You can grow citrus in pots, particularly the smaller ones like kumquats and some lemons. I have a nice kumquat I bought last fall and I plan on keeping it a pot. Dwarf citrus in general do well in pots. Full size trees not so much.

If you have seen Brian's here and that of many others, I would say YES! The only difference is that the trees and roots would obviously get much bigger than any of us could contain in a greenhouse, home, or pot that restricts it's size.

If you have the land plant outside. Even the biggest potted citrus trees will rarely produce a bushel of fruit but you could get 2-3 bushels from the same tree in ground. You will spend more time on a potted tree the protecting an in ground tree against cold weather. I am in zone 6b and it is easier to plant outside than to grow in pots

6b Steve

I think the answer is obvious --absolutely not.

I doubt you are 9b if Oranges are not making it. However if you are 8b/9a you can grow it all with some minor protection outside. Plants will always do better in ground for a number of reasons. Obviously you can fruit citrus in a pot many people do. It just won't be as easy (or as productive) as in ground.

I think the main issue is the hassle involved in overwintering. Even when covered, there's some damage, and this retards growth the next season. Additionally, we live in a typhoon zone, so structures covers etc. can get blown off.

As I mentioned, there's a shocking difference between the front of our house and the inground garden available some distance away.

Additionally, the large pots I'm talking about are pretty large – I'm talking maybe four or 5 feet wide by almost as much deep.

I did overwinter the lemon successfully, however it required a very elaborate set up. In short, a 200 gallon black water tank directly behind it with storm windows forming a triangle. Top open with frost cloth over it. This is too much to do for every tree, and even if I did, the larger the tree gets it will outgrow the shields.

It may be more efficient to replant all the trees in bunches around such tanks, and errect small green houses over them. A lot of work and expense, especially to make them typhoon proof.

At this point, I'm thinking to move the lemon at end of season to a pot in front of the house. The rest of the trees I'll leave in ground and just tie them each up with a large white sheet. I feel this solution will, even if successful, limit the size of each tree to quite small.

outdoor Fukushu going gangbusters.

Fukushu kumquat#2 · More Info

Sweetlee Tangerine · More Info

All things being equal in ground is better, but you can grow amazing citrus in containers if grafted to dwarfing rootstock! Keep an eye out for pests as scale and mites absolutely love citrus.

I found this video I made last year in September:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKgNRr3rkWM

I didn't have the chance to care for the trees as well this winter, and typhoons blew off my frost covers, so there's quite a bit of damage to the leaves.

I bought a bunch more citrus this spring. New growth is just starting to sprout on most of the citrus.

I've added a layer of aged chicken manure, some new soil on top. But mainly I'm hitting them heavy with ammonia sulfate (21% nitrogen), and will continue to do so through the growing season, as well as water them more regularly. Hopefully I'll get the fabulous results I've been aiming for the last few years.

I remember that video. Nice

6b Steve

poncirus I'm curious about your set up. How far down did you dig that glasshouse? Do you give it heat or being dug down/against wall protects them enough in your zone?

My detached garage is about 6 feet south of my house. I filled about 5 feet deep dirt between the 2 which places the root/ball about 4 feet below the garage roof

the top skin was made from double glass low-e window with a layer of bubble wrap over top. The greenhouse never over heated in the sun and It did not loose heat at night. There was very little need ro heat it beyond the heat from the basement wall

6b Steve

Steve, you might want to watch about damage to the concrete on your house. Soil and plant roots can destroy it over time. We had a bunch of damage and flooding to our property from plants, so they're all removed last year.

Niceguy Over 50 feet of my basement wall was dirt with a 1 inc skim coat of concrete surface. Another 17 feet was a failing 18 inch thick stone wall with a sand clay mixture used as concrete between the rocks. The garage wall is made of broken brick, chunks of concrete and small rocks filled in with a concrete mix diluted with 50% sand. Solid but soft. The space between the walls was filled with clay and it pushed in the much weaker garage wall with no damage to the house wall. I dug out the clay and replaced it with compost for my citrus trees.

The greenhouse comes down in the spring. It took me about 4 hours.

The yellowing of the tree mentioned was caused by an internal claps of dirt from the roots that is not visible at the surface. Neither root rot or poor feed is the problem. I am going to be digging around the tree to fix the problem if I can. Otherwise I will remove and place the tree in a 10 gallon container to come inside for our Christmas tree.

6b Steve

Nice Steve. I doubt you have to worry about foundation issues you would have to let a tree get pretty big for something to happen.

Mr niceguy I have not heard from you. How is your transition from out and in ground to potted and near the house doing. I had to search " Japan typhoon niceguy " to find this thread"

Steve

Steve, funny, I was just thinking of him the other day.

Less roots, less froots!!.