Indoor Fruit Trees - Winter Care
Jim Hofman
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.
Pests - The Enemies of Your Indoor Fruit Tree
There are certain pests that can wreak havoc on your indoor fruit tree, namely spider mites and vinegar flies. Of the two, spider mites are worse, but you can typically use some preventive care to keep both away. If you thought pests were only active in summer, just remember pests like your warm home during the winter just as much as you do!
Spider mites will cause damage to the leaves of your tree, causing them to turn yellow and sometimes deforming them. If you suspect spider mites, use a horticultural oil, sprayed directly on the leaves. A citrus based oil product is equally efficient.
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.
Winter Watering
Due to its slower growth cycle during winter, it's quite possible your tree will need less water. However, it's important you monitor soil conditions. Check the soil weekly. If the soil is completely dry, it's time to water. However, make sure you avoid over watering, as this is probably the worst thing for an indoor fruit tree. If the soil is still moist 10 days after your last watering, check for a drainage problem. Proper draining is critical for your tree.
Additional Care Tips
Here's a few more common sense tips to help your indoor fruit tree stay healthy. First, remove any blooms that are wilting or brown, along with dead branches or stems. The other important aspect of caring for your tree in winter is keeping the soil relatively warm, at least 65 degrees. Soil in containers is usually 10 degrees cooler than air temperature, so keep an eye on this. You may find you'll need to use slightly warm water when watering your tree to gently raise soil temperature.
Indoor fruit trees are very easy care, and just a few common sense precautions will ensure your tree is healthy and yields a productive fruit crop. It's as simple as monitoring the tree and treating any problems that may arise. Keeping an eye on your tree during winter months will pay off as your tree becomes lush and productive during the warm summer months.
With proper winter care, http://www.squidoo.com/indoorfruittrees) Indoor Fruit Trees will yield a healthy, productive crop of fruit. For more information, care tips, and recommendations, stop by our comprehensive resource site for http://www.squidoo.com/indoorfruittrees) Indoor Fruit Trees .
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