Plants in Pots: Citrus

My rediscovery of plants and gardening started with me growing all of my plants in pots. It is amazing what you can grow in pots. You just have to do your best to consistently provide the optimal growing conditions for the plant within and around the pot. I had plants of all types and sizes in pots of all types, shapes and sizes! From tiny 2.5cm pots to very large 200L ones!

I’ve transferred most of my plants into the ground on my allotment plots now. Many seem happier for it. I still do keep some of the more frost tender ones such as Citrus limon trees, Strelitzia reginae, and a few rarities in pots, either outside or in my greenhouse. Pots, are, of course very necessary for indoor gardening, and in situations where outside space is limited or non-existent. If you don’t have ready access to outside space, indoor plants can give you a lift at home during the bleak winter months.

Speaking of pots, just take a look at the healthy-looking Citrus tree in that super-sized earthenware pot in the picture below!

I came across it in one of the many courtyards within the awe-inspiring Fort Saint-Jean complex in Marseille, France. I’ll tell you about that amazing trip later. Here, I’ll focus on growing citrus trees in pots.

Citrus tree in a very large pot, Marseille, France.

I’ve had my two citrus plants in pots for over four years now. I love the smell of the blossom! They need warmth in order to flower. They also like moist but well-drained acidic (ericaceous) soil that never gets water-logged, and full sun. In the UK, you can buy specially formulated acidic citrus compost. I’ve heard tales of citrus trees growing very well and quite large too in London - outside - planted near the warmth of a house’s warm, south-facing wall, in built up areas. The London micro-climate. I have yet to see this with my own eyes though. I suspect some of these trees might be Citrus japonica, the kumquat.

I try to help mine over winter by wrapping them in fleece and/or putting them in the greenhouse. I say ‘or’ because this year, one still hasn’t made it into the greenhouse yet. It is snuggly wrapped in fleece though. This plant, Citrus limon ‘Lemon Eureka’ is actually marketed as being hardy down to -5C.

Here’s my Citrus limon ‘Lemon Eureka’ on my allotment plot (now in a large white clay pot), toppled over and partially un-swathed by Storm Ciara last week.. It’s the one that didn’t make it into the greenhouse …

Citrus limon ‘Lemon Eureka’ in a pot, toppled by Storm Ciara last week.

Winter does knock my Citrus trees back quite a bit each year, but they eventually recover, albeit slowly. I have yet to harvest any fruit from them though. I get the lovely sweet-smelling blossom and tiny fruits, but that’s about it for the year. There doesn’t seem to be enough time for them to mature before autumn/winter sets in, and daylight hours dwindle.

I’ll try to pay more attention to their feeding (I buy special Winter and Summer Citrus food) and care regime this year in the hope of better results. The Victorians managed to produce edible fruits in large orangeries and hothouses. I have neither orangery nor hothouse but London has warmed up since Victorian times. That’s a plus. I’m beginning to suspect that the trees I have are simply not early fruiters. That may be the problem. If that’s the case, I may need to invest in varieties that produce early maturing fruit.

Let’s see what happens this year …