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Indoor citrus: does it exist ?
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Sven_limoen
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Joined: 08 Apr 2011
Posts: 305
Location: Vlaams-Brabant, Belgium, Zone 8

Posted: Thu 06 Jun, 2013 3:02 pm

Hey everyone ! It has been a while !

The reason of my absence: I am moving out my parents home probably during the summer of 2014, perhaps even a bit sooner. Since I'll be moving to the city, I wont have a garden (or perhaps a mini one) and no winter storage. I got kinda 'deflated' by the idea of selling my citrus so I stopped joining the forum.

Now I started wondering if there are citrus available that one can grow indoors? Or something 'citruslike' that doesn't need much sunlight so I could grow in rooms without much sunlight and that can spend all year round indoors?

I guess citrus are in my blood a bit too much so now I have to find a way to continue this hobby when moving out.

Cheerios my friends!

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growing (at least trying): C. sinensis, C. latifolia, C. limon, C. mitis
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Ivannn
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Joined: 14 May 2009
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Location: Bologna, Italy

Posted: Thu 06 Jun, 2013 3:08 pm

I think calamondin can stay indoor. Good luck!
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Sven_limoen
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Posted: Thu 06 Jun, 2013 3:17 pm

Ivannn wrote:
I think calamondin can stay indoor. Good luck!


That one is already in my collection so it would be nice. I think they do need a high amount of light though.

One that also crossed my mind is the trifoliate. If it can withstand cold temperatures, perhaps it can withstand keeping it in house ?

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Radoslav
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Joined: 03 May 2008
Posts: 453
Location: Slovak Republic

Posted: Fri 07 Jun, 2013 3:13 am

Not an easy task. The most cheaper way is to keep them on balcony during spring, summer and fall and indoor close to window and temperature around 10 Celsius during winter.
Theoreticaly, you can keep all citrus indoor, (those grafted on poncirus do not like indoor conditions at all). But it is growing on the edge. Pests like red spiders and scales realy enjoy dry hot indoor air and it is not easy to provide correct light/temperature balance for citruses indoor also.
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igor.fogarasi
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Joined: 11 Apr 2011
Posts: 551
Location: Novi Sad, Serbia

Posted: Fri 07 Jun, 2013 6:56 am

Hi Sven,

Our member Citrom (from Hungary) lives in a fourth floor flat and grows many different citrus varieties on his balcony. Perhaps, you might want to check out his thread or ask him for advice, since two of you share the same fate... Laughing Turning your balcony into a low end greenhouse wouldn't be a bad idea at all. That way, you should never move your trees indoors again... Heating such construction over the winter shouldn't be that costly either. By heating I mean, not letting the temperature drop below a certain threshold (e.g. 5C/41F).

Take care,
Igor
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Sven_limoen
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Joined: 08 Apr 2011
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Location: Vlaams-Brabant, Belgium, Zone 8

Posted: Fri 07 Jun, 2013 9:55 am

igor.fogarasi wrote:
Hi Sven,

Our member Citrom (from Hungary) lives in a fourth floor flat and grows many different citrus varieties on his balcony. Perhaps, you might want to check out his thread or ask him for advice, since two of you share the same fate... Laughing Turning your balcony into a low end greenhouse wouldn't be a bad idea at all. That way, you should never move your trees indoors again... Heating such construction over the winter shouldn't be that costly either. By heating I mean, not letting the temperature drop below a certain threshold (e.g. 5C/41F).

Take care,
Igor


I'll check the topic for sure! 5°C seems a bit low. Since last season I am aiming at 15°C during winter, especially for the lemons.

When it comes to a balcony: I will be happy if I have one that is actually big enough for 2 people to sit.
This is an example of a typical balcony in Brussels:
http://cdn1.vtourist.com/4/4386680-Balcony_and_view_Brussels.jpg

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Junglekeeper
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Joined: 19 Nov 2005
Posts: 290
Location: Vancouver BC Canada

Posted: Fri 07 Jun, 2013 12:05 pm

I keep citrus indoors year-round in an unheated room that has a southern exposure. The ones that grow slowly and have a smaller stature are kumquats, calamondins (both green and variegated forms), and limequats. 'Flying Dragon' is okay too but not as interesting.

