Guide for Cultivating Oranges Indoors to Enjoy Sweet Fruits Continuously
Growing Top-Notch Indoor Oranges: A guide to cultivating scrumptious citrus all year round
Oranges, known for their tangy, health-boosting benefits, make a fantastic addition to any diet. But what if you live in a colder climate or lack a garden? Fret not! Growing an orange tree indoors is possible with the right approach. We've consulted experts to help you get the lowdown on how to ensure your indoor citrus paradise thrives.
Suitable Varieties
Standard orange trees can stretch up to 20-30 feet tall – a bit too much for most households. Specializing in dwarf varieties is your best bet for indoor gardening:
Dwarf Washington Navel
This 6-8 foot tall powerhouse, also known as the Bahia orange tree, hails from Brazil and produces small, seedless, and easy-to-peel fruit.
Dwarf Trovita
Originated from a Washington Navel seedling, the Trovita also averages 6-8 feet tall. Its fruit offers a slightly sweeter, milder taste while remaining simple to peel.
Essential Care
Orange trees flourish in warm, sunny climates, so mimicking that environment indoors is crucial for success.
Soil
Choose a well-draining soil blend with a slightly acidic pH. Pay special attention to soil health, as indoor potted trees require nutrient-rich soil to sustain the demands of citrus trees, suggests Joanna Glovinsky, co-founder of Fruitstitute. Consider applying homemade compost, organic fertilizer, and wood chip mulch twice a year to maintain soil vitality.
Watering
Watering frequency depends on the light exposure of your tree, according to Rob Elliott, PhD, co-founder of Urban Leaf and assistant professor at Lafayette College. Adopt a routine of feeling the soil frequently and providing deep watering when it starts to dry out. Maintaining a wet/dry cycle supports root health.
Lighting
Providing plenty of light is vital for orange trees to produce fruit. Aim for 8-12 hours of direct sunlight, but if natural light is limited, supplement with grow lights. Place your pot near a south-facing window for optimal exposure. The swift test for sufficient light? If your plant isn't growing swiftly or green leaves are falling, you're not getting enough light.
Temperature
Orange trees are comfortable in temperatures similar to ours – around 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. However, they can handle variations at both ends of this range.
Pruning
Though not essential, pruning makes tree management more manageable. Prune one to two times per year to keep the canopy proportionate to the container's size, advises Glovinsky.
Harvesting
Most orange trees are self-pollinating, so you won't have to worry about being the bee. When the fruit is bright orange, without any signs of green remaining, and it easily detaches from the branch when picked, it's ready for harvest.
Potential Problems
Lack of light is the most frequent issue home growers face. If yours isn't growing swiftly and requires more light, consider using grow lights. Additionally, keep an eye out for scale bugs – characterised by sticky honeydew on the leaves – and take swift action to eliminate them when found.
To cultivate top-notch indoor oranges, choose dwarf such as Dwarf Washington Navel or Dwarf Trovita varieties due to their compact size. Mimicking their natural environment in a home setting is vital, which includes using a well-draining, slightly acidic soil blend, such as suggested by Joanna Glovinsky of Fruitstitute. Adopting a regular watering routine dependent on light exposure maintains soil vitality and root health.
Daily light exposure of 8-12 hours is crucial for fruit production; supplement with grow lights if natural light is limited. Indoor orange trees flourish best at temperatures between 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit and can endure variations at each end of this range.
Regular pruning, typically one to two times per year, keeps the canopy proportional to the pot size, making tree management more manageable. Harvest your oranges when they are completely orange and easily detach from the branch. Pests like scale bugs are avoidable issues, so be vigilant for sticky honeydew on the leaves and address immediately.
