Did you know that growing blueberries in containers is one of the easiest ways to expand your edible garden without using valuable backyard real estate? That’s right! With a little preparation and patience, you can be enjoying delicious, farm-fresh, berries straight from the bush, no matter how much space you have! Blueberries are notorious for their vitamin C and E packed fruit and have become a widely popular addition to backyards everywhere! However, you absolutely must make sure you’re setting yourself up for success and picking bushes that are best for your area. The wrong kind of blueberry bush can leave you wondering why you aren’t getting much fruit, or why it doesn’t fare as well in the colder months. Best Blueberry Bushes for Your Area If your fortunate enough to live in a warmer region that doesn’t get long, frigid, winters, you might want a Southern Highbush like Sunshine Blue (Vaccinium corymbosum ‘Sunshine Blue’). This variety doesn’t need as many chill hours and it’ll still produce an abundant harvest! Brightwell (Vaccinium virgatum ‘Brightwell’) is another popular warmth-loving variety. This Rabbiteye grows best in zones 6-9 and will give you so many berries each year that you might even consider sharing a few! Of course, if you live in the northern part of the country, you can’t go wrong with Bluecrop (Vaccinium ‘Bluecrop’). Widely accepted as the most popular blueberry, this Northern Highbush produces flavorful, plump berries that are sure to please your palate! Hoping for a plant that’ll give you plenty of berries while also being extremely decorative? It sounds like BrazelBerries® Pink Icing™ Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum 'ZF06-079') is exactly what you’ll want. This Northern Highbush has lush pink spring foliage that’ll fade to a deep blue-green over the course of the growing season. Its berries are nothing short of delightful as well! Putting the ‘Container’ in Container Gardening There’s a lot of conflicting information out there about what size your container should be. The fact of the matter is, as far as blueberries are concerned, there’s no such thing as “too big” for the plant.  Now, there is such a thing as too small, and that can be a problem. We suggest starting with at least an 18-inch deep container to give your plant roots some room to grow.  You’ll also want to make sure that whatever container you choose has drainage holes. The same rules apply to blueberry bushes as most other plants, poor drainage, and constantly soggy feet can wreak serious havoc and leave you with an unhappy plant. Terra cotta pots are always a good option, but, quite frankly, as long as the container has drainage holes, you’re free to get as creative as you’d like. You could even pick up a five-gallon bucket at the local store, drill some holes, and call it good.  Soil Selection is Paramount Now, this is where you’ll want to follow directions closely, as this acid-loving plant can be pretty picky about it’s living conditions. The most critical being soil pH. Berry production depends on the pH of the soil to be between 4.5 and 5.0.  There are a couple of ways to create the best soil for your blueberry bush. You can make it yourself by mixing one part sphagnum peat moss and one part shredded pine bark. Or you could buy regular potting soil mix and fill the container two-thirds full and use potting mix made for acidic soil plants, like azaleas and rhododendrons. Being able to totally control the composition of the soil is one of the reasons growing blueberries in containers is such a good idea and works so well!  Pollination and Fertilization Successfully growing blueberry bushes in containers also depend on the inclusion of a pollination partner. You won’t have many berries come harvest time if there wasn’t another bush around during early spring to help pollinate. You’ll want to get two bushes that bloom at the same time, so the pollen can transfer from one plant to another. Any two with the same bloom period will do! Since these plants are in contains, they’ll look to you for most of their fertilization. Sure, the soil immediately after planting should be good, but each time you water, some of that acidity will drain out.  We suggest monitoring your soil pH periodically with a soil tester kit. It’ll give you a pretty good idea of whether or not you should add some cottonseed meal or another fertilizer designed for acid-loving plants. Sun Exposure: Lot’s, But Not Too Much Your blueberries will need six to eight hours of sunbathing each day for the best results.  Many are labeled as being full sun and partial shade but you’ll want to be careful not to leave them in direct sunlight during the hottest parts of the day. These bushes can overheat and will appreciate being lightly shaded during middays of the hottest months. Netting’s For the Birds! It sure is. Owning and growing blueberry plants means inevitably attracting curious and hungry birds. In order to keep them from stealing your entire crop before you can even think about harvesting, try covering with bird netting. Sure, netting might not be the most aesthetically pleasing, but we promise it’s better than the alternative. Imagine going to all the work of growing healthy, juicy, berries just to find them all gone one morning!  With all this in mind, you're ready to be America's next top blueberry grower, no garden necessary! Happy planting!

