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Winter Care For Your Indoor Fruit Tree
If you own an indoor fruit tree, you'll be interested in knowing that your tree actually requires more care in the colder months than warmer months. Although this preparatory care isn't very time consuming, it's important for the health and growth cycle of your tree come spring and summer. Indoor fruit trees almost always grow more slowly during the cold months, and while that's nothing to worry about, there are a few tips that'll help your tree grow and thrive through the winter cycle.
If you own an indoor fruit tree, you’ll be interested in knowing that your tree actually requires more care in the colder months than warmer months. Although this preparatory care isn’t very time consuming, it’s important for the health and growth cycle of your tree come spring and summer. Indoor fruit trees almost always grow more slowly during the cold months, and while that’s nothing to worry about, there are a few tips that’ll help your tree grow and thrive through the winter cycle.
Watch For Pests
Most experienced gardeners know that winter is often the best time to help eliminate pests that feast on their plants come spring and summer. With an indoor fruit tree, it works exactly the same way. The old adage definitely applies - an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Pests can unfortunately thrive in a warm home just as they do outside in summer months. Some specific fruit tree pests to look for are spider mites and vinegar flies.
Spider mites are extremely small and can’t really be seen with the naked eye. They’re quite prolific and can cause quite a bit of damage, including yellowing leaves and other abnormalities. If you suspect spider mite damage, use a horticultural oil or a citrus oil based product, both of which are effective when sprayed on the leaves.
Vinegar flies are fairly common around any decaying matter, especially anything fermenting. Swarms may cause some damage to your tree, so it’s best to remove any dead fallen leaves, fruit which may have split, or dead wood. Also, to prevent vinegar flies, it’s best to avoid excess watering, which causes overly moist soil.
How To Water During Winter Months
The best time to water your indoor fruit tree is when the soil is completely dry, with no moistness at all. While this sounds almost too basic, it’s worth mentioning as many people tend to over water these trees. In winter, indoor fruit trees have a somewhat slower growth cycle and may need less watering. However, there’s no universal answer - you’ll have to check soil conditions and get a feel for how much water the tree needs. Typically, every week to 10 days is sufficient, assuming proper drainage conditions.
Additional Care Tips
There are just a few other tips to help your indoor fruit tree survive and thrive during the winter. First, make sure to remove any blooms which are wilting or brown. Next, prune any dead branches or stems. Finally, do your absolute best to keep the container temperature at or above 65 degrees. Sometimes rooms get colder than you think, and soil tempertures in containers are usually 10 degrees lower than air temperatures. There’s nothing wrong with using slightly warm water to help raise the soil temperature, if necessary.
With just a little care, your indoor fruit tree will happily exist during winter, and be ready for a vibrant, thriving spring and summer. Monitor the condition of your tree, and be sure to treat any condition that may occur. Caring for your tree in the winter is critical for a healthy, productive tree bearing you generous fruit for years to come.