Florida Doesn't Want You To Know It's EASIER To Grow CITRUS Up NORTH! How To Grow Citrus ANYWHERE!
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- čas přidán 6. 07. 2024
- The state of Florida has dominated the citrus industry for over a century, but here is a secret Florida doesn't want you to know: It's easier to grow citrus UP NORTH than growing citrus in Florida! I'm growing citrus trees in ground in North Carolina, and you can, too! Learn how to grow citrus anywhere!
Citrus trees are more resistant to cold than you think, and protecting them using cheap, or even FREE, methods is simple. By selecting cold hardy citrus varieties and using the cold protection methods outlined in this video, these citrus trees can survive temps into the low teens or even single digits! This is how I'm growing so many citrus varieties and having so much success!
TABLE OF CONTENTS
0:00 Growing Citrus North Of Florida
0:59 Citrus Greening And HLB In Florida Citrus
4:36 The Best Hardiness Zones To Grow Citrus
6:32 Citrus Cold Hardiness Explained
7:49 Selecting Cold Hardy Citrus Varieties
9:04 Protecting Trees With Incandescent Lights
12:11 Protecting Trees With Water Barrels For FREE!
16:07 Growing Citrus In Containers In Colder Zones
18:53 North Carolina Grown Citrus Taste Test!
21:38 Adventures With Dale
If you have questions about how to grow citrus in any climate, growing a citrus tree in ground or in containers, want to know more about growing fruit trees and the things I grow in my raised bed vegetable garden and food forest, are looking for gardening tips and tricks, have questions about vegetable gardening and organic gardening in general, or want to share some DIY and "how to" garden tips and gardening hacks of your own, please ask in the Comments below!
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#gardening #citrus #citrustree #citrustrees #florida
If you found this video helpful, please "Like" and share it to help extend its reach! Thanks for watching ☺️TIMESTAMPS for convenience:
0:00 Growing Citrus North Of Florida
0:59 Citrus Greening And HLB In Florida Citrus
4:36 The Best Hardiness Zones To Grow Citrus
6:32 Citrus Cold Hardiness Explained
7:49 Selecting Cold Hardy Citrus Varieties
9:04 Protecting Trees With Incandescent Lights
12:11 Protecting Trees With Water Barrels For FREE!
16:07 Growing Citrus In Containers In Colder Zones
18:53 North Carolina Grown Citrus Taste Test!
21:38 Adventures With Dale
Thanks for sharing this info with fellow Gardners. Citrus is such a treat and I'm so glad we are able to grow here with the right care, even if that means bringing inside for a month during the winter. I first learned it was possible from "lead73" then shortly after got recommend your channel
@@StevenStGelais they definitely can be grown almost anywhere! They take some effort, but so does everything. They’re a lot easier to grow than a tomato plant, in my opinion 😂
@@TheMillennialGardener they are definitely more hardy than tomatoes. I had squash plants and beans planted early that all died this year in a month late freeze (after last expected) but the Meyers and calamondin were fine
@@StevenStGelais tomatoes are frost-tender, tropical plants. Citrus are subtropical, and almost all varieties are at least tolerant to frost. Most are tolerant to light to moderate freezes. The hardiest like satsumas, kumquats, and hybrids like yuzu can tolerate true hard freezes. In my experience, citrus are MUCH easier to grow than tomatoes. It isn't even close.
What zone is Georgia?
I've killed lots of citrus and my wallet made take a break for a few years. Your video showing your trees after the ice storm made me reconsider giving up. The more I learn, the more I am ready to learn from my mistakes and give it another try.
Definitely don’t give up if you live in a reasonable zone. I find it really easy to grow citrus in my “warm zone 8a.” The key is preparation. If you aren’t the type to religiously remember to turn on lights for warmth, the pickle barrels and plant jackets are game changers. Instant 10 degrees of added protection.
@@TheMillennialGardener My struggle right now is finding the hardier varieties locally. I was just looking at Stan McKenzie's website though it's very far away from me. But then you recommended him too so I'll give him a try!
Zone 6b have to grow indoors.
@@noconsentgiven We have a warm micro climate next to our house and have had success with things that aren't supposed to be perennial here so I'm willing to try it with some varieties I've found that are hardy down to 20°F or even lower. We are going to build a frame around them so we can cover them during the coldest nights.
@@jwrightgardening Ok keep us updated on that. I may try your technique if it works☺️👍!!
I drove all through inland central and southern Florida each day for months and witnessed the failure of huge groves failing and dying each week. It is heartbreaking to see this happening! Apparently, there is no cure and no solution to the infestation. These groves were nurtured and cultivated for generations by responsible growers who prided themselves in producing the finest orange crop in the US. Now, the groves are sold to developers as replacement orange groves are decades away from production and quick money is preferred to future production.
Really hoping within the next year or so there is a solution. Seems to be alot of promising progress with oak tannins.
Burn it all down and start over.
It is so sad. You can see abandoned citrus groves everywhere in Google Maps. They’re clearly citrus trees covered over with weeds. It won’t be the last invasive species to potentially destroy an industry.
@@TheMillennialGardener Until we have a society and economy based in science instead of meaningless financial gains? We are signing our own death warrants. Mother nature will wipe us out like the infestation we have allowed ourselves to become with this insane idea of unlimited economic growth.
It's more than just invasive species. You can't have the people dependent upon the government if there's tons of independent
food suppliers.
If anyone doesn't believe me, then why is gates the largest owner of farmland? Why does the government pay farmers not to plant?
Living in the CA high desert (zone 8b), I have been experimenting with growing citrus. I've tried using the lights with plastic cover - a good windstorm that blew it off one night (we get a lot) followed by a hard freeze hammered them so that there was no fruit that year. Built myself a greenhouse using 2x4s and corrugated poly carbonate panels - that did the trick. Each panel is 2'x8' and removable. An advantage is I can leave one side up in the windward direction and it protects the blossoms from blowing off. I've been picking meyer lemons the size of grapefruits since December.
