Friday, June 3, 2011

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.