Hi, been reading this for a bit and thought it would be time to start to ask some questions!!

First question is I live zone 6?..ok maybe 5 with cold winters. My wife and I currently grow a lot of indoor citus that we take outside in the summer..but...............

I want to grow outdoor citrus, do I have a prayer? I would like it to be edible and I am willing to cover and provide electricity... Do I have a shot????


thanks Frank

Hi Frank and welcome to the forum. Besides Trifoliata you will not be able to grow anything without major considderation. In MA your ground freezes, that alone will kill any standard citrus. You would have to do something like millet & build a greenhouse with insulation around the ground to prevent freezing. Then you may still need to create raised beds... It all depends on how far your willing to go.

Frank, welcome to the Citrus Growers forum, we are glad that you joined with us. To answer your question, citrus can be grown outdoors anywhere if you have enough time and money to constantly provide the tree with the proper light and heat for the required environment. Without your EXTREME and uninterrupted efforts throughout the winter months, zone 5, zone 6 and zone 7 are not that environment. If you want a citrus growing outside in the ground you will have to build a greenhouse. I live 40 miles east of Denver, Colorado and currently grow 70+ different varieties of citrus in a 35 X 72 foot greenhouse. A greenhouse in Colorado offers the best of both worlds. Sking all winter, and the equatorial tropics just a few steps from the back door. Again welcome, hope to see you around this forum for a long time. BTW, tell us what citrus are you currently growing? - Millet

hi

thanks for the welcome and answers...

so even something grafted on trifoliata wouldnt make it????

seems like one of the biggest problems (other than -10 F) is the ground freezing.......which I guess heater cables would help....

Frank

The rootstock doesnt give all its hardiness to the scion- if you had something on FD the scion might die but the FD may survive...?

thanks !!

By mistake (sorta) I planted a calamandain (sp) orange outside. I plan on surrounding it with heater cables and covering it with a 55 gallon fish tank. I thought the tank would let sun in and insuate it better than plastic. In addition I thought I would put 5 gallon buckets (panted black) of water around the plant. On cold nights ( ok all Jan and Feb) I would cover it with blankets.

Any feed back is appreciated, if this works I might try a temp greenhouse next year on the south side of my house

thanks!

Last yr. I planted a 3-4 yr old P. Trifoliate inground - next to (in front of) a 2 ft retaining wall, as experiment. In fall I mulched it heavily - leaves & woodchips well over the top. In spring it looked like a dead twig. I cut all dead branches off down to maybe a half inch stub. To my surprise it started growing again... the roots did not freeze. We also had a fairly mild winter too - except for record cold in Dec. You would have to make sure temps in greenhouse don't fall below 35*, and even that sounds too cold.
I have a well insulated sunroom, & if I keep the door closed (from house) it could get down to upper 30's at night with a cold spell. The sun helps to heat it during day, & I open the door to let house heat in it.

Do the poor Calomondin a favor and dig it up. NOW!
You'll spend more money keeping it warm than a whole tree would cost. Even if you do all of those things, one frosty New England night is gonna do it.

I understand the desire to grow citrus outside.
Ya gotta move South!

Plastic holds heat in better than glass. Ditch the aquarium, build a greenhouse.


Sorry ! I let my membership in Optimist International expire.

aw, poor frank!

ive got to agree with Scott tho, hes got neat trees (that have been on road trips!)

Its not just about having a greenhouse someday- you can learn from having something indoors in front of a window where you can observe it. An upside down fishtank will probably be too humid, too hot in the day, and nearly impossible to regulate. set it in a south window, and maybe get a small humidifier....

good luck!

Thanks for the replies

well we do have around a dozen potted citrus in the house that I bring outside. I certainly can cover the tree in plastic.

You might say what are you thinking,,,, I beleive the glass and heater to be a mini green house............

So it sounds like a greenhouse with plastic (temporary) wouldnt cut it eitther. Even with heater cables heating the soul. My wife and I use this to plant tomatoes outside April 1.

Are some of the citrus hardy to +10 F???

There are a lot of citrus varieties that are hardy to +10F (-12C) and lower, but few are good tasting. "Hardiness" is a VERY relative term. The factors that affect how hardy a citrus tree can be are:: protection from the wind, how low the temperature goes, HOW LONG THE TEMPERATURE REMAINS AT THE LOW POINT, the amount of moisture available to the tree's root system, the condition of the tree prior to the stress. Another important factor is the weather pattern before the cold spell. Did the cold spell gradually arrive over a long period of time, making the tree conditioned into a hardy state, or did the cold spell quidkly arrive finding the tree in a non-hardy condition. -A tree that is hardy one day, could easily not be hardy on another day. - Millet

thanks!!

Sure hardy and taste are somewhat relative.
I guess I thought my approach was a mini greenhouse , as I will be providing heat

granted the whole project is a science project

I am wondering if anyone else has tried this.

Frank, a 55 gal aquarium won't be enough to fit your plants in - unless they are very small. I know someone that added on to his side - back door using 2x2's as frame. Then wrapped it all in plastic. He let some house heat in on very cold nights but complained about bills & heating up the outside. Bubble wrap would work better. Maybe get a mini greenhouse that you can set up (kits) & provide a heater in there.
I will tell ya that you being in zone 5 - or even 6, you will get temps to below 0. Like I said, I have a very well insulated sunroom addition with LOTS of window & skylites, & on days where it's - 20 to 32*, it still can get down to upper 30's in there if I don't let house heat in. Try your aquarium on plant (s) that you don't care if they die & let us know.

hi Patty

thanks

Well yes the aquarium my not be the best insulator, if I do go ahead with this it will with heater cables .............and

1. planted against the foundation on the south side
2. heated
3. very well insulated......

As I have found, the best insulater gives you around 10 degrees about ambient

This is more or less a science experement, my wife and I are considering a greenhouse, but it would seem I would have the same challenges, but with a stronger wattage heater and appropriate bills

when you had your trif outside did you apply an external heat


thanks!

No heat applied. Just planted inground with a TON of mulch on. And, it was planted in front of a 2 ft retaining wall which I'm sure helped keep soil temps up. I'd never do it again. Don't forget...last winter was mild (except for Dec). And, when it snowed, I piled it on. Snow is also a good insulater.
Think about buildding a greenhouse on south side of house... maybe ATTACHED to house. It'll get that sun & foundation heat to help keep from freezing. You will still need a heater.
Keep in touch, I'm curious what you will do & how it comes out