How can I plant a citrus tree indoors? Which ones are easier to grow indoors?

I was thinking about orange, lemon, or kumquat. I have seen a few and they are beautiful. Please help.

How can I plant a citrus tree indoors? Which ones are easier to grow indoors?
Growing citrus plants indoors was once a sign of prestige. In Victorian times, the landed gentry and royalty often invested in greenhouse structures called orangeries. It may not be practical to grow large fruiting citrus trees indoors in our climate, but it is possible to grace a sunny area in your home with a dwarf or miniature citrus.

Citrus plants have very attractive, glossy dark green leaves and the scent of their flowers (and to a lesser degree) their foliage is absolutely incredible! There are several varieties of lemons, limes and grapefruits that make great indoor plants. But don't stop there. You can also grow dwarf kumquats, tangerines and oranges. Not all of them will bear fruits like you buy in the grocery store, but some do, especially lemons and limes. Others will bear smaller, intensely flavored fruits that can be used in special recipes.



The size of indoor citrus plants can vary greatly, so when selecting a citrus plant to grow as a patio or indoor plant, it is important to find out how large it will get. Most indoor gardeners are familiar with Calamondin orange, a compact dwarf orange variety that has fruits about the size of a quarter. It generally stays in the 2-3 foot range. Another popular indoor citrus is the Meyer lemon. It can get to be a large indoor plant, so be sure you have enough room. Meyer lemons can produce large, thin-skinned fruits with wonderful flavor. Even a dwarf lemon may grow as much as 8 feet tall.



To select a citrus for indoors, look for plants that are full of dark green glossy leaves. If the variety is grown as a standard, pick a plant with a strong, straight trunk. Whenever possible, select a plant that is just beginning to bloom so you can enjoy the fragrance right away. Handle citrus plants carefully. Many of them have thorns.



Follow the link for LOTS more information.



http://www.bachmans.com/retail/tipsheets...
Reply:i have grown calamondin and they are for me the easiest and will be in bloom and fruit (sometimes at the same time!) almost all year long.

the most important thing with citrus is strong sun-you need at least 4-5 hours of direct sun RAYS on you citrus plant if you are going to keep it indoors-putting it outside in summer is beneficial.

the hardest thing is the watering-too much and it will rot-too little and it dries up and it's sometimes impossible for it to come back- when i say the calamondin is easiest it is in this respect- it is a bit more forgiving.

The meyer's lemon is also quite forgiving-my mom has one and if it's still alive (w/ 2 fruit) than it's got to be a survivor!

Basically at least the first couple of inches have be dry before watering it thoroughly-if it's a bigger pot than wait a bit longer. And watch the leaves-i ususally wait till i see them starting to hang just a bit to know when to water-but if the pot seems quite light and the dirt is very dry at the top than don't wait to water. this can be a bit tricky: i have what is called a buddha's hand lemon, it has a very strange shape with the bottom half of the fruit having what looks like fingers! it is the pickiest one to water-it seems that the dirt is sill quite moist and then before i know it all the leaves are drooping and the earth is dry! so i have to really keep an eye on him.

if you can provide soil that is very loose than you can water more frequently as the roots will have more air. you can do this by using a seedling mix and adding perlite or gravel or whatever to loosen up the mix. but this also means that you can't leave it dry completely or it might loose it's leaves.

the last thing is that it needs acidic soil in order to bloom and flower and be healthy in general-you can add a teaspoon of lemon juice to each liter of water or you can add half a teaspoon of aluminum sulfate on the surface of the soil for a one gallon pot every 6 months.

high humidity and cool nights are also a good idea-more so for some varieties.
Reply:A lemon is quite easy in fact it will accually germinate in a good standard potting mix such as shultz or mirical grow.