Growing A CITRUS TREE HEDGE: The CRAZIEST Thing I've Ever Done!

[@valoriegriego5212]

Dale had a long day of being cute.😀 I'm using the brick wall of our house to keep herbs and other plants going...zone 8a. Thanks to one of your past videos I have identified a few ideal climate zones in our yard and I'm taking advantage of them.🙂

[@TheMillennialGardener]

If Dale didn't have his cuteness, he'd be in a lot more trouble some days 😂 Microclimates are often underestimated. I once grew a jalapeno up against my brick house until January. I just tossed a 5 gallon Home Depot bucket over it some nights. It can make a HUGE difference!

[@SuperMan-xy8ui]

I had neighbors in north Atlanta suburbs (zones 7b and 8a) who had old and established citrus trees 10’+ tall growing in the ground. The secret is to protect them from freezing until the trunk wood hardens off and turns from green to brown, a process that takes ~5 years here where I’m at along the Gulf of Mexico in zone 8b/9, likely the hardening off period takes longer in zones north of 8b/9. Once the wood hardens off, new outer branches may show cold damage but the tree itself will survive. During uncommonly cold spells, it’s still best to cover established citrus with a freezing blanket to minimize cold damage. As mentioned in the video, a strand of old-style holiday lights will provide needed heat and some citrus species are more cold tolerable than other species are.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I'm publishing a video today on how I'm protecting my citrus in the rear without electricity. The result: 10 full degrees of protection I'm trying to find ways that don't involve lights, because if you lose power in an ice storm like what happened in Texas, everything dies. I'm finding passive heating methods that are fairly bulletproof. My Owari at going on 4 years is starting to turn brown, which is great.

[@vonries]

Good luck. I just bought my citrus this year also. Well some I bought, most I raised from cuttings. However I live in central Florida so I don't have to push the zone for most of them. I still have to protect some of them. I've noticed that some years the winter temperatures have been extremely cold. Some years seem to be much worse then in years past. I don't know if it's global warming, but I would think so. If you're careful you should do fine. I've heard of people raising citrus in the far north inside greenhouses. I'm sure you can do it, you're a smart cookie.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Are you having problems with pests and greening in your area? The cold where I live is a problem, but one of the benefits of being way too far north for their native range is no pests.

[@vonries]

@@TheMillennialGardener The main thing I have to deal with is leaf miners.

[@jeannechin5052]

Love it! I'm in zone 8a too (near Dallas Texas) and would love to grow citrus

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thanks! You can definitely grow citrus in Dallas. Things like Owari and Brown Select satsumas will thrive. You may need to protect them 1-3 nights a year, but that’s no problem.

[@kb1236]

Love your experiments!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thank you! I appreciate you watching!

[@samyu2971]

Amazing experiments!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thank you! I appreciate you watching.

[@kicknadeadcat]

I brought my Meyer Lemon in last week. Still has 2 dozen lemons a week or so from ready. Under leds. This is my third year getting lots of fruits.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Be careful bringing your citrus trees indoors. They often freak out. If you simply carry a Meyer lemon inside, it will likely lose all its leaves within 10 days. Citrus trees need to be slowly acclimated indoors - carried inside for hours at a time, then placed back outside for a few hours, then back in for a longer duration, etc. Repeat. It's the same thing for re-acclimating them to sun come spring. My neighbor brought his Meyer in last winter and lost all his leaves within a week. The tree almost died. I once brought my Blood Orange in for 1 week when I went on vacation, and it lost all its leaves. We learned the hard way.

[@GoldenBoy-et6of]

Zone 8a is acctually really good for citrus! The best range is 8a and 8b for citrus so you're acctually in the perfect place for citrus! I live in 8b and my citrus flower year round in ground! Citrus acctually do best when they hit atleast 28 degrees so if you live in zone 9 it's to warm for citrus and theyl have ruffled looking leaves and rarely if ever fruit and If you go down to zone 7 it starts to get too cold and the plants will only fruit for a small part of the year and lose leaves during the coldest parts of winter and be at risk of frost damaging the fruit but the best citrus ripen when it starts to get cold and the first frost is when you get the best tasting and sweetest citrus! 8a and 8b are the only zones you can get fruit year round and the plants will constantly produce new flowers! So you'll always have fruit at all different stages of ripeness! Also the pots keep the roots atleast 15+ degrees warmer so the plants that are potted will think it's a zone or two higher than if their in ground! The ground is what acts like a heat sink and sucks all the heat from the plants and the roots are the most important thing to keep from getting to warm or to cold! Also if a potted plant is on a deck raised off the ground it can be even 25+ degrees warmer in the roots than an in ground plant! And you can grow tropical plants outdoors in pots if their on a pallet or deck! Wood chips also raise the micro climate in the area because they keep the ground on average 8 degrees warmer and causes the ground to retain alot more heat from hot days as well as keeping moisture from escaping as fast! Rocks do the opposite and make the ground act even more as a heat sink and add drainage so rocks will Lower the micro climate significantly and even standing in a rocky area on a cold day will feel significantly colder in the air around the rocks than on normal grass or on wood chips!

[@cooltemperategardeninginca3288]

Fantastic news ❤️

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I think you might be a zone off. Citrus is actually native to Zone 9/10. I personally think Zone 9a/9b is best for citrus, because those zones still get some nights in the 20's, but the cold doesn't last long enough to cause any damage. Most citrus can endure 24F for an hour or two before sunrise. Outside of those 30-year events where they'll dip into the teens...they can cause some damage, causing citrus to be replanted every few decades from those periodic wipeouts. Zone 8a/8b is too cold for almost all citrus to naturally survive. We have to intervene and provide protection in zone 8, unfortunately, and every 20 years or so, we'll get a Zone 7 winter where it'll kill even things we protect. One of the benefits is that citrus has no real pests in Zone 8 because it's so far out of their native range, so that's a huge win. At least cold is predictable! In containers, Zone 8 is pretty good for the reasons you said. The cold stress induces flowering. My pink lemon is starting to flower again. Lemons and limes like Eureka, Meyer and Key are everbearing here, probably due to cold stress. I'm posting a video at 4PM EST today on a new free cold protection method you may enjoy.