It’s Pollinator Week everybody! And that means it’s an impeccable time to cover the importance of pollination and name off a few favorite plants that prove to be excellent pollinators. Looking to make a full-blown Butterfly Garden for local bee and butterfly populations? Or just want to add native plants that are great at attracting beneficial insects for your vegetable garden? Read on. First, Why Make Pollinator Friendly Gardens for a Variety of Pollinators? About 13 years ago, the U.S. Senate made the step to designate a solid week in June each year to raise more awareness about the declining pollinator populations. It has now grown to be an international celebration! Why may you ask? Without pollination, there is no healthy life for flowers and plants. This puts a roadblock in front of many environmental attributes that create a living for humans and animals. Pollination brings clean air, purified water, and prevents soil erosion through the help of plants. Not only that, pollination is essential for growing crop based plants and obtaining flavorful fruits. Did you know that ⅓ of all foods and beverages is delivered by pollinators? That’s amazing! And without bees, butterflies, birds, and more, the vegetation across the world wouldn’t even be a thing. In fact, almost 75% of flowering plants need the help of insects and animals to move pollen for fertilization.  Have we convinced you enough? It’s never too late to start growing your own pollinator-friendly garden! Our bird, butterfly, and pollinator plants make it easy for you to choose your favorites from a long list of plants that help the environment. Not to mention, they also make superb garden additions for extra visual interest. Keep in mind that all types of butterflies appreciate flat and open flowers, like those of the stunning Neon Flash Spirea (Spiraea japonica ‘Neon Flash’), so that they can easily rest upon them.  Honey bees and bumblebees have a passion for any flower that carries a sweet scent, such as Roses or Bulbs. Tubular flowers, like Weigelas, are splendid plants for hummingbirds to stick their nose within. Interested in learning more about details about a butterfly flower garden? Check out our other blog on bringing butterflies and other beneficial insects to yours. Boost Your Edible Landscape Yields With Nectar Plants We all know that home growing fruits and vegetables needs a helpful hand from pollinators. Many vegetable and fruit plants lack the ability to produce both the male (stamen) and female (stigma) flowers and have no controlled way of transferring pollen from one to the other.  With no stamen and stigma, fruits and vegetables cannot begin to grow. They have to wait until male pollen has been transported to a female flower of the same species.  That’s where pollinating insects come to the rescue and do the job for us! Thanks to them, we get to enjoy delicious tasting, home grown fruits and vegetables.  If your edible garden plants are failing to yield a nice crop, it could be due to poor pollination. Late frost, bad weather conditions, and a dry atmosphere have negative effects on insects.  Although these are hard to control, you can actually encourage insects to visit your garden by planting pollinator friendly flowers and plants. Their nectar will actually increase your edible landscape yields! Don’t worry, we have provided many types of plants that will easily help you with your garden in this blog so you don’t have to go scouring the internet! This includes plants that work in full sun and partial shade. Attracting Butterflies And More With Pollinating Plant Favorites Perennials Deep hued blue and purple flowering perennials, like Bee Balm (Monarda didyma ‘Balbalmac’), are a fan favorite for creating colorful landscapes. Their extended blooming periods keep your garden looking fresh. When mixed with white flowering perennials, they make a lovely contrast. And pollinators love their nectar! In fact, blue and purple are some of their favorite colors. Spring blooming perennials display a large variety of colors and leaves that make a lovely welcome sight. Butterflies and bees appreciate the nectar source from a plant that blooms in early spring. They also make the ideal clarion call to welcome the new season within a landscape garden. Bright yellow and orange flowering perennials are almost begging for pollinating insects to land upon them. Their pop of color is a bullseye for monarch butterflies and bumble bees. These perennial flowers also ensure visual highlight to any home and garden too! They work well in hanging baskets, flowerbeds, and mass plantings for a striking display of color.  