TSparky ~ Do tell how you got your lemons to do so please. I am in HD as well , Morongo Basin, a diff. HD from you I think as we are 9, or at least we used to be zone 9. Apx. ele, 4,000 ft. I started a Lemon Tree from seed and it produced a cpl yrs. ago, but then stopped. It is in my backyard, south facing, sheltered from winds and frost and maybe a bit too much shade, idk. It never has produced fruit after I planted it in the yard, but it has grown very tall. It does not even get blossoms anymore. Any ideas? Thank you ahead of time.
@@windsofchange31 The 8x6' greenhouse is against a south wall. I put C7 xmas lights on the trees for when the temp drops below freezing (works down to 20F). 3" Layer of mulch from Lowes. Right now I still have 2-4" diameter lemons on them with flowers and lots of 1" green lemons.
@@tsparky9196 Thank you for the reply. Those lemons you grew sound incredible. Lights are a great idea as well.
@@windsofchange31 If it fruited blossomed and fruited in a planter and never did after you transplanted it into the ground it may be your soil. The root system of most trees is about the same size of its canopy. The bulk of your trees roots are not in the amended soil that you planted it with. Other possibilities are over or under watering.
If you have a place where locals sell their produce and there is someone who sells their citrus, pick their brains. SoCal might still have a Citrus Growers organization.
@@conniead5206 Thank you for your suggestions. I defo need to do some work on the ground and the soil as Periwinkles have also invaded the area. I still have hope for that lemon tree. I now have an apple, and a cheery tree, and I think perhaps a Nectarine that has just come up this season. They have come up on their own the past cpl. yrs. from in ground composting most likely. The apple has about a dozen fruit this yr., 2 last yr and they got bugs and shriveled. I am beyond thrilled about the cheery tree in my front fl. bed. It is well over the roof and needs some pruning. Lots of beautiful blossoms this yr, but no fruit yet.
I lost many native tress over the past sev.yrs. that grew so easily, and were prolific. As someone else said, cactus were dying all over my area too. Never seen that b/f in decades of living here.Things were so off little would sprout or stay for long b/f withering. My roses died almost overnight one yr.turning paper brown. Now our area is making a come back or adapting , idk. I wish the Blue Jays would return. Be Well all~
If you have a beehive near your citrus trees, your honey will taste amazingly like citrus! I got figs last year from my potted trees that overwinter indoors, here in zone 6b. I might try citrus, too.
Even here in zone 7b, I grow in large pots and move them inside during the winter. Might work in other zones further north, too
That's outstanding! 7b is a very underrated zone. A lot is possible there - much more than people think.
Yeah, I’m in zone 6a, upstate New York, and I grow lemon Meyer lemon in container, this past season that plant was loaded. I keep it in the garage during winter.
Me too! I'm in 7a in east TN and my Meyer lemons are doing great in a pot, I can even put them outside during warm spells in the winter and they appreciate it.
I'm in central NC and I have a lemon tree my daughter planted about 8 years ago. It's taller than me now and I have to drag it outside in spring and bring it inside in fall. I would love to be able to leave it outside all year round.🍋
Yeah I am in 6b Connecticut, I have Citrus, Bananas and Pineapples. I just bring them in for the winter. My bananas are still waiting to be brough back outside, then need to stay above 50 F.
Following your advice, I threw Owari Satsuma, Bearss Lime, and Meyer Lemon trees in the ground next to the south side of our house back in November. I setup a PVC hoop tunnel over them, strung some white Christmas lights, and they've been going strong throughout our freezes (zone 8b PNW). We've had a few nights below 20, and quite a few in the low to mid 20s and not even a single leaf went black. I have had some leaves yellowing and dropping, but I'm pretty sure once it warms up and the fertilizer takes up better, they will bounce back without an issue. So glad I found your channel!
My only challenge has been keeping the lights from throwing the GFCI breaker on my outlet. I had it throw a few times during some of our heavy rain events, until I realized that I needed to do a better job floating the lights off the ground and keeping the female outlet end covered and pointed down.
Florida is switching over to growing many other fruits in place of citrus. In my area of Florida, mango trees are now much more common than citrus trees. Further north, olive groves are popping up where citrus groves once existed. I hear a lot of talk about persimmons lately too.
This video is so spot on!! I really needed this reassurance lesson on growing my citrus in 8A/B S.C. Some of my young citrus plants took a hit with all the previous frosts we’ve had but now they are trying to make a comeback! Thanks to your content, I’m going to be better equip to protect my citrus plants during cold weather! You rock! My doggie hates nighttime potty too after he has gotten comfy in his bed! 😁🌱❤️
I’m in zone in 5a and I have 2 orange 🍊 trees and a lemon 🍋 tree as well they r in containers and one of the orange trees is loaded with orange’s and I have to watch how many it gives me it is 2 years old I can’t wait and I did this because of watching ur channel I just said I’ll try it and I’m glad I did now thanks for ur channel it is an aspiring channel to get ya to try and never give up
Cool! I'm in 6B in MI and have a 15"-18" one in a 5-gal. grow bag (if I had to guess just looking at it). It's in there with another small one (planted it in July 2020) from an organic grocery store lemon.
What do you do with yours in particular terms of soil care and size container to get fruit?
@@wmluna381 mine is in a smaller container then u have it’s like a 2 maybe 3 gallon I just give it fertilizer two maybe three times a year I bring it in when it starts to get cold and I put it underneath grow lights mine started flowering in Late February 1 part of March it’s loaded with a little oranges my lemon tree hasn’t flowered yet that should flower in a month maybe two flowers last year but the birds landed on it and knocked them off my little lemons off so this year I’m gonna put it in a different place
This is so promising !! Thanks for sharing - I have 2 citrus trees on the way and this gives me so much hope 😆
Zone 7a here. Overwintered Limequat, Meiwa Kumquat, Miho Satsuma, and yuzu all outside. I covered them in a pile of shredded leaves with the outer branches poking out for sun. I covered with more when we got into the teens. The limequat did worse than the others due to a bad teen-temp WEEK, but now in May it's flushed back out and flowering!
