I'm curious how it came about that you grow a large greenhouse full of citrus in such a cold place as Colorado!

$4,000 a year in heat. That's how.

.....Alan.

That's a little like when one fisherman was asked where he caught all those fish...the answer was "in the mouth". The other answer to the greenhouse question might be that Millet worked in the greenhouse supply business for many years, loves the farm he lives on and like the others here, is a little addicted to growing things that are more difficult and unusual than some other things...

My greenhouse was originally built to produce transplants that were put out into our farm fields every spring. We transplanted them using automatic transplanting machines that attached onto the back of our tractors. However, some years back we converted all of our fields to winter wheat, and therefore our farm (Prairie View Farms, Inc.) no longer required the use of the greenhouse. I then converted the greenhouse over to my personal use. Within the greenhouse, the trees that are planted directly in the ground are a Cara Cara Navel Orange, Marisol Clementine, Valencia Orange, Meyer Lemon, Bearss Lime, Page Mandarin and a Genoa Lemon. Growing in Air Root Pruning containers are approximately 100 other citrus varieties. Also planted directly in the ground are a Pomegranate (var. Wonderful - now about 11 feet tall), three raised beds of pineapples, several bananas, artichokes, and tomatoes. Many of the more unusual varieties of citrus that I have, came from hanging around with Citrus Joe. Outside, I also grow about an acre of grapes (both wine and table grapes), and a small orchard of various fruit trees. I have always grown a garden dating back to my early childhood. Besides farming (actually my second son does most all of the actual farm work) I worked for 14 years in the greenhouse supply business, calling on greenhouse throughout Colorado and New Mexico. - Millet (1,126-)

Do you have the in-ground and the container citrus in the same greenhouse ?
If so, any comments on advantages/ disadvantages if comparing the two growing methods ?
How does soil temp compare to container temp over the year ? Cheers.

Millett, What is the size of your greenhouse?

pagnr, both the in ground and container trees are inside the greenhouse. The in ground trees grow to the natural size of its variety, and the container trees growth depending on the container size.

Tolumnia, the greenhouse is (W X L X H) 32 X 72 X 12

Here is a picture of my greenhouse that was posted on this forum (Greenhouse growing) in 2006. Back in 2006 either the in ground trees were not yet planted, or they must have been quite small at the time. Today they are approximately 7-ft. tall and 6 or 7 feet wide. Also in the picture is one of our tractors, every thing in this part of the country is John Deere. Notice at the bottom of the 2nd picture in front of the drums is an Aloe Vera that is growing in the ground. The unusual thing about this plant is that I never planted it. It just started to grow on its own. A seed must have blown up against the barrels, but where it came from I have no idea. Today it is almost as tall as the barrels and blooms 3 or 4 times a year. - Millet (1,125-)

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