Do you want to know how to grow citrus trees indoors? In this post, we'll share some exciting tips you can use to grow citrus trees in your home. Read on!
Have you ever woken up on a hot summer morning and all you could think about was a freshly squeezed glass of orange juice? Or you realized that the only thing missing from your iced tea after a long day of work was a little lemon?
Do you need to treat scurvy? Is life not giving you lemons?
Growing your own citrus trees is the answer!
Citrus trees normally thrive in hot, sunny, humid regions, but growing citrus trees indoors is easier than you think!
Planting Citrus Trees
It's possible to grow a citrus tree from a seed, but it's easier to grow one from a seedling or grafted plant, so you'll want to plant it right away.
Choose a 15-gallon pot with a wide diameter and drainage holes. Fill the pot with soil that has an acidic pH. The pH should be between 5.5 and 6.5.
Make sure to only bury the roots of the plant because planting it too deeply can damage the roots and stalk.
Caring for Your Tree
Choose a room that will receive plenty of sunlight. Most citrus trees require at least 8 hours of sunlight daily. If getting the recommended amount of sunlight isn't an option, grow lights for citrus trees can supplement your plant with the sunlight it needs.
Our Grow Light Recommendation
We love SANSI 24W LED grow lights. They have a clean white light because they are full spectrum. They have all the right mix of light spectrum for growth, leaf flush, flower blossoming, and fruit set. 24 watts is a good amount of power for indoor lighting. We recommend placing the grow light anywhere from 6 to 18 inches away from your tree.
Your tree needs 12-16 hours of light a day. You can be very flexible with your light. You can keep it on for many days straight. However, all citrus trees need some dark time.
You can easily use one grow light for 1-3 trees. An easy way is to use one light on a tree for 24 hours at a time.
All grow lights get hot. We prefer SANSI because they use ceramic sinks to dissipate the heat. We have found the majority of grow lights on Amazon to have disturbing safety profiles. Use standard safety precautions, don't let babies and pets stare directly into the light or touch the heat from the grow light!
Our socket/clamp Recommendation:
We recommend the following clamp for your tree. It has a UL certified socket, electrical cord included as well. And it fits the Sansi bulb!
The temperature in the chosen room should be about 65 degrees Fahrenheit, with a 5 to 10-degree drop at night.
Citrus trees require a humid environment. If you live in a dry area, it's best to run a humidifier. Citrus trees may also require a humidifier during colder months.
Water your tree regularly like you would any houseplant. When the top 2 inches of soil is dry, water your plant. If water pools under your plant, drain it.
Producing Fruit
You can grow a citrus tree that doesn't bear fruit, but where's the fun in that?
Fertilizer is necessary for encouraging the growth of citrus fruit. Fertilize your citrus plant once every one to two months in spring and summer and every two to three months in fall and winter.
Pollination of the plants' flowers won't occur naturally indoors, so it's necessary to pollinate your plant yourself. Lightly brushing a cotton swab from bloom to bloom will encourage fruit growth.
Citrus trees can adapt to growing in lower light, but if you want your citrus tree to produce fruit, it will need direct sunlight for a minimum of 5 hours every day.
Moving the plant outside to a protected, sunny area for a few hours will encourage fruit production. You can even keep the plant outside during warmer months.
Benefits of Growing Citrus Trees Indoors
Not only will your indoor lime tree bear the possibility of fruit, but it will liven up any space and smell fantastic! Growing lemon trees in pots will be a fun experiment while looking nice in your kitchen.
Growing Trees is fun, and every tree we send comes with a 20-page care guide