Roses Rugosa Roses are widely used in landscaping because of their tough and easy care features. They carry a sweet fragrance and several different colors making them a prized ornamental plant.  Fragrant Roses are bold and beautiful garden additions. Their sweet aroma will make you want to bottle it up and use it as a perfume. This fragrance is like candy to insects and draws them to the nectar and pollen! Pink Roses and Yellow Roses are unbeatable in the garden with their vibrant color punch and fragrance. When mixed with white roses, they are sure to stand out in any landscape.  They also happen to be an amazing choice of color for bees to easily locate them.  Shrubs Viburnum Shrubs produce flat-topped clusters of blooms. Pollinators adore these! They have proven themselves to be some of the best landscape and garden additions for all of the right reasons.  They come in a variety of sizes and feature many ornamental benefits. If you plant more than one Arrowwood Viburnum, for instance, they'll create fall berries! You'll lure both beneficial pollinators and songbirds to your landscape.  Flowering Shrubs enrich your garden with their spectacular splashes of color and elegant foliage form. Many pollinator insects are attracted to their blooms during the Spring and Summer seasons.  They also add structure and balance to a landscape layout.  A Perfecta Trifecta Butterfly Bush (Buddleia davidii BUZZ ‘Sky Blue’, Buddleia davidii BUZZ ‘Hot Raspberry’, Buddleia davidii BUZZ ‘Ivory’) is everything anyone could ever need in a shrub! With large, vibrant pink, white, and purple fragrant blooms, butterflies simply cannot keep themselves away.  Your garden will be well on its way to breathtaking. Trees Linden Trees are easily recognizable by their pyramidal shape and heart shaped fragrant blooms! They make a charming shade tree and birds, bees, and butterflies can’t get enough of them.  The Eastern Redbud Tree (Cercis canadensis) is a small, ornamental tree that puts on a marvelous show each season of the year. It is extremely pollinator friendly too! Fun Facts About Pollination As mentioned before, pollination is the transfer of pollen from a male flower to a female flower. Even though a majority of pollination comes from the work of vectors, there are self-pollinating ways as well.  This includes wind and water. It’s a lot more by chance this way, but plants take all the help that they can get! Now who does all the pollinating? We have mentioned a few, but there are approximately 200,000 different species that take part in this natural system.  There are vertebrates, those who have a backbone, and invertebrates, those who don’t have a backbone. Birds, bats, and small mammals fall under the backbone category while flies, beetles, butterflies, moths, and bees lack the spinal column.  To no surprise, bees sit ranked at the very top of all pollinators. We all really saw that coming.  Each of those animals are involved in a very vital interaction with plants. The very plants that produce countless fruits, vegetables, and nuts. In fact, one out of every three bites of food we take is indirectly made from pollinators.  They also provide half of the world’s oils, fibers, and raw materials and increase carbon sequestration.  Let’s talk more facts about how important pollination is.  Of all flowering plants in the world, about 75% to 95% of them need assistance with pollination. They simply can’t do it themselves and without the help, those plants would not be able to reproduce.  To put the percentages more into perspective, pollinators give their services to over 180,000 different plants and more than 1,200 crop based plants.  Ever heard of the saying ‘April showers bring May flowers?” Well it’s more like thousands of hardworking pollinating insects bring the pretty May flowers.  If we want to get technical and talk money, pollinators actually add 217 billion dollars to the world’s economy. Of that 217, honey bees themselves make up for almost 5.4 billion dollars. No wonder they have the nickname ‘busy bee!’ As of now, the population is at a decreasing rate as a result of the loss of feeding and nesting habitats for the pollinators. Without these areas, they struggle to survive and do their job.  Building on that, pollution, chemicals, and changes in the weather are all negatively affecting the pollinator populations around the world.  There are ways that we can help these important insects! By planting various flowers, shrubs, and trees, we are providing homes. And if we begin to be mindful of our environment, we will see it flourish more than before.  Happy Pollinator Week!

