If you enjoyed this video, please "Like" and share to help increase its reach! Thanks for watching 😀TIMESTAMPS here: 0:00 Intro To Growing Citrus 3:31 Citrus Tree #1: Owari Satsuma 6:01 Bonus Early Satsuma Tree 6:52 Citrus Tree #2: Meyer Lemon 9:10 Citrus Tree #3: Red Lime 10:59 Citrus Tree #4: Kumquats 12:17 Protecting Citrus Trees From Cold 16:15 Taste Testing Citrus Varieties 21:32 Where To Buy Citrus Trees 23:19 Adventures With Dale
I live in the PNW, east of Olympia where the average yearly low is in the mid to upper teens, however, we rarely get a clear day for nearly 6 months each year. We routinely stay in the upper 20’s and low 30’s for 3 or more months per year, with little charge between nighttime lows and daytime highs.Will citrus still survive/thrive in these conditions? I have never seen any citrus grown in my area, but I am wanting to grow any fruit trees I can.
The Meyer lemons can actually tolerate possibly a little colder for longer. I saw some at the grocery store, unprotected at 20 degrees for several nights, with little to no damage. It's amazing the resiliency of these trees!
If you don’t mind die-back, you could push them. I’ve never wanted to, because it isn’t a hardship to protect them the way I do. In the 5 years I’ve been growing citrus in ground, I’ve never even had cold damage on my trees. They have been some of my lowest maintenance trees aside from the darn leaf miner in new leaves.
The tree will survive. The problem is cell rupture in the fruit. Sugar works like antifreeze so oranges do better. I'm 9B, Central California so citrus does well. Still mine are on the south side with a white wall. Fence on the other side. A few years ago we had a hard freeze just before Christmas. I lost all the fruit from cell ruptures and all the blossoms so 2 years with no fruit. 😢
@@anatevkabell6046 that's promising. I'm sure the building provided some protection, but they're tougher than indicated. I see some websites say they're only hardy to freezing, and that isn't anywhere near true.
I moved from Connecticut to South Carolina two years ago, and brought three potted citrus trees with me. They are still inside in pots. (They spent summers outside) Now, after watching a couple of your videos on citrus, I’m contemplating planting them in the ground here on the Southern Piedmont. I guess my Bearss Lime will need to stay in her pot, but perhaps the Meyer lemon and clementine might need to be set free in the yard!
Is your zone 7a or 7b? Long Island virtually never gets below 0F, and Yuzu is known to be hardy to the single digits. I'm not saying it won't be a challenge, but I think it may be possible to plant Yuzu grafted onto trifoliate rootstock up against a protected house wall and protect them like I do with some lights and a water barrel. I think Stan McKenzie sells them.
I’m here in PNW Washington area and have been working at growing citrus. The tough thing is the overcast fall/winter and the short days. My citrus are living, but not thriving. I do have a Yuzu lemon, trifoliate grapefruit and flying dragon sour orange in ground. And I have a Owari sat, meiwa, wa navel, colmadin, and Meyer lemon in pots in a small slightly heated (35 gallon water barrel w 100 watt fish tank heater) trying to get them to size and will attempt to put the Meiwa kumquat and Owari Satsuma in ground once they’re more established. And I’m going to build a larger double walled poly panel greenhouse w geo thermal this spring and plant the others in ground inside and may have to supplement some lighting during winter time. And I have bought some hybrid seeds like citrangequat, mandarinquat and changsha seeds to experiment w growing and possibly graft onto rooted cutting of my trifoliate grapefruit and flying dragon. As well I’m talking with Stan McKenzie on some other cold Hardy options for in ground. Citrus is something I try having daily, so would love to be able to grow my own. Thank you for your content as I’ve been following for a few years and you’ve helped get me into growing citrus myself.
I don't think I'll pit any weight into the new zoning until I see the next few years weather. I will continue to plant by the zone that was prior to the update. Food chain supply isn't guaranteed unless we arenthe suppliers.
Because of your videos, I finally put all my potted citrus in the ground in zone 8A. They are currently under a plant jacket with a pickle barrel filled with water as a thermal battery and wrapped with incandescent Christmas lights. I hope they survive these next couple of months!
Not today. High of 47, low of 26. Winter is weird in the coastal Carolinas. One day is 70, the next is 60, the next is 53, the next is 46, then back up into the 50's. Rollercoaster winters. The issue with PA is the daytime doesn't warm up enough for trees to recover and they spend too much time below freezing. They really need to warm back up in 4-8 hours or so. Something like Yuzu may be possible in a really protected micro-climate if you can design a system where it never gets colder than 5-10F and always warms up above freezing after sunrise.
On behalf of my me and my family we want to thank you for all your tips and videos thanks to you and many other gardener CZcamsrs my family and I have had a lot of food and great memories! Thank you ❤and god bless you and your family
@@TheMillennialGardener thank you too. Best all around gardening channel on CZcams. You really improved our garden this year. Determinate Celebrity tomatoes, Florida Weave, Sweet 100s, toothbrush pollination, not letting cucumbers get too big. Overwintering Impala and Jalapeno pepper plants, so far they are doing well indoors.
I have great success growing a Meyer Lemon Tree in a small 6 foot by 6 foot greenhouse in Tacoma Washington State USA. Right now many of the Lemons (about a hundred of them) are ripe right now. I built another bigger 6 foot by 16 foot greenhouse on the other side of my back porch which faces the South. I intend to grow Oranges in the bigger greenhouse not all of it though. I have heard of a grower in my Puget Sound Area who does grow Oranges in a greenhouse.
Thanks again for inspiring so many people to have a go at growing citrus (and other subtropical plants) outside of their usual growing conditions. You inspired me to plant a clementine tree outside in north-west England! I used incandescent lights and a plant jacket on it recently when it got down to around -3°C/-4°C the other week. Thankfully we don't have any frosts or freezes predicted on the forecast for the next 2 weeks at least (I'm hoping it lasts longer). I'm going to experiment with more plants next year 👍
Wow, that is bold! Clementines are fairly cold hardy. I wish you the best of luck. If you find the clementine can't cut it, I'd point you in the direction of something like Yuzu, Sudachi or possibly something like the "Prague Satsuma" or the "Carolina Lime," which have shown hardiness into the single digits. The extra 5-7 degrees of cold hardiness could make all the difference in a climate like yours. Stan McKenzie has those plants, I believe.
I got my Browns Select Satsuma that I'm growing in a container in Michigan from Stan. He and his wife are very helpful and friendly to talk to, and their prices are reasonable.
I'm in Bucks Co, Pennsylvania and have two outdoor Meyer Lemons. They are potted, but I do not bring them indoors in winter. They get covered and have been thriving. They are currently in flower, and without any pollinators, I'm not expecting much unless I go out there with a paintbrush, but the bushes are doing great. The goal is to have them in the ground in 2024, and to add a blood orange and an owari satsuma to the mix.
Would you please explain the type of cover you are using? I have 2 potted Meyer here in central pa but bring them in for winter and hand pollinate. One is currently loaded with flowers and swells amazing. I would love to plant one outdoors.
@@studiosaray I currently have one of those inexpensive plastic (tarp like) greenhouses, and have them in there. This keeps the wind off of them and traps a little bit of the day's heat & humidity. Previously we had them in the basement under a grow light in winter, and by this point in the season they would have already dropped most of their leaves and been unhappy, so the fact that they are lush and full of flower buds makes me much happier this year.
@stephanieHuston Thank you, thats wonderful. I bring mine in when temps go below 50, there’s a lot of in and out in the fall and early spring. I haven’t had any issues with leaf or even fruit drop though. Just harvested the last fruit a couple weeks ago.
We got to bite into our very first Meyer lemon recently. It was pretty small, but it was so delicious! It really wasn't tart at all. Tasted just like lemonade to all of us. So glad we took your advice and got started on our citrus journey last year! Thanks from the Willamette Valley in Oregon! (Zone 8b)
One note I would add regarding pest pressure on citrus - apparently slugs and snails really like it... That one Meyer lemon had a slug chewing well into the skin when I spotted it ripe. By the time I picked it, there were two holes through the skin, looked like a little vampire had bitten into it. We still enjoyed it, but will definitely be keeping a closer watch on the low hanging fruit, as this one was pretty much sitting on the ground since the tree is still young (only in the ground for one year so far).
Just wait until the tree matures. Within 1-2 years, you'll be getting 50-100 that will be nearly the size of baseballs. They're so good! You could fill a kiddie pool with all the juice 😂 Leaf miner is my problem with new citrus leaves. You need to keep them coated in spinosad during the leaf miner season.