19:00 WOW was not expecting that color inside the orange!!!!
Blood oranges are gorgeous. They need a long stretch of chilly nights in the 40's to develop that coloring. Blood oranges grown in the Carolinas turn out beautiful, because we have so many nights between 35-45 degrees all winter.
@@TheMillennialGardener thanks for the video I am seriously considering getting some orange plants now. I wonder if they are deer resistant.
I live in zone 8a in North Texas. Dallas Ft. Worth area. This video has given me the confidence to grow Lemons here.
Great content!
I’ve commented before on the difficulties of growing citrus in Texas. I’ve been growing them in pots and using a lot of your guidance in caring for them but they still took a moderate hit this winter. My lime died but thankfully several other citrus I have survived. I think the contrast between the DFW area in Texas and your area in North Carolina is that we have clay soil that just retains a lot of moisture whereas you have loose loamy Sandy soil. And because of that, I don’t think it would work in the same manner if I tried to plant my citrus in-ground here in TX.
I’m trying to grow citrus in Western Oregon with this being the first year. It’s a pretty different climate but we’re also zone 8 and have clay soil. The gardening center I went to recommended incorporating a lot of pumice into the hole for drainage. A lot of people suggest sand but it can make a sort of concrete in clay.
Yea in the lone star nature skips spring and jumps straight to summer
I agree. DFW area here. Arlington, in fact. Even my Owari died in a pot. It's my most regrettable loss as I have never found an Owari since then. Granted, I didn't give it proper frost protection (no incandescent lights) but that is one of the most cold hardy of citrus. However, I have since planted an Arctic Frost Satsuma (got it at Lowes the Spring of last year) in the ground and forgot to protect it last winter. The branches browned and the leaves fell off, but it didn't die! The branches that are still green are erupting in new growth this spring, which is very promising. If you can find it, get an Arctic Frost satsuma as if it can survive all winter unprotected in the ground with no walls protecting it, you can most certainly keep it alive in a pot with protection.
@@squidikka And I was thinking to move to Texas to grow citrus😬💔. Maybe a little more south of you, I'm in SoFlo now and I find it horrible for growing, not only the summer heat but the PESTS!!! They are a nightmare. I wish you all the luck with your trees and thanks to all of you for sharing your experiences 😊 🙏 ❤️ 🍀
I live in California, clay with sandy loam mixture and they grow great. The difference is that the sand and loam help drainage and the clay is good during the hot summer to keep in the water. I do put down wood chips over top of the soil. Sticky clay will not work without amendments probably.
I completely understand the "self control" issue when it comes to thinning the fruits. I failed to do that with my peach trees one year and they over-produced and broke a lot of limbs. One tree even split the trunk - it was completely ruined.
Biggest problem with peaches is need to remove 80% plus of tiny fruit, I've broken my oldest peach tree many times, for me it's more about proper pruning than thinning tho. Not about self control as much as the hrs it can take for a single tree! Trimming back all the limbs looking vulnerable when fruit is very small is my first step.
NO WAY commercial farmers thin the way I've been, they very carefully shake the tree, I'm probably going to try that method more. I've shaken modest size trees manually, or individual limbs but it seems to remove the biggest fruit first, maybe that doesn't matter when they are the size of a quarter or less tho. Only my cherries never overload but I'm not very good at cherries apparently.
You have renewed my need to grow citrus here. I live just south of you an had no idea that I could grow these guys outside. Thank You!
I recommend starting with an Owari or Brown Select satsuma grafted onto trifoliate rootstock. They are the easiest. Once mature, they’re very cold hardy. Winters 2021 and 2020, we didn’t even need to protect them once. Last winter, there were 3-4 nights that were rough due to the ice storm. Your best source is Stan McKenzie at McKenzie Farms in Scranton, SC.
Hello from South Carolina. Fellow Stan McKenzie citruholic here too! I really appreciate the information and attention to detail in your videos. Love all of your suggestions and will definitely be applying them this next winter to the 8 citrus and 1 avocado I went crazy and planted this spring lol. I think you can loosen the ties on those trees on the back fence to let those trunks sway a little. Keep pumping out premium content man you’re inspiring lots of people!
Living near Stan is a blessing. He is the premier citrus grower on the East Coast. Maybe the whole country. We are so lucky to have him. Those ties are vinyl, so they will stretch. I’ll let them go after we get through their first hurricane season.
@@TheMillennialGardener Oh man... I hope they're still tied up. :(
This is good news for me in north Texas. My grandmother, who ran an orange orchard in way south Texas when she was young, grew loquats in her back yard in San Antonio (which is a zone cooler), and I though that was about the limit, in terms of how far north. And it was huge... and managed to survive cold for decades. So I appreciate your finds and expertise.
Your enthusiasm for this subject is so infectious, I'm all fired up to venture it this year. Thank you for that! The situation in Florida regarding citrus is disheartening and very sad. I lived there all of my childhood and I remember the citrus groves: endless miles of them, as far as one could see. On a trip back a few years ago, I was devasted to see the widespread destruction. To a more pleasant subject: Dale is such a wonderful dog! He has you nearly completely trained. 😃
It's so sad. I've seen them - these old, abandoned citrus groves that were being overtaken by weeds and vines that they just gave up on. You'd think commercial agriculture would learn from this and find better ways of interplanting diversity into these orchards instead of just lazily monocropping, but nope, they won't learn. They'll just find a new industry and ruin that one, too. The good news is, we as backyard gardeners can be successful where they can't! I can't tell you how many people told me I can't grow oranges, lemons and avocados in-ground where I live. Turns out, it's pretty easy! You can accomplish a lot if you have the drive and some creativity! And thank you about Dale. We are VERY lucky to have such a sweet boy. And yes, he is a master manipulator. He knows *exactly* what he's doing.