It’s the age-old question, what’s the difference between all these cherry tree varieties? Ok, so maybe it’s not considered an age-old question, but it’s certainly one many ask and for good reason. Cherry trees are beloved across the world. Partly because of their beautiful blossoms and partly their scrumptious fruit. Picking a few off of the backyard tree makes the perfect snack for warm summer days lounging on the patio. However, you’ll want to make sure you’ve picked the best cherry tree for the job at hand. Will you be snacking right off the tree or are you hoping to bake a county fair award-winning pie? The answer will determine which variety you want. I Want a Pie Cherry Tree for my Cherry Pie Filling Ok, great! Pies are superb and cherries are certainly a key ingredient in desserts in general. You’re looking to get your hands on some sour cherry trees. They’re quite tart when taken right off the tree but absolutely explode with flavor when used for baking! Add in a healthy helping of sugar and maybe a little butter and you’ll have some of the best jelly or jam to can and eat with a little peanut butter on bread in the coming months. You could give them as holiday gifts but, just between us, you’ll want to keep all of it for yourself! Can I Get Tart Cherry Juice from Sour Cherries? The answer, absolutely! Sour cherry varieties are preferred when making juice. Many consider Romeo Dwarf (Prunus cerasus 'Romeo') the best tree for the job because of the plethora of tart red cherries it produces along with it’s easy to maintain height. There are plenty of ways to juice your harvest. You can pit and throw them into a juicer, crush them by hand, or blend them. Try taking advantage of the health benefits by taking a few frozen cherries and adding them to your morning smoothie! Grow your own to gain access to a plentiful harvest. However, a little help in discerning which trees are which never hurt anybody! Some tree varieties have helpful names that identify them as sour but most don’t. No need to fret we’ve got a list of the best sour cherry tree varieties. Montmorency - Widely accepted as the most popular sour varieties, Montmorency (Prunus cerasus 'Montmorency') blooms brilliant snow-white flowers in the spring that are followed by bright red fruit. It’s self fertile, so you’ll only need one tree but we’re pretty sure you’ll want more! Early Richmond - The abundance of stunning white blooms each spring is just one of many incredible traits of the Early Richmond Cherry tree (Prunus cerasus 'Early Richmond'). Sour cherry trees have a notoriously quick harvest season and this tree can help extend that by a week or two. Instead of waiting for summer to pick your soon to be pie filling, this tree’s fruit will be ready as spring is winding down. Meteor - Meteor (Prunus cerasus 'Meteor') is a sour cherry tree and a pretty fantastic one at that. It’ll give you a show of lovely white blossoms in the spring that will take your breath away! Meteor is self-pollinating with its fruit ready to harvest mid-season. You’ll want to prepare yourself though, this tree can yield quite a bit of fruit, sometimes up to 50 pounds on a single tree! What Can I Do With a Sweet Cherry? Sweet Cherry Trees are best at producing heaps of delicious fruits for eating fresh off the tree. A mature tree will produce enough fruit to make a single person all but burst! You can always share with a friend or keep these all to yourself. Again, trying to figure out which trees are which can be confusing. That’s why we’ve made a list of our favorite sweet cherry trees. Bing - When thinking about the most popular sweet tree variety, it’s impossible not to think of Bing (Prunus avium 'Bing'). It’s positively one of the finest and most famous of the sweet cherry varieties. Each year, Bing produces large, delicious fruits with smooth, glossy skin. This is the cherry that set the standard for all others for over 100 years! This is another variety that will require a pollinator in order to fruit. Van (Prunus avium 'Van'), Rainier, Stella, and Lapins (Prunus avium 'Lapins') all work wonderfully. Like other cherries, Bing’s fruit is high in antioxidants and is a refreshing and healthy snack on those hot summer days! Stella - Stella Cherry Trees (Prunus avium 'Stella') are just about everything you’d want in a sweet cherry tree. It’ll give you beautiful red-pink blooms in the spring for an ornamental look but its real show comes mid-season when it’s time to harvest! Stella is self-fruitful and will produce an abundance of heart-shaped, shiny black-red