Orange (Container Grown) Growing Guide

Citrus sinensis

Orange (Container Grown)

Crop Rotation Group

Miscellaneous ●

Soil

Warm, moist soil, well-enriched with organic matter. Oranges grafted onto a dwarfing rootstock may be grown in containers.

Position

Full sun.

Frost tolerant

No. Grow at temperatures above 7°C (45°F).

Feeding

In spring and summer, feed with a balanced organic fertiliser. Yellowing leaves indicate a need for more nitrogen.

Companions

Oranges and other citrus are heavy feeders that resent close company, so companion plants have to be planted a little way away.

Spacing

Single Plants: 60cm (1' 11") each way (minimum)
Rows: 60cm (1' 11") with 60cm (1' 11") row gap (minimum)

Sow and Plant

Set out new plants in spring. Grow in containers of rich compost to keep plants compact and to make it easy to move plants. Good drainage is essential. Start small plants in containers at least 30cm (1ft) wide and pot them up a size yearly until they reach mature size.
Our Garden Planner can produce a personalized calendar of when to sow, plant and harvest for your area.

Notes

Prune in spring or summer to shape plants, and watch for thorns. Very sweet oranges need a long season of warm weather, but kumquats, calamondin oranges and satsumas fruit well in marginal areas or when grown in containers.

Harvesting

Pick when richly coloured and fully ripe. Picking can continue for several weeks as fruits do not ripen all at once.

Troubleshooting

Soft soap sprays can help against scale insects. In Australia fruit fly are a pest of oranges, make sure to take appropriate control measures in areas where they are present. It is important to dispose of any infected fruit and fruit has fallen to the ground by placing them in a sealed plastic bag in the sun for at least 7 days to kill the eggs and larvae. Do not compost fruit as this will lead to the fruit fly completing their life cycle and lead to the problem recurring.

Planting and Harvesting Calendar

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Pests which Affect Orange (Container Grown)