I believe the govt did it on purpose!
North Florida Gardener here. Im stoked to here about this. How are the pests with the cold winters? (Citrus leaf miner & the horrid ACP)
I am not an expert growing citrus in Florida by any means. While I wish I lived there every single time winter rolls around where I live. I haven't spent a single second gardening there. However, there ARE a lot of citrus growers in the panhandle and far north. Here are some GOOD resources for you:
nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/phag/2017/05/19/uf-sugar-belle-citrus-variety-more-tolerant-to-greening/
nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/hort/2014/11/17/deep-freeze-on-the-way-for-northwest-florida/
I will be experimenting with SugarBelle shortly.
Leaf miner is easily controlled with natural pyrethrin. I have no way of combating HLB. However, SugarBelle shows some greening resistance. Pete Kanaris has seen people have success growing citrus in Florida under live oak canopies. His channel is a good resource. Check this video: czcams.com/video/jtO0Pa6tD8s/video.html
What a great video! You answered all my questions.
I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for watching!
Perfect video as always👏🏻
I brought 6 citrus plants this winter...so it was timely 🙏🏻
Wow! I'm so excited that I recently found you! I live in Jacksonville, NC. I moved here about 8 years ago from South Florida. Never did I think I could grow Citrus here! It makes sense now. :-) And, I don't know if it was a myth, but I remember always hearing that the cold spells in northern Florida, helped make the fruit sweeter! We just planted three apple trees. And my husband thinks I'm crazy because I just told him I'm going to grow a citrus tree. LOL. It's great to have a resource in the neighborhood!! Thanks!
Really good and useful info. This video can help all of us above Florida and up to Lower Slower Delaware start growing citrus. The climate has gotten a lot warmer in the last few years. Thanks Millennial Gardner. Great video.
Owari and Meyer are incredible for me in 9a Texas coast. Great producers.
I bet. That’s a great location for citrus. Do you have issues with HLB, or has the psyllid not made its way to TX yet?
@@TheMillennialGardener We are a pretty tight quarantine zone so its been here but is being actively contained. I haven't had any problems yet.
That's great to hear. What's happening in Florida is truly awful. Luckily, Texas doesn't have the amazing citrus growing climate Florida has, so the citrus industry hasn't been widespread. Hopefully, that lack of monocropping will make it so HLB never takes hold and backyard gardeners can enjoy growing citrus.
I'm happy to say that I love growing Satsumas here in Southeast Georgia zone 8b! We planted them close to the house and we've never had to protect them!
You’re in a great spot for satsumas. Too far north for disease, but in an even better climate than mine. 8b is a sweet spot!
What varieties? I’m trying in an 8b climate too
@@muffininorbit I have several varieties of Satsumas but Owari is the best tasting! I also have Brown Select, Miho, and Seto. 😊🍊🍊🍊
I love it. This really makes me feel good about the idea of retiring back in Georgia near Florida. I really wanted to eventually retire and grow lemons and oranges--which is why I'm still in California. Cute doggie!!!!
I leave in Oregon just south of Portland. I have been growing citrus inside for 2 years. Thanks to your videos I have planted three citrus trees outside this year. I am looking forward to seeing how they do over the winter. If all them survive I will plant a few more.
I live in zone 7a in Virginia. However, I think I could grow this in-ground in my south-facing front yard. I've noticed that lots of things winter over that really should not when planted right next to the house. And several of the varieties are not tall so they would not interfere with the window or not much. I love having the sun stream in during the winter.
Thanks for this great information. Lemons would be my thing to try first. I can almost taste the lemonade already.
My owari satsuma couldn't handle its first in-ground winter unprotected in the edge of 8a/8b. It had no problem with 3 snow falls and an ice storm, but when the temps hit the low 20s one night, it dropped dead. It was not protected with cloth or a heat source. Replacing it with a mulberry tree this spring that already has fruit 👍 Just waiting on the roots to get a bit stronger in the bucket before transplanting.
Awesome! I'm in Zone 9B, Phoenix area. Since I have only one orange tree and don't think any neighbors on my block have any. A few doors down has a lime tree though. So hopefully my orange tree won't attract any diseases.
A benefit of growing kumquats is that the trees will re-flower if the flowers or fruit are lost due to frost, heat, or drought even in early summer with the next flush of leaves. Super dependable crop. Nagami kumquat (sweet intensely flavorful skin, tart juice) makes marmelade superior to commercial bitter orange marmelade, and excellent “kumquat-ade". They can also be turned into beautiful glissening candied fruit. Meiwe kumquat is just super eaten fresh out of hand.
Kumquats are great, didn't even know that but it makes me like them all the more. Seems like a great choice for beginner citrus growers because of their cold hardiness in addition to the re-flowering!
I have never heard of them! Would someone be kind to describe how similar are they to a lime, lemon or orange, please?
I am in zone 7, are there any citrus
Are there any citrus that will survive zone 7?
@@mariap.894 They're not similar to any of those citrus. Tbh they're more like a citrus mini mango. Or a citrus sweet pineapple. I have had them two times
Great info and presentation. Awesome to see someone promoting passive solar heat using water as a thermal mass to protect from frost . Glad to find your channels. Subscribed to both❤
You are like the Johnny Appleseed of citrus! You are going to have backyards across America covered with citrus trees in just a few years.😃
I'm going to do mine in pots.🙂
I followed your advice on planting fruit trees with my bareroot grapevine...it's doing better! Thanks!👍
Sweet Dale!❤
I hope so! Nothing makes me happier than someone telling me they planted a tree because of one of my videos. I hope more people try citrus. Yes, they take some effort, but everything in life worth doing takes some. Thanks for watching! Dale says hi 🐕
I’m in NC but outside of Raleigh (7b) my lemon tree stayed in the garage over winter and I finally have baby lemons this year! I’m ready for all of the citrus!
So glad I found your channel,I live in Virginia beach, I think zoneA,growing citrus tree more than a decade in containers, this year start planting on the ground....
