How to Water a Longan Tree

Longan trees are closely related to the more popular lychee tree, with similar histories and growing requirements. These trees--also called dragon's eye trees hail from southern China, where they grow in high, cool elevations with some frost hardiness. The trees grow to 30 to 40 feet tall and bear small brown skinned fruits.

Plant longan trees in rich, deep soil to satisfy their need for quick drainage. Use a combination of quick-draining soil, sandy loam and organic compost for planting, to encourage both drainage and moisture retention. Longan trees won't flower or bear fruit if they grow in thick or waterlogged soil.

Irrigate longan trees with 2 to 3 inches of water a week during spring and summer. Longan trees need consistent moisture during flowering and harvest seasons.

Reduce watering to 1 inch per week after harvest and through winter, to decrease excessive foliage growth and encourage spring flowering. Longan trees are tolerant to drought and will manage with restricted or no water at this time.

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How to Care for a Longan Tree

Grow the longan tree in full sun in the warmest, driest area of the garden.

Water the young longan tree regularly to keep the soil moist. When the tree begins bearing fruit, it only requires a regular irrigation schedule while it is in flower and bearing fruit. Withhold water in September and October.

Maintain a grass- and weed-free area around the trunk of the longan tree. Apply a 4-inch layer of mulch, 8 inches from the tree's trunk and spread out to the dripline. Mulch helps discourage weed growth.

Fertilize the first-year longan tree with 1/4 lb. of 6-6-6 fertilizer every eight weeks. Increase the amount of fertilizer to 1/2 lb. in the second year but decrease the frequency of applications to four, split evenly throughout the year. Follow this same schedule in the third year, increasing the amount of fertilizer to 1 lb. Mature longan trees require 5 lbs. of fertilizer just before the tree blooms in late spring and again before harvest. Spread the granular fertilizer on the soil beneath the tree, 5 inches from the trunk, and spread it out 1 foot beyond the dripline. Water well after applying.

Apply an iron chelate soil drench around the tree in July, according to the manufacturer's instructions. Reapply at the same rate in early September.

Inspect the longan tree periodically for pests. Contact your county cooperative extension service to find out approved control methods.

Prune the longan tree to keep it to a manageable size. Agriculturists with the University of Florida suggest that the tree be kept no taller than 15 feet high and 30 feet wide. Cutting 1 to 2 inches from the tips of new shoots on the young longan tree during the spring and summer will help keep the tree compact.

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How to Propagate a Longan Fruit Tree in a Pot

Wait until the potted longan tree develops fruit, which occurs between August and September in the United States. When the fruits reach 1/2 to 1 inch in diameter, pick them off the tree.

Fill a bowl half full of water. Peel away the outer rind and pulp from one of the longan berries. Rinse the inner black seed in the bowl of water and lay it on a paper towel. Repeat the process to clean the other longan seeds from the fruit.

Place the paper towel in a room-temperature location and allow them to sit undisturbed for four days to dry.

Fill a plant pot 2/3 full of a mix of equal parts potting soil and sand. Place one to two longan seeds on top of the soil and cover them with an additional 3/4 inch of soil.

Water the soil well until it is completely moist. Set the pot on a windowsill and wait until the seeds germinate, which can take between seven and 10 days.

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How to Plant Longan

The longan tree, native to China can grow to a height of 40 feet. Longan trees bear fruit best after cool, but not freezing, winters.

Choose the right location. Longan trees like a lot of sunlight and prefer warm temperatures.

Prepare the soil. Longan trees like sandy loam. If you do not have naturally sandy soil, mix a lot of sand into your soil. In fact, longan trees can grow in pure sand, as long as it is moderately acidic. Longan trees also grow well in limestone.

Dig a hole as deep as the root ball and twice as wide as the root base. Then, place the tree in the hole. The sandy soil will probably collapse around the tree rather quickly. Fill the hole in completely around the root ball.

Tamp down the soil around the tree, and water it well. Keep the soil moist. Longan trees do not tolerate dry soil very well.

Support a young longan tree by tying it to a stake driven into the ground next to the trunk. Many saplings need added support, especially in windy areas.

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Fruit Trees for Small Spaces

By Andrew M Kelly

We are continually being told, in the media and by our doctors, that we should all lead healthier lifestyles, eating more fresh fruit and taking more regular exercise. One of the best ways to do this is to grow our own produce but it is often difficult to grow fruit and vegetables in small spaces. This article takes a look at growing fruit trees in small spaces.