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Sven_limoen
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Joined: 08 Apr 2011
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Location: Vlaams-Brabant, Belgium, Zone 8

Posted: Fri 07 Jun, 2013 2:39 pm

Junglekeeper wrote:
I keep citrus indoors year-round in an unheated room that has a southern exposure. The ones that grow slowly and have a smaller stature are kumquats, calamondins (both green and variegated forms), and limequats. 'Flying Dragon' is okay too but not as interesting.


Very interesting! What about the temperatures? Do you monitor & alter it?

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Junglekeeper
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Joined: 19 Nov 2005
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Posted: Fri 07 Jun, 2013 6:11 pm

I don't record the readings even though the room has a thermometer/hygrometer. The proper temperature and humidity levels were achieved by leaving a crack open in the window year-round. Prior to that I suffered numerous kumquat tree loses in the summer. During the winter the cooler air from outside promotes flower bud production. I should add that the room is actually an enclosed balcony.

As for citrus-like plants you might consider Pittosporum tobira and Coffea arabica. I once encountered the former in full bloom in a greenhouse and the flowers smelled just like that of citrus. Coffee blossoms supposedly has the same smell. Coffee may be the plant to grow if light levels are insufficient for citrus.

@Moderators: This thread should be moved to the Container Citrus forum.

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Sven_limoen
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Joined: 08 Apr 2011
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Location: Vlaams-Brabant, Belgium, Zone 8

Posted: Sat 08 Jun, 2013 3:17 pm

Thanks for your reply! I once thought about trying coffee plants but I thought it would be hard to grow and now I'm kinda focusing on citrus at the moment.
Summer will never be the problem but winters are. Here I have a room where I put my citrus at 15°C during winter times with fewer light but when only having a small balcony and no extra rooms available it will be tricky finding a good way to store them.

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citrus_charms



Joined: 11 May 2013
Posts: 1
Location: Canada

Posted: Sat 08 Jun, 2013 6:59 pm

I have 5 trees, a Calamondin, 2 meyers and 2 key limes. They are all 2-3 year trees and I am growing fully indoors. I have a 5 headed lamp that I have full spectrum grow lights in and they are by a window as well (not much for natural light) They are being headed by the weather now, but prior I have used an electric blanket underneath and wrapped around the pots. Its working great. In the last few months, I have had 2-10" in growth! SO doing something right! The area I live in is too windy to have them outside (I rent my house, not allowed to build a structure or anything) so, I am making due with inside growing. I have harvested 1 lemon that was almost ready when I purchased it.
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Millet
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Joined: 13 Nov 2005
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Location: Colorado

Posted: Sun 09 Jun, 2013 1:36 am

Heating the roots during the winter months, is your citrus trees best friend. Heated roots eliminates WLD. - Millet
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Sven_limoen
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Location: Vlaams-Brabant, Belgium, Zone 8

Posted: Sun 09 Jun, 2013 10:14 am

Millet wrote:
Heating the roots during the winter months, is your citrus trees best friend. Heated roots eliminates WLD. - Millet


This would give me some possibilities. With a heat cable I think I could manage to keep the right temperature in the containers.
I'll check the winter growing guidelines again to find some answers.

Using heat cables I think I could make them survive even when temperatures go as low as 5°C as long as I can heat the containers enough.

Thanks for the hints!

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Junglekeeper
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Joined: 19 Nov 2005
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Location: Vancouver BC Canada

Posted: Sun 09 Jun, 2013 11:29 am

I don't use any heat other than what seeps in from the surrounding rooms. The trees are pretty much dormant with the cooler winter temperatures. I'm not sure why they don't suffer leaf loss during that time. We're both in zone 8 so maybe you can set up a similar environment.

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Millet
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Joined: 13 Nov 2005
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Location: Colorado

Posted: Sun 09 Jun, 2013 12:04 pm

WLD results from a ratio of sun shining directly on the tree's foliage, and the temperature of the root system. No direct sun, not much heat needed (no growth). Lots of direct sun, then heat root heat needed or WLD will result. - Millet
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