Grow Citrus Fruit

Growing and Caring

Citrus plants offer a fabulous variety of fruit color and texture, and many of these beautiful plants can be grown fairly easily. Some may survive the winter outdoors in milder areas, but they grow best with a little protection.

Citrus plants need plenty of water during spring and summer, less during winter. Use rainwater where possible, particularly in hard-water areas. Feed with a specially formulated citrus fertilizer throughout the growing season. Indoors, mist daily with rainwater to keep humidity high and to help ward off spider mites. A little warmth in late winter and spring will encourage the citrus to flower, and then, hopefully, fruit.

Calamondin orange (Image 1), is a kumquat–orange hybrid, and is one of the easiest citrus to grow indoors. It produces scented flowers all year round and has sour fruit.

Kaffir lime (Image 2), is most often grown for its fragrant leaves, an essential ingredient in Thai cooking, but it also bears knobbly, very sour fruit.

Key lime (Image 3), with its thin skin and delicious flavor, is the lime commonly used to make daiquiris and margaritas.

Kumquat (Image 4), is one of the most attractive and easiest of all citrus to grow. It flowers in summer.