@@TheMillennialGardener I did notice some leaf miner on the Owari that I got from Stan when it arrived last year. I gave it a dose of dormant oil and removed the worst leaves, and haven't seen them on there again yet.
@@jamesthestoryguy509 it's still thriving in its spot! It had a bit of leaf miner when it first arrived, so it lost some leaves early on. But after treating it with dormant oil, the pest moved on and I haven't seen it since. It doesn't seem to have grown a ton quite yet, but it has only been in the ground for a year so far. Like I've heard @TheMillenialGardener say, the first year they sleep, the second they creep, and the third they leap. So I'm looking forward to what the tree looks like this time next year. Maybe it'll even have a few fruits on it?
Kumquat tidbit: Nagami has a seedless variety called "Nordmann". I've gotten into the routine of spitting seeds, usually 6-8 per fruit. Seeds didn't stop me from eating all the fruit, though. 😁 But if I ever lose my tree, I'll look for a seedless. Also, kumquat fruit can freeze and thaw (20s range) without splitting or turning mushy as juicer styles of citrus would. I may get a Satsuma next year, but kumquats are a good starting point for a citrus hobbyist since they're reasonably forgiving of mistakes.
Last winter I used the blue mini lights to keep my greens warm on my front porch. They weren’t hot enough to burn them but they were hot enough to keep them from freezing.
How cold does it get on your porch? I have a sunroom but it gets down to freezing in there. Not as cold as outside but it's unheated. I wonder if that would work for me.
@@tamidavis3730It probably would. I have oak leaf, and Lola Rosa lettuce, green onions, Swiss chard, celery, Pok Choi, kale, sage and rosemary all outside unprotected and we’ve had multiple nights in the twenties and they’re all fine. Last year the lights worked until we had 2-3 nights that were twenty below zero. That’s very cold and unusual for my area.
As long as they're incandescent and rated for outdoor use, they should be safe for use. Mini-lights will only work on smaller trees. Once they get to be a good size, they won't be able to warm an air mass more than a couple degrees. If you need 5+ degrees of warmth, you need to switch to C9's to warm the air.
They really are. They're nothing like citrus in grocery stores. Truthfully, I don't even like citrus that much. I don't buy it in stores, except lemons and limes for cooking. But off a tree, they are absolutely incredible. It's like home-grown tomatoes versus store-bought. It's amazing they're the same species. Citrus right off a tree is magical. If you can grow them, I urge you to do so.
@@TheMillennialGardener I actually took to heart one of your earlier videos on citrus, and now have Owari, Brown, and Meyer lemon growing in containers. Im going to let them grow before deciding to put them in the ground or just leave them in containers. I bought them from Briteleaf.
Your videos are so inspiring! I’m in 8B in Texas. I’m going to try moving my potted meiwa kumquat and miho satsuma to the south side of my house and protect as you suggest next spring. Thank you for sharing the info!
You definitely can. Just get yourself a good, reliable setup like I have. I use the water barrels so if we lose power during a cold event, I still have back-up. Combined, they give me 10-12 degrees of cold protection consistently.
Thanks for this! I'm in far eastern northern Maine, and I've been wanting to try some citrus in containers. This will help sooo much! I'm thinking pots outdoors on the southern wall all summer, then in the basement under lights for the winter, which never drops below 40* F.
Love it. I have been watching your videos on television screen for the last three weeks and it has been a totally educational benefit. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU
This has inspired me to try citrus as my next gardening adventure! I never knew of plant jackets, but had crafted some of my own for the past several years to overwinter some confederate jasmine plants which are definitely out of normal zone here. I'll be ordering some from your store, and checking out some of these citrus varieties! Thanks for the amazing content and ideas!
My 2 Meyer Lemons, 1 Owari Satsuma, and 1 other type of Satsuma are all alive out here in-ground in Chesapeake, VA. This is year #2 for all of them. They survived the 7F night with high winds (-0F) using your techniques last Winter! Almost no damage. Though, the Lemons did loose their leaves. They came back and made good fruit. THANK YOU
Woohoo! That's absolutely outstanding! Every year, they should get stronger as they mature. I bet if you add a couple 60 gallon pickle barrels full of water you'll see even better results and they won't defoliate on those single digit nights. I will say this: when the forecast is for the teens, I toss a tarp on top of my plant jackets to block the heat loss. Tossing a tarp on those nights adds another 5-7 degrees.
@@TheMillennialGardener I hope they do keep getting bigger and stronger! If anything ever happens to them... I will be going Yuzu next time around just because they are even more cold hardy than the Owari Satsuma. I be the pickle barrels would work... but the wife would not like them. However, that tarp idea sounds wonderful! I throw them over the tomatoes and such when I start them super early in the Spring (before the false summers have passed and turned into real warm weather) I had my tomatoes rock through a 25F night! So I bet that would totally help the lemons. Mine are on their own roots too btw. Made them myself and then gave away the old mother tree a few years back. Grew them out in a pot for a season or two before putting them into the ground.
Thank you! Citrus is definitely doable around the Charlotte area. It's a little tricker than mine, but none of my citrus have ever taken any damage with the way I protect them, so there's definitely some play. If I can do it without any problems, people in cooler climates than mine can.
The last 2 winters in south central Louisiana (zone 9) had cold spells below freezing for 30-48 hours straight with lows of 12-15 degrees. Some very old and large Satsuma trees in this region were destroyed. I re-planted mine and will use a reptile heating rock under covering to keep the roots as well as the branches warm. Fingers crossed! There is an orange called "Hamlin", AKA "Louisiana sweet" that is supposed to be 1 of the most cold-hardy oranges, and I'm giving it a try.
I shared your video on a couple of my pages. They have been very beneficial and people always ask how. You are a great resource to let them know exactly how especially the new back yard gardener who is apprehensive about doing a little work. This was so easy and so much fun. This will be my forth year gardening. You've inspired me to plant so much more. Thanks you.
Awesome video! I'm in zone 7a but I'm gonna try these. I have a few tricks I'm going to try to grow these here. One is I have A southern basement wall with a few windows, I figure I could make A greenhouse type shelter and open the windows to let heat out from the basement when it gets real cold.
We avoided any problems here. 3.5 inches of rain, but that's a drop in the bucket here. I've gotten 5-6 inches out of afternoon summer thunderstorms. The ground here soaks it up like a sponge.
Huge, thank you for converting tips into 'southern hemisphere'. Obviously changing 'north' to 'south' in my head is not hard but the number of times people say things like "I like to plant these in the 3rd or 4th week of April" and I have to sit down with pen and paper to convert it.
I'm in south Mississippi which was 8b but now 9a. I have 2 LA sweet oranges, a red navel and 2 owari satsumas and an arctic frost Satsuma. And a version lime but it's in a pot and they all do pretty well here! Great video!
Here in Northern California we have the Banana Belt that runs through the state. Not joking, we can grow oranges and other tropical plants in this region. The reason so many people grow grapes here is because the climate resembles Italy.
I live in NE Ohio (zone 6a) and I was lucky enough to be driving from Orlando back home and I was able to stop by Stan's orchard in person. Such a nice guy and he has all sorts of awesome varieties. I bought some Citrandarin, Citremon, Citrange, and Citrumelo as well as an Owari, Rangpur Lime, Limequat, and one of his special LaVerne lemons. I will be experimenting with growing edible trifoliates here in 6a because some (like flying dragon) are known to be hardy into zone 6. Now, just gotta breed/find a tasty/edible variety with that extra cold hardiness. Can you imagine an Ohio lemon? Would be insane
Beautiful fruit, MG! 👍 Thanks for all the knowledge and encouragement.😃 Merry Christmas, Dale and household! Hopefully, yall are doing well with whatever weather y'all are experiencing.💕
Im so glad to have come across your channel. I grow citrus and have implored some of your suggetions without knowing why. You confirm that I did right :)
Thanks for yet another informative video! I just ordered a dwarf Satsuma and Meyer Lemon tree from Brite Leaf. Can’t wait to plant them against my west brick wall on the side of my house!! ❤ I’m in Zone 8a in SC
Thanks for the interesting varieties to look into adding to my yard. I will have to gamble on a Meyer lemon and try to find the red lime. I'm in MD on the Chesapeake, and I've known for awhile that our peninsula is almost certainly zone 8. We did get changed on the map, and our pocket only goes a couple miles inland before its back to zone 7, and that squares with my experience. I added citrus to my yard a few years ago and I'm always looking for new ideas of trees to add. I have planted Yuzu, Sudaichi, and Miho Wase Satsuma. I'm excited to expand my little plantation. (:
I’m outside of the zone where I can grow citrus but I still enjoyed this video. I would like to send a Satsuma to my mother in law she lives in Greer South Carolina.
