The Garden Community for Garden Lovers
 
pamg

By Pamg

east midlands, United Kingdom Gb

Citrus trees-oranges, lemons,limes-- has anyone experience of growing them in a conservatory/glasshouse please




Answers

 

No personal experience at all, but try www.citruscentre.co.uk. Merry Christmas!

22 Dec, 2011

 

Myron on this site knows a lot about these. Try a pm?

22 Dec, 2011

 

Not a fan I'm afraid. Suffers from yellowing, leaf drop and constantly attacked by red spider mite. Rarely looks the same plant after a few weeks. Only saving grace is the scent on the flowers which is heavenly. If you want a conservatory plant then I would much rather buy an olive as it is much more forgiving. If it's a good flowering plant then Streptocarpus wil give you superb and continuous flowering. Having said some people grow them successfully and love them.

22 Dec, 2011

 

Thanks everyone for the help-- I'll pm Myron in the new year Ojibway, Jimmy-- G&T just isn't the same with an olive....:o))

22 Dec, 2011

 

I used to look after an orangery. They like hot, dry summers with as much sun as you can throw at them. Unfortunately, so does red spider mite, scale, aphids and mealy bug...big enemies of citrus.

In winter, they will tolerate frost free and just keep them ticking over.

Mine used to fruit regularly...huge Navel oranges and satsumas...absolutely delish but the scent from the flowers was the best thing.

23 Dec, 2011

 

Thanks Andy, I thought that they were tricky!! ( but I love a challenge!), maybe its a situation where biological control will be effective.
Not far from here is a nursery specialising in unusual plants, some very large and the biggest lemon trees would need a forklift to move--- and cotst over £250!--- we're going to look in the spring at the smaller one......

23 Dec, 2011

 

I grow citrus trees Pam, I love to experiment with grafting different varieties onto a root stock grown from pips. Next year I'm going to try and graft 2 or 3 different citrus, lemon, orange and lime for example, onto the same root stock to produce a fruit cocktail tree.

I keep mine outside on my patio during the warmer months then bring them into my conservatory for the winter. They won't tolerate frost and the leaves need to be sprayed regular to prevent leaf drop when they are inside. Regular spraying will supress red spider mites as they prefer warm dry conditions.

I leave my citrus trees outside as long as I can, only bringing them in when frost is due. I even move them in and out during the winter when the weather is mild as it is at the moment. I just put them out during the day and move them back in at night. Sometimes I leave them out all night if I'm reasonably certain that it won't be a bad frost

I don't really have much problem with red spider mites or other aphids, but on the odd occasion that I have had, I have found that introducing Amblyseius into the conservatory works wonders.

Amblyseius are a predatory mite that feed on red spider mites and other mites. Each one can eat about 25 spider mites a day and it's a natural way of dealing with the little creatures rather than using chemicals.

You can buy them on line and they come in a sachet of about 200. Just Google Amblyseius sp. I believe harrod Horticultural sell them.

25 Dec, 2011

 

Thanks myron we,re going to look in the spring probably at orange and lemon, your graft trees sound really a good idea if it takes it could be a money spinner!
Happy new year

26 Dec, 2011

How do I say thanks?

Answer question

 


Not found an answer?