fruit with delectable red flesh. These plump, firm, sweet cherries resist that pesky cracking you might come across in other cherry varieties. While you don’t need a partner for this tree to give you fruit, Stella makes a great pollinator for other varieties! Rainier - This semi-dwarf cherry tree is a crowd favorite! Perhaps you’ve come across and enjoyed a bag of these decadent yellow and red fruits from your local Farmer’s Market? They certainly are delicious once harvested mid-season, they won’t last long before becoming a tasty treat. Don’t even get us started on this trees' gorgeous white and pale pink spring flowers! Rainier Cherry trees (Prunus avium 'Rainier') will need a pollinator in order to produce fruit. We suggest coupling it with a Van, Lapins, Bing, or Stella to enjoy the largest harvest possible! As an added bonus, keeping Rainier to a manageable height is easy with some light pruning each year! Let’s Talk Pollination You might find yourself asking the question, “do you need two cherry trees to pollinate each other in order to get fruit?” It’s a great question and the answer is both yes and no. Some cherry trees are self-pollinating and others require a partner. One thing to keep in mind is that sweet cherry tree varieties will not pollinate sour varieties. It can be a lot of information and feel like a bit of a headache but here at Nature Hills Nursery, we’ll list whether the tree you’re looking at is self-pollinating or not. If the answer is no, and it’ll need a pollinator partner, we’ll list those for you so you won’t have to drive yourself crazy trying to figure all that out on your own. Cherry trees are amazing additions to your garden and being an expert on the types of cherry trees out there shouldn’t have to be a prerequisite to having one of your own. We have all the information you’ll need on your cherry tree journey and there are many more varieties out there. Check them all out on our Cherry Tree Page! Happy gardening!

Don’t let cramped apartments, downsized yards, or rented homes keep you from growing the garden of your dreams! There are an abundant amount of ways that you can achieve being an urban gardener without a vast amount of planting space.  From small fruit/vegetable gardens to growing your favored flowers in compact spaces, we have you covered. Let's get started! Start Using Hanging Plants  There is no going wrong with adding hanging plants to your mini garden! Saves space? Check. Grows beautiful flowers? Check. A fun DIY project? Check!  There are endless possibilities with starting a hanging garden and it is the perfect way to use your creativity.  When choosing the type of plant you will be growing, keep in mind that different types have different needs. Be sure that you properly mount the hanging baskets or pots to avoid any risk of your plants falling or spilling. Do research on the plants you will be growing in your hanging garden. Give them the perfect growing conditions, so they can grow beautifully just for you. Flowers are known for being potted in hanging baskets and they prove to grow the best. Low-maintenance flowers and plants make it easy to provide care. Create a unique hanging basket out of almost anything. Just add a drainage hole or two, potting soil, and the plant. Use potting soil that helps retain water, and add a drip irrigation system to automate care altogether. You will love the small space that hanging plants change into marvelous urban gardens. Put Your Patios To Work Having access to outdoor patios or balconies can actually be a prime spot for planting. Limited space won’t hold you back when you implement raised beds on patios or window boxes on balconies.  Both raised beds and window boxes are great ideas to maximize the gardening space you’ve got! They also let you beautify your outdoor area in an easy way.  Raised beds are ideal for patios as they allow for flowers, fruit, and veggies to be grown in them. Not only will they supply you with beautiful flowers or delicious fruits, but these beds can also be the perfect patio accent!  The Sky Pencil Holly is a vertical shrub that makes a great ‘strategic’ screen behind your raised bed or outdoor seating area. It will thrive in large pots too! Add in Ornamental Grasses for a quick fix to fill empty space that lies a little higher than what most plants can reach. You'll be thrilled with the lush look, and speedy growth rate of these wonderful plants. Place a raised bed on the ground or add legs to raise it up even more! It’s up to you and either way adds fantastic texture. You could easily add paint or designs to your bed to match its surroundings too.  