Thanks for all the great information. I'm in 8b western Oregon coastal mountains 17 miles inland and west of Eugene. I've only had any citrus for a year, aside for an inspirational 4 year old Meyer lemon that is producing hundreds of lemons in an 8x10 greenhouse. So, last spring I purchased trifoliate-grafted Owari, Meiwa kumquats, Sudachi Yuzu lemon, pink variegated lemon, Kishu mandarin, Mexican lime, Thai lime, and Flying dragon trifoliate for rootstock. Oh, and two Washington oranges I was given. All still doing well, some not growing a lot yet, but some are fruiting very well, and I could not bring myself to radically thin fruit as I likely should've, because I'm rolling in lemons, sudachi yuzu, and especially Owari satsumas! Great eating already. I just hope I'm not setting them back by allowing fruiting. I built 26 x 12 cattle panel greenhouse, with a second membrane inside 1/2 of it to house the potted citrus. I use four 40 gallon black garbage cans as heat sinks, with two 300 watt aquarium heaters that I can add heat if the predictions for
Oh, I also raise the height of the cattle panels off the ground on a knee wall, to have another 4 to 5' height in the center. And, more room for the second membrane room for citrus. I use grow lights all winter too, as coastal mountain Oregon clouds and mist, with frequent drenching rains, probably just will not allow enough light w/o the lights.
I’ve heard of it. I heard it isn’t as reliable and tends to alternate bear more, but I don’t have any real experience. Just hearsay. I can’t justify another when Browns Select and Owari are so good and so hardy 😂 I’ll be picking Sugarbelle’s soon, which is brand new to me and I’m so excited!
Some other purpose-bred very cold hardy satsumas to investigate, both specifically bred for cold hardiness and classic mandarin flavor down to 7b/8a in Texas: “Arctic Frost” satsuma and “Orange Frost” satsuma. Arctic frost seems to be the “favorite” of most folks but reportedly little difference between the two. I have Orange Frost on trifoliate.
I have yet to see data that indicates either variety is hardier than Owari or Brown's Select. Arctic Frost is very undesirable because of the thorns, so I would never consider growing that variety. I also doubt the fruit quality is up to Owari or Brown Select standards. For that reason, I haven't seen any reason to experiment with them, because Brown's Select and Owari are so incredibly good. There would have to be a really significant temperature advantage to them, but I don't think the data has shown that to be true yet.
Well TAMU has trials on both down to -11.1*C so maybe you just haven’t seen those data yet. On par or better cold tolerance than Owari. Both are Changsha/Satsuma hybrids, outdoor specimens here in Texas survived our deep freeze in high single digits F (no doubt with microclimate help) and low double digits. All anecdotal though. Not sure why you have to get all defensive of “your” varieties and techniques brother lol… especially if you’ve never tried either fruit, no reason to discount them out of hand yeesh. Artic frost has similar thorn levels to Meyer lemons fyi. Never said Owari and Brown’s aren’t great, they are 🤷♂️ Wish we had some growers here in TX with red limes! Haven’t been able to hunt any down and our state approved budwood program doesn’t have any. I may have to break down and import some chip buds from California’s certified stock. Will end up being about $250-$500 though after permits/shipping/fees though! Kinda sucks sometimes to live in a citrus regulated state when 90% of the state doesn’t or can’t grow commercial citrus orchards 🙃 oh well
Thank you for this citrus video! I really don’t know much about citrus, but have followed your advice (I’m in zone 9a) and have kept a Meyer Lemon tree alive through several frosts/freezes.
I just read the Citrus Orchard chapter in Masanobu Fukuoka´s one-straw revulotion last night :D I think im gonna try to graft a citrus tree in my backyard here in the most southern part of Sweden. zone 8b
You should be able to if you're in Zone 8. You will need protection, and you will want a way to trap heat during the day so the tree can warm up above freezing every single day for a long period of time. The plant jackets work great for that.
@@TheMillennialGardener Okey! I´ve been looking for owari satsuma and Trifoliata seeds to order in europe but can only find buyers who has one of the kind :((( I miss the old days when we didnt get taxed from ordering in US and shipping wasnt insane :D
Had to subscribe when I found out you're in N.C. I'm in the Piedmont and have always wanted to try to grow some citrus and other fruits that weren't normally considered viable for my area. Loquat and Feijoe are some I'm considering. You have some great info in this video. Looking forward to checking out some more.
Such great information and explanations on growing citrus. My soil quality is poor so I want to grow in large containers. I have a struggling Meyer lemon and I think the problem is too small a pot and not enough food and air circulation for the roots. You definitely inspire me to try harder and i definitely want to try the satsuma oranges. There are a couple neighborhoods here growing full size orange trees so I know they do well. We’re zone 8b in southeast Virginia.
You should be able to grow them on a compost mound. You don't need great soil to grow citrus, especially on Trifoliate rootstock. As long as the soil doesn't hold water, they will do fine. Trifoliate roots are shallow and much more tolerant of clay soil. If you mound up compost 12-18 inches, the roots will largely grow in that and excess water will drain away well. If your citrus in containers are struggling, that's an indicator that either the soil mix is not right for citrus, they aren't getting enough warmth and/or light or they're starving for nutrients. Citrus need to be fertilized twice a month in containers all year round.
@@TheMillennialGardener Thank you so much for such great input. I don't know with certainty this is my forever home, so I would prefer to put my citrus into containers. And I'm sure the soil mix is off, the roots are crowded and I'm not feeding anywhere close to enough. Light is a struggle here between trees and building so I probably need to pot the Lemon up and bring it in for the winter under grow lights to get it healthier.
You can grow that red lime indoors in a pot. It’ll fruit like nuts with a sunny window and a little grow light. Key Limes and Meyer Lemons also tolerant indoor conditions.
Citrus info is so exciting! I have wanted citrus and will investigate. I have a zone 6 stucco south facing situation and no landscaping due to my lack of effort while working on garden expansions.
I don't think any citrus will be growable in Zone 6 except for Trifoliate Orange. That will grow in your zone with ease, but the fruit isn't very edible and it's basically like growing a razor wire bush. The thorns are off the charts. I would grow citrus in containers in your zone personally and save the space on your south facing wall for something like an Asian Persimmon or pomegranate that would be borderline hardy to your zone and appreciate the protection.
I bought a baby calamondin orange tree from a tourist trap in Fla thinking it was a more normal orange tree type (it sadly isn't) . The fruit doesn't seem to like below freezing too much, but it's doing quite well despite my my ignorance of them
Calamondin's are quite cold hardy. I could definitely grow one in ground where I live with no problems. The problem is I don't care for the taste 😄 They're kind of like a really large, sour kumquat. All citrus fruit is vulnerable to hard freezes. It splits the rind and damages the fruit. I have to provide my citrus trees more protection when there is fruit on them. The fruits are more freeze vulnerable than the trees I grow.
@TheMillennialGardener good to know, thanks. I'm near Charlotte and a few times a year my wife and I vacation at a beach in your neck of the woods... beautiful out there
I am temped to push the zones here in Boston. Today is 62 with rain. Eastern Mass used to get 12 inches of thick ice on the ponds and lakes. However, last winter we did hit -10 one night.
If you do, I would recommend Yuzu. You can use it like a lemon. Mature yuzu survives 0F, so -10F is doable if you protect like I do with barrels and lights. You will be able to stay above 5-10°F all year with my techniques.
You'll have no problem if you follow my methods. My citrus trees have never taken any harm in the 5 years I've been growing them, so it'll be even easier for you!
Hello from Burgaw! I know a handful of folks that have citrus in New Hanover and Pender. Some trees take a bit of work, like you said, but it's worth the boast.
Good comments on the new Plant Zone Hardiness Map. I recently put out a short article to our garden club about the new map. I'm in north central NC and we got "promoted" to Zone 8.
