Citrus growing in Zone 5b help

last year

Hey all.

I live in zone 5b and I am looking to make use of our off-season on the farm by having a citrus orchard. We have a partially heated hoop house that is not used from late October to late March. I would like to have a bunch of potted citrus trees stored in there over winter and then take them out as the weather improves in late April or early May. I see the biggest challenge being harvest. Are there any varieties of citrus that can ripen in 7-8 months? I need to have the fruit harvested outdoors by mid-October which seems to be few and far between varities. I also don't want to keep the hoop house at 50 degrees in the depths of winter.

What would you recommend for varieties that are either everbearing or early harvest?

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herman zimmerman

last year

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poncirusguy6b452xx
last year
last modified: last year
Meiwa kumquat grafted Flying dragon will ripens in 4-8 months. The ripening timing might be off.
Ty Bert thanked poncirusguy6b452xx
Ty Bert
Original Author
last year
That is a good idea. What do you mean might be off? Like they will all ripen at random times, or all the fruits will ripen at different times each year
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It would give a tidier appearance if you remove the lower limbs from the large tree, clearing the house. I'm not a fan of raised edging for multiple reasons. The present edging looks difficult to maintain, poorly installed (lumpy & bumpy,) and its layout doesn't fit great, IMO. A properly installed brick or paver mowing strip not only looks good, but facilitates easier maintenance. However, it's obvious why the raised edging exists -- to contain the rock mulch (which I'm also not a fan of because it's somewhat inflexible and hard to undo.) You need to decide if you're keeping it before moving forward. (My planting arrangement suggestions are based on getting rid of it and using groundcover instead.) Given the size of the tree, the bed below it should be expanded correspondingly. Imagine the tree were a potted plant and the bed below it was the top of the container. Based on the first photo, one could see that the tree looks way oversized for the size of the container. The tree is hard to make smaller, but the bed is easy to expand. I'm neither a fan of smothering buildings with plants. A single shrub below the window would eventually be enough as long as you have other plantings -- perennials, annuals, groundcover, etc. to balance out the equation. Around the tree could be a mass of tall, flowering perennial (or even a moderate height shrub. Connecting everything together could be groundcover. All of this equals a very low maintenance scape. Oh, also, I would ditch all the planting that surrounds the walk. It lessens the welcoming quality of entering and makes the walk seem confined. The walk already is too narrow for the house and the entrance opening. If you have in your capabilities, I would revise that (widen) and make it more inviting. Plants there, pinching things off, it not really an asset. Well cared for turf would help the look of everything.
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poncirusguy6b452xx
last year
They tend to flower early summer and might not ripen till November. planting them inground in the greenhouse would allow for warm soil to provide the root warmth to ripen the fruit. It is important to get them grafted to Flying dragon or poncirus trifoliata. Onegreenworld.com uses flying dragon.
Ty Bert
Original Author
last year
I need the greenhouse for other crops in the spring to fall months. Is there a way I can manipulate potted trees to bloom at certain times? Im trying to figure out if I can make them bloom a certain time, if I would then be able to harvest in September and October. November here gets too cold and will damage the fruits on the trees I would imagine.
herman zimmerman
last year
If you need Winter temperatures to be lower than 50°F for economic reasons, the trees can be induced into dormancy if they are on Poncirus rootstock. Covering the structure too early is ill advised, as is covering with clear film only.

I enclosed my trees at the last minute, usually in mid-November. Mine are covered earlier with clear greenhouse film. About the same time as the surface of outdoor soil slightly freezes for the first time, I totally enclose the structure will 70% opaque white overwintering film. This is installed on top of the clear film. The ends of the structure are enclosed with the white poly at this point. The white poly is the only end wall covering.

On unseasonably warm days the structure is vented to prevent overheating.
herman zimmerman
last year
herman zimmerman
last year
poncirusguy6b452xx
last year
I have been working on early flowering trickery growing practice. So far no results. Kumquats Flower when the day is long with no change from day to day (summer) June 21. you can provide the tree light and warmth with artificial lights while lengthening the on period till April then set for same length for a month and hope the tree gets the message
poncirusguy6b452xx
last year
The citrus tree pots can be set in a hole to keep the roots warm and then removed for spring planting. The hole can be placed in the walk way and can be covered during summer use.
Ty Bert
Original Author
last year
Herman is there a way i can message you. I'd love to pick your brain. I'm at a loss.

So far i have considered growing Citrangequats, Sudachi, Early St Anne Satsuma, Xie Shan Satsumas. They all are ready to be picked in late Septembe to mid October. I was planning on putting them in the hoop house then putting a cover on them and adding Christmas lights when temps hit a certain

Citrus growing in Zone 5b help

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