Thank you so much
Happy gardening
I would ask you to watch some of my other videos on cold protection before jumping in head first. You’ll want a system that won’t fail you. That’s why I like the water barrels. They aren’t prone to human error where you forget to turn lights on or have a power outage.
Great information! Thank you MG! 😊👍
You’re welcome! Thank you for watching!
Thanks for this video. I have been so unlucky with citrus. This video has been inspiring.
To those asking where I buy my citrus trees, all my grafted citrus are from McKenzie Farms in Scranton, SC. If you do not live in a citrus quarantine state, I recommend giving Stan McKenzie a phone call for cold hardy citrus. He takes phone orders and will ship. You can find his Google info here: goo.gl/maps/gDQnQmff8GCXAF1H7
7b here. :(
So wannna git some Key Lime tree's miss itb so much grew up N s/fla & had se veral ! TY 4 info inspired now ;)
I am in 7a… grow citrus successfully in pots
@@ericdeaver3051 Dwarf variety I take it?
Unfortunately for me, Texas is a citrus quarantine state. If not, I would definitely order some trees from Stan.
Also the method used in Florida for strawberries is to run water over them just as the freeze starts. Because as the water freezes the temperature will never drop below freezing (32F) because the ice does not. It is the same principle behind an igloo.
Ridiculous waste of water
WOW. I live in NC as well Eastern as a matter of fact. I really like your Video. I'm Disabled & mildly Depressed from getting her in The Line of Duty. I'm attempting to grow Pepper and tomatoes for the 1st time. I learned something from you including the Jacket and lights to protect the Trees. Nice work!
I’m in SE TN and grow Meyer lemons outside but cover with plastic in winter n put chips around the trunk.
Great absolutely Great video!!! I live in Longview Tx on the borderline of 8A and 8B here and you have inspired me to start er up brother! I have subscribed and am gonna check out your citrus connection as well! I love your backyard setup and the black mat stuff on your grass for a clean place to put potted plants and kill weeds at the same time. Great information! Most folks have been conditioned to think citrus cant grow in the cold, just wait till they get a load of your set-up and expertise my friend! May peace be with you and yours.
Thanks for the video I am in 7A and I am going to try some oranges and lemons in containers
Your channel is awesome, very practical and economic advice. I’m in south gulf coast Florida and had an infected lime tree in my back yard. So I’ve switched to pots in the lanai for citrus, but they don’t seem to grow very well. I’ll keep watching
Thank you for sharing so many tips on growing citrus. I purchased my first two meyer lemon trees here in Athens, GA. I think I'm going to keep them in containers to see how they do. That way I can move them into my garage for those super cold nights.
Just found your channel. I'm in the same situation with a small yard. Looking forward to exploring your channel. I'd be interested in a "day in the life" video where you show your garden routine in a day.
Thank you! That's a pretty good idea. The truth is, I work all day as an engineer, so I just get in my garden when I have time. Every day, I do a couple walk-throughs and pull some leaves, make sure nothing is getting eaten and nothing is broken, etc. I do all my major work usually Saturday afternoon or Sunday, whatever day has the better weather.
Thanks for the cooler region tips. I'm in 7a in the Midwest and have wanted to grow citrus alongside my fig and olive trees. This video is great inspiration to renew my quest!
There are some citrus trees that are actually edible - not just ornamental - that can be grown in your area with just a touch of protection. Yuzu, for example, can tolerate down to around 0 degrees F with very little damage once established. Sudachi is another option. With significant protection, the hardiest satsumas like Owari and Brown Select, I think, are doable. One of my commenters is growing a Meyer Lemon in ground in Zone 7b Oklahoma by tenting it during the winter, and Owari is far hardier than Meyer by 10-15 degrees, so it's totally doable.
@@TheMillennialGardener so if some citrus can tolerate 0 degrees after established then theoretically i should be able to grow in 5b Maine right?
@@kdavis4910 Those really cold temperatures are for relatively short time spans.
Thanks for the video.
New subscriber. Thank you for sharing your knowledge!
I love the tree jackets. I will need to try these. Right now we wrap the main stems and mulch heavily all our citrus here in 9a.
I live in zone 8b in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, and your video makes me want to experiment. The fragrance of orange blossoms is about the only thing I miss about California. I have heard of some people here planting Meyer Lemons outdoors here in protected areas, but most move them around in pots (not something I have strength to do). I do have a nice warm area in my yard that might work. Intriguing idea.
I moved from zone 8a in Oregon, where I grew a Yuzu Ichandrin on the south facing wall of my home, to zone 8b also in Oregon. I transplanted the Yuzu and it's making limes in its new location. I have a navel orange and two Meyer lemons in large pots on the patio in summer. I move these to an unheated sunroom for winter. One Green World Nursery in Portland, Oregon seems to be getting more into citrus these past years so I may try a more cold hardy variety in ground soon.
We are in Carteret/Craven counties. I bought a Meyer Lemon tree last year from the local garden center. We re-potted it and keep it on our deck. It double in size last year, no fruit. Only covered it when the temps dropped below freezing. There is lots of new growth. Hopefully it will begin to fruit. Your video gives me hope.
A common mistake potted citrus growers make is they underfertlize. Remember, a potted tree is limited to the nutrients in that little container, so once they drain the container, they're starving. Also, every time it rains, it washes the container out. Therefore, all container fruit trees need to be *constantly* fed to maintain a food source. I feed every 10 days or so, and you want to use *soluble* fertilizers like MiracleGro and the like for best results. The reason why is the container microbiome is very limited, so organic granulated fertilizers won't perform well like they do in-ground. You can give them organics like fish emulsion, but the soluble crystals are king for container citrus. I have a full tutorial on fertilizing here, and it'll help you, I bet: czcams.com/video/uhZ6gslBoVw/video.html
@@TheMillennialGardener Thanks!!