I have a Meyers Lemon, 3 key limes, 2 kumquats, 1 pink lemon all in pots and in our green house in pots. The Key Limes have produced; the others are not old enough. Currently no place to put citrus hardy outside, unless, as wife wants, we cut down the holly on the south side of the house. Our yard is also a NWF certified habitat, so have to balance things with that. Another cold-hardy variety I have read about is the I-chang lemon - know anything about that? Went to a seminar last year at the Raulston Arboretum at NCSU on growing citrus up here lead by Frank Hyman. Do you know him? Has been growing citrus for 25 years .@@TheMillennialGardener
Thanks for the videos. I've recently this summer purchased my first brown select after seeing your video last year. Went to Stan's place to pick it up and he allowed my wife and I to go and look at his citrus collection. Awesome guy! By chance will you be selling fig cuttings or have I already missed it.
Great, thorough and well present info! This convinced me to subscribe - all because of this great presentation and lecture. Living in CA now but plan on moving to zone 7b (Carson City NV area) in about two years. Will need all your info as my air layered and grafted trees in pots will probably not survive up there without a green house. Planning on building one there but that may not happen right away!
Thanks. He lives in Zone 6b that was just bumped to a 7a. There’s no way any citrus tree worth eating will grow there. He doesn’t have the gardening bug as bad as I do. He’s still young. I think he will get it more as he gets older. I got him a persimmon and fig tree, and he built himself a couple raised beds.
I think you and I have a very different definition of "north." I'll show myself and my zone 6 to the door. 🤣 But seriously, that's what container gardening is for! Trying to decide which orange to get for a pot. I've already got a Meyer lemon (needs uppotting!). I thought about getting a lime, but I just don't use limes or lime juice enough to feel justified.
Citrus are from the subtropics, so growing them in temperate regions would be very, very northern for the species. Americans are used to seeing the US centered on a map, so they don't realize often how far north the entire country is. South Florida is pretty far north of the tropics, and any part of the US north of Florida is pretty northern. The US/Canada border is actually Subarctic. When you center the globe properly on the Equator, you realize how far north even the Deep South is.
Very interesting. Do you know that satsumas can be eaten (and taste even better) when they're still green and just about to start turning orange? My brother eats my Meyer lemons as if they were oranges!
Had a limb break on my owari satsuma due to weight of fruits that were still completely green. Very surprising, but all fruits were not only edible, they were delicious!
Green citrus can often be used sort of how a lime or lemon is used, but always taste first. Citrus has a habit of over-bearing, especially on young grafted trees. Thinning may be necessary.
It’s Feb 9 2024. I’m in Cary and I think our weather is similar to yours. We just had a month of very cold weather. How did your citrus do? Did you learn anything new?
I’m sold on citrus. I’m in Cary. Question. When should we be buying and planting. My friend suggested a submersible fish tank heater and a black 50 gallon garbage can with lid. 😊
C9's aren't a fire hazard. The issue was the trees were too small for the C9's when I first planted them. It took the trees about 3 years before they were large enough to need C9's. Now that my trees up against my house are at mature size, the mini-lights are basically useless. They don't generate enough warmth. C9's are what you want for larger trees.
Hello friend, this video has me drooling over all this juicy citrus. I'm all the way in Michigan, zone 6a and I'm curious to see if any of these beauties can thrive here. I am willing to try to start them out in my sunroom first.
You can grow Key Lime trees in small pots in your sunroom and move outside in the summer. They are pretty easy to grow and small (10in pot). I have also grown orange trees and grapefruit trees in my sunroom which provide wonderful tasting fruit in mid winter. I kept them to about 6 feet tall in 18in pots. It was very difficult to keep them free of scale insects though. They took more time to look after but it was fun for a few years. None will survive outside in the winter in Michigan. I'm across the lake in Ontario and none survive here.
Are you in zone 8? I am now in zone 8/9 and so far this winter, my garden has not frozen. I have protected my lemon tree because there were a couple nights predicted to be 31 deg, but it ended up not getting that low. Right now, our nights are actually in the 40s, mid 30s. I am still watching in case they do predict a real freeze.
C9 lights are often used to warm the trunks of palm trees during cold spells to warm the central spear that grows inside. That way, if the tops get defoliated, the spear can stay alive and push out new growth and recover. I've had to wrap my Canary Island Date Palm in C9's a couple times when we got back to back nights of 17F and 14F a year or two ago, and another time when we got a freezing rain storm. It worked.
Im in zone ohio 6b if nothing else i learned how to keep my peach and plum trees warm so i get fruit from them. I may try a couple of citrus just see if i can do it
Usually, it's not only harmless but beneficial. Light frosts like that actually sweeten the fruit! I haven't bagged my Owari yet and we've had 4 nights in the upper 20's so far. The fruit has only gotten better and better. It's sweet as sugar right now. I'm going to harvest them soon. 3 weeks ago, they still weren't right and very tart, but the ones I've been picking after all this cold weather have been outstanding! 26/27F is the danger zone for citrus fruit taking damage, but honestly, the duration of the freeze can mean more. It takes awhile for fruits to freeze through, so it IS possible fruits can become damaged at higher temps if the freeze lasts a very long time.
If you enjoyed this video, please "Like" and share to help increase its reach! Thanks for watching 😀TIMESTAMPS here:
0:00 Intro To Growing Citrus
3:31 Citrus Tree #1: Owari Satsuma
6:01 Bonus Early Satsuma Tree
6:52 Citrus Tree #2: Meyer Lemon
9:10 Citrus Tree #3: Red Lime
10:59 Citrus Tree #4: Kumquats
12:17 Protecting Citrus Trees From Cold
16:15 Taste Testing Citrus Varieties
21:32 Where To Buy Citrus Trees
23:19 Adventures With Dale
Would those work in zone 7A Maryland? I want to try a citrus tree.
@@keyshawn3417I am in 6b and I have a Meyer Lemon.
@@user-do7lp9fl8i I tried to order one from Mckenzie Farms and they said they have never stocked it.
I live in the PNW, east of Olympia where the average yearly low is in the mid to upper teens, however, we rarely get a clear day for nearly 6 months each year. We routinely stay in the upper 20’s and low 30’s for 3 or more months per year, with little charge between nighttime lows and daytime highs.Will citrus still survive/thrive in these conditions? I have never seen any citrus grown in my area, but I am wanting to grow any fruit trees I can.
I live in Salisbury NC, near Charlotte, and I'm going to have to try and grow these too!
The Meyer lemons can actually tolerate possibly a little colder for longer. I saw some at the grocery store, unprotected at 20 degrees for several nights, with little to no damage. It's amazing the resiliency of these trees!
If you don’t mind die-back, you could push them. I’ve never wanted to, because it isn’t a hardship to protect them the way I do. In the 5 years I’ve been growing citrus in ground, I’ve never even had cold damage on my trees. They have been some of my lowest maintenance trees aside from the darn leaf miner in new leaves.
The tree will survive. The problem is cell rupture in the fruit. Sugar works like antifreeze so oranges do better. I'm 9B, Central California so citrus does well. Still mine are on the south side with a white wall. Fence on the other side. A few years ago we had a hard freeze just before Christmas. I lost all the fruit from cell ruptures and all the blossoms so 2 years with no fruit. 😢
Close to the building?
Buildings emit stored heat. They also help protect against wind.
I have a Meyer lemon and it survived -10 degrees Celsius in a pot on my balcony last winter. I had to cut it back but I regrew 😅
@@anatevkabell6046 that's promising. I'm sure the building provided some protection, but they're tougher than indicated. I see some websites say they're only hardy to freezing, and that isn't anywhere near true.
I moved from Connecticut to South Carolina two years ago, and brought three potted citrus trees with me. They are still inside in pots. (They spent summers outside) Now, after watching a couple of your videos on citrus, I’m contemplating planting them in the ground here on the Southern Piedmont. I guess my Bearss Lime will need to stay in her pot, but perhaps the Meyer lemon and clementine might need to be set free in the yard!
wow jealous of those citrus trees! excited to dive into this video for when I get my geo-thermal greenhouse in the works!
Is your zone 7a or 7b? Long Island virtually never gets below 0F, and Yuzu is known to be hardy to the single digits. I'm not saying it won't be a challenge, but I think it may be possible to plant Yuzu grafted onto trifoliate rootstock up against a protected house wall and protect them like I do with some lights and a water barrel. I think Stan McKenzie sells them.