[@olsonlr]

4x8' sheets of 2" styrofoam make great big boxes you can cover some things with.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Remember, trees do not generate heat, so any type of cover or wall will basically just block wind and frost. If temperatures drop below freezing, the cover will simply freeze through and provide effectively no protection. You need to enclose some type of heat source: warm lights, a heater, a passive heat source like radiating brick or water barrels, etc. Styrofoam won't do much on its own unless you enclose some type of warmth-radiating source inside.

[@olsonlr]

@@TheMillennialGardener Yes I was just counting on the residual heat in the ground to be enough to give at least a few degrees of protection without additional heat sources. I realize in a deep long freeze it is a vain effort

[@anniehorne6112]

I love this experiment Millennial Gardener! I have been experimenting with citrus as well and I am in zone 7b, just west of Atlanta, GA. We get freezing weather as well, but I have had a lot of success on the south-facing side of my home as well as on the west. (we have large tree canopies protecting the severity of wind gusts along the westside) This fall, I constructed a green house and put all my young container citrus trees in it, all except three. I have owned a Owari citrus bush for the last 5 years that a friend gave me from seed. I don't know how long it is going to take for this bush to produce fruit, but it hung in there on the west side of my yard near my house successfully, for the last 5 years. It is now in ground, growing beautifully, but still no fruit. Since last year, I have acquired 8 more citrus trees. I have a brown select, Miho, Sweet Tangerine, A grafted Owari, Golden Nugget, California Honey Murcott, 1 Keylime bush, and 3 Meyer Lemon bushes. The keylime was also given to me by the same friend 5 years ago. Anyway, I have been waiting for this video and I look forward to your 2021 harvest from your Owari satsuma tree. We have a wonderful and productive citrus environment here in Georgia. It's called "Georgia Grown Citrus" and this is where I have purchased the satsuma's from, at a reasonable price. The Lady in charge explained to me that we have to have the right rootstock to have success with the survival of citrus in our neck of the woods. Anyway, I have written long enough. I just want to encourage you to keep up the good work. I look forward to your experiment as I will continue with my experiments with my citrus plants as well. I intend to place bricks around the citrus that I have put inground as well. Thanks so much for that video! We all know that prices are going through the roof and all of these things that we are doing are well worth the effort. Take care!

[@kb1236]

Hi Annie, I am just south of Atlanta in zone 8a and I purchased 2 trees from Georgia Grown Citrus this year. I am taking them in this winter but hope to try putting one in the ground next year. I don't have an area close to my house with enough sun so I'm still trying to figure out where best to place them. I have placed stones around tender plants before and it really does help. I have the Frost Owari Satsuma Tree & Early St. Ann Tree.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

That's great to hear your citrus are doing well in-ground. The seed-grown citrus tree should take something like 7-10 years to fruit, so if it's been 5, I would anticipate it to take a few more years. I would expect your new grafted Owari to actually fruit before the seed-grown one. That should fruit within 1-2 years. If you put the Meyer lemon and Key lime in a container somewhere around 5 gallons, they should fruit within 1 year. Once they get rootbound, they'll start flowering (they take longer to fruit in ground because root-binding in a pot speeds them up). I was just on Georgia Grown Citrus, actually looking at their Nippon Orangequat. What I truly want is a Sugar Belle, as they're hardy to Zone 8a/8b when mature. They're *very* hard to find grafted to trifoliate and in stock, though. I am publishing a video today on protecting your citrus trees without electricity, and I think it'll be of interest to you. After a small $25 investment, you can protect them for free moving forward.

[@sylvia10101]

Thank you ever so much for sharing this information about microclimates! Also, your ideas are amazing! 😊👍

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thank you! I really appreciate that, and I’m glad to hear the videos are enjoyable.

[@mse1333]

Hey MG, Mark from Charlotte again. Yesterday we drove down to visit Stan McKinzie , I bought a 3’ owarie satsuma, a 4’ xieshan tangerine, and a 2.5 ‘ veriegated pink lemon (which was in one of those long narrow 4x4x14 containers). Also just ordered 10 #15 containers from your storefront. I plan on potting all in the #15 containers. That seem OK? Of course I’ll be bringing them in and out of the garage thru the winter. The satsuma has lots of flowers due to his warm weather so hopefully I’ll be getting some early fruit. Any recommendations would be appreciated.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Very nice haul. I didn’t know he had variegated pink lemons. He has everything. Probably one of the most diverse collections in the US. The 4x4x14 pots were probably grafts, so it is likely a grafted tree I’m guessing. I just got a Sugar Belle from him in one of those. I like self-watering pots for citrus. I don’t use the #15’s. Citrus is pretty prone to root rot, particularly when young. Walmart sells big ones come EARLY spring, probably around a #7 size. If you use a #15, you need to be VERY careful because the little plant won’t be able to use all that water in a pot that large, so if it gets wet, it’ll stay wet for a long time. I generally recommend incremental up-potting for citrus because of this reason.

