Does anyone have a tangerine-tree indoors?

[Rub]

I wonder if someone has planted a tangerine-tree indoors. Which seeds did you use? How did you plant it?

 

[gata montes]

I wonder if someone has planted a tangerine-tree indoors. Which seeds did you use? How did you plant it?

Hi Rub and in answer to your question - apart from the fact that its highly unlikely that a citrus tree would bear fruit if grown indoors and even less likely a tangerine - as although a Meyer Lemon or a Calamondin Orange may - if given time outside during the spring and summer months - oranges, mandarins, tangerines and clementines very definitely won't bear fruit if grown indoors.

Although it is possible to grow some fruit trees from seed - I have to say that trying to grow a fruit tree from seed is not exactly the best way of acquiring one or that successful either - unless of course you are wanting to grow a fruit tree purely for its ornamental value - for the simple reason that not all varieties of fruit come true from seed and apart from the length of time it takes for a tree to reach maturity - you will often land up with a weak and diseased specimen - that may or may not resemble the mother plant - as well as one that rarely if ever bears fruit and if it did - you would probably wish it hadn't - as the fruit is very unlikely to taste anything like you were expecting.

Which is why the majority of fruit tree regardless of variety are not grown from seed - but grown as grafted trees - mainly because they generally take a less time to mature and also because the grafting helps to ensure that the tree will be virtually pest and disease free, as well as being an abundant cropper of sweet tasting fruit.

 

[globulon]

Thanks for the comprehensive reply, that was really informative. In the future, I'd like to start up some fruit-bearing trees as well and you mentioned it is best from a graft. Asides from buying a young tree from a nursery, how would you suggest getting samples from other trees? I'm guessing a nursery would still be the best bet to ask, or perhaps orchards?

 

[Rub]

Thanks a lot! Then I guess the tangerine-tree was a bad idea. I have a little baby, he's almost 1 year old therefore I want to have some plants indoors to show him something green while there's a winter outside. Do you have any ideas?

 

[Smartmom]

I am not even sure if we can grow these in Georgia. I have never seen an orange tree or any other citrus tree here. The first I say an orange or lemon tree was in Los Angeles. I mean I was so amazed.