I’m here in PNW Washington area and have been working at growing citrus. The tough thing is the overcast fall/winter and the short days. My citrus are living, but not thriving. I do have a Yuzu lemon, trifoliate grapefruit and flying dragon sour orange in ground. And I have a Owari sat, meiwa, wa navel, colmadin, and Meyer lemon in pots in a small slightly heated (35 gallon water barrel w 100 watt fish tank heater) trying to get them to size and will attempt to put the Meiwa kumquat and Owari Satsuma in ground once they’re more established. And I’m going to build a larger double walled poly panel greenhouse w geo thermal this spring and plant the others in ground inside and may have to supplement some lighting during winter time. And I have bought some hybrid seeds like citrangequat, mandarinquat and changsha seeds to experiment w growing and possibly graft onto rooted cutting of my trifoliate grapefruit and flying dragon. As well I’m talking with Stan McKenzie on some other cold Hardy options for in ground.
Citrus is something I try having daily, so would love to be able to grow my own. Thank you for your content as I’ve been following for a few years and you’ve helped get me into growing citrus myself.
I don't think I'll pit any weight into the new zoning until I see the next few years weather. I will continue to plant by the zone that was prior to the update. Food chain supply isn't guaranteed unless we arenthe suppliers.
Because of your videos, I finally put all my potted citrus in the ground in zone 8A. They are currently under a plant jacket with a pickle barrel filled with water as a thermal battery and wrapped with incandescent Christmas lights. I hope they survive these next couple of months!
Awesome! I wish you the best of luck! If they can get through the first year, they'll begin rewarding you. Citrus rewards quickly.
I got excited living in south western PA then I saw you wearing shorts and a tank top in December and realized we are on different planets 😂
Not today. High of 47, low of 26. Winter is weird in the coastal Carolinas. One day is 70, the next is 60, the next is 53, the next is 46, then back up into the 50's. Rollercoaster winters. The issue with PA is the daytime doesn't warm up enough for trees to recover and they spend too much time below freezing. They really need to warm back up in 4-8 hours or so. Something like Yuzu may be possible in a really protected micro-climate if you can design a system where it never gets colder than 5-10F and always warms up above freezing after sunrise.
On behalf of my me and my family we want to thank you for all your tips and videos thanks to you and many other gardener CZcamsrs my family and I have had a lot of food and great memories! Thank you ❤and god bless you and your family
Thank you so much! I'm glad you're finding the videos helpful. I hope they inspire you to grow big!
@@TheMillennialGardener thank you too. Best all around gardening channel on CZcams.
You really improved our garden this year. Determinate Celebrity tomatoes, Florida Weave, Sweet 100s, toothbrush pollination, not letting cucumbers get too big. Overwintering Impala and Jalapeno pepper plants, so far they are doing well indoors.
This is prefect for me. You're making our generation look wonderful
I have great success growing a Meyer Lemon Tree in a small 6 foot by 6 foot greenhouse in Tacoma Washington State USA. Right now many of the Lemons (about a hundred of them) are ripe right now. I built another bigger 6 foot by 16 foot greenhouse on the other side of my back porch which faces the South. I intend to grow Oranges in the bigger greenhouse not all of it though. I have heard of a grower in my Puget Sound Area who does grow Oranges in a greenhouse.
Thanks again for inspiring so many people to have a go at growing citrus (and other subtropical plants) outside of their usual growing conditions. You inspired me to plant a clementine tree outside in north-west England! I used incandescent lights and a plant jacket on it recently when it got down to around -3°C/-4°C the other week. Thankfully we don't have any frosts or freezes predicted on the forecast for the next 2 weeks at least (I'm hoping it lasts longer). I'm going to experiment with more plants next year 👍
Wow, that is bold! Clementines are fairly cold hardy. I wish you the best of luck. If you find the clementine can't cut it, I'd point you in the direction of something like Yuzu, Sudachi or possibly something like the "Prague Satsuma" or the "Carolina Lime," which have shown hardiness into the single digits. The extra 5-7 degrees of cold hardiness could make all the difference in a climate like yours. Stan McKenzie has those plants, I believe.
@@TheMillennialGardener I want to grow citrus but I’m in Connecticut. Thank you for the website suggestion.
That red lime is amazing! Might have to grab one for my indoor collection here in zone 4a (I guess now 4b).
It is nuts. It will make a glorious potted plant. It fruits profusely.
I got four trees from McKenzie after seeing your video on small fruit trees. Excited for this new journey.
Outstanding! Stan’s trees are the best.
Yes same here! East Tennessee
I got my Browns Select Satsuma that I'm growing in a container in Michigan from Stan. He and his wife are very helpful and friendly to talk to, and their prices are reasonable.
@@haleyaudiss I'm in Chattanooga and growing some here, too.
Absolutely planting citrus in the Midlands of South Carolina thanks to you. I appreciate this video.
Nice! You definitely can! That’s where Stan’s orchard is.
Where did you get your trees?
I'm in Bucks Co, Pennsylvania and have two outdoor Meyer Lemons. They are potted, but I do not bring them indoors in winter. They get covered and have been thriving. They are currently in flower, and without any pollinators, I'm not expecting much unless I go out there with a paintbrush, but the bushes are doing great. The goal is to have them in the ground in 2024, and to add a blood orange and an owari satsuma to the mix.
Would you please explain the type of cover you are using? I have 2 potted Meyer here in central pa but bring them in for winter and hand pollinate. One is currently loaded with flowers and swells amazing. I would love to plant one outdoors.
@@studiosaray I currently have one of those inexpensive plastic (tarp like) greenhouses, and have them in there. This keeps the wind off of them and traps a little bit of the day's heat & humidity. Previously we had them in the basement under a grow light in winter, and by this point in the season they would have already dropped most of their leaves and been unhappy, so the fact that they are lush and full of flower buds makes me much happier this year.
@stephanieHuston Thank you, thats wonderful. I bring mine in when temps go below 50, there’s a lot of in and out in the fall and early spring. I haven’t had any issues with leaf or even fruit drop though. Just harvested the last fruit a couple weeks ago.
@@StephanieHustondid you plant them in the ground?
We got to bite into our very first Meyer lemon recently. It was pretty small, but it was so delicious! It really wasn't tart at all. Tasted just like lemonade to all of us. So glad we took your advice and got started on our citrus journey last year! Thanks from the Willamette Valley in Oregon! (Zone 8b)
One note I would add regarding pest pressure on citrus - apparently slugs and snails really like it... That one Meyer lemon had a slug chewing well into the skin when I spotted it ripe. By the time I picked it, there were two holes through the skin, looked like a little vampire had bitten into it. We still enjoyed it, but will definitely be keeping a closer watch on the low hanging fruit, as this one was pretty much sitting on the ground since the tree is still young (only in the ground for one year so far).
Just wait until the tree matures. Within 1-2 years, you'll be getting 50-100 that will be nearly the size of baseballs. They're so good! You could fill a kiddie pool with all the juice 😂 Leaf miner is my problem with new citrus leaves. You need to keep them coated in spinosad during the leaf miner season.
@@TheMillennialGardener I did notice some leaf miner on the Owari that I got from Stan when it arrived last year. I gave it a dose of dormant oil and removed the worst leaves, and haven't seen them on there again yet.
@@joshuahoyer1279hello I also live in the willamette valley in portland I am thinking about giving the owari a try how well has yours held up?
@@jamesthestoryguy509 it's still thriving in its spot! It had a bit of leaf miner when it first arrived, so it lost some leaves early on. But after treating it with dormant oil, the pest moved on and I haven't seen it since. It doesn't seem to have grown a ton quite yet, but it has only been in the ground for a year so far. Like I've heard @TheMillenialGardener say, the first year they sleep, the second they creep, and the third they leap. So I'm looking forward to what the tree looks like this time next year. Maybe it'll even have a few fruits on it?
This is reminding me of how the Soviets got citrus growing surprisingly far north with (IIRC) trenching.
Bro , You Give Great And Understandable Direction In Detail 💯
Kumquat tidbit: Nagami has a seedless variety called "Nordmann". I've gotten into the routine of spitting seeds, usually 6-8 per fruit. Seeds didn't stop me from eating all the fruit, though. 😁 But if I ever lose my tree, I'll look for a seedless. Also, kumquat fruit can freeze and thaw (20s range) without splitting or turning mushy as juicer styles of citrus would. I may get a Satsuma next year, but kumquats are a good starting point for a citrus hobbyist since they're reasonably forgiving of mistakes.
Last winter I used the blue mini lights to keep my greens warm on my front porch. They weren’t hot enough to burn them but they were hot enough to keep them from freezing.
How cold does it get on your porch? I have a sunroom but it gets down to freezing in there. Not as cold as outside but it's unheated. I wonder if that would work for me.