[@yanostropicalparadise755]

you can grow citrus in zone 8. plant them around the house right next to it. the heat from the house will allow it to keep warmer in the winter. you can grow any citrus. it will do better then here in tampa because you wont have the citrus greening psyllid.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

It's a little more complicated than that. The north wall won't work since it's too exposed and sunless. The west wall probably won't work, because it won't get enough sun duration to fruit. Your only options are, really, the east and south walls. The east wall could work if you have room, but if that's the side where they stick all your meters and laterals, you're sunk. My east wall has my electric meter, sprinkler system, dryer exhaust, AC compressor and all the other laterals, so I could only place blueberries there. For me, I can only use the south wall, which is only 50% available since the other half is the patio. Remember, you need 8+ hours of direct sunlight a day for them to fruit, so most of your house won't be good for a citrus tree, and you need heavily dwarfing varieties for your foundation.

[@yanostropicalparadise755]

@@TheMillennialGardener when they say you needa specific amount of hours for it to fruit it's a lie. They can get as little as 3 hours of direct sunlight and still fruit. All walls of the house are good the house is what warm the trees because of the heat coming off the walls. Yes more sun is better but it's not as important as they say. Shade all day is a problem. Your north side is the problem in the winter, close to the house would be shade all day.

[@yanostropicalparadise755]

@@TheMillennialGardener you don't need dwarfing rootstock you can prune trees and maintain I do that with all my trees. I find dwarf to be slow growers I prefer the normal rootstock.

[@conniedavidson1807]

I hope this works for you. It will be interesting to follow your progress. Happy Thanksgiving.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I hope so, too 😂 Happy Thanksgiving 🦃

[@justinfiorini3142]

You could grow Loquat, depending on variety they ripen year round.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

The problem with loquat is while the trees are hardy, the flowers are not. Temps of 26F can kill them. Loquat are hit or miss, here. Sometimes, the fruits get destroyed. My neighbor has some. I was thinking about buying quince rootstock and grafting a loquat cutting into it to make a dwarf tree. I don’t want a full sized loquat.

[@yochanontheseeker1942]

Curious on where you put your potted citrus. I’m in same zone, but in PNW Wa. I have a 10’x20’ carport w clear greenhouse cover over it and have framed in a 2nd layer on the inside and trying to heat it a little w garbage bin composts. My Meyer lemon, Navel orange and Tangelo all have fruit on them and I just want to make sure they finish ripening.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Good question. My potted blood orange and red lime simply get relocated up against the south wall of my house. They can take a freeze, so up against the house, they’re safe. If it is going to be 25-28F, I just toss a blanket over them. If it is going to be

[@elizabethscott7660]

They would do better if the fence was brick. I can't see why this experiment won't work. Great idea

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Brick fences aren’t possible in my HOA. They’re all the same style. Also, a brick fence would probably cost $30,000 😂 I am going to use water barrels as a passive heat source. Hopefully, we have a mild winter to help them establish.

[@elizabethscott7660]

@@TheMillennialGardener Certainly wasn't suggesting you build a brick fence😂 The water barrels is a good idea. Anything that will store heat through the day. Even large rocks would work. Good luck with it. I'll follow with interest.

[@debbiehuang6603]

Thank you for this video! I was wondering if you have a kaffir lime? I’m in 8b and debating whether to plant it outside south facing wall, it’s struggling inside in a pot 🥲

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I do not. I have so many plants overall that I can't justify adding a kaffir lime since it's really just used for the leaves. Since I don't cook much Southeast Asian food, it doesn't make sense to me, personally. If it is an important part of your cooking, I would say it's absolutely a must-have. It is cold sensitive, as all limes are, so if you plant it outside, you'll have to be careful. If you have room to add a lime in a container, since this can be kept small, it's a no-brainer. However, if you can't manage a potted tree and you need to plant it in-ground, I suggest looking for a ROOTED CUTTING. Don't buy a grafted tree, because that way, if the tree gets killed back low to the ground in a bad year, it'll grow back true. That's why I planted a rooted cutting Meyer Lemon, here.

[@in_the_village_project]

Nice

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thanks!

[@flowerlightfamilyfarms596]

Have seen LeadFarmer73 also grow citrus in South Carolina. Very inspiring video nonetheless. Thanks for sharing. What is the distance between your brick wall and the trees?

[@TheMillennialGardener]

About 30 inches. They are dwarf trees. You don't want to do this with standard varieties, obviously.

[@amysnipes4245]

Ooh, I love this experiment!! Hoping great success for you. Looking forward to updates.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thank you! It is going to get cold this week, so it’ll be their first true test.

[@cooltemperategardeninginca3288]

I planted three dwarf oranges in the ground a year ago including a Cara Cara , so am very much looking forward to your Cara Cara episode. Thanks for publishing such great videos 🙌

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Australia has a much more moderate climate than we do in the US. I know you can get some snow in Canberra, but -12C here isn’t out of the question. It makes it tough 😔 It’s frustrating to have summers as incredibly hot and humid as we get, but to still have prohibitively cold winters. I bet they’ll thrive for you! But they may need some protection their first year to establish. Thanks for watching!

[@Mark4WorldPeace]

Love the idea!!! Just love it. Splendid Thanksgiving there Dale and Everybuddy

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thank you! Dale is already salivating at his turkey dinner 🦃 Happy Thanksgiving!

[@jtharp9265]

Amazing great 4 you .... I planted 3 peach trees blackberry,blueberry An strawberries this summer but we are in Texas - 8b - 9 zone ....im experimenting trying to get more fingerlings in grow bags - also planted my garlic & sweet onions - short day ... Have a blessed Thanksgiving week .

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Awesome! Do you grow citrus? You're in a good zone for it. Thanks for watching!

[@toddfromflorida]

Either those bushes are very large OR you are a little fella. I need to look into getting some of the satsuma trees that you are growing. those look great.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I’m not very tall, but the container trees are also pretty large. So is my Owari. I’ve since cut my Meyer down in half for the winter, though.

