How to Grow a Clementine Tree in Your House

Clementine tangerines are easy to peel.

Imagine a compact, glossy-leaved evergreen tree ornamented with fragrant white flowers in spring, and orange-red, delicious fruits from November to May. Grow a clementine tangerine tree as a potted plant in your home and make this image a reality. The clementine's smaller stature, from 10 to 12 feet under orchard situations, makes it easier to grow as a container plant, especially if it is grafted to dwarfing root stock. Clementines tolerate cooler temperatures than other citrus plants, so they will set fruit under indoor conditions. Trees are relatively thornless, an advantage for container growing.

Things You'll Need

• 5-gallon nursery container
• Soilless potting mix
• Water
• Citrus fertilizer
• Pruning shears
• 7-gallon nursery container
• 10-gallon nursery container
• 15-gallon nursery container (optional)

Instructions

Planting

1. Purchase a clementine tree, preferably a dwarf type.

2. Put potting mix into the 5-gallon container to fill it one-third full. Place the clementine tree into the 5-gallon pot, estimating where the rootball needs to rest to bring the grafted area of the trunk above the soil line. Hold the tree at that height and fill in around the rootball, firming soil around the roots gently as you go.

3. Leave a 2-inch space between the top of the soil and the top of the 5-gallon pot. Firm the soil down with your hands, adding more if necessary, but don't cover the grafted area. Water the plant thoroughly, filling the pot until water runs freely through the bottom drain holes.

4. Place the pot in an area where the plant gets morning sunlight and partial sunlight for the rest of the day. Check the moisture of the soil every few days. Water the plant when the top inch of soil is dry.

Maintenance

1. Fertilize the tree after it has become established, generally at approximately 3 months. Use a citrus fertilizer and follow directions for application. Continue fertilizing the tree twice per year in spring and summer.

2. Water the tree as needed, watering thoroughly each time. Feel the soil a few days after watering to make sure the soil is not too dry or soggy. Let the soil dry out partially between waterings, with the top 2 inches of dirt feeling dry for established plants.

3. Repot the tree as the root ball grows to fill the 5-gallon container. Give the plant the next largest pot size. Shift the plant to a 7-gallon container, then a 10-gallon container, and finally a 15-gallon container.

4. Rotate the plant in its pot for a quarter turn each week so it will not grow in a lopsided manner; this is especially important if there is only one source of light from the side.

5. Prune the tree as it grows to keep it within the desired size limitations for your space. Wait until after the fruit is harvested to cut the plant back.

Tips & Warnings

• If using decorative pots, make sure there are drainage holes in the bottom.

• Consider supplementing heat and light if you live in a short summer season area.

• Citrus trees require a long growing season to set and ripen fruits properly.

• Don't prune the tree when it is developing flower buds.

• Don't let water stand in the saucer under the pot. Empty the extra water from the saucer after watering the tree.

References

• USDA Healthymeals: Clementines Fact Sheet
• Urban Harvest: Tangerines, Mandarins, and Satsumas
• University of California Riverside Citrus Variety Collection: Algerian clementine
• Purdue University: Mandarin Orange