@@TheMillennialGardener I wanted to give you an update on our Meyer Lemon tree. We purchased a new bag of fertilizer 10 10 10. The tree already had lots of new leaf growth, but now there are a ton of blooms waiting to open. Now, the only difficult thing will be deciding which fruit to thin. I'm so excited 🍋😊☘️
@@TheMillennialGardener Just read your about information. May I ask where in South Jersey did you grow up? I grew up in the Pine Barons near the military base.
I am 2 miles off Holden Beach. I bought a few citrus trees in pots last yr. They all lost their leaves indoors but made it in my house except for the lime. You give me encouragement to put them out all yr. I need to find those covers.
If overwintering citrus indoors, they must be *slowly* acclimated to indoor lighting. They must be transitioned indoors a few hours at a time for 1-2 weeks. Otherwise, they will lose all their leaves. It may be fatal if done too quickly. Where you’re at, many citrus can grow outdoors with some protection. Your microclimate is much better than mine out here inland 10 miles in a low swampy cold spot.
@@TheMillennialGardener I.m just 2 miles off Holden Beach and I will try it south facing against the house. I subbed. Thank You
OMG! so glad I found your channel! I've been wanting to grow citrus here in ATLANTA! Thank you for all your amazing videos and info. I can't wait to start! Thank you for the recommendation of McKenzie Farms!
You are welcome! Thanks for watching!
First-rate, informative presentation. Thank you. I'm planting Satsumas in southern New Mexico, so I appreciate the protection tips.
Thank you! They will grow in Zone 8 NM. You’ll want to plant them on a compost mound, though. You may have salty or alkaline soil, so planting them elevated in loamy soil would be helpful. Compost berms are awesome.
Thanks so much for this valuable information. Love your channel💗
Thank you! I'm glad you're finding the videos helpful!
I’ve planted a bunch of citrus in my 8b yard, and your channel has been really helpful for understanding how to keep them alive.
One thing I keep wondering though is whether any extra effort needs to be put forth into helping the fruit ripen. For the things that ripen in the coldest time of year, will they still ripen in the same conditions that keep the trees alive?
I lived in Southern California for fifty-five years. Five and a half years ago i moved to Central Texas . In CA we had citrus and other fruits and vegetables about ten months out of the year. My last property prior to my move had sixty-two semi-dwarf organic fruit trees 🌳 and a ten thousand square foot organic garden and four 8X4 garden boxes. I also had berries, grapes and herbs as well as thirteen large compost bins. I planted a lot of flowers and kept the allium on the onions 🌰 that were still growing to bring in pollinators. It was amazing. In TX my soil is mostly limestone and is difficult to put trees in as the rocks are large. I am planning a move to North West Alabama in the near future and look forward to growing a lot of my food once again. Thank you for all the content that you are posting. I really enjoy it.
Much of California has an idyllic climate for gardening. There's a reason why almost all our food production occurs out west. Texas is much more challenging, especially due to the extreme temperatures. It gets very cold for the latitude in the winter, and very hot during summer. Alabama's temperatures will be more agreeable, but you are going to deal with pests and disease like you've NEVER seen before. It's going to blow your mind. To be successful in the South, it's best to grow under cover if you can. If you can build an open-sided high tunnel and grow your plants underneath (at least the disease and pest prone plants like nightshades and cucurbits), it can be highly beneficial. Something like this would make life easier: www.growspan.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/CS-Texas-AM-1-1024x768.jpg
I’m new to the channel and I subscribe to other gardening channels so I wasn’t interested in subscribing to another garden channel but this video has earned my subscription! I now want to grow citrus in my zone 7A portion of NJ. Thank you!
Thanks for subscribing! Citrus is going to be very challenging in Zone 7A. However, I think you may be able to grow a Yuzu tree with some protection, like my water barrel method. Yuzu is very hardy and tolerate to around 5F in-ground once established. The water barrel and plant jacket trick could have you growing citrus if you are sure to protect it. Be aware water barrels will freeze in your climate, so you'll probably want to mix rock salt into the water barrel to keep it from freezing. *However,* you must be very careful that the barrel remains tight, since if you spill salt water on the ground it can kill trees and grass.
@@TheMillennialGardener Thanks. I’m probably going to go with pots and bring the trees inside during the coldest months!
Thank you so much. Again I'm learning more. I like gardening, l live in California zone 9. Thanks for all your information.
Hi thanks for this video it reassures me having just bought my first little citrus trees and living in the UK approx zone 7 give or take. I have saved up a ton of bubble wrap to snuggle them all in for winter so fingers crossed
I overwintered a Satsuma Mandarin and Markut Lime in pots in a mud room in Wisconsin.
Nice. I'm in zone 9A, Las Vegas and already have 5 new container citrus trees. We'll see how they hold up in July and August when it's 100 or a bit more. I already have shaded areas for them for most of the day when that occurs.
Can you please recommend a basic fig tree to start out with (one usually found at a nursery....no concerns about rain here....yes, I watched a few of your fig tree vids).
At the big box places, they have small apricot trees. I wonder if that's ok for here and in a pot. Thank you.
Thank you for this valuable info! Best of luck and love that seeet pup ♥️✨
You're welcome! Thanks so much for watching!
Been knocking it out of the park every year with my orange brought here to southeastern Michigan from northern California. It's the most perfect shapely specimen from this far north I've seen, and I've been looking. Even nicer than alot of specimens from hundreds of miles south of me.
I of course bring it in doors for the winter. Big job because it's a thick 7' tree. Would be taller but I've trained it into a kind of bonsai.
This video made me so happy! I can't wait to grow some citrus.
I'm happy to hear that! It's a bit of a commitment and you have to stay on your game on those cold nights, but once you get through those few cold nights, they're almost maintenance free. It's WAY easier than growing a tomato plant.
I have kumquats, satsumas, and lemons in pots in 7a. All hold fruit but I have to ripen the lemons and kumquats inside overwinter. The satsumas ripen early around October though. I plan to hybridize a trifoliate orange called Poncirus+ which was discovered to lack the bitter flavors of the common hardy fruit. Will cross with satsumas and kumquats, hoping to create a deciduous better tasting hybrid that can live outdoors in ground. These crosses already exist but the fruit isn't good, they were created for rootstock and not selected for flavor.