@@tamidavis3730It probably would. I have oak leaf, and Lola Rosa lettuce, green onions, Swiss chard, celery, Pok Choi, kale, sage and rosemary all outside unprotected and we’ve had multiple nights in the twenties and they’re all fine. Last year the lights worked until we had 2-3 nights that were twenty below zero. That’s very cold and unusual for my area.
@@tamidavis3730 Also my porch is not covered so I laid the lights on the soil around the plants so they were in amongst them.
@@Gardeningchristine that's a good idea. I'll have to try it
As long as they're incandescent and rated for outdoor use, they should be safe for use. Mini-lights will only work on smaller trees. Once they get to be a good size, they won't be able to warm an air mass more than a couple degrees. If you need 5+ degrees of warmth, you need to switch to C9's to warm the air.
Those fruits are absolutely spectacular.
They really are. They're nothing like citrus in grocery stores. Truthfully, I don't even like citrus that much. I don't buy it in stores, except lemons and limes for cooking. But off a tree, they are absolutely incredible. It's like home-grown tomatoes versus store-bought. It's amazing they're the same species. Citrus right off a tree is magical. If you can grow them, I urge you to do so.
@@TheMillennialGardener I actually took to heart one of your earlier videos on citrus, and now have Owari, Brown, and Meyer lemon growing in containers. Im going to let them grow before deciding to put them in the ground or just leave them in containers. I bought them from Briteleaf.
Your videos are so inspiring! I’m in 8B in Texas. I’m going to try moving my potted meiwa kumquat and miho satsuma to the south side of my house and protect as you suggest next spring. Thank you for sharing the info!
You definitely can. Just get yourself a good, reliable setup like I have. I use the water barrels so if we lose power during a cold event, I still have back-up. Combined, they give me 10-12 degrees of cold protection consistently.
I been looking for the meiwa kumquat out here for so long. Good luck with yours
Thanks for this! I'm in far eastern northern Maine, and I've been wanting to try some citrus in containers. This will help sooo much! I'm thinking pots outdoors on the southern wall all summer, then in the basement under lights for the winter, which never drops below 40* F.
Love it. I have been watching your videos on television screen for the last three weeks and it has been a totally educational benefit. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU
This has inspired me to try citrus as my next gardening adventure! I never knew of plant jackets, but had crafted some of my own for the past several years to overwinter some confederate jasmine plants which are definitely out of normal zone here. I'll be ordering some from your store, and checking out some of these citrus varieties! Thanks for the amazing content and ideas!
My 2 Meyer Lemons, 1 Owari Satsuma, and 1 other type of Satsuma are all alive out here in-ground in Chesapeake, VA. This is year #2 for all of them.
They survived the 7F night with high winds (-0F) using your techniques last Winter! Almost no damage. Though, the Lemons did loose their leaves. They came back and made good fruit.
THANK YOU
Woohoo! That's absolutely outstanding! Every year, they should get stronger as they mature. I bet if you add a couple 60 gallon pickle barrels full of water you'll see even better results and they won't defoliate on those single digit nights. I will say this: when the forecast is for the teens, I toss a tarp on top of my plant jackets to block the heat loss. Tossing a tarp on those nights adds another 5-7 degrees.
@@TheMillennialGardener
I hope they do keep getting bigger and stronger! If anything ever happens to them... I will be going Yuzu next time around just because they are even more cold hardy than the Owari Satsuma.
I be the pickle barrels would work... but the wife would not like them. However, that tarp idea sounds wonderful! I throw them over the tomatoes and such when I start them super early in the Spring (before the false summers have passed and turned into real warm weather) I had my tomatoes rock through a 25F night!
So I bet that would totally help the lemons.
Mine are on their own roots too btw. Made them myself and then gave away the old mother tree a few years back. Grew them out in a pot for a season or two before putting them into the ground.
You are such an inspiration. I live just north of Charlotte and I am going to try another Meyer Lemon and a mandarin orange.
Thank you! Citrus is definitely doable around the Charlotte area. It's a little tricker than mine, but none of my citrus have ever taken any damage with the way I protect them, so there's definitely some play. If I can do it without any problems, people in cooler climates than mine can.
Great video. I’m Conway SC and have had some difficulty with citrus!
10 years ago my fig trees would die back to the roots. The last few years it hasn't, seeing we went from zone 7 to 8 makes sense.
The last 2 winters in south central Louisiana (zone 9) had cold spells below freezing for 30-48 hours straight with lows of 12-15 degrees. Some very old and large Satsuma trees in this region were destroyed. I re-planted mine and will use a reptile heating rock under covering to keep the roots as well as the branches warm. Fingers crossed! There is an orange called "Hamlin", AKA "Louisiana sweet" that is supposed to be 1 of the most cold-hardy oranges, and I'm giving it a try.
I live in the Upper Midwest. It gets down to well below zero for weeks at a time. Ain't no citrus surviving my winters.
I shared your video on a couple of my pages. They have been very beneficial and people always ask how. You are a great resource to let them know exactly how especially the new back yard gardener who is apprehensive about doing a little work. This was so easy and so much fun. This will be my forth year gardening. You've inspired me to plant so much more. Thanks you.
Awesome video! I'm in zone 7a but I'm gonna try these. I have a few tricks I'm going to try to grow these here. One is I have A southern basement wall with a few windows, I figure I could make A greenhouse type shelter and open the windows to let heat out from the basement when it gets real cold.
Awwsome i was thinking of you earlyer watching the news with all that rain and wind going up the east coast
We avoided any problems here. 3.5 inches of rain, but that's a drop in the bucket here. I've gotten 5-6 inches out of afternoon summer thunderstorms. The ground here soaks it up like a sponge.
Huge, thank you for converting tips into 'southern hemisphere'. Obviously changing 'north' to 'south' in my head is not hard but the number of times people say things like "I like to plant these in the 3rd or 4th week of April" and I have to sit down with pen and paper to convert it.
It’s tough. I try to do unit conversions when I can so everyone all over the world can watch my videos without too many mental gymnastics.
I'm in south Mississippi which was 8b but now 9a. I have 2 LA sweet oranges, a red navel and 2 owari satsumas and an arctic frost Satsuma. And a version lime but it's in a pot and they all do pretty well here! Great video!
Thanks! You can grow a lot of citrus in 9a, for sure.
Here in Northern California we have the Banana Belt that runs through the state. Not joking, we can grow oranges and other tropical plants in this region. The reason so many people grow grapes here is because the climate resembles Italy.
Olives too!
My little Meyer lemon gave me 4 lemons 🍋 Maryland citrus is wild to me! Thanks for the vid.
Love this!!
Finally finding cold hearty trees!
Thank you!!❤❤❤❤
I know in Pittsburgh we can grow lemons in pots and take them inside during the winter.
You certainly can. Small citrus make good house plants.
I live in NE Ohio (zone 6a) and I was lucky enough to be driving from Orlando back home and I was able to stop by Stan's orchard in person. Such a nice guy and he has all sorts of awesome varieties. I bought some Citrandarin, Citremon, Citrange, and Citrumelo as well as an Owari, Rangpur Lime, Limequat, and one of his special LaVerne lemons. I will be experimenting with growing edible trifoliates here in 6a because some (like flying dragon) are known to be hardy into zone 6. Now, just gotta breed/find a tasty/edible variety with that extra cold hardiness. Can you imagine an Ohio lemon? Would be insane
Beautiful fruit, MG! 👍 Thanks for all the knowledge and encouragement.😃
Merry Christmas, Dale and household! Hopefully, yall are doing well with whatever weather y'all are experiencing.💕
Thank you! Having citrus trees makes the cold weather a little easier. Merry Christmas!
Im so glad to have come across your channel. I grow citrus and have implored some of your suggetions without knowing why. You confirm that I did right :)
I'm glad you found me!
So excited to see this video! I was under the assumption citrus trees were a no go for me.
Thanks for yet another informative video! I just ordered a dwarf Satsuma and Meyer Lemon tree from Brite Leaf. Can’t wait to plant them against my west brick wall on the side of my house!! ❤ I’m in Zone 8a in SC
Outstanding!
Won’t planting these next to foundation, cause damage?
Called your friend at Mckenzie farms and ordered a blood orange. I'm in 7b in Charlotte. NC area. I am really going to baby that thing.
I'm really happy you shared this information with us. I'm saving it for future reference.
Glad it was helpful!