Fruit trees can look spectacular in any garden, as well as the incredible blooms of blossom you, of course, benefit from the annual production of fruit. By growing your own fruit it is possible to grow it organically (by not using artificial chemicals and fertilizers) which could save you a large amount of cash. Furthermore the fruit can be picked at the exact moment you wish to eat it. Fruit this fresh is far better for you as stored fruit tends to lose it's flavor and the vitamins and minerals can degrade over time.

For the health conscious amongst us you should be aware that gardening is one of the best ways to make sure that you get some regular exercise and the garden can be the perfect place to enjoy other energetic pastimes. Unfortunately most modern, urban backyards are only small spaces. Sometimes the backyard has barely enough space to have a small patio and a tiny lawn with a few flower borders. However, with a little time and effort, it is possible to create a fantastic garden design for the very smallest of backyards.

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Unfortunately trees are not always the most suitable plants to grow in small spaces. In general trees tend to grow extremely large and the spreading branches and roots can end up causing some serious damage to nearby buildings and pools. Having a large mature tree in a small space can become a nightmare as the restricted space can cause problems when attempting to remove such a tree. Obviously it is far better to plant only suitable trees and shrubs in the first place.

Happily the increasing demand for smaller species of trees and shrubs has led to the development of some very interesting varieties and a fantastic selection of dwarf or compact fruit tree varieties have been created. Usually the fruit tree has its growth restricted by grafting it onto specially grown dwarfing root stock such as M9. Although the dwarf M27 root stock was once very popular the M9 stock has proved far more reliable and it has the bonus of increased yields of fruit.


You will be able to find a dwarf or compact fruit tree which grows as small as 1m but unusually they grow from between 1.5m to 1.8m. If you find that this size is still a little too large for your small backyard then you can further restrict growth by planting the fruit trees in containers. Such trees can be places on patios or sunny balconies and size can be even further reduced by careful annual pruning.

For those of us with really tiny backyards one of the most exciting developments in the horticultural world is the development of dual fruit trees. A dual fruit tree is really two different species which have been grafted onto a single dwarfing root stock. Another thrilling variety of compact fruit tree is the "midget fruit tree" which is so called because the tree has an extremely upright and non-spreading habit. The finest examples are those types are the Spur Apples which have an extreme upright habit which appears to be covered in fruit. Some types of tree can be trained to grow right up against walls and other surfaces saving even more space.

As well as compact apple trees it is possible to find dwarf compact varieties of many other types of fruit tree such as plums, pears and cherries. Other fruits include peaches and nectarines and even hazelnuts, Kiwi fruit and figs can be purchased in dwarf varieties. Even in a really small backyard it is possible to grow a large selection of fruit which not only tastes great but looks fantastic too.

If you are looking to discover more about fruit trees for small spaces visit http://www.landscapinginfo4u.com/trees/compact-fruit-trees-for-small-spaces.php http://www.landscapinginfo4u.com/ is dedicated to providing quality information about all aspects of landscape gardening. The author, Andrew Kelly, has been a keen gardener since his childhood and, now retired, he spends most of his spare time enjoying the hobby and writing about it.

How to Buy Citrus Trees

Citrus trees aren't really trees, they're shrubs. Reaching a height of 25 feet, they may be the ideal plants for your yard. But there are tricks to purchasing a good citrus tree.

Buy field-grown citrus trees whenever possible, identifiable by its burlap-wrapped rootball. Such trees are more costly, but healthier.Consider container citrus trees that are not overgrown. This puts the health of the plant into question.

Purchase small citrus trees that take to the ground faster. A big tree takes as long as a small tree to produce fruit.
Look for consistently dark-colored leaves. The uniform color is an indication of a healthy, disease-free plant.

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Ensure that the graft union is approximately 2 inches above the ground. Many citrus trees are grafted. A graft union is a dog-legged bend in the trunk. If the bend is too close to or below the soil it can rot or grow fungus.

Investigate the trunk for mars. Marring leaves a citrus tree trunk damaged and might indicate a weak or injured tree. You want to buy the healthiest citrus tree possible.

Assess the variety of citrus trees available before you buy. Citrus trees are available in many varieties of orange, mandarin, tangerine, tangelo, kumquat, lemon, lime, grapefruit and other exotics. You can find dwarf citrus trees to buy that are great for container gardening as well.

Find out if the variety desired is available in your state. Some plants are restricted to control disease.