Flowering shrubs or perennials can either be carefully color coordinated or orchestrated in a carefree rainbow of radiance. Let your creativity shine, and have fun shopping our site! Or make your growing spaces productive with dwarf fruit trees in large containers. Try lemons, limes and orange trees for great-tasting fresh citrus fruit. Window boxes are one of the best ways to bring the garden onto balconies and decks. These balcony gardens take up limited space and add charming accents at the same time. Flowers and succulent plants are ideal for growing in window boxes.  For extra character, let a Vine or two grow along your metal rails! All you have to do is add soil, maintain its water, and give it plenty of sunlight. Simple!  The Boston Ivy will not disappoint with its ability to grow upon just about anything. Its glossy green leaves will transform into deep scarlet nearing Winter for an added accent in your home! Maximize Vertical Gardening  When you can’t grow plants out, why not grow plants up? Vertical gardening is a lifesaver when it comes to spicing up walls and saving space.  You can create a vertical planter out of literally anything! Hang pots, grow vines up a traditional trellis, create a cloth frame, plant in recycled bottles, and even grow in a shoe organizer.  Just about anything that your imagination can conjure up, will work. Vertical gardening is all about creativity! When choosing plants for your vertical garden, make sure to take into account your atmosphere. Daisies might not appreciate being hung in a shady alcove as much as a fern would.  A Climbing Hydrangea is a much loved vertical perennial that will blossom ivory white fragrant flowers just for you. And Succulents are the rockstars of low maintenance plants! They’ll thrive in any vertical experiment you have in your mind! You will be a pro vertical planter in no time!  Step Gardening Up Any space with steps, ladders, or walkways is practically begging for plants to be grown on them. Using these for your small space urban gardening is super simple and has the same effects of an actual garden too! Place any type of potted plants on your doorsteps to use up the side space and create a visual interest for your front entrance. Giant, petite, long, or short clay pots will do the trick.  You can even color coordinate the pots to make your area look organized and pop out to the neighbors. Feel free to add any pattern designs, polka dots, and more. There is no holding back on the type of plants that can be grown in pots on a couple of steps. Any plant can thrive in a pot if it is taken care of correctly.  Even start growing your very own edible plants with a citrus tree or fruit tree for fresh produce right on your doorstep. Check out how to care for a citrus tree in our recent blog!  Just because you may not have a large yard doesn’t mean you can’t grow a tree! Plant your very own patio tree in a pot to add an accent to the front door and never worry about it not having room to grow large. Don’t have front steps? No problem! Ladders will work just as well and can be placed just about anywhere in a house or outdoors. It’ll become a focal point for a bare wall or corner.  You can also stack pots on top of one another to save space too. Your creative mind will be used to the max on this one! Popular Small Space Plants Flowers For Small Spaces  The Bonfire Euphorbia is a perennial succulent that will never fail you with its growth. Its red foliage last year round and then flower blossoms begin to sprout in Spring. It's perfect for small spaces too.  A Sweet Black-Eyed Susan is sure to put a smile on your face and bring butterflies to your home! Its sunshine petals are contrasted by a dark shaded center that makes this flower pop anywhere it's planted.  The Summer Crush Hydrangea makes an absolute gorgeous accent in a container with its tidy, compact shape! Its Spring purple blossoms fade into a vibrant fuschia pink that are sure to fill your outdoor space easily.  Small Plant Favorites The Green Gem Boxwood is a perfect small size and carries a green shade all year round to make it superior. Create a formal look to your small garden with the Green Gem as it maintains an impeccable shape. You can never go wrong with growing Houseplants! Use these favorites for any indoor project you have in mind that will fill up limited space. They even work well for hanging outdoors or being planted within garden beds.  