The Tropical Fruit Forum

Sept. 1 and one of my Taveras Limequats. 

Thank you all for your answers.  I do have a Tavares Limequat that I am growing outdoors in zone 6b/7a.  I use christmas lights, styrofoam and plastic to protect it in the winter.  It has set about a dozen blooms this past month.  Hopefully I will get some fruit this winter. 

I am growing an  Arbequina olive in Zone 7/6b.  I protected it with christmas lights, styrofoam and plastic.  It looks amazing and has flowers on it right now.  We had a week in January that averaged the low teens at night and mid 20's in the day.  That is Farenheit  not Celcius. 

Wow that is really cool.  i read the post of your multi-grafted tree.  Keep us updated.

Mike A

Has anyone grown almond and pistachio trees from seed?  How cold hardy are they?  I am in zone 7.

Mike Adams

Hey thanks for the advice.  I will be on guard next winter.  Using the same methods I used this year.

Mike A

Just a little message to say that with a little bit of planning and with the help of this group Citrus can be grown successfully in South Central PA.  I actually had more trouble controlling the temp from becoming to warm and than too cold.  Thanks everyone.

Mike A.

yes, Arbequina....not a vary good speller.

Mike aDams

I was able to achieve temps in the mid 50's F. even when the temp was at 15 F.  The biggest thing was getting a tight seal around the plant.  The "box" I created was very tight fitting.  I think that was very important. 

Zone 7a/6b  my 2 year old owari satsuma in ground in South Central Pa.  Took the plastic and styrofaom off the plant.  I left the Christmas lights on.  January saw 10 days of highs in the low 20's and lows in the low teens. 

So after over two week under plastic and temps in the teens for at least 8-10 nights....I actually made things too good for my Zwingle Citrumello....New growth....I undercovered it yesterday when the temps were in the low 50's.

I put 4 citrus and one olive tree in the ground last spring. I have been researching for about 2 years on how to get them to survive a winter by using 100 watts of electricity (a string of Christmas LIghts) along with plastic, styrofoam and wood chips. I am actually having a problem with them being to warm. Last night it was 16 degrees and inside my set up it was 62 degrees...as you look at my photo the trees are actually 2 feet below the level of the plastic. i planted them 1 foot below ground level and added 1 foot of wood chips. At 10 cents a kilowatt hr...my lights are running at 100 watts an hour.  So basically 1 cent an hour to heat my setup

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Thank you for sharing.  Keep us up to date...

Mike A.