How to Water Citrus Trees

Install drip emitters or sprinklers beneath the tree or build a 6 to 8 inch high soil basin around the outside of the tree (just outside the canopy of leaves).Run the sprinklers until the soil is wet to a depth of 3 to 4 feet.Fill the soil basin with water, let it drain, and repeat at least twice until the soil is wet to a depth of 3 to 4 feet.

Check water penetration by pushing a stiff metal bar, wooden dowel or soil probe into the soil. The bar or dowel will move easily through wet soil, stop when it reaches dry.

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Water again when the top 6 to 8 inches of soil is dry. Most citrus will need water every 8 to 12 days in midsummer. Water less in cooler weather or if it rains.

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Mulch the area under the canopy with 3 to 4 inches of organic material.Add more emitters or increase the width of the basin as the tree grows.

How to Grow Container Citrus Trees Indoors

Citrus fruits includes fruits as lemons, oranges, limes and grapefruits. Imagine having these kinds of citrus fruits straight from your own trees. While it may seem impossible to those who live in colder or seasonal environments, it is possible indoors, with the right tree and the right care. Even if you're not an avid gardener, you can successfully grow citrus trees indoors while enjoying the yummy fruit they produce.

Select a citrus tree that will do well indoors and in containers. Dwarf varieties of citrus fruit trees will grow better in containers than full-size trees. In addition, because they need less light, sour types of citrus (like lemons and limes) will do better indoors.

Choose a container that has drain holes and a tray that will catch any extra water. Be sure the container is large enough for your tree's root system and some growth. The larger the container, the more your tree can grow.

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Place 1 to 2 inches of gravel in the bottom of the container for drainage.Use a potting soil that is labeled for citrus fruits. Fill the container with the soil up until a point where, when you place the roots of your tree in, the top of the root system will be 1 to 4 inches from the top rim of the container.

Place your tree in straight and fill the remainder of the pot with the soil so that it is firmly set. You can place mulch or gravel to make the tree more attractive in your home.

Place your indoor citrus tree near windows, preferably on the south side of your house where much light comes in.Keep your citrus fruit evenly watered. Do not let the soil dry up and do not saturate the soil, which will cause the roots to rot. Be sure to check often to keep the right consistency of water in the soil.

Fertilize your soil with a multipurpose fertilizer that has manganese, iron and zinc in it. Do this about four to six times a year, following the manufacturer's directions since fertilizers come with different potency and release rates.

Place your tree outdoors in full sunlight in the spring. If you live in an area you have warm or hot summers, take your citrus tree out after the last frost. Don't forget to water it.

Bring the tree back indoors before the first frost.

Planting Fruit Trees

While different types of fruit trees may have different requirements and thrive in different plant zones, the actual planting of fruit trees of all types is quite similar. Most fruit trees have similar soil, site and planting needs. There are a few important rules to practice when planting that can help a fruit tree to thrive.
Choose the Perfect Spot

All fruit trees prefer to be in full sun. A sunny, sheltered spot is ideal. Shelter from wind can come from a building, hedge or tree windbreak. Smaller dwarf trees can be grown against a wall or fence. If protection from the wind isn't available, most fruit trees will still grow but may be slower growing and require more water.
Sandy loam is the ideal soil, with a pH near neutral. Citrus prefers a slightly acidic soil. Have your soil tested before planting fruit trees and correct any nutrient deficiencies. Fruit trees are heavy feeders and need good, fertile soil or supplemental fertilization.
The most important part of choosing a site is to make sure that the soil drains well. Fruit trees will not survive in wet soil. If water stands in an area for more than an hour after a rain, or if you dig a hole and hit water, it is not a good place for fruit trees.
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Do not plant fruit trees down in a hollow or other low spot. Low spots collect cold air in early spring and flowers may be killed by a frost that won't occur on higher ground nearby.
Plant your fruit trees close enough to the house so that you can water and care for them easily. If you have lots of land, planting your trees closer to the house rather than far away may keep animal pests like deer from doing as much damage. But too close to the house is not ideal either. Fruit trees do not make good landscape trees. They require regular spraying and pruning that makes them look less appealing than most other trees, but that will result in better fruit.
Fruit trees also attract insect and animal pests with fallen and ripe fruit. A cherry tree near the home will result in a lot of bird-stained items. Rotting fruit under a tree attracts yellow jackets, a nasty member of the hornet family, and may bring other undesirables too close for comfort.
Let's Dig the Hole
You can patch up heavy clay soil with lots of compost and other organic matter. Amending with sand will create cement. You can also fix soil that is sandy and drains too quickly with organic matter. Do not fill in individual holes; work the amendments into the soil before digging holes.
Current research has shown that holes for trees should be refilled with the soil that was taken out of them. Peat and compost should not be added to individual holes. If holes are amended and the surrounding soil is not as welcoming to plant roots, they tend to circle around in the hole rather than venturing bravely out to find food and water. This can stunt tree growth or even kill trees.
Setting the Fruit Tree