[@CapeFearDragon]

I hope you got everything covered and your lights on, cold weather is here! Did you wrap your banana plants? In Wilmington, I've got a Viente Cohol outside in the ground and two FH1A Goldfingers in my marginally heated greenhouse. I'll find out shortly if I did a good enough job of covering the Viente.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I was able to get my bananas covered. Took about 4 hours on Sunday, but I managed. I do not have any lights on my citrus or avocado, yet. They’ll have to tough it out this first freeze. If we only get the 28/29F forecast, we should be ok.

[@olsonlr]

I'm toying with the idea of digging a notch in the side of my south sloping hill to see if the ground heat could create enough of a microclimate to get the satsumas to survive.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Try it! Not trying has a 100% failure rate. If you give it a shot, you may succeed. With a little planning, chances of success become high!

[@gitatit4046]

We have the Meyers lemon, the Owari Satsuma and the Browns in a greenhouse in zone 8B. We grew the Meyers in the ground a few years and have done fine with it on the south-facing side of the house. So yes they can be grown further north than their ideal area but they do need some help as you say. Glad to see you're enjoying them too and that's great advice on growing them. Thanks.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

They need some help in the winter, but the awesome thing is because we're too far out of their native range, they're virtually pest and disease free. Where warmer climates struggle with pests and disease, we don't get any of that. At least our cold is predictable 😄

[@Nnn_Lofi]

What’s the spacing of your dwarf citrus trees?

[@TheMillennialGardener]

About 4 feet in the rear corner. I'm going to grow them as a very compact hedge.

[@carmellayates2503]

The meywah's skin is super sweet , I had 2 if them at my old house .

[@TheMillennialGardener]

My red lime is a cross between the Meiwa and a Rangpur lime. The rind is like candy. I love eating the skin. The fruit is...ok 😂

[@rickj1135]

Good luck with the citrus experiment, looking forward to updates. Is this corner of your yard where you had your in-ground fig trees growing or is that in a different area. Some day, you should do a full yard tour.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thanks! This is a totally new, cleared area. My nearest fig tree is about 80 feet away. I saved this spot for less hardy trees.

[@lalithasankar5694]

What is the direction of this space where you planted citrus under the canopy? I have a woodland edge in the backyard that is kind of northeast and receives sun from noon till about sunset. Do you think my satsumas would survive in there? In general how many hours of sun do your satsumas receive that have been planted on southeast wall as well as those planted in this canopy area? Thank you for all the information you provide thats immensely helpful. I bought my satsumas from Stan on your recommendation and looking forward to plant them soon in ground. I live in cumming, ga zone 8a

[@kennethlatimer4607]

Really funny with Dale. Stuff here in southern Florida is starting to go. Heirloom tomatoes look pretty good. Spinach, borage, carrots, arugula, cabbage, collards and cauliflower in the ground. Hoping disease and pests will take a break.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Rub it in! It's going to be 28 degrees here tonight for the 4th time in the past 7 days 😂 We've been frequently 15 degrees below average. It's rough. Finally, we have a warming trend coming on Wednesday and we'll be back in the mid-60's where we belong. I'm jealous of your generous dry seasons.

[@martinwhitehurst9893]

Quick question, im close to you, I also am is zone 8a and I was wondering if you could tell me why my lemon tree seedlings have kind of stopped growing? They are about 2inches tall and I have them outside in mostly shaded area.

[@elyserhyne243]

I'm trying Miho Satsuma and a Limequat in zone 7a. We will see what happens!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

In ground? That’s definitely a challenge! But, in a protected microclimate with a little hoop house and a 60 gallon drum of water and some lights...it is doable.

[@elyserhyne243]

@@TheMillennialGardener I put plastic over it, it's against the south side full sun, and I've got a black barrel between them. We will see if it works

[@lsam2513]

Thanks for all the videos, you have been my inspiration to grow Citrus in Charlotte, zone 8a. Growing Owari, Brown Select, Glen Navel and Miho from McKenzie farms.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Are they all in ground? That’s impressive for Charlotte. Are you southeast of the city? I thought the city itself was 7b.

[@ChefCrys01]

I've had a Mei Wa for two years, in 8A, and it is still alive and covered with fruit. It is in a giant pot and last winter, it snowed but we moved it onto the patio next to the house. Hoping to put it in the ground next year. Also have a Meyer Lemon in the ground now. Purchased the green stakes to surround it with then hung uhaul blankets around it. It survived snowmageddon with flying colors.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Where are you located? I’m curious.

[@ChefCrys01]

@@TheMillennialGardener central TX

[@CIB8282]

Good luck with the cara cara, the fruit tastes amazing.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thank you! It is fantastic when it is fresh and ripe.

[@kaitlynndrake4927]

Is there any concern with planting these trees so close to the home? I would love to plant a citrus or to next to my house (1-2 feet away) I want to keep them small… 3-4 feet tall that acts more like a hedge that produces fruit. Located in zone 9b.

[@EETechs]

I found a good auto temperature controller called a thermo cube, model TC-3. It turns on power to its two outlet outputs at 35 degrees and off at 45. Got it on amazon for like $16. Figured I'd let you know so you don't have to turn on the lights yourself on your citrus trees when it gets cold at night in the winter.

[@mikecf1]

It seems like there's more cold hardy citrus options every year. Yuzu and sudachi are very cold tolerant, there's a "ten degree tangerine" out there, and there's a host of poncirus trifoliate hybrids that can handle very low temperatures as well.

[@yolacintia]

"Your house is an amazing radiating heat source" Tell me, I live in Phoenix 🥴

[@TheMillennialGardener]

For you, you’re probably looking for cold spots 😂 Those low lying gullies collect cold air and may make it possible to grow stone fruits in climates like yours, so you use the same theory to find the chill hours.

