Grapefruit tree in large container

9 years ago

Sorry I put my pear tree by mistake. Just got it yesterday. Pruned it. Rather skimpy now. Growing in large pot

Have numerous buds on tree. Brought it about 2 months ago. Seems to be doing well and buds seem to be growing. Will I get a grapefruit this year. The tree is at least 2 to 3 years old? Should I remove any buds to save the others or just let them grow. As you can see the three is not very tall. It will be on my patio and I only want all my trees to grow no more than 6 feet. I want to be able to reach the top. I will be continuing to prune to keep my lemon, grapefruit and tangerine tree manageable. If doing so will I still be able to harvest a lot of fruit.

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poncirusguy6b452xx

9 years ago

Lorraine Can you post a picture of the tree and its container. I am curious what is a big container. It amazes me that any tree in a container could even grow a grapefruit. I wish you well with your tree.

Steve

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Comments (7)

hoosierquilt USDA 10A Sunset 23 Vista CA
9 years ago
Very nice, Lorraine, looks like you'll have some nice fruit this winter!

Patty S.
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gregbradley
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I think Steve has a good point about how large is a "large" container. The only "grapefruit" I've been able to get to produce good fruit in a container is a Cocktail Grapefruit that has produced 6 excellent fruit in a container the size of a #15 nursery container. That has been a challenge. My 24" box Cocktail does fine but still is some work with that small a container - figure around 200 pounds for tree and container at about 4' tall and 3' wide including container.

Oro Blanco, Rio Red, and Melogold won't, and have beaten me down in the attempt. I've been able to get my Valentine Grapefruit to produce 2 excellent fruit in a 22" Terra Cotta tall double rim Pot using semi-gritty mix. That pot and tree weighs about 150 pounds and is what I would still call way too small to get a Grapefruit to produce well.

Unless you consider large to be 6 cu ft of potting mix and 400 pounds, I would stick with lemons, lime, and mandarins that are fine in 15-30 gallon containers.
pip313
8 years ago
What rootstocks do you guys having trouble have?

It's not common for a dwarf to dislike containers.
Lorraine Miller
Original Author
8 years ago
Sorry what are you referring to need more info about your tree and dislike containers???
myermike_1micha
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
I find that my grapefruit have no probelm growing fruit to full maturity, and in fact I was able to share 6 full grown size ones..Could be that they sat in FULL all day sun in a huge window all winter and partial sun all summer..The pot is not very big..You can grow grapefruit in a small container and develop mature fruit..I live in Mass, so if I can do it so can you) Remember to fertilizer regularly in the active growing season.
katiebeth128_wv_6b
5 years ago
Mike, I hate to necro a thread but I was really hoping you could tell me more about the grapefruit varieties you've had success with in containers.

I container grow all my citrus where I live in WV and overwinter them inside. Have you found that any grapefruit variety works well as far as container growing (just make them happy!), or do you find that certain varieties on certain rootstocks are the way to go? I'm not finding a lot of info on container growing grapefruits, specifically rootstock selection for grapefruits grown in containers, but it makes me wonder if that's because most people assume they shouldn't attempt to do it or would not be able to have them produce fruit.

I saw the clonal citrus program has a 'genetic dwarf marsh grapefruit' listed for budwood request so kind of piqued my interest on this subject.