This guy is a true hero
Thanks for the interesting varieties to look into adding to my yard. I will have to gamble on a Meyer lemon and try to find the red lime. I'm in MD on the Chesapeake, and I've known for awhile that our peninsula is almost certainly zone 8. We did get changed on the map, and our pocket only goes a couple miles inland before its back to zone 7, and that squares with my experience. I added citrus to my yard a few years ago and I'm always looking for new ideas of trees to add. I have planted Yuzu, Sudaichi, and Miho Wase Satsuma. I'm excited to expand my little plantation. (:
I’m outside of the zone where I can grow citrus but I still enjoyed this video. I would like to send a Satsuma to my mother in law she lives in Greer South Carolina.
You could do container grown citrus. That Red Lime can make massive fruit in a small pot. Key Lime and Variegated Lemon also do great.
Thank you very very much!!
I've had an owari satsuma mandarin tree growing in a deep water culture bucket on my balcony for the last 8 years.
Great video. I am growing citrus in the UK and your work very inspiring
Excellent work! I'm happy to hear that!
Thanks for all the great information. I'm in 8b western Oregon coastal mountains 17 miles inland and west of Eugene. I've only had any citrus for a year, aside for an inspirational 4 year old Meyer lemon that is producing hundreds of lemons in an 8x10 greenhouse. So, last spring I purchased trifoliate-grafted Owari, Meiwa kumquats, Sudachi Yuzu lemon, pink variegated lemon, Kishu mandarin, Mexican lime, Thai lime, and Flying dragon trifoliate for rootstock. Oh, and two Washington oranges I was given. All still doing well, some not growing a lot yet, but some are fruiting very well, and I could not bring myself to radically thin fruit as I likely should've, because I'm rolling in lemons, sudachi yuzu, and especially Owari satsumas! Great eating already. I just hope I'm not setting them back by allowing fruiting. I built 26 x 12 cattle panel greenhouse, with a second membrane inside 1/2 of it to house the potted citrus. I use four 40 gallon black garbage cans as heat sinks, with two 300 watt aquarium heaters that I can add heat if the predictions for
Oh, I also raise the height of the cattle panels off the ground on a knee wall, to have another 4 to 5' height in the center. And, more room for the second membrane room for citrus. I use grow lights all winter too, as coastal mountain Oregon clouds and mist, with frequent drenching rains, probably just will not allow enough light w/o the lights.
Early Armstrong is another early satsuma. Mine start to color up in November. It's easily a month before Owari. I'll bet it would do well for you!
Do you know how Hardy it is?
Should be comparable to most any other satsuma. But I have no idea. I grow in pots that get brought into my garage.
I’ve heard of it. I heard it isn’t as reliable and tends to alternate bear more, but I don’t have any real experience. Just hearsay. I can’t justify another when Browns Select and Owari are so good and so hardy 😂 I’ll be picking Sugarbelle’s soon, which is brand new to me and I’m so excited!
@TheMillennialGardener sounds good! Yeah, it's easy to get too many varieties.
Some other purpose-bred very cold hardy satsumas to investigate, both specifically bred for cold hardiness and classic mandarin flavor down to 7b/8a in Texas: “Arctic Frost” satsuma and “Orange Frost” satsuma. Arctic frost seems to be the “favorite” of most folks but reportedly little difference between the two. I have Orange Frost on trifoliate.
I have yet to see data that indicates either variety is hardier than Owari or Brown's Select. Arctic Frost is very undesirable because of the thorns, so I would never consider growing that variety. I also doubt the fruit quality is up to Owari or Brown Select standards. For that reason, I haven't seen any reason to experiment with them, because Brown's Select and Owari are so incredibly good. There would have to be a really significant temperature advantage to them, but I don't think the data has shown that to be true yet.
Well TAMU has trials on both down to -11.1*C so maybe you just haven’t seen those data yet. On par or better cold tolerance than Owari. Both are Changsha/Satsuma hybrids, outdoor specimens here in Texas survived our deep freeze in high single digits F (no doubt with microclimate help) and low double digits. All anecdotal though. Not sure why you have to get all defensive of “your” varieties and techniques brother lol… especially if you’ve never tried either fruit, no reason to discount them out of hand yeesh. Artic frost has similar thorn levels to Meyer lemons fyi. Never said Owari and Brown’s aren’t great, they are 🤷♂️
Wish we had some growers here in TX with red limes! Haven’t been able to hunt any down and our state approved budwood program doesn’t have any. I may have to break down and import some chip buds from California’s certified stock. Will end up being about $250-$500 though after permits/shipping/fees though! Kinda sucks sometimes to live in a citrus regulated state when 90% of the state doesn’t or can’t grow commercial citrus orchards 🙃 oh well
@@Mase326 -11C would be 12F so that would be the same cold hardiness as the Brown's Select and Owari Satsuma
Bingo!@@thinking7667
Thank you for this citrus video! I really don’t know much about citrus, but have followed your advice (I’m in zone 9a) and have kept a Meyer Lemon tree alive through several frosts/freezes.
If you're in 9a, you can definitely expand your collection. I'm in newly re-mapped 8b, so if I can do this, you can probably outperform me.
I just read the Citrus Orchard chapter in Masanobu Fukuoka´s one-straw revulotion last night :D
I think im gonna try to graft a citrus tree in my backyard here in the most southern part of Sweden. zone 8b
You should be able to if you're in Zone 8. You will need protection, and you will want a way to trap heat during the day so the tree can warm up above freezing every single day for a long period of time. The plant jackets work great for that.
@@TheMillennialGardener Okey!
I´ve been looking for owari satsuma and Trifoliata seeds to order in europe but can only find buyers who has one of the kind :(((
I miss the old days when we didnt get taxed from ordering in US and shipping wasnt insane :D
Had to subscribe when I found out you're in N.C. I'm in the Piedmont and have always wanted to try to grow some citrus and other fruits that weren't normally considered viable for my area. Loquat and Feijoe are some I'm considering. You have some great info in this video. Looking forward to checking out some more.
Such great information and explanations on growing citrus. My soil quality is poor so I want to grow in large containers. I have a struggling Meyer lemon and I think the problem is too small a pot and not enough food and air circulation for the roots. You definitely inspire me to try harder and i definitely want to try the satsuma oranges. There are a couple neighborhoods here growing full size orange trees so I know they do well. We’re zone 8b in southeast Virginia.
You should be able to grow them on a compost mound. You don't need great soil to grow citrus, especially on Trifoliate rootstock. As long as the soil doesn't hold water, they will do fine. Trifoliate roots are shallow and much more tolerant of clay soil. If you mound up compost 12-18 inches, the roots will largely grow in that and excess water will drain away well. If your citrus in containers are struggling, that's an indicator that either the soil mix is not right for citrus, they aren't getting enough warmth and/or light or they're starving for nutrients. Citrus need to be fertilized twice a month in containers all year round.
@@TheMillennialGardener Thank you so much for such great input. I don't know with certainty this is my forever home, so I would prefer to put my citrus into containers. And I'm sure the soil mix is off, the roots are crowded and I'm not feeding anywhere close to enough. Light is a struggle here between trees and building so I probably need to pot the Lemon up and bring it in for the winter under grow lights to get it healthier.
I have a huge marumi kumquat in 7a NJ outdoors 24/7 365. My favorite fruit tree/ bush. I protect it with a cheap amazon pop up greenhouse and mulch
Very nice, interesting video with useful info. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
I want the same in northern Minnesota 😅😅😅😅😅
You can grow that red lime indoors in a pot. It’ll fruit like nuts with a sunny window and a little grow light. Key Limes and Meyer Lemons also tolerant indoor conditions.
Same here in Southern MN
I'm in northern IL (zone 5) and am still considering a potted tree or two and bringing them inside as my Christmas tree.
I cant wait to buy some trees or get a cutting to graft🎉🎉🎉🎉 thanks for the NC grow
You're welcome! If you're in NC, consider taking the drive to Stan's farm in SC. It's a nice drive.
Citrus info is so exciting! I have wanted citrus and will investigate. I have a zone 6 stucco south facing situation and no landscaping due to my lack of effort while working on garden expansions.
I don't think any citrus will be growable in Zone 6 except for Trifoliate Orange. That will grow in your zone with ease, but the fruit isn't very edible and it's basically like growing a razor wire bush. The thorns are off the charts. I would grow citrus in containers in your zone personally and save the space on your south facing wall for something like an Asian Persimmon or pomegranate that would be borderline hardy to your zone and appreciate the protection.