Fun video thank you.
I’ve ordered my trees. Pacific nw zone 8b. Thanks for the videos
Great information! We live in NC just about in the line of 7b and 8a (Moore County). My husband in the gardener, would be lovely to have some of our own oranges and lemons. Pink grapefruits are his favorite, not quite done watching yet but thanks for the information.
Great video!
Thanks!
Franklin county NC! My bro lives in Wilmington. Been watching you, MIgardener, and self sufficient me for gardening tips. Thought about growing citrus in the backyard, this makes me want to more.
Wow! I live in Carolina Beach near you. I didn't realize my wife could grow a lemon tree. She has always wanted one.
I live in Miami, Florida. I have some citrus tree in pots and 1 orange tree in my back yard. But I have the problem that in stormy and windy season my orange tree loose all flowers. I will try the jackets that you have shown. Thanks for your very good information.
I bought a regular Cara Cara once for $3.00, one orange lol. It was really good but I wanted to get a tree right away when I got that. $3.00 is almost unbelievable but I thought it would be special so I tried it. I live in NE FL and my friend has some citrus. I told her it was no hope. I'm glad I was wrong. My grandmom lived in Tampa and her citrus did not survive the greening. Thanks for sharing.
Great video very inspiring. Even for us Florida people living in a county called Citrus county seems too to cold for Citrus growing nowadays. It's about 60 miles north of Tampa and it freezes cold on occasion in winter. But in my new house I'm planting to get the reflective heat/hot side of the house for the freezes we get, very few days, not as many as you get up there. Keep up the good work very inspiring vidio. I got some kind of tangerine tree I just planted first year in the ground it's got about five fruit on it. I guess I should have probably picked them but I'm letting them go. The only thing is the trees missing some kind of nutrition I haven't figured it out yet the leaves aren't green they're kind of leached. Must need some kind of mineral. I'm going to be planning other fruit bearers like peaches plums and have a nice cream banana there because of the reflective heat on the Southeast side of the house to reflect the morning sun in the winter time..
This is incredibly informative. I'm in zone 8a, Virginia Beach, and I've had mixed results with lemons. But I'm going to call McKenzie and see if I can order a couple of items and try them out. I'd love my own citrus here, and especially when you see how many groves we are losing in Florida.
Very good information, thanks for sharing. When you give the temperatures, are you referring to the actual number or "feels like " number?
Very nice video! Maybe I should give some of the very hardy varieties a try here in zone 7a with some extra protection. My concern is not that they won't survive, but rather that they'd flower early and then a good freeze will kill off all the buds. This is what happens often to my peach tree here unfortunately.
Old Christmas lights make some heat put them on your tree. Just turn the lights on when it temperature tips after the buds are out. It saves apricot and peach trees where I grew up in BC, Canada. South Shuswap to be exact.
Now I live in zone 3B8, Calgary, Ab, Canada. I’m growing Meyer lemons, and mandarin oranges. I’ll be planting them in pots and moving them into my greenhouse in the winter. Thumbs up, I am subscribed.
This is a wonderful vid. I started growing container citrus many years ago. I had a total of 12 plants, but root rot (and other events) eventually claimed all but 2, usually after a transplant to a larger container. I'm currently down to a 15 yo grapefruit and a 4 yo Meyer lemon I saved from death at HD. I'm in Oregon, 8A, and it is essential to carefully monitor soil moisture. Thank you, I will check out your source as these plants seem better for my hobby. One word of advice, DO NOT let dogs near your citrus. Some dogs are OK, but the sweet smell drives some dogs mad and they'll rip your trees to pieces despite those 3" needle spikes that grow from citrus. I have a simple "greenhouse", a cheap 10x12 sunroom, that I've moved my 2 trees into, so they use half the space. So long as I close the windows in winter, they've done well, though the windows are similar to your citrus covers... even w/o heat. One item you can add for your lights is a thermal switch and a cheap incandescent grow bulb in a clamp-on fixture. It'll add warmth and extra "sun". Unfortunately, these can't be LED because your main object is to warm the plants.
As for pests, in the NW I have to watch for cabbage worms. The leaves will be chewed and folded over, but you can squash the worm in eash folded leaf or kill them with spray.
I just can NOT belive the size of your Meyer lemon!!!😱😱😱😱 INCREDIBLE.
You are amazing! Thank you for all you share. I can't wait to move out of Florida and start over my garden.
Thank you! I appreciate it. It's all about soil health. I built a 5-6 inch layer of compost and mulch, and I re-mulch them twice a year. When you plant a root ball "high" in the native ground, then envelope it in a compost and mulch layer, they quickly send surface roots and grow at an accelerated rate I've found. It's funny you're looking to move out of Florida. I would like land there some day 😅
@@TheMillennialGardener The pests and the humidity is just not worthy, most of the summer I don't grow any thing becauseit takes a lot of effort to keep alive. It's nice to have a mild winter. I used to live all over the tri-state area but the winters are brutal. Maybe, while I get out of here I'll grow fruit trees instead 🤷🏻♀️
I live in zone 8A sometimes I think it might be zone 8B and you have give me hope to grow citrus again!
You can definitely grow citrus with a little protection, but you will need to be on your game and prepared for the cold. I like the water barrels and plant jackets as a fail-safe method, because they don't rely on your remembering to actively cover them.
A friend in zone 8B planted 2 citrus under tall pine trees (to protect from heavy rains and frosts). The trees are growing very tall and producing a few oranges for the first time this year.
Citrus grow very well underneath pine and oak trees. They appreciate the cover. The tall trees also block heavy frost, so it's a mutual benefit. Citrus are understory trees in their native habitat, and it's why I planted many of my citrus trees in the rear property underneath the loblolly pines. That little spot often stays frost-free when the grass out in the open gets heavy frost.
