Citrus Trees in Pots

10 years ago

I just moved into a house that has cathedral ceilings and this year for the first time I didn't have to cut back my citrus trees so they fit into 8 foot ceiliings.

But that sort of made me wonder about things....

I usually trim the roots and the limbs so that they can continue to grow in pots and be healthy. Otherwise they would get root-bound and start to produce tiny, unhealthy leaves that fall off (been there) or get root rot and that's not good either.

The other solution is to get bigger pots, but they are already so large I can barely move them without help and equipment and I don't like that option much as they take up too much space and are simply too heavy for the floor.

I'm wondering if they could simply be fed more in order to support a taller tree or if I need to keep trimming both tree and roots or can I let them simply get taller and taller and not worry about it? One of them is from seed and is now 32 years old, so I don't want to lose it because of bad management.

Any answers would be appreciated! :-)

Comments (5)

mksmth zone 7a Tulsa Oklahoma
10 years ago
Ok...if you have container trees that are taller than 8 feet I demand pics.LOL That is soooo cool. How big are the pots? How do you move them around? Mine are in 15 gallons pots now and only about 4-5 feet tall and I have trouble moving them without a dolly.

Have you gotten fruit from that 32 year old seedling? What kind is it.

I would root prune for sure and top prune to keep balance.

mike
PRO
it'sALLart
Original Author
10 years ago
mksmith, I will take some next time we're at the new house. The pots are:

33 inch circumference, 20 inch tall, that holds one grapefruit tree, 32 years old. Never has flowered, but very healthy.

24 inch, square, 20 inch tall, holds a group of 5 orange trees, appx. 18 years old.

16 inch square, 28 inch tall, holds one lemon tree, appx. 20 yrs old.

All of the trees are now 9 - 10 feet tall and growing.

These are all from seed, so only the lemon has flowered (luck) and no fruit from any of them, hoping the additional space and light will make them flower, but I've heard that "from seed" is very hit and miss. I don't care, just love the green all year and they look great with less leaf drop than ficus.

I try to move them around (at least rotate) and usually move them from indoors to the deck every spring and back in during fall. But from now on these will stay indoors since there are so many windows and tons of light in the new place and when they get taller they won't fit out of a door anyway!

I already pruned them up (took out all the lower foliage/branches) already to keep my view at eye level clear and to encourage them to get taller.

Root pruning may be impossible at this size....
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meyermike_1micha
10 years ago
I'm with Mike...I would love to see your pics! My sister had a grapefruit tree from seed that she grew for 30 years too..I remember being so tough and very very green..It was beautiful...
She never got a flower on it no matter what they did...

It did sucumb to a didease though when they failed to treat it after summering it outside last year..I felt so bad for her...
PRO
it'sALLart
Original Author
10 years ago
Bummer about that tree dying... never easy to lose one after so many years of stewardship.
mksmth zone 7a Tulsa Oklahoma
10 years ago
Thanks Keith.

I have a sentimental side for my lemon and grapefruit seedlings. I know the downsides of seedlings but its very hard for me to toss them. However Im not sure I could wait 30+ years for my grapefruit to flower. I may ditch it before it takes up too much room in the greenhouse and get a graft one. I have 2 lemon seedlings that were my first ever citrus and I may continue to find room for them.

mike