Overwintering Lemon

I really wasn't certain which section to put this query in :cnfs:. It could easily go in the 'Greenhouse', 'Tropical', or 'Edible' threads, but I wimped out and stuck it in 'General' instead!:hehe:

I have a lemon tree (citrus) which is about 2' in height. Last winter it was kept in our dining area in the house, and thrived well, the main problem being that it took up much needed space. It has spent the summer outside and now as the temperature drops I need to move it back inside again.

Would it be possible to overwinter my Lemon in my (unheated) greenhouse? Is it hardy enough? It would save me a lot of limbo dancing around my dining room all winter!! :D

 

Hmm.. It might be OK and then again if we have another hard winter...

We bought a lemon and an orange tree on-line last year, which were supposed to be hardy and despite covering them with the recommended "tree cosies" and placing them up against the back wall of our house which is south facing. I also raised the pots off the patio slightly and wrapped them in bubblewrap..... they both died. But then it was a very hard winter.
After a bit a bit of a battle, we actually got them replaced, so this year they're going in the "rabbit shed" which as it backs on to my koi pool filter room, will always be a few degrees above ambiant.

Digressing, we also bought half a dozen large ceramic pots from a garden centre advertised as "frost resistant" the rims of half of them "blasted out." I took some photos as I wasn't prepared to remove the plants in them and lug the pots back.

Again a bit of resistance.

"They're only frost resistant sir."

"You mean, they might resist or they might not?
What's that supposed to mean?"
Well, three did and three didn't, so I want replacements."

I got them replaced.

 

As Doghouse says, risking things just a bit.
The truth is it will be OK in an unheated greenhouse for 90% of the winter, but it only takes one really cold night to kill it.

So its not easy to say, but in general I'd say it needs to be cool but frost free.

 

Thanks for the advice. Hmmmmm.........do I take a risk or not??? I obviously don't want to lose my plant, but it becomes frustrating after the first couple of weeks of careful manouvering around it in the house.

Doghouse Riley, you mention your 'rabbit shed'. We own a 'goat house' which is basically a stone built out-building with a couple of windows in. Do you think that might be more suitable if I pop a 'tree jacket 'on?

 

First let me explain the "rabbit shed" hasn't seen a rabbit in twenty years, it's where our daughter, as a child kept her rabbits, so it's still called that.

Do you have goats?

It certainly will stand a better chance in there out of the wind. If you cover it with a "tree cosy" and the pot with bubblewrap and keep it off of a stone floor, you'll be doing all you can.


I might even put both the lemon and orange trees in my tea-house. As I keep a 40watt bulb in the bottom of both my jukeboxes which come on every evening on a timer to provide a little heat to keep them free from damp, they might be better off in there.

 

Dupilicate post.

 

I'm interested to hear what you said Doghouse, as I "installed" a lemon in a pot on a client's roof terrace in north London but at 2.5 metres tall it will be too big to go indoors for the winter. I'm hoping that as the temperature in London which is generally 2 degrees or so warmer than elsewhere, it will survive if sufficiently wrapped. But, if the winter is as hard as the last one, I wonder if I should be more concerned.

Any thoughts, or any suggestions for ensuring its survivial?:cnfs:

Chris

 

We were given an Orange and Lemon tree for the patio and I was wondering the best place to over Winter them also. I lost many pot plants and a beautiful Bay too last Winter. Would the spare bedroom on a low heat be good?

 

Keep it out of the wind and up against a south facing wall if possible that may give off some heat. If it's a flat roof I'd not put the pot up on bricks if there were chance of some heat coming up from below.
Cover the pot and the soil above it with bubblewrap wound round.
Cover the foliage with a "plant cosy" and keep your fingers crossed, but don't let it dry out.

 

Thank you Doghouse. Unfortunately the only wall is north facing but it's fairly sheltered. As the terrace is above the kitchen there should be a little bit of heat rising so I'll advise doing what you've suggested. And keep my fingers crossed for a more benign winter!:gnthb:

Chris

 

We've a few mini citrus that spent last (horrible) winter in the unheated, bubble wrapped, lean-to GH and they survived just fine.