Fruit trees are often purchased with bare roots. Make your hole just deep enough to accommodate the length of the root from the tip to where you notice a dark ring on the trunk. This ring should signify the soil level where the tree was growing in the nursery. Potted plants should have holes just deep enough so the surface of the root ball is even with the top of the ground.
Never wind roots around in a hole. This encourages roots to circle around in the hole and sometimes they will actually strangle the tree, cutting off water and nutrients to the trunk. You can make your holes as wide as you want; it helps to loosen the soil around the new tree.
Look for the graft union on your fruit tree. Most fruit trees are grafted on to different rootstock. It is important that the graft union be well above soil level. If soil covers the graft union, the tree may send up shoots from the roots, and the less-desirable rootstock may overtake the desirable top stock. Graft unions are a slight bulge, or scarlike area on the trunk about 18 inches from the top of the roots. If you planted the tree correctly, you should not have to worry about this.
Refill the hole with the soil you took out and water the plant to settle the soil. Do not tamp the soil down. You want your tree in a loose, gentle environment. Some people like to make a dam around the tree with soil so the ring it creates can be filled with water that will seep into the soil.
Care

Fruit trees can be mulched after planting. Mulch has advantages and disadvantages. It keeps down weeds that compete with young trees and preserves soil moisture. However, mulch can hide fruit tree pests such as insects and voles. Mulch should never be more than a couple inches deep and should not actually touch the trunk of the tree.
If you do not mulch, keep the area beneath the tree mowed short, but be careful not to damage the tree trunk when mowing or weed-whacking.
Standard and semi-dwarf trees should not need staking. Staking encourages weak trunks. Dwarf trees however, may need a stake to support them, or they may need to be tied to a trellis or fence. The trunks of newly planted fruit trees do need protection from animals that are very fond of tender bark. You can use circles of fencing with small openings, called hardware cloth, or wrap one of the spiral plastic tree wraps around the trunk.
It is very important to protect as much of the trunk as possible, especially in the winter. While three feet of wire may keep rabbits from eating the bark in the summer, if two feet of snow fall, the rabbit may be able to sit on top of it and damage the tree.
Water the newly planted trees once a week if it is dry, more often if the soil is sandy and the weather hot and windy. Once fruit trees are established, they can stand some drought. However, you will get larger and better-tasting fruit if you water them.

How to Grow Lemon Trees in a Pot

So the materials that we're going to need are a lemon tree start. Either a root or a start off of another plant.  Also we need a container that we're going to grow it in then some gravel. Next is some potting soil. And then we need a little more gravel for the top of the pot when we plant it. That's all the materials that we're going to need to grow a lemon tree in a pot.

First step is putting some gravel or marbles or sticks or moss or anything on the bottom of your pot. Because if you put soil right to the bottom of you pot a lot of the soil is just going to leak right out and make a lot of muddy mess. By putting some gravel in the bottom or marbles or sticks or moss or anything just to give it a little bit of air, too, it'll just do that much better because it'll have good drainage. You always want to fill at least the bottom, the holes covered, with some gravel,at least 3 or 4 inches. That way it wont fall out.

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Once we have gravel in the pots, usually at least 2 or 3 inches depending on the size of your pot you want to add some potting soil. If it's a large pot, too, you can always fill the bottom with some newspapers or plastic bottles or anything to get some drainage and make it so it's not so heavy. For the third step I'm putting some more dirt over to cover the roots completely 2 to 3 inches.

You want to make sure the roots are completely covered and the stem, which will be the main plant, is not covered with any soil past the real root line so that it wont suffocate and everything will grow even better. So my trick with all pots is put a little bit of gravel on the top. And that's your last and final step. So make sure that you have enough sunlight or enough artificial light if it's indoors and you will have a wonderful lemon tree that you can enjoy.

How to Grow Fruit Trees Indoors

Planting Your Fruit Tree

Purchase a dwarf fruit tree. They can be found at your local nursery or ordered online.

Place a layer of stones or broken pottery at the bottom of a 10 to 15 gallon container. This will allow the water to drain.

