Too late to plant a hardy orange tree out?

I know it may be a bit late and spring would be better-but I have nowhere to overwinter it anyway so it would be outside in it's pot.I'm in Kent my garden is fairly sheltered and south facing.I have a fleece for it and plenty of mulch-shall I risk it? It is hardy to -8 apparently.

 

Errr minus 8 ??????

What kind of orange is that?

I want one.:D

Only really hardy orange I know of is Poncirus trifoliata, a very prickly shrub.

If you put the pot close to a house wall that gets winter sun and wrap it in fleece it might make it.
Most depends on how severe the weather gets this winter.

 

Just checked the details again online which is where I got them from and it says hardy to minus 5-name is Navelina Orange and Eureka lemon-I have both.I haven't had any fruit on them mind you. can't put them by a house wall as I'm in a first floor flat-there is a balcony but it can get a bit windy and my Bay tree really suffered in the winter.

 

Regarding hardiness of citrus plants.
Just my thoughts but, I tend to think the stated min temperatures are for adult established plants on a sporadic basis, and probably with reasonably high daytime temps.

A week of minus five with day temps only barely reaching zero, would, I think, finish most off.
If not total death then badly damaged and unlikely to make a recovery in time for the following winter.

I'm pretty sure Bay is much hardier than citrus.

 

Dear Patsy, you have pretty much said it all already. To overwinter safely you should have put it out quite a while ago to harden off, now is going to be a risk. However you seem to have thought it through, give it plenty of late sun and TLC with the fleece. If things go bad, as last year, move it into the garage (for no more than 1 week). I know it seems odd but also make sure it does'nt dry out too much, keep it just moist.

 

I doubt very much it is really hardy to -5 certainly not a British winter -5. Keep it in a pot and bring into a conservatory or porch for winter.

 

So what you are all saying is it will always have to be in a pot? Pity as that's not what I wanted-I had always planned to plant it in the garden.I don't like to have too many pots as I'm away a lot and can't keep asking friends/neighbours. I might risk putting it in the ground and if it dies so be it.

 

I would never chance a Citrus outside in winter, Meyer's Lemon maybe an exception, but another winter like the last would likely finish them off or at least cause so much damage that they wouldn't recover.

 

This is an interesting thread because i've overheard garden centre staff telling buyers of olive and orange that the trees (standards) will withstand up to minus 5 temps.
I wanted to butt into their conversations each time but thought best not
Not good though, eh ?

 

I once had an argument with the manager at Notcutts garden centre regarding plants that they were selling mid summer saying things like , "some winter protection might be required in cooler areas".

Most were succulents that didn't really stand a chance in a normal winter.

Having said that I find Olive to be much hardier than was once thought, and definitely hardier than any Citrus.

 

It was you who told me to bring my Olive tree in last winter wasn't it Pete?

The pot was frozen solid as the weather changed while I was away, Willow brought him in & he's doing fine now.