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nafex - Re: [NAFEX] Potted culture; dwarf citrus

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  • From: Hector Black <hblack@twlakes.net>
  • To: herenorthere@lycos.com, North American Fruit Explorers <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Cc:
  • Subject: Re: [NAFEX] Potted culture; dwarf citrus
  • Date: Mon, 27 Oct 2003 07:21:47 -0600

My experience with calamondin is similar. I have a small tree (about 3')
that I move in and out. Right now it has just finished a beautiful flush of
flowers and is setting tiny fruits. But it also has a good crop of fully
ripe fruit and a second crop of medium sized green fruits. It seems to
burst into bloom about 3 times a year.
We don't leave it out in frost, soil is compost (weeds, old leaves,
sandy loam soil. I add about 1/4 mix of sand and perlite to this. Also
have Nagami kumquats, Rio Grande Lemonquat, Meyer lemon, Ponderosa lemon
(with 7 huge lemons ripening), and Hirado Buntan grapefruit all fruiting.
I'm trying to keep them from getting too pot bound. They're in full sun all
summer and an enclosed porch in winter. Can get close to 32 deg. out there.
Hector Black, zone 6 middle TN
PS I would be interested in the potted fruit tree group.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Kristina & Bruce" <herenorthere@lycos.com>
To: <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Sunday, October 26, 2003 7:26 AM
Subject: Re: [NAFEX] Potted culture; dwarf citrus


> Someone said his citrus are fussy houseplants, still haven't set fruit,
and go into a state of shock when their cultural needs are not met. The
problem might be that not all citrus are equal in a pot. Calamondins are
the best I know of for northern growers. I've only grown a couple others
but know people who have tried many.
>
> Lots of citrus will survive the indoor-outdoor cycle we force on them, but
calamondins handle it while producing lots of fruit. Mine now produces two
crops per year instead of the one bumper crop it used to produce. One
spring a couple years ago, the less than 3 ft tree had enough fruit hanging
on it for almost a gallon of marmalade. I eat too many of them now and
never have enough left over for marmalade anymore. Which is too bad because
calamondins make a spicy and fragrant marmalade. Like kumquats, the skin is
sweet and the juice is puckering.
>
> Unlike most (all?) other citrus varieties, a calamondin doesn't go into
suspended animation if it gets cold. By the way, I'm only referring to
those that produce fruit worth producing. Mine stays out way too long in
the fall and gets exposed to a few light frosts before I get around to
bringing it in. It handles the abrupt change to warm and dry indoor
conditions without dropping a single leaf, blossom, or fruit. Other citrus
aren't so forgiving.
>
> If it gets too dry, I'll see leaves droop and will know to water it. It
perks right up. I try to keep it watered, but notice those drooping leaves
several times every summer. Like all my potted plants (not including
orchids, bog plants, etc.) the calamondin is in an extremely quick draining
mix of coir, mulchy garden soil, and lots of vermiculite. It's about equal
to what you'd get with 2/3 of a typical seed starting mix + 1/3 vermiculite.
This stuff needs frequent watering, but drains as fast as the rain can fall
and, being so airy, produces nice, healthy roots.
>
> Bruce Wittchen
> West Hartford, CT - Zone 6
>
>
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