Hello, I just found this forum, after a quick search for some information on growing indoor citrus trees. I am very glad I found this site! I just finished going through well over a dozen threads related to indoor citrus, and I thought I would share mine, and ask a few questions. I got obsessed with growing a lemon from seeds after I saw one in a nursery (greehouse) back in 2005. The tree there was about 4 feet tall, with a nice thick trunk, and many flowers and fruits. The "lemons" on it were so large that they were about the size of grapefruits, and were a light pinkish yellow. I had to ask what the tree was, and was surprised to find out it was lemon. The man there said that the lemons were just left on the tree and they get that big. But what I really loved most was the scent of the flowers, which you could smell from several feet away. So that summer, I briefly went on the net, and found simple instructions to grow an indoor lemon, and I just went out and bought a lemon from the supermarket, and planted about 6-7 seeds. In a few weeks, I had lemons! http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v473/sooth15/LiveJournal/Lemons.jpg By late that year, I had 5 lemons: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v473/sooth15/LiveJournal/Lemons2.jpg Then in may 2006 my 'better' of the two looked like this: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v473/sooth15/LiveJournal/LemonMay29-1.jpg July: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v473/sooth15/LiveJournal/Lemon-July2006.jpg One I gave to my mom, one to my aunt, and one to my friend. The other two I kept. My aunt's died, and my friend accidentally "fried" hers (giving it constant light for something like 2 days, by accident), and my mom still has hers. Mom's is still in a small pot, and is only maybe 10 inches tall? It has a lot of brances, but I keep telling her to repot it in a bigger pot. Mine, on the other had, are doing pretty well. This photo I took this evening. The larger, healthier one on the left is about 35" high. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v473/sooth15/LiveJournal/LemonsDec06.jpg I have rarely given it fertilizer, but I did a few times this summer. I gave it the "Shultz" liquid plant food (10-15-10). Is this good? I saw elsewhere that someone suggested Azalea plant food. I have Azalea stuff, but it's granules, and it's 4-12-8. The pomellos are not doing as great, and I just transplanted them this evening. I can't remember when, exactly, I planted them, but it was not more than 6 months ago. They are only a few inches tall, and I think they were getting root bound in the pot. The leaves are fragrant, and look healthy. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v473/sooth15/LiveJournal/Pomelos.jpg I'm growing these together only until they are a bit bigger. Any suggestions (for either) would be appreciated. JC
Hello, I have grown citrus from seed since I was a kid...40 years ago...though I never had them flower, (due to moving from location) I now have a greenhouse and this will be a more permanent location too, so, patience first and after a few years we should see fruiting occur, unless you move.... The plants range in height from 30cm to 1.8 m. and are 1 to 2 years old...lemon, grapefruit and tangerine. My advice is patience.
A formulation having a 5-1-3 ratio is suggested (by Millet) as the ideal for containerized citrus. I've had success using a water soluble 30-10-10 containing micronutrients. The forum's search function can be put to good use to help answer other questions you may have relating to citrus as much have been discussed in the past.
Hello, K Baron: 40 years without fruit of flowers seems like awfully depressing news. I read that some can flower after 5-12 years, which isn't so bad, but then I read that one other person had one over 30 years w/o fruit or flowers. Height-wise, I don't know how big it will get. Since I don't even remember the "name" of the lemon I used, I can't even guess. JungleKeeper: I grew these mostly for fun, but in hopes that I would at least get flowers within 5-6 years. From what I've read, that's never going to happen. I didn't even think they would survive, since they don't really have adequate light. They're in a south window, but I'm in an apartment with a covered walkway in the front. They get some direct sunlight, and look healthy, but I'm sure they would love to have more. Af for feeding, I give them mostly just water. I used that liquid plant food only a few times this summer (every other week). I've read that they should be only fed durring the 'active growth period', but they are always growing, since they're indoors. I mostly started this thread to show off my lemons, but also to show Pomelos, since not many posts have been made about them. They have beautiful leaves (similar to Kaffir Lime).
Hi Sooth, The recomended fertilizer for citrus is one with a 5-1-3 N-P-K ratio. Osmocote makes one that is very close. Citrus also needs trace minerals in small amounts including Mg (you can use epsom salt). The time required for citrus from seed to initiate bloom is dependent on the variety and rate of growth. Key limes are fast-- 2-3 yrs, lemons usually 5-8, but grapefruit can take over 15 yrs and might never bloom in a container. Skeet
Your trees look healthy enough. For a person growing citrus for the first time you have done a good job. I notice that your trees are requiring a stake to keep them from bending over. In the future, when citrus seedling are two inches tall, place them outside in the wind so that they will flick back and forth, or place them in front of a fan. Wind is natures method of making tree trunks grow straight and STRONG. The flicking back and forth develops great strength for both the tree's trunk and branches. If by Pomello you mean Grapefruit, your seed will germinate true. However, if you really mean Pummelo (Shaddock) then the seed will not germinate true, and you will not get a tree the same as the mother tree. I would recommend changing your fertilizer to a more appropriate formulation as what you are using contains way to much phosphorus. Your lemon will surely bloom and fruit. A container grapefruit will give you a pleasing evergreen tree, but the chance of a container grapefruit producing fruit is very very slim. Thank you for showing the pictures of your tree. The greatest gift that your citrus can give you is the pleasure of growing them. You might purchase some Mandarins (other then Clementine) to grow from seed. They can bloom and fruit in as little as 3 - 5 years. Take care, and good luck. - Millet
Hi, You're trees look great and i'm surprise that they are so big in a year. I started some 5 months ago and mines are pretty small. They were doing well in the begining but for two months i think they're not growing anymore. Have an idea why? What kind of light and heat did you give to your's? What kind of problems did you have (bugs, brown leafs...) and what solutions did you find? Thanks for the informations. Gwenn
Hello, Well, I suppose I didn't go into too many details. I did have a few problems. The first problem I ran into was repotting. I usually repot only when the plant is 3x the height of the pot. However, with the lemons, it seems they wanted more room sooner, because I started getting yellow leaves, and some were browning. I did a quick search at the time, and it suggested repotting. I find that as SOON as the tree stops growing, it usually needs repotting. If you look at the last photo, I just repotted it, and it's growing more again. The one "less nice" lemon had many problems. It had an infestation of these tiny, tiny little transpapent white bugs (the size of pepper flakes, maybe). I also did a search on those, and they turned out to be "harmless". Then something happened to it, and half the leaves turned brown, or fell off, and it stopped growing. It was on the verge of death, but I figured I had nothing to lose by just keeping the soil moist, and hoping for the best. It eventually grew 3 new branches, and now looks to have perked back up. I water them once a week, and they get "enough" light. I'm sure they'd do even better with MORE light, but the front (south) side of my apartment has a covered walkway the entire length of the building along the front. So they get some direct light in the morning, and medium light during the rest of the day.