[@yolacintia]

I have peach, apricot, aprium, pear, plum, and apple. Low chill hours, about 300, and growing delicious fruit. I get the trees locally, from a nursery that grows the rootstock. Also have 5 kinds of citrus, mulberry, 2 kinds of grapes, 3 kinds of figs, pomegranate, and a newly planted passionfruit. My yard is 30 ft x 50 ft and all the space is taken now, I have 4 garden beds (6x3) in the mix. How I wish I could have a yard like yours. We used to live in Pinehurst (the pine barrens) and the soil was very acidic, now in AZ I have the opposite problem. I love your videos, I watch some several times depending on what I need. I will have to re-watch the one about 10 kinds of figs and take notes so I can order some. I'm learning so much. THANK YOU ❤ (My husband blames you for some of my acquisition 😂)

[@bradg9903]

Exciting experiment, and I wish you the best of luck. I'm in zone 9A, and my luck with citrus is not so great. I have grown less cold-hardy varieties and plant in-ground. Everything goes well most years, but every 4 years or so I get a freeze that kills half the trees and severely injures the other half. Your idea of keeping the trees small enough to cover with a tarp is a very good one. Good luck, and keeps us updated on how your experiment goes!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Have you tried growing hardier types? Satsumas should be pretty bulletproof in 9a, and kumquats, some grapefruit like Bloomsweet, and possibly Washington navels should be pretty safe in your zone. As with any Zone, 9a is just an average. Every 5-10 years or so, you’ll have an 8b winter, and every 30 years you’ll have an 8a winter. You always have to monitor the forecast, unfortunately.

[@bradg9903]

@@TheMillennialGardener Thanks for the reply! I think you’re right that my choice of plants has been the biggest issue. I’ll check out the Satsumas. I’ve been growing less cold hardy varieties, especially my favorite Minneola Tangelo. Another problem is when the trees are too big to effectively tarp (mainly grapefruit trees). I’ll be watching your progress and enjoy your great content.

[@billytingen3567]

I watch your videos and you have so graciously shared your knowledge with us about many things. I do appreciate your time and effort in doing so. I know it is no small task. I absolutely love "Adventures With Dale"!! So cleaver and enduring. Best Regards. Happy Holiday!!!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thank you! I'm glad to hear you're enjoying the videos. Especially Dale. I can see what he's everyone's favorite 😅 Happy holidays!

[@bl8680]

I'm in zone 9a and I'm getting that Cara Cara Navel Orange Tree! Your description sounds delicious! Where did you buy yours? Dale is living "the life" like my dogs! 😂

[@kb1236]

They are delicious and I want one

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Cara Cara’s are probably my favorite citrus tree. They aren’t easy to peel like a satsuma, but the taste is incredible. Mine is from Stan McKenzie at McKenzie Farms in Scranton, SC.

[@garybarkley2286]

Dale is so chill he is definitely a good dog you got lucky with him and good luck with the orange 🍊 trees I’ll be watching to see how ya do it have a good nite

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Dale is just the best. I don’t know how anyone can be as good as him. He’s just unbelievable. I can’t explain how good of a dog he is. So much better than any person I’ve ever met, including myself. So kind, empathetic, loyal, and just lives to please. We got beyond lucky.

[@mariap.894]

You have NO idea how I envy you! I'm greener than your trees with envy. I live in zone 10a and can't grow ANY citrus trees here. I'm sick and tired of spending my money in citrus trees, they all are infested with miner leaf beyond rescue 😭😭😭 Maybe in my next life I'll do well. For now, I applaud 👏 you and wish you the best luck and the healthiest Thanksgiving (also for Dale 🐕)🍁🦃🍂🥧

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Have you ever tried using plant jackets? I have some linked in my Amazon Storefront. You can buy jackets that are 0.55oz fabric, which allow 85% light transmission while keeping off pests. You can leave them on 365 days a year.

[@mariap.894]

@@TheMillennialGardener but, won't the trees get burned during the summer? South Florida is very hot and humid during those months, and that's when the pests are the worse! Also, I heard that to get rid off leaf miner you have to treat the tree from the roots with a special insecticide. I had plan to do a hedge of citrus but once one infected, they all got it. So, next year, they'll be gone! 😭 Plus don't forget hurricane season and those jackets might not survive, but I'll check them out. Thank you! 😊 😁👍

[@acidnut]

@@mariap.894 Just spray your citrus trees with Spinosad when you see new growth. Leaf miners only attack new growth. Once the leaf miners attached, there is no going back so you have to spray the new growth before they get to it.

[@mariap.894]

@@acidnut I thank you very much for your kind advice. I'll give that a try before I decide to take them out. Hope I can rescue them. Happy Thanksgiving 😊

[@knucklessg1]

Fantastic information. I have the exact same citrus varieties and a few more that I'm pushing 8A. Have them in containers this year and will be putting them in the green house, but I plan to have them in ground next year with some of the tips you mentioned. Starting with a wind breaking hedge!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Which is your favorite variety? Or can you even choose? It's so hard to choose.

[@knucklessg1]

@@TheMillennialGardener very hard to choose, but the Miho Satsuma Mandarin and the Kumquat were up there on my list. The satsuma was much larger than I expected, juicy, sweet, easy to peel, and seedless! Waiting for my grapefruit and red navel orange to ripen as well. I hope the rest of my citrus get fruit next season as they're all still on their first season.

