houses such as Starbucks will have used coffee grounds bagged up and ready for your plants, garden, and compost.

When the warm weather returns, you may want to bring your dwarf citrus tree outdoors so it can absorb as much unfiltered sun as possible. But don’t forget to acclimate it to the outdoors first. Bring the citrus tree out to a covered patio or porch area where it gets a little morning sun. A week later, place it in a spot that receives sun for a longer period of time. The idea is to acclimate the dwarf citrus gradually back into full sunshine.

For more information on home orchards, check out Growing an Improved Meyer Lemon Tree in The Home Garden, Growing Lemon Trees in Home Orchards and Plant Container Choices For Growing Vegetables.