Growing Small Fruit Bushes in Containers The Brightwell Blueberry is ideal for home gardens and allows you to enjoy a sweet blueberry taste! Enjoy making homemade blueberry muffins, blueberry pancakes, blueberry pies, blueberry anything with this small fruit.  A Top Hat Blueberry is a splendid fruit bearing plant for a container that brings flavor to your home and ornamental quality to your garden. Its sweet taste goes well in home baked recipes or simply right off the bush itself! Growing a Wild Strawberry in a small space is not a problem! There is no hassle to it and you get to enjoy one of the sweetest strawberries around. Homegrown strawberries are delicious for eating, baking, and more. Plant a Shortcake Raspberry within a container on your own balcony or porch! This plant doubles as an ornamental and fruit bearing shrub. Its petite flowers will transform into sweet tasting berries right before your eyes when it's rewarded with a sunny area.  Remember, a small yard or balcony can’t hold back your inner gardener and it shouldn’t! By implementing a few of these garden design tips and putting your innovative mind to work, you will soon find yourself growing an impeccable garden in a tiny space. Enjoy it! Nature Hills is really proud of our pretty plants. We work with landscape designers every day, all across the country. Start with great looking, expertly grown plants and you will have a big head start on creating the small space garden of your dreams.

Just getting started? Read our Selection Guide for the best Citrus varieties for container culture. Already ordered your new Improved Dwarf Meyer Lemons, Bearss Limes or Calamondin Oranges? Congrats! Let's get started early to prepare for the arrival of your new tree. Finding a Suitable Pot or Fabric Grow Bag Making good choices about containers doesn't have to be expensive. People are getting really creative in their Victory Garden designs. Go fancy if you can, or "cheap out" if you need to. Either way, the fruit will still taste great! Trees grow happily in plastic or terra cotta, but you need to look for a tall, skinny design. The deeper, the better, as Citrus root systems will grow down first and then fill in outward. You'll also need to plant them in a pot that is a little wider than its growing pot. Our 4x4x9 inch containers are 4 inches across. Use a pot that is about 8 to 12 inches wide and 12 inches deep for starter trees. 2 gallon buckets or fabric grow bags will work as a cheap alternative for a year or two. #3 gallon containers can fit in a 16 inch pot that is at least 18 inches deep. 5 gallon buckets or grow bags will work. You'll eventually size up to a 10 gallon grow bag, or 20-inch pot. Take your time to carefully shift your Citrus tree over time. You May Need to Add Drainage Holes to Your Pots Drainage is a really big deal for Citrus trees. They hate to sit in soggy, standing water. Tall, skinny ceramic or terra cotta pots need a large drainage hole. Make your buying decision on the size of the drainage hole. You'll want to make sure that the hole doesn't get covered up from inside or outside the pot. Water must drain freely from the pot. If you have a plastic or resin pot, go ahead and drill several more large holes in the bottom. You can always fit a piece of window screen inside the bottom of the pot to keep the soil inside. If you’ll be lugging your plant indoors for the winter months, you might consider a lightweight resin pot. These can be painted, or even covered with a chic burlap wrap. Adding a sturdy plant caddy on wheels is a great idea if you want to go with ceramic. Pro tip, place the empty pot on the caddy before you fill it with potting soil. Don't use a saucer outside. If you really need to protect your surfaces, elevate your plant up above the saucer by using several bricks placed around the drainage hole. Watch out for the pot sitting in standing water, and fix the situation quickly. #ProPlantTips for Planting Citrus Trees in Pots Plant into an acid-lovers, well-drained potting soil typically used for Rhododendrons, Camelias and Azaleas. Add 25% 1/4 inch “pathway bark” (or Orchid mix) to the mix for porosity. There are also speciality, sharply-drained potting mixes for Citrus trees available. Be sure not to plant your Citrus plant deeper than it is growing in the pot. That funny bump on the trunk (called a graft union) should be well above the soil line.  Leave about an inch of the pot showing above the dirt. That rim of space will help you avoid splashing as you water your plant.  