Hi! Could anyone tell me will citrus with fruits able to stay in the full darkness for 3-4 months? The temperature will be in range +2 + 8 C.

I'm interested too

There is a link around here somewhere discussing this and a story where they (?) lugged large citrus in huge containers from pitch black basements during winter and they were OK (don't recall there being total leaf loss).

As usual, the point was no light + cold (>32) = OK, but light (windows) + cold = bad.

Wish I could find it, please don't quote me.

C4F and serj,

This is the one post I remember on the subject. Perhaps it is the same one that you remember, C4F.

http://citrus.forumup.org/viewtopic90e2.php

Look at citrange's response. It does not answer the question about fruit on the tree but citrange may be able to tell you if there were fruit on any of the trees.

yes but absolutely dark isn't going to harm at all the trees?
I got a dungeon like this with temp around 40-45 on winter months , and the only light that come throw is from a small window 1,5 x 3 feet , but it is very little light .

So bringing them inside in Oct. and keeping them until March is a good method of overwintering citrus tree. I will try the next year this.

Do all the species act in the same way?
When or at what level of outside temp. should I consider bringing them inside , so it would not be "too soon" ?

thanks

I have just received some information from one man. (but my English so far from perfection to explain clearly. Anyway i will try it ). That man lives in Kiev. He hold his citruses (lemon trees) in the dungeon from November until April. The temperature fluctuated in range from +8 to +12 C. This man told me that the citruses have been OK. He hold all the citruses with fruits! The fruits never dropped. It ripes in the fulll dark and grow (in case if it has small size) then the temperature is increased in the spring. I think this news is good for us.

exceptionaly news , can we get some pictures from him

Serj you gave me very good news

I got some rooted cuttings so I will take a few of them and put them in the dungeon in November

well any news from the "darkness" I should consider this option due to our weather/climate

I can provide them with very very little light and arroung 8C all winter . Of course there is one possibility of a FL above them but I would like not to use them as extra lighting

5C is usually when outside drops below -20C , but these days with some positive temp it is hard to drop below 8C

Good to know

Mr. Petr Broza from Czech Republic has his greenhouses covered with big loads of snow during whole winter, so plants are in dark and cold place all the time and he has hundrets of citrus varieties there.
http://www.youtube.com/user/PetrBroza#p/a/u/0/sfXahCwIUaE