The Tropical Fruit Forum
Citrus => Cold Hardy Citrus => Topic started by: robbyhernz on February 27, 2017, 05:08:52 PM
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Afternoon,
I recently moved into what should be a forever home and haven't re-built my greenhouse, so I want to put some of my pots in the ground! Since i have had them for 5 years and am quite attached to them, i wanted to get the expertise of people on this forum to make sure I can and should plant them in the ground.
I live between zone 8A/8B even though it's officially listed as a zone 8B. Half of the house is planted on sandy type soil with very fast draining soil which i think would be great for my trees.
I have 3 that I'm officially putting in the ground:
Washington Navel (C-35 rootstock)
Nagami kumquat (if it survives the winter - twigs still dying back)
unknown cutie that i grew from seed. Still not flowering and since they are hybrid, not sure what type of fruit I'll get.
I have two that are staying in pots for sure:
Mexican lime
Meyer Lemon
Unsure:
Ruby Red Grapefruit (like fruit when it's been on tree long time and we get cold nights in October so I'm concerned I'll have to harvest early and fruit will be really sour)
Page Mandarin
Gold nugget mandarin
Old Spice
Sanguinelle blood orange
cara cara
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You're probably better off getting advice from other citrus growers in your area and climate, but I've seen some of the same varieties you have growing in Columbia SC virtually unprotected by more than a high wooden fence as wind break or planting on south side of house with old fashioned Christmas lights used on cold nights. I have to cover my grapefruits, kumquat, and satsumas with 4 mil plastic for extended periods of freezing temps to protect fruit and-or trees.
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Good luck with them. I still have hundreds of ruby reds hanging on my trees. Lowest we saw was 26 for a few hours this past winter. They are super sweet now. Blood oranges & gold nugget are late & in your zone they will never ripen without major protection...
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If you plant them outside, I would suggest planting in a sheltered location where you can offer freeze protection (covering, christmas lights, etc.) I live along the 8b /9a line in Louisiana and here we can get the occasional freeze that is hard enough to wipe out nearly all varieties of unprotected citrus, for us this is a once in every 25-50 year event, but you never know when it will happen.
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Thank you all for your replies.
Laaz, so fruit doesn't fall off with the freezing temps on your grapefruit? This winter was pretty mild but we did hit 22 one night, 24 another and had 2 nights at 26. Would my grapefruits not fall off during those temps? I have no idea how many hours those freezing temps lasted. Would i have to offer heavy protection outside of covering tree and mulch on roots?
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I had a grapefruit go through a night of 19 degrees for the low. It was covered by 4 mil plastic but I forgot to plug in the little space heater I had under the tent with the tree, and the fruit didn't fall off, but it was damaged by the freeze and not really worth eating.
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Robby they are fine to about 22-23F before they start to freeze, as long as the duration isn't too long.
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I'm gonna do it!!!! :o
Tree is very short but has very woody stems since it is 5 years old. I'll do my best to protect it from frost as long as it doesn't grow too big. I need more than approx 5 pieces of fruit per year..
Ruby Red grapefruit, Washington Naval, unknown clementine seedling and my nagami kumquat (if it survives) are going into dirt.
Thanks to all for your suggestions!! I hope they make it!!!
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If it makes you feel better here is a picture of one of my 3 mature Satsumas, this picture was taken in December after about 2/3 of the fruit had been picked. I am on the 9a / 8b line in Louisiana
Of course a week or so later it got hit by a 22 degree freeze and lost most of its leaves, but is bouncing back now.
(https://s3.postimg.cc/40sst6pin/owari_satsuma_dec2016.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/40sst6pin/)
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wow, that is AFTER 2/3 of the fruit had been picked out! NICE!!
22 was the coldest we got this year.. if i were to lose leaves then so be it, i just don't want the graft to die! I'll hope for the best.
laaz, do you know how close together i can plant a grapefruit and a naval. I would think that in my area, my grapefruit won't get huge like it would in other climates.
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How big your tree gets in the long run will probably depend on what it is grafted on. Flying dragon will dwarf your tree more than poncyrus trifoliata. The shorter the better if you have to cover it.
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Good point Citradia... Hopefully I still have that info; I'll check today.
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The kumquat is one that can thrive in a pot. The rest will probably due better in the earth.