Repot Citrus trees in pots every 3 to 4 years. Always shift to the next size container and avoid going too much larger than the current pot size. The #1 Mistake in Growing Citrus in Pots Never, ever, ever repot trees that are being kept indoors during the wintertime. Wait until they are outside during the growing season to repot. Feeding Citrus Trees in Pots Citrus trees grown in containers do require regular feeding with Citrus-formula or an organic, all-purpose granular fertilizer every other month through the summer. Follow directions on the label. Wait until you’ll be gone for the day to apply them. They won't smell very good for a day or two. Growing Indoor/Outdoor Patio Citrus Trees If you live in USDA Growing Zones 3 - 7, you'll be bringing your container Citrus tree inside for the winter. Choose the best semi-dwarf varieties that will successfully fruit indoors. Enjoy your pots outside on the patio or balcony all summer long starting once the nighttime temperatures are consistently above 50 degrees. You’ll love them as tropical-looking feature plants all growing season long. As the season winds down and temperatures dip into the low 40 degree mark, start to transition your plants. You’ll move them into a position by your home’s exterior wall about 2 weeks before you bring it inside. Carefully check your trees for any insects before you bring them inside. Use a blast of high pressure water to keep insects in check. Apply insecticidal soap to coat the top and bottom of the leaves. Preparing a Place for Indoor Citrus Trees in Pots Citrus Trees grown in pots indoors love as much natural and bright sunlight as you can give them. They need light to ensure the fruit continues to ripen and doesn’t fall off the tree. You may need to supplement with an artificial LED grow light over the top of the plants. This will boost the light it receives during winter. Keep them around 50 degrees indoors. The ideal place is in a spot right by a south-facing window. Use a small space heater to keep the temps well above freezing. Avoid placing your trees near heater vents, fireplace or in the kitchen. They create a lot of dry heat, which isn’t the best for the plant. Winter Care of Indoor Citrus Trees in Pots No need to fertilize your plant while it is indoors for winter. You also won’t have to water much during the winter season. Citrus requires far less water when indoors, so be careful not to overwater your plant Keep the soil moisture on the dry side of moist. Why Are My Citrus Trees Shedding Leaves? You might see leaves dropping on your indoor Citrus trees during winter. They are slow to add new growth and can commonly shed some older, smaller interior leaves as this time of the year. Citrus trees can hold the same leaves for as long as 3 years. In winter, there is a natural elimination of older leaves. Pot size, water, and fertility can affect how many leaves may be shed from your plant. Any leaves that do drop from the plant, remove them from the soil and discard them. March is when the plants start to become more active. As the days get longer and sunnier, your Citrus trees will add a nice flush of growth.  Tips on Moving Citrus Trees in Pots Outside Again Once the nights are in the 50’s consistently, you can start to transition them outside again. Take your time and gradually move them closer to their summer home over the course of a week or two. This is where those wheeled plant caddies will save your back! They are well worth the investment. You’ll be glad you took the time to slowly transition these special plants. Fertilize them once they are outside again with a good, organic, slow-release fertilizer. Where Can I Grow Citrus Trees in the Ground? If you own property in Zones 8-10, you can plant and enjoy these gorgeous trees in the ground. Use them as a wonderfully lush privacy screen with big benefits! Keep your tree outdoors smaller with summer pruning, or let them grow to their full height and spread for a fabulous specimen tree. Best kept in a mulched bed, the fruit display and lush, tropical foliage is ornamental enough for use in a front yard foundation planting. Just renting? No problem! You can also grow Citrus trees in containers in these Zones. You can leave your container Citrus trees outside year-round in these warm climates! For longer cold snaps in Zones 9 or 10, string C9 Christmas lights through the tree and cover the tree with a frost blanket. Nature Hills takes a lot of pride in offering commercial orchard-quality plant material grown in the United States. Source your fruiting trees from us for high quality results. Have fun with your plants, and relish the rewards of homegrown fruit.