Calamondin orange - fall pruning?

17 years ago

Hello. Just let me know if this isn't the right forum for this. A search of the archives for this Forum didn't turn up info.

My Calamondin orange is in a 1-gallon container. It made it through the winter inside with the orchids under a compact fluorescent light and has spent the summer outside in almost full sun. This is a happy tree - new leaves, new flowers, and new fruit.

In a few weeks, when it's time to bring it inside, can I prune it back without affecting future flowering and fruiting? It needs to fit back in the space it had last winter.

Thanks much, Whitecat8

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Comments (6)

birdsnblooms
17 years ago
I don't normally recommend pruning, but if it's necessary then do so. Do you want to prune because the plant is too tall or becaues you want it a certain shape? Toni
whitecat8
Original Author
17 years ago
It's gotten taller and wider, so the ideal would be to take off about 4" all over. The exact shape would be irregular then, as it is now, but it would fit back into the original space. Similar to what people do w/ bonsai to keep them the same size, only I don't know how that affects flowering and fruiting on this one.

What do you think?

Thanks, Whitecat8
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tsmith2579
17 years ago
Four inches??? One gallon pot ??? Mine is over 6 feet in a 35 gal pot. Are you trying to do a bonsai calamondin. I would repot to a larger pot and not prune.
birdsnblooms
17 years ago
Whitecat, is your tree in flower/fruit now? If so, do you plan on removing the fruit? If your citrus isn't in fruit, then it won't hurt pruning 4". It might prevent flowers fruit a while, but w/winter approaching I don't think it'll make much difference anyway. It's best doing now than in spring when plants put out new growth.

TS, you have to remember, you're in AL, (lucky you) and Whitecat is in MN. So his citrus won't grow as fast as yours..
Whitecat, how tall is your citrus? Toni
whitecat8
Original Author
17 years ago
TS - Not a bonsai calamondin, but one that stays the same size in the same size pot, using bonsai techniques. Unfortunately, citrus trees aren't winter hardy in MN, so a 6' tree in a 35-gal. pot would crowd out the sofa.

Many Northerners who grow orchids balance limited indoor shelf space between fast-growing houseplants and more slowly-growing orchids.

Toni, yes, the tree is in flower/fruit. It's 27" tall now, from the bottom of the pot to the top of the tree. As for removing the fruit, are there consequences one way or the other? I wouldn't care if there were ever fruit - it's the scent of the blossoms that does it for me. Hope that isn't heresy here. :)

Thanks, Whitecat8
botanical_bill
17 years ago
Go a head and prune if needed. Calamondin make great bonsai, so it should be able to handle it. I pruned mine during the summer and it bouced back great, didnt seem to effect the blooming. What I think will effect the blooming with you is moving the plant to a differnt light souce and envirnment. If it stops blooming, I would blame that. I know Im posting to this very late, but I hope this helps for next year.