Welcome!

lots of questions with easy answers, but first we need to know where you're located.

It is very possible to grow indoors. Yes it will need to be re-potted in the future.
The container size is dependent upon the size of the tree and the type of mix you use.
If the mix holds a lot of water, then you should use a smaller container. If you
use a proper mix, then there really is no limit to container size. For indoor
growing, you'll want a mix that is porous and free-draining, so that you can water
and fertilize thoroughly without worrying about the mix holding excessive moisture.

Making your own mix would be best, although there are a couple particular mixes by Fafard
that are reportedly very good - the most commonly mentioned is the Nursery mix.
If you wish to combine your own mix, it'll help to know whereabouts you live.
Similarly, we'll need to know what your weather is like to determine whether or not
you should take the citrus in and out of the house. In general, citrus that spend
more time outdoors seem to do better.

Ponderosa grows well from cuttings, although I've never rooted any myself.
Meyer Mike rooted the Ponderosa that I have in my collection, and he's rescued
a few Ponderosas, too. He can offer some great advice on rooting and growing these.

Josh

Now that is perfectly well put Josh! :-)))

Cantu: As Josh said, it is very important we know where you live and how much light you are capable of providing your tree. What kind of set up can you afford to offer?
I owe you an e-mail and I will certainly help you as soon as I feel better but Josh did a great Josh at offering help too.

Welcome

Mike

Josh did a great JOB..lol I think you get it

Mike

i live in dallas texas. it was extremely hot recently but it has begun to cool off a bit but is still pretty hot during the day. nights are nice and cool.

how can i make my own soil mixture? what goes in it?

as far as what i can afford, it just depends on what i need. if its absolutely needed then id get it.

I am curious.

Why would you want or have to keep your tree inside all year, living in such a wonderful climate?
Do you have any room at all to give it fresh air and pure sunlight?

I am a bit concerned over how much light you will have to provide it. If you want it to grow to its best potential, you will have to provide hours of supplimental lighting or a HUGE window to get at least 6 or more hours of sun.

Obviously the less sun, the less fruit and or budding.

Making a mix can be very cost effective and easy.
You could buy a bag of pine bark and peat or turface, and perlite and mix your own with added lime.

You could buy a bagged mix and a bag of perlite making the bagged mix a small fraction of your new mix.

Either way, the more you invest in making or buying a very porous mix, the better off your tree will be and the more satisfied you will be to see it grow well for you.
We are here to help:-)

Mike

I agree with Mike!

You're in a wonderful citrus growing area.

Bark, peat, perlite, and Dolomitic Garden Lime. That's all you need to get started.

Josh

you can keep it in a container and keep it at around 4' tall. about every other year you'll have to root prune like a bonsai to keep its size.

it'll need plenty of light. unless you have a large south facing window, you'll probably need a high wattage grow light.

we want to have it inside because we have the room inside and we do have a very large south facing window. plus we already have 3 peach trees, 2 apple trees and a plum tree outside (not all in one area. peaches and plum are in back and apples in front) and im not sure if the lemon tree would grow too large and over crowd them.

i live in good citrus climate? i had asked a nursery and they told me that texas weather varies too much to have a lemon outside. they said that if i plant it in the ground now that it may not survive winter because it will go through hot weather then cold then hot then cold etc. that said that keeping it inside would be the best option, along with a grow light to supplement light if i cant take it outside.

which grow light would be best? (if it is kept inside)
you can prune roots? do you have to dig up the tree to do it?

I can understand that and keeping them in front of a HUGE window should be just fine.

I am not sure if they will thrive as much as they would if you used a container and only placed them indoors during cold spells. If I lived there, I would consider myself lucky and keep all of mine in pots and summer them outdoors until the weather gets to cold to keep them there.

You will not need extra lighting to maintain their health if you have them in a sunny window like that. Again lucky you!

Mike

No one suggested that you plant the tree in the ground.

Grow it in a container, and let it spend as much time outdoors as possible.
Otherwise, buy an expensive indoor lighting system to keep your tree in good vitality.
Your indoor tree, however, will never match the vitality of a tree treated to the outdoors.

You will need to replace the soil in your container every few years (if its good soil),
and you can perform the necessary root-maintenance at that time. You will be responsible
for changing the soil and pruning the roots for the rest of the tree's life.

Josh

I am just now getting to this post here. I bought my mom a nice 3ft tall Ponderosa lemon tree about 6 or 7 years ago. Now we live in western NY. Our fall and winters are pretty dark and gloomy. Seems like the sun just never shines again till spring and summer.

My mom has kept her tree in front of a large sliding glass door for years. I believe it is a west facing window and it gets about 6 hours of bright indirect light. It has done very well for her, in fact the last time i saw it it was sporting some huge lemons that were not even close to being mature. She barely feeds it and it doesn't get any supplemental light.

IF you were to ask Byron Logee what citrus do best as houseplants he would tell you that Ponderosa lemons are one of the best for growing in pots.

Andrew

And if you were to ask me. I would say the same!

I have never lost a Ponderosa tree to anything, even when I didn't know a thing about soilless mixes or sunlight! Even before I joined here.
In fact, this is the one plant that does not have prime space in front of my sunny windows all winter.

Hello Andrew!:-)

Hi Mike,
I just really appreciate how generous this tree is with it's blooms! I am considering buying another tiny tree so I can keep one for fruiting purposes and the other, I will keep smaller and after the flowers drop, I will remove the fruits so I can have a tree that would bloom more often. I know you had mentioned doing this before. I just need to see if I have the space!

Andrew

Oh, there is ALWAYS room for one more..lol

It's also another place for a bug to live, sort of like a Codo complex within your living room.lol

I too LOVE the Ponderosa for that purpose. I will never eat the fruit, but boy do I like the frequency of flowering. I always recommend that anyone that loves the fragrance of blossoms to get one of these. They are also very easy to care for and maintain! They are fun to shape as they grow into Bonsai or just a perfect size tree.

Hope you have a great day Andrew and that your back is holding its own lately. We shall chat soon:-)

Mike