If you purchased a bare root tree, you may want to cutoff 1 to 2 inches of the outer rootball (known as root pruning). You will also want to remove any dead branches and any branches that are growing below the graft union (diagonal scar) on regular dwarf trees.

Plant the rootball in the container using a light, airy potting soil with perlite. Add enough soil so that the root ball is covered and that there is enough soil on the sides of the pot to allow the tree to absorb water. Do not pack down the soil.

Water and place in a bright, sunny room away from drafts.

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Caring for Your Fruit Tree

Water your tree regularly, but allow it to dry between waterings. It is time to water when the soil is dry at least 2 to 3 inches below the surface. If the leaves turn yellow, your tree is being over watered or is not draining properly.

Fertilize your tree at least once a month with a mixture of manganese, iron and zinc.

You will need to pollinate your tree (unless you have bees inside your home). This is done by brushing the stamens of open blossoms with a paint brush. Do not rinse or tap the brush between blossoms.

You can prune your indoor citrus trees at any time of the year. Remove any criss-crossing branches and branches that are growing below where branching is desired. Also remove any branches that are growing below the graft union.

You may want to occasionally root prune your tree. This is done by trimming one to two inches off the root ball and then replanting it with fresh soil.

Watch your trees carefully for pests. Citrus trees are known to get spider mites, mealy bugs and scale.

Enjoy your tree. Not only will you have a great conversation piece, you will also have fresh fruit.

Different Varieties of Fruit Trees

Fruit trees are attractive, easy to grow and are available in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. Dwarf fruit trees grow well in containers or in small gardens; larger fruit trees thrive in backyards and are often used in landscape designs. A blossoming fruit tree provides homeowners with a beautiful burst of flowers every spring. Best of all, gardeners and their families have the pleasure of harvesting and enjoying fresh, healthy fruit crops every growing season.

Apple

The apple tree is a low-maintenance tree that thrives in almost any environment. Mature apple trees reach 12 to 20 feet in height depending on the variety of tree. Plant apple trees in well-drained soil during the early spring after soil has thawed. The apple tree requires full sun exposure to produce fruit; plant trees where they'll have at least six hours of sunlight each day. Apple trees are not self-pollinators and need another apple tree with the same bloom time planted nearby in order to produce fruit. According to North Carolina State University, the Jona Gold, Golden Delicious, Braeburn and Fuji are all mid-season producers. Red Delicious and Empire are early-season apples. The Rome is a late-season variety of apple. 

Pear

The pear trees is a long-living tree that grows well in both warm and cool climates. Plant pear trees in the early spring in cooler climates and in the fall in warmer areas. Choose a spot that is slightly elevated and sloped in order to protect the early blossoming pear tree from frost. The average pear tree reaches a height of 12 to 20 feet. According to Texas A&M University, pear trees thrive in well-drained clay or heavy loam soils. Trees require full sun exposure and are not self-pollinating and need another pear tree nearby, within 40 to 50 feet, in order to produce fruit. Types of European pears include the Bosc, D'Anjou and Bartlett. Varieties of the Asian pears are Hosui, 20th Century and the Shinseiki.

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Plum

The hardy plum tree grows well and produces delicious fruit in every climate zone. Plant plum trees in the early spring after the chance of frost has passed. Trees require full sun exposure and humus-rich, well-drained soil. A standard-sized plum tree reaches a mature height of 10 to 20 feet and has a productive lifespan of approximately 15 to 20 years. Some plum trees are self-pollinating; others are not and require another blooming plum tree nearby to produce fruit. There are three groups of plums: Damson, European and Japanese. Damson plums are used for cooking; varieties include the Shropshire and French. The Prune, Stanley and Rein Claude are types of European plums, which are good eating plums. Shrirno, Burbank and Elephant Heart are varieties of Japanese plums.

Peach

Plant a new peach tree in the early spring once the soil has warmed. The peach tree thrives in well-drained, sandy, clay or loamy soils. Trees require full sun exposure, at least six hours a day to produce fruit. The average-sized peach tree reaches heights between 10 and 25 feet. Most peach trees are self-fruitful and will not need other trees nearby for pollination. Varieties of peach trees are grouped by regions called low-chill, medium-chill and high-chill. When planting peach trees, choose the proper variety for your climate zone. Warmer climate zones have low-chill regions, colder climate zones have high-chill regions. Tropic Snow and Florida Crest are low-chill peaches. TexStar and June gold are mid-chill region varieties and Dixiland and Milam grow best in high-chill regions.