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Keeping citrus alive
Overwintering fruit trees produces tasty eating


Fit for a king: A Satsuma Mandarin orange tree. Russell Studebaker/Courtesy

By RUSSELL STUDEBAKER In Our Gardens
Published: 12/26/2009 2:22 AM
Last Modified: 12/26/2009 4:19 AM

While some kind souls take in orphans or stray animals, I tend to collect unwanted plants. Such was the case in December 2007 when my friend Steve Williams told me that he was not going to bring in his Satsuma Mandarin orange tree that was growing in a 17-inch diameter clay container.

So with the streets glazed with ice, I collected and transported this 3-by-3-foot Mandarin to my garage. There was literally "no room in the inn" as my greenhouse was at capacity. So it would have to live here for the winter with a few other cold-natured plants. I kept the temperature at 50 degrees, and the area has several windows and a pair of French doors, so there was some natural light. It did fine that winter and produced a few fruits the following summer.

Growing and keeping citrus overwinter is not new in cold climates. King Louis XIV of France had an orangery for his 3,000 trees that were in large wooden boxes at the palace at Versailles. They were kept in a heated area for winter and placed outside for the summer.

There are many hybrids and varieties of Mandarins, and they are usually sweet and eaten by the easily removed rind and the sections split accordingly. The Satsuma ripens here in late October and November and should be picked at the time of ripening as the fruit holds well in storage, but not as well on the tree after ripening.

Plant your Mandarin tree in a well drained and organic potting mix in a large container at least 1 1/2 feet in diameter with a drainage hole. During the growing season, use
a slow release fertilizer as citrus are heavy feeders. Apply monthly a solution of Ferti-loam Liquid Iron, which not only has available iron, but three other essential minor elements: copper, manganese and zinc.

Place your Mandarin tree outdoors in a sunny site after danger of frost in the spring. But give it some shade for the first couple of weeks to prevent sunburn on the foliage. Water when soil surface feels dry.

Two pests feed on citrus: scale insects and mealy bugs. The first pest makes light or dark scale-like covering along the branches and sticky sap. Mealy bugs are white, cottony, soft insects. Both feed by sucking the plant's juices, and both are controlled by spraying a liquid Safer Soap solution.

There is always a reward from growing one's own fruit to eat or share. The Mandarin orange offers three good reasons. It grows with dark green, glossy aromatic foliage; it produces fragrant flowers, which the bees love; and best of all produces bright, edible delicious fruits.

We may not have the resources of King Louie XIV at Versailles, but if you have a well-lighted garage or winter quarters, grow one, and happy eating.

Sources: Southwood Nursery, Sanders Nursery, Broken Arrow, and Home Depot have carried various oranges during spring and summer. Mail order source: Clifton's Nursery, Portersville, Calif., (888) 209-4356, info@plantsonline.net.