I bought an owari satsuma in the spring. It has grown nicely and its three oranges are turning yellow. I have it in a large pot up against the south side of my house. So far we've had a couple of frost nights so I created a teepee with a blanket and heavy plastic, both of which I removed during the day. But now we're in for a cold, rainy stretch with lows around 3°. Should I keep it covered?
While mature, dormant Satsuma trees are cold hardy down to 14° – 18 °F, young trees need protection if temperatures dip into the upper 20s. Here are a few techniques to protect young citrus trees from late-season freezes: tree up to 2 feet. This will protect the graft of the young tree. Thus, if the branches freeze the graft union will be protected. Cover the tree with a cloth sheet or blanket. For additional protection, large bulb Christmas lights can be placed around the branches of the tree. This will increase the temperature under the cover by several degrees. Be sure to use outdoor lights and outdoor extension cords to avoid the potential of fire. ...... you can read it on Protect Young Satsuma Trees when Temperatures drop into the 20’s
Hello @devon1149 - have you a photo of your tree? I'd love to see it. From what I read online, it looks to be a great tree for SW BC.
Thanks scilover. I had read that article but was looking for something more specific to our climate here in Vancouver. The difference between our winter daytime highs and overnight lows is often only a few degrees so I'm trying to determine whether the instructions to remove coverings "when the temperature rises" applies here.