[@RotorBotanical]

Perfect timing for me. Thanks, I overplanted citrus this fall and am concerned they won't make it. Going to try plastic and heating cables. Look forward to seeing how you protect them this winter.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

These citrus will be protected a little differently than the trees against my house, but this is how I protect the trees against my house: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bGO9fmlnard1msU

[@abc_cba]

Please, do a video on Blood Oranges and the Exotic kinds of Citruses you're growing. Thanks for this awesome video. You're gorgeous, btw ! Sorry, if this sounds weird.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Blood oranges are a later citrus - they ripen in January/February, so they're kind of off on their own. The mandarins ripen in November, which is why they're ideal for my climate. The mandarin's can be harvested before the really rough freezes come in. That's why the Blood oranges must stay in containers. Even though the trees are fairly cold tolerant, the fruit will be destroyed if we get a very hard freeze. I'll be covering my container citrus in a later video this month.

[@johnwquick3616]

Please PM. Reference: Glad to see "OUR" is doing well. Lol 😆

[@EssieScurry]

Where can I buyer dwaf citrus trees grafted on trifoliate

[@elizabethcoronel6139]

Love Dell and love the citrus 🍊 trees. I live in Summerville SC . I moved here 2 years ago and the first year I planted the kumquat tree, a pomelo tree, an orange tree, a lime tree . They are doing good. The kumquat is full of fruit. I already tasted a few and they are delicious.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

You are *very* close to Stan McKenzie. Only about a 90 minute drive. I strongly recommend checking out McKenzie Farms in Scranton, SC. The varieties Stan has will blow you away. He's probably the biggest collector of cold hardy and rare citrus in the US, and his selections will blow you away.

[@elizabethcoronel6139]

@@TheMillennialGardener thank you for the info. I will definitely check it out!😊

[@olsonlr]

Very ambitious. Keep up the inspiring work.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thank you!

[@doggiefamily908]

Love Dale! Following you closely, because I'm in 8a as well, and just got me some nice citrus plants.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Excellent! I'm up to 5 citrus trees in-ground, with a 6th going in this spring.

[@saethman]

Stumbled across the Russian Creeping Citrus Trees Experiment/Technique today - might be something for you to try out. It is basically creating a microclimate by keeping the trees close to the ground (more stable temperature + less wind). Maybe you could combine it with some protection from another tree as well.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I've read about it. The Russians would dig pits and then trellis them along the ground. It was an interesting experiment. I have the PDF somewhere. It's a lot of work to grow them like that, and luckily, I don't need to do so where I live. If you live in a colder climate, you may be able to dig an earthen pit, espalier them along the ground, and then cover them and lock in the ground heat.

[@thaffardabesh1653]

Thanks for the video! Looks great out there. I grow citrus in pots in Michigan. Can you tell me what your fertilizing regimen is like? I fertilize twice a year with a citrus blend. Pots go outside end of may and back inside end of september. Thank you!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I have a complete guide to fertilizing citrus in containers here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/q5m9Z5qpoaeijNk

[@BB-ft6ns]

What’s your fertilizing suggestions for your Satsumas. I have a neighbor with dozens of the Owaris and Brown Select that aren’t doing well due to lack of attention. Some of the Satsumas look diseased.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Every spring, they get a fresh bag of cow manure compost, 1-2 cups of organic 5-5-5, and fresh hardwood mulch. Every season, they get another 1-2 cups of organic 5-5-5. Usually, a few times a year, I'll dump a 5 gallon bucket with MiracleGro All Purpose 24-8-16 for a boost. Building the soil with regular amendments of compost and keeping a constant 3-4 inches of natural mulch on top is key. Mulch layers mean everything to fruit trees.

[@astroAl76]

Great experiment, but your all-time best is still hand-pollinating your fig trees! Since all Christmas tree lights now seem to be LED, will they still provide the needed warmth? Can't seem to find any of the old incandescent.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

It's still really easy to find incandescent Christmas lights. Lowe's and Home Depot are both selling the old C9 incandescent lights for about $9.99 a strand. Walmart is also selling the 100-light mini-strands of incandescent's for $2.99. I just bought 4 boxes of the mini-lights to have on hand. They're in the box with red lettering, not the blue box. The blue lettering are LED's. LED's will not provide warmth. You can also go to Dollar Tree or Dollar General. They all sell the incandescent's. Lowe's had them, too, in GE brand. They were more money and on the "other side" of the aisle. They put the LED's in front and the incandescents off to the side. These are what I use to provide a lot of heat and they're great: www.lowes.com/pd/Holiday-Living-25-Count-25-ft-Clear-White-Incandescent-Plug-In-Christmas-String-Lights/1003276170

[@shaysummers3520]

love your zone pushing!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thank you!

[@jeffreydustin5303]

Key question: why do trees die from cold? Is it damage to the trunk and branches, root freeze, or all of the above? It seems to me, my fig trees get cold damage to their branch tips but shrug it off and continue growing in spring just fine. Sap tends to store back in the roots during winter dormancy, so maybe if we focus on keeping the root system well insulated, that might be a way to grow warmer season trees by at least 1 zone south.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

The reason why cold injury occurs is due to the freeze-thaw cycle. Plant cell walls burst upon freeze, because water is one of the few substances on Earth that expands when frozen. Usually, when liquids transform into solids, their molecules pack closer together and they shrink in volume, but water expands. That's literally the reason - transformation of the water inside plant's cells expand and they burst, then they die. Some plants have evolved mechanisms to mitigate the effects of the freeze cycle, like deciduous trees. Sap migrates to the roots underground where it is warm, and the trees literally dry out on the way to winter so when things freeze, they are less likely to have a rupture. Of course, plants have only evolved so many mitigation efforts (many more than I can list - I'm just being general), and they all have their breaking points. But, this is why once trees awake from dormancy, they become just as tender and susceptible to freeze damage as a tropical. If an apple tree got hit with some random freeze in the middle of July in a temperate zone, it would suffer damage similar to a mango tree getting hit by a freeze.

[@mariap.894]

Hey, sorry to bother you, but how can I direct message you. I'd like to buy something in your store front but not sure how. Could you help me, please?