Im in illinois , and I have succesfully germinated and started to grow a lemon tree from seed from walmart grocery store
Fantastic video!!!
Thank you!
From what I've read, citrus greening has been discovered in Florida, Alabama, California, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Texas, and US Virgin Islands. In some places, it occurred in residential areas not commercial orchards. I wonder if this is another situation in which the plants struggle because of a deficiency in certain micronutrients. For small growers in active zones, maybe netting or interplanting can keep away the insect carrying the bacteria.
the plants struggle due to what the insect is doing to the tree. the AG industry’s want you to spray smaller nutrients incriments but more often because the greening insect effects the way the plants are able to take in nutrients. so in a way you are thinking correctly
I live in N.Central Florida. I would be at least an hour , hour and a half from any grove.20 years ago I planted 10 citrus trees.They have all died from greening.My poor pink grapefruit is on her last legs. All my friends that live in this same town have lost all their citrus trees to greening also.It is not just a Grove problem.
Love those 60 gallon pickle barrels; I need some of those, but haven't found that size yet.
That lemon is insane! I'm impressed!!
It’s really growing well. Compost, mulch and a little bloom booster 😊
@@TheMillennialGardener Is the bloom booster on your Store Front? Thanks!
Completely new to your channel, and already obsessed. I live in SC, zone 8a like you, and needed to see someone say its possible to grow these types of trees in our climate. I recently bought a navel orange tree ( I have a satsuma in-ground that is two years planted that's buds keep freezing year after year so that is annoying), and was wondering if you think the Washington Navel Orange would be able to handle in-ground growing? I am extremely tempted to try it out.. but also worried and don't want to lose an $80 tree..
You live right by Stan McKenzie. McKenzie Farms in Scranton, SC, should be your sole source of citrus. ALL my grafted trees are from Stan. Not only will you save a ton of money, but they’re better trees. He is a master grafter.
I feature a Cara Cara in this video, which is a mutated Navel Orange. Yes, you can grow it in ground with my water barrel and plant jacket method, or my incandescent lights and plant jacket method. We got down to 14 degrees in January and my baby Cara Cara took no damage. It will not survive longterm unprotected. You’ll need a protection method.
That pith, the white on citrus, is quercetin and is really good for you. This was awesome❣️❣️😊 thank you.
You are welcome!
I love this! I’m in 8B in Washington State and I love all citrus❤️Thanks so much for the video. PS your dog is so cute🥰
I’m here in western Washington 8A and have had some citrus now for going on two years in pot, looking forward to getting them in the ground soon enough. Hopefully this crazy weather straightens out.
You can definitely grow citrus in 8B Washington. There is a gentleman I know of growing limes and lemons in Vancouver, BC, so you definitely can. However, be advised of this: lemons and limes will grow very well for you, because they don't require sugar development. Sweet oranges require long, hot summers to develop adequate sweetness. If you choose to grow sweet citrus in your area, the fruits that form in the spring won't be ready in 6 months like they will be where I live. Instead, you'll need to overwinter them and preserve them until next summer so they have enough time to fully ripen. So, for you, you'll actually have TWO CROPS of citrus on your sweet orange trees in June: the previous year's crop almost ready to eat, and the new crop that started to form in March/April. This guy is a good resource for you: czcams.com/video/pZ_UJe9hbqM/video.html
I grow citrus trees here in Ohio. I've had orange and now I have lime and lemon. I have them in pots and have to keep them pruned to under 7ft tall so I can bring them in the house in winter. They make the house smell soooo good. My lime and lemon trees are blooming all year round. I love 'em !!
They're very nice to have in the winter, because they're providing ripe fruit when everything else is dormant and the world is cold and gray. They're like a ray of sunshine during a dark time. Gotta love citrus!
i was born and raised in Florida. when i was growing up citrus groves were everywhere. we had a citrus juice plant in Kissimmee that made the whole town smell like orange blossom and juice. was an incredible smell. the growers always put out those big propane heaters in the groves on the rare times we would get freezes. it always worked well for them. i remember when canker was an issue. now its these insects and developers. i don't think Florida will ever recover. and i am sure we Floridians don't care that other states will grow citrus. we would rather see it flourish somewhere rather than die out like the American Chestnut trees. so yeah ..no secrets down here. luck to any that chances to try to grow them. Ponderosa lemons are as big or bigger than grapefruits and make delicious lemonade. one fruit makes a couple gallons. good to bake with to.
Wow! This is very informative. We live in Bass Lake, California close to Yosemite. Bass Lake is in zone 8b & 9a and I’m glad to hear that zone 8b is great for growing citrus. My citrus are growing in the greenhouse. I just subscribe to your channel coz I grow Calamondin and Meyer Lemon. In the near future I am planning in getting Owari Satsuma Mandarin.
I live in zone 6a north west Ohio and I will try to get few different Citrus plants from McKenzie farm in early spring, I already have fig trees that I keep outside, all covered now with a 60 W lightbulbs inside, I turn them on when it gets 20* . I’m sure if I do the same with the citrus it should work.
Thank you for the great videos you’re posting.
I live in a cool temperate zone in Australia and citrus grows great here. Well my lemons grow amazing here. I have Meyer and eureka lemon trees and also many lemon and orange seedlings that are growing just fine outside.
I’ve got some of your suggestion today I already had a few citrus on year 1 I’m zone 5b. I do have a greenhouse and will use your irredescent light suggestion so thank you again!
Love your video. Found it to be very helpful, I'm growing a lot of citrus in zone 6 ,indoors in winter . Because of you I found Stan McKenzie Farm. He is a wonderful person and his plants is reasonable, I am going to try to grow Hush outdoor this Summer. Thank you for all your information.
I bought mine from Stan McKenzie also - super nice guy! I hope he's getting ready to sell a lot of citrus this year after your videos!!!
I hope so, too. He was in town in Wilmington about a month ago and I went to see him. He's always on the move.