Growing fruit in containers?

Homegrown Tomatoes · December 27, 2007, 01:08:43 PM

Anyone grow fruit in containers? I bought one of the little orange trees last year and planted it in a pot and have watched it change from a little green stick in the ground to a little leafy tree, but it hasn't ever bloomed or anything. It looks pretty healthy, but I'm not sure if it is getting enough sun here (I know I'm not!) It was sort of an experiment because I'd eventually like to grow EVERYTHING we eat, including citrus fruits and so forth. Is there a mini-avacado tree out there that you know of? I've gotten avacados to sprout and grow before, but they end up getting killed by the frost before I can cart them indoors. So, that said, have any of you had any luck with growing the miniature citrus trees/ tropicals in pots, and do you have to give them any special treatment? How about mini-mango trees? Is there such a thing? I LOVE mangoes... but have never seen a container-size dwarf that could be grown indoors. This is all daydream right now as we may move soon, but someday in our dream home (that we build, of course) I'd like to have a little sunroom filled with all sorts of potted fruit trees that aren't winter hardy, and of course the garden and orchards and vineyards outdoors as well. I know, I'm greedy. Or wishful?

Homegrown Tomatoes · December 27, 2007, 01:51:22 PM

Just been doing a bit of reading on the little orange tree I have and think that the lack of direct sunlight and the lack of humidity (our house is so dry all winter) may be having a negative effect on it... it looked great outside all summer where it had plenty of both all summer long. Might try misting it more frequently...

December 27, 2007, 03:23:45 PM

We had several miniature blood orange trees in big buckets that we never got around to planting for probably 7-8 yrs - they did real well most of the time (I would fertilize them every-so-often) unless Glenn forgot to water them when I was gone or they froze - they always came back - this year he planted them in the garden in between the tomatoes - I don't think they liked the tomatoes because I can't even find the little trees anymore

Another one I planted a few years ago does real well but whenever it has bloomed something eats all the blooms - this year it hasn't bloomed yet...

Homegrown Tomatoes · December 27, 2007, 05:39:48 PM

Sassy, what did you fertilize them with? Did they produce much fruit?

Sassy · December 27, 2007, 09:00:08 PM

Probably miracle grow or some of the hydroponic fertilizer - when I'd think about it - got lots of blooms & even baby oranges but then they would fall off. Soooo, not much help here... but I did keep them alive

December 27, 2007, 09:48:34 PM

check out the raintree nursery site it is www.raintree.com I think anyway they have a great selection of dwarf fruit etc. Plus directions for making them produce properly. I doubt that you will find mango or avacodo trees though, they are very huge trees and I can't imagine that they could get them to dwarf very easily. It appears that the other fruits are grafted onto dwarft root stock. I have seen oranges and lemons in hydroponic stores with real mature fruit on them though so I know it is possible. I would count myself lucky if I could get apples or anything to grow in pots with the summer winds and heat here the plants just tend to barely survive unless they are protected and pampered and then the deer get them.

Homegrown Tomatoes · December 27, 2007, 10:22:14 PM

Well, then maybe I'll make that sunroom with a really tall ceiling!

tanya · December 28, 2007, 09:24:23 AM

Or you could move to Hawaii. The mangos and avacodos grow wild there!!! So does a lot of other fruit. Guavas, passion fruit, papayas etc. etc. That good jungle living.... hmmmm.... We got another 6 inches of snow here last night. Yep I'll be shoveling at first light.

Homegrown Tomatoes · December 28, 2007, 10:10:25 AM

The snow is coming down like crazy here, too... maybe we should move to Hawaii?

December 28, 2007, 10:44:41 AM

2 inches and still coming down here.

Homegrown Tomatoes · December 28, 2007, 10:53:06 AM

Right now it is pretty... like a currier and ives picture... I won't think so when I'm out there shoveling it, though. It is supposed to snow all day and for the next several days.

I've decided the orange tree is just not getting enough sun, so I'm moving my grow lights out of the basement (too cold down there to sustain life, lol) and to the sewing room where all my plants are praying for a glimpse of sun. I think we're in for a bad snow today as my right hand is so stiff and sore I can hardly type with it. (Broke it back in June and also hurt it several years ago in a factory accident, so it is a pretty accurate weather predictor.)