[@TheMillennialGardener]

The Amazon Storefront link is in the video description. If you're on a desktop/laptop, click SHOW MORE under the video, or if you're on your phone, click the little down arrow on your phone to the right of the title under the video. It's the first link in the description. You'll find everything linked there.

[@ThymeToGrow555]

Hi. We are subscribers and new KZbinrs! We are about to upload a citrus video where we talk about the citrus we are growing in Zone 8a. Your videos have been extremely helpful and we are going to give you a shout out in our citrus video which is coming soon!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thank you! I appreciate that. I'm glad you're enjoying the videos!

[@ThymeToGrow555]

@@TheMillennialGardener we appreciate your support and feedback on our new channel. Godspeed to you! ☺️

[@tamilyn718]

what do you think about growing citrus in the front of your house? The front of my house gets so much sun in the summer it is unreal! My front door is usually scorching it's so sunny and hot. I have a sunny south side like you do and I plan on growing citrus on the side, but I'm thinking of growing something in the front too :)

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Absolutely. There is no reason why you couldn't. However, I *would* recommend you grow dwarf citrus varieties. Ensure they are grafted onto either Trifoliate rootstock or Flying Dragon rootstock. This is critical, because citrus trees on standard rootstock can grow to be 20-30 feet tall and will have vigorous roots that can damage your home. Trifoliate and Flying Dragon rootstock will keep the trees around 5-7 feet tall with pruning and have small, less invasive roots. Two exceptions to this are Meyer Lemon and Key Lime. They are naturally dwarfing bushes, so you can get rooted cuttings of those trees. That's what I did, because they naturally stay compact. This will be a good read for you: briteleaf.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/HS-884-Introduction.pdf

[@howseanhappened8869]

I have a grandma in zone 8a that has 3 orange trees that’s been grown in ground from seed, they are about 10ft+ with thick trunks. This has inspired me to grow my very own citrus trees at home.

[@hozoraelahy6102]

Ohh Dr. Take it 😘

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thanks for watching!

[@jeffreydustin5303]

I have a Meyer lemon on the south wall. It fruited for the first time this winter. So looking forward to lemons!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Mine are ripening now. Meyer fruits quickly. You should have your first lemon about 2 years after planting.

[@MakePeace123]

What are your sweetest citrus varieties

[@raym8158]

I like the way you approach gardening from a scientific, engineering angle. I have a question about your "10 Top Figs" video. I was surprised when Violette de Bordeaux fig did not make the top 10. What happened? I thought this was one of your favorite figs. Keep up the good work!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Well, I am an electrical engineer 😂 I can't help it. My brain is just wired funny. VdB has never once had a good season where I live. It is extremely prone to splitting and best damage. Ronde de Bordeaux has nearly identical flavor, but it is much earlier, ripens perfectly and is much more resistant to pests. RdB beats VdB in every way in my area.

[@raym8158]

@The Millennial Gardener Thank you for the warning about VdB! I was planning on growing it, but now I'm reconsidering since I live on the central NJ coast...my climate may be somewhat cooler than yours, but we get plenty of rain here. Turns out that I was able to score some RdB, I-258, and Smith fig cuttings from Off the Beaten Path Nursery based on your recommendations, so thanks again. BTW, it's not a bad thing to think like an engineer. I approach things the same way and it has generally served me well. Oh and I also have a Meiwa kumquat and Meyer lemon, but this time of year they live under the grow light in my house.

[@lonnieclifton3883]

Very smart Lonnie in Boiling Spring Lakes North Carolina

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thank you! You're only about 20 mins from me, so you can grow these things, too. At the very least, an Owari satsuma will thrive for you in a sheltered location.

[@Nico-lv5pw]

Im doing this Experiment in Germany (Main Tauber Kreis) thanks vore the insperiton I also grew a Mygawa Satsuma secsusfully at my place

[@TheMillennialGardener]

That’s amazing. Do you protect them?

[@Nico-lv5pw]

@@TheMillennialGardener yes but wieht out Crismas light Its Satsuma Mygawa

[@rexmonarch2]

Hey. Do you get 'leafminers' on your citrus? If you do, what do you do to control it. I removed all the affected leaves on a Ponderosa lemon and a Persian lime -- and sprayed with neem. Dang. So many bugs and so much fungus in 10b.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Yes, on occasion. They're the only insect pest my trees get. Neem, in my experience, is "snake oil." Totally ineffective at virtually everything. You need to use a real insecticide. Pyrethrin will work. Remove the infected leaves and either burn them or dispose of them in a tied up bag. Apply the pyrethrin once every 7 days at sunset for 3-4 weeks to ensure you break the cycle of reproduction. I have pyrethrin linked in my Amazon Storefront. This video may help some: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eYfLZ4eImLiKepI

[@rexmonarch2]

@@TheMillennialGardener Actually, i used PyGanic pyrethrin. I wasn't sure how strict you are about chemicals. I agree about neem oil. I tried to use it for flea beetles, bean beetles, harlequin bugs, Japanese beetles and it's a joke. Pyrethrin works. But I may try neem cake for nematodes. And thanks for the heads-up about spraying in the evening so I don't burn the leaves. I lucked out this time because I freaked-out and I sprayed in the morning -- luckily the leaves didn't burn. Anyway, how do I get to your Amazon storefront?

[@FosterFarmsOk]

thats great! I have a 20' citrus row here in Oklahoma with 5 different varieties. Meyer lemon is about to give us 40+ pounds of fruit. I cover mine with frost cloth and heat with C9 christmas lights. If i can do it here you certainly can

[@TheMillennialGardener]

YES! I LOVE hearing this. Fantastic! Did they survive last February? I know you guys hit around 0F with that crazy February freeze.