Hi, Thanks for the answers. I have currently some lemon trees and lime trees growing from seeds and it looks like they're not growing anymore (for more than a month), but they're not that big compare to the pots they're in, i don't know what to do, repot them in the same pot? or is that pointless? Is there anything else that can be happening? Anyway if you have ideas let me know. Or somebody else? Thanks for sharing you're experience. Gwenn
Gwen, all citrus varieties grow in cycles. First the energy produced by the tree is sent to the roots and root growth takes place. During this time there is no foliage growth. Only after the root cycle is completed, does the foliage growth stage begin. The root/foliage cycle revolves two or three times a year in temperate zones. In the tropics the root/foliage growth cycle can repeat up to five times a year. Therefore, in temperate zones (such as the United States) each growth cycle lasts approximately three to four months. Your tree is now in the root growth cycle. The foliage cycle will probably start again in February or March. - Millet
Thanks a lot for the answer Millet. Does it mean i should stop to give them fertilizer or is it still useful? I've noticed too that the last leaf grown on my grapefruit tree looked weird, it's strated to grow but has a weird aspect. Now it's been 3 weeks that it stopped growing and the weird aspect is still here and the leaf is very small. I don't think it's gonna grow anymore because it's been 3 or 4 weeks that it's stopped growing. The picture doesn't really show the weird aspect but if i had to describe it i would say it's green but not the same green as normal, brighter. It's really small, wrinklely and bumpy. It's looks shrivled but it's not dry at all. The leaf is not even, the "middle vein" that is usally in the centre is completly on the left. I had the same problem on the last leaf grown on my lime tree exept than it didn't stop to grow and that after a while when the growth was over, the weird aspect desapeared. the only thing is that there's a chunk out of it. If you have an idea? Thanks in advance Millet you're advices are always precious. On an other mater, about the Avalanche, I picked Mark Svatos in a hockey pool and is not doing so well, was it a bad pick or is it injured or not in good shape? Gwenn.
I wanted to update everyone on my lemon growing progress. The one tree that is doing really well is starting to go "nuts" with new leaves and new branches. This photo was taken in May: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v473/sooth15/LiveJournal/LemonTreeMay07.jpg And in that short amount of time, it's put out quite a lot of new growth, and I'm going to need a stronger, and longer stick to help support the tree. The leaves are enormous! The larger ones are 7" long, not counting the little stem. These next two were taken just now. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v473/sooth15/LiveJournal/LemonJuly7-1.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v473/sooth15/LiveJournal/LemonJuly7-2.jpg
Im jealous! About 5-6 weeks ago, I planted a few lemon seeds and only one came up, and since then, its been about the same size (around 2 centimeters tall maybe). It is just now starting to get out of its root cycle of growth I think because the true leaves are starting to get bigger. I cant wait till mine looks as good as yours though. Makes it worth it to see the results of others!
Your tree's foliage looks to be very healthy indeed, and you are to be congratulated, but why are the trees staked? - Millet
Hi, they are staked because I never bothered to rotate them. They are stuck in a window with limited bright light, and all the leaves are pointed to the light. Because of this, the tree is leaning towards the light, and is a tiny bit curved, so I keep it as straight as possible with a good wooden stake. I really wish I had a balcony where I could place it out in the summer, but I don't.
Wow! I didn't realize you could grow a lemon tree indoors! I need to have one! :) My mother has a large lemon tree in her greenhouse (I think it's about 15 feet tall). She always has fresh lemonade and my dad makes lemon bread & lemon pound cake... it's a lemon paradise!
Just a thought you might want to consider growing a Meyer Lemon…no you probably are not going to find the seeds at the supermarket because they sell a different type of lemon. I can't give advice on how to grow it inside but I do think citrus needs a lot of sun to bloom then fruit. Mine is less then 4 years old and the trunk is about an inch around it lives in a 10 inch clay pot outdoors. Last year it gave me 7 full sized lemons on such a baby tree this year its blooming and producing fruit at the same time ( the blossom scent is wonderful ) the fruit is much better tasting then your ordinary store lemon and the rind is not as thick. ( I read some where they think it may have been an orange crossed with a lemon). Good luck growing… : )
Even if you could find the fruit it wouldn't help; the seed of Meyer lemon is monoembryonic and will not grow true to type.