I bought a baby calamondin orange tree from a tourist trap in Fla thinking it was a more normal orange tree type (it sadly isn't) . The fruit doesn't seem to like below freezing too much, but it's doing quite well despite my my ignorance of them
Calamondin's are quite cold hardy. I could definitely grow one in ground where I live with no problems. The problem is I don't care for the taste 😄 They're kind of like a really large, sour kumquat. All citrus fruit is vulnerable to hard freezes. It splits the rind and damages the fruit. I have to provide my citrus trees more protection when there is fruit on them. The fruits are more freeze vulnerable than the trees I grow.
@TheMillennialGardener good to know, thanks. I'm near Charlotte and a few times a year my wife and I vacation at a beach in your neck of the woods... beautiful out there
I grew several trifoliate oranges from seed and planted them out this year. Hoping for some seedlings in the future to use for grafting!
I am temped to push the zones here in Boston. Today is 62 with rain. Eastern Mass used to get 12 inches of thick ice on the ponds and lakes. However, last winter we did hit -10 one night.
If you do, I would recommend Yuzu. You can use it like a lemon. Mature yuzu survives 0F, so -10F is doable if you protect like I do with barrels and lights. You will be able to stay above 5-10°F all year with my techniques.
@@TheMillennialGardener thank you. Happy Holidays!
I will be planting a Meyer lemon as soon as I can! In the low country of South Carolina. Thank you for this video!
You'll have no problem if you follow my methods. My citrus trees have never taken any harm in the 5 years I've been growing them, so it'll be even easier for you!
Hello from Burgaw! I know a handful of folks that have citrus in New Hanover and Pender. Some trees take a bit of work, like you said, but it's worth the boast.
It's work, but nothing worth doing is easy. To be able to have this abundance is well worth the effort.
Good comments on the new Plant Zone Hardiness Map. I recently put out a short article to our garden club about the new map. I'm in north central NC and we got "promoted" to Zone 8.
Sounds like it's time to celebrate by planting a satsuma tree 😀
I have a Meyers Lemon, 3 key limes, 2 kumquats, 1 pink lemon all in pots and in our green house in pots. The Key Limes have produced; the others are not old enough. Currently no place to put citrus hardy outside, unless, as wife wants, we cut down the holly on the south side of the house. Our yard is also a NWF certified habitat, so have to balance things with that. Another cold-hardy variety I have read about is the I-chang lemon - know anything about that? Went to a seminar last year at the Raulston Arboretum at NCSU on growing citrus up here lead by Frank Hyman. Do you know him? Has been growing citrus for 25 years .@@TheMillennialGardener
Awesome! Thank you for sharing MG! 😊👍👍
You're welcome! Thanks for watching!
Thanks for the videos. I've recently this summer purchased my first brown select after seeing your video last year. Went to Stan's place to pick it up and he allowed my wife and I to go and look at his citrus collection. Awesome guy! By chance will you be selling fig cuttings or have I already missed it.
Great, thorough and well present info! This convinced me to subscribe - all because of this great presentation and lecture. Living in CA now but plan on moving to zone 7b (Carson City NV area) in about two years. Will need all your info as my air layered and grafted trees in pots will probably not survive up there without a green house. Planning on building one there but that may not happen right away!
Outstanding video, does your brother in NJ like me is trying/experimenting with any of them?
Thanks. He lives in Zone 6b that was just bumped to a 7a. There’s no way any citrus tree worth eating will grow there. He doesn’t have the gardening bug as bad as I do. He’s still young. I think he will get it more as he gets older. I got him a persimmon and fig tree, and he built himself a couple raised beds.
You convinced me. I’m gonna try in the pnw.
I think you and I have a very different definition of "north." I'll show myself and my zone 6 to the door. 🤣
But seriously, that's what container gardening is for! Trying to decide which orange to get for a pot. I've already got a Meyer lemon (needs uppotting!). I thought about getting a lime, but I just don't use limes or lime juice enough to feel justified.
Citrus are from the subtropics, so growing them in temperate regions would be very, very northern for the species. Americans are used to seeing the US centered on a map, so they don't realize often how far north the entire country is. South Florida is pretty far north of the tropics, and any part of the US north of Florida is pretty northern. The US/Canada border is actually Subarctic. When you center the globe properly on the Equator, you realize how far north even the Deep South is.
Very interesting. Do you know that satsumas can be eaten (and taste even better) when they're still green and just about to start turning orange?
My brother eats my Meyer lemons as if they were oranges!
What a great presentation thank you
It’s true, the Meyer has so much juice you don’t even notice the seeds. If they get over ripened they will start to taste of orange though.
Thanks for another great helpful video. Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas!
Yeah we haven’t had a frost in at least the last 8 years. Kinda wild when historically it used to snow once a year
I wish I could go 8 years without a frost 😂
Had a limb break on my owari satsuma due to weight of fruits that were still completely green. Very surprising, but all fruits were not only edible, they were delicious!
Green citrus can often be used sort of how a lime or lemon is used, but always taste first. Citrus has a habit of over-bearing, especially on young grafted trees. Thinning may be necessary.
I appreciate your Videos. Thank you.
It’s Feb 9 2024. I’m in Cary and I think our weather is similar to yours. We just had a month of very cold weather. How did your citrus do? Did you learn anything new?
I’m sold on citrus. I’m in Cary.
Question. When should we be buying and planting.
My friend suggested a submersible fish tank heater and a black 50 gallon garbage can with lid. 😊
In your earlier videos I remember you going with mini lights instead of C9 because of fire hazard, why the change to C9?….More heat?
C9's aren't a fire hazard. The issue was the trees were too small for the C9's when I first planted them. It took the trees about 3 years before they were large enough to need C9's. Now that my trees up against my house are at mature size, the mini-lights are basically useless. They don't generate enough warmth. C9's are what you want for larger trees.
Hello friend, this video has me drooling over all this juicy citrus. I'm all the way in Michigan, zone 6a and I'm curious to see if any of these beauties can thrive here. I am willing to try to start them out in my sunroom first.
You can grow Key Lime trees in small pots in your sunroom and move outside in the summer. They are pretty easy to grow and small (10in pot). I have also grown orange trees and grapefruit trees in my sunroom which provide wonderful tasting fruit in mid winter. I kept them to about 6 feet tall in 18in pots. It was very difficult to keep them free of scale insects though. They took more time to look after but it was fun for a few years. None will survive outside in the winter in Michigan. I'm across the lake in Ontario and none survive here.
Are you in zone 8? I am now in zone 8/9 and so far this winter, my garden has not frozen. I have protected my lemon tree because there were a couple nights predicted to be 31 deg, but it ended up not getting that low. Right now, our nights are actually in the 40s, mid 30s. I am still watching in case they do predict a real freeze.
Nice! So can we use the C9 lights trick for palms in coastal NC?
C9 lights are often used to warm the trunks of palm trees during cold spells to warm the central spear that grows inside. That way, if the tops get defoliated, the spear can stay alive and push out new growth and recover. I've had to wrap my Canary Island Date Palm in C9's a couple times when we got back to back nights of 17F and 14F a year or two ago, and another time when we got a freezing rain storm. It worked.
Im in zone ohio 6b if nothing else i learned how to keep my peach and plum trees warm so i get fruit from them. I may try a couple of citrus just see if i can do it
When is the best time to plant citrus? Do you have a favorite source for your trifoliate Satsuma trees? Thanks and happy new year
Using Christmas lights is genius!
It works great. Just the other day, the water barrels + lights added 13 degrees of protection to my avocado. 25 outside, 38 inside the plant jacket!
Have you ever tried Yuzu? I'm in 8a just south east of Charlotte and have been eyeing trying one for years
How will the fuit of Owari Satsuma near ripeness respond to overnight freezes (say 30F at dawn)? Will the fruit still ripen?
Usually, it's not only harmless but beneficial. Light frosts like that actually sweeten the fruit! I haven't bagged my Owari yet and we've had 4 nights in the upper 20's so far. The fruit has only gotten better and better. It's sweet as sugar right now. I'm going to harvest them soon. 3 weeks ago, they still weren't right and very tart, but the ones I've been picking after all this cold weather have been outstanding! 26/27F is the danger zone for citrus fruit taking damage, but honestly, the duration of the freeze can mean more. It takes awhile for fruits to freeze through, so it IS possible fruits can become damaged at higher temps if the freeze lasts a very long time.
We are visiting next week to Mckenzie Farms and called Stan to reserve Owari Satsuma and Sugar bell for us. Any other ones to add for Charlotte?
Just moved to SC zone 9a, would any lime varieties other than the red lime be possible to grow here?
Wish I could grow citrus in maine.