[@FosterFarmsOk]

@@TheMillennialGardener Yes sir!. I had to add extra heat and more covering but they made it. I'll try and send you a current picture. I'm about to harvest 30 to 40 lb of Meyer lemons. Tagged you on Instagram.

[@brooksc900]

Great video, thanks. Do you ever have a pear tree? The like a south facing wall. Survived snow in England.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I have a grafted Asian pear tree on order. I expect to receive it in February. I have never grown a pear before.

[@brooksc900]

@@TheMillennialGardenerEnjoy. I like Concorde as great all rounder pear but it's a mid-season compared to a Beth as an early or a Winter Nelis is as the name suggests. On a trellis, Conference or Concorde do well in the UK. Have fun, and thanks for your show. Keep doing what you're doing. Understand, Perry pears are regaining popularity for those brewing their own alcoholic drinks. Known as a Perry rather than a wine, (Pyrus Communis). Pear Cider has been made for thousands of years.

[@elizabethcoronel6139]

Love ❤️

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thank you!

[@itsasickness4939]

Great video! I’m pushing the limit with a Key Lime in my 9 A/B yard. South wall of my cinder block shed. 🙏🏼 I went with a cutting grown tree so if it gets hit maybe it will regrow from the base. I do have a grafted backup in a pot if it fails. I don’t think you have any worries with the Browns Select, even the Kumquat should be OK. Mine handled 18deg f in February with no protection. I have a new Cara Cara in a pot that’s going in my orchard in the spring, I think I’m gonna give her a somewhat sheltered spot just to be safe. Soooo delicious!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Once they establish, they will be a lot hardier. The first year or two, they're pretty susceptible, though. My Owari is now pretty stout, but it's gone a full 3 years in-ground. That kumquat can get wiped out since it's so puny, and I didn't pull the fruits off like I should have. I came up with a PERFECT free passive protection system, though. We got down to 25.3f the other night and it stayed over 35F at those citrus trees. Amazing. I'm going to have a full video on my new method next week. I'm so excited about it.

[@47nodoubt]

Bruh seeded fruit is what you need, your crazy as hell

[@TheMillennialGardener]

All citrus have seeds, including the "seedless" citrus. Most Owari satsumas are seedless, but about 1/3 of the crop will have 3 seeds in the fruits.

[@Fabdanc]

Could you try experimenting with a loquat? I think those are pretty cold hardy, but unsure about whether it's worth it for the fruit. I am in Houston, and the hard freeze got a fair amount of citrus... But I saw a loquat that took some pretty bad damage, but it survived.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Loquat wood is hardier than virtually any variety of citrus sans deciduous citrus like Trifoliate Orange/Flying Dragon. Loquats are hardy to Zone 7, and loquat trees are no challenge to grow where I live. They're all over the place here, and they're a very commonly planted landscape tree in my neighborhood because they "only" grow to be around 15-20 feet tall and they're evergreen all year long, so they always look good and sort of "tropical." The problem with loquat are the flowers are only hardy to around 26F, so while the tree can survive with no issues, it's difficult to fruit them here since the flowers are often killed during the winter. My neighbor is from Sicily and has some seed-grown loquats all over his yard, but they haven't fruited yet. I'm waiting to see if any of them can handle the climate and can fruit here, and if they do, I'd like to get Quince rootstock and graft loquat wood onto it. Quince will accept loquat wood and will dwarf them to only around 5-6 feet.

[@Fabdanc]

@@TheMillennialGardener interesting! And you're totally right. I live in Houston and the loquats usually bloom around this time... Nice for my runs when I get to smell their flowers!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I imagine Houston winters often will work for Loquat. I know you guys get slammed some years (like last years), but loquat probably do well in the mild winters.

[@mattmcghee1137]

stan at Mckensie farms is amazing and hershell at Madison citrus nursey, top notch trees

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Stan is the best. I think he may be the #1 collector of rare cold hardy citrus in the entire country.

[@mattmcghee1137]

@@TheMillennialGardener probably tied

[@TheNCGardener]

I just pulled a couple of my Owari Satsuma this week. They are really small but this is the first year it has born fruit and it is in a pot. There are about 20 fruits. I was wanting to try a Brown so this is something that I will be following closely.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

20 fruits is probably too much for a tree to handle its first fruiting year. That is why they're so small, most likely. Next year, you are going to want to thin them. This video may help you, because I got bit because I didn't thin properly: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eojYY3iHjbuNqtE

[@joolsmonash9855]

Ha ha of course you're not going to only have one!! Awesome video as usual!!! I'm currently trying to grow a Meyer Lemon, a Mandarine and a navel orange in pots, organically. Although it doesn't usually snow here in Ballarat, it gets very cold, so I appreciate this video, thanks so much!!! Nighty night Dale.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Is that Ballarat, Australia, around Melbourne? I know citrus grows well in Melbourne and Adelaide, but with you being more inland, is it more frost-prone? So much of Australia is a paradise for figs and citrus, outside of the tropics.

[@joolsmonash9855]

@@TheMillennialGardener Hi Dale's Dad........Yes, I moved from Melbourne to Ballarat, Victoria, Australia, just over 2 years ago. Takes about an hour or so to get back to CBD. Ballarat has a level of shiver in winter that's icier than Melbourne, although has only snowed lightly once since I've been here. And yes, very frosty in winter. I love your information, although I'm totally organic.....I'm trying to grow 2 figs in pots and 1 in ground. They've been slow to take off. The wind here is damaging. But I have lots of tiny oranges and lemons forming......so exciting....but not a fig in sight!!! but I persevere! Your videos are always so encouraging, and so well presented. Very much appreciate all of them.

[@pralta4939]

i was preparing my own citrus trees for winter in 8b. you are always on time

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I usually just film what I’m doing, so I let the calendar dictate the content 😊