Caring For Your Indoor Fruit Tree In Winter

There are a few important care instructions for indoor fruit trees as they navigate through the winter months. Their growth cycle slows somewhat, which is very normal and natural. The main issue with indoor fruit trees is making sure they're prepared for the warmer months, when their normal growth cycle resumes and when they typically produce crops of fruit.

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.

One of the worst things about both spider mites and vinegar flies is that they are so small, they're hard to see. Spider mites in particular are so small that you'll often notice the damage they cause before you ever see a mite. If you start to see any damage on your fruit tree, place a sheet of white paper underneath a few leaves, and tap down on the tops of those leaves. If you see what looks like ground pepper that actually starts walking, you've unfortunately got spider mites. The best way to rid yourself of these pests is a horticultural oil or citrus based oil product. Simply spray on the leaves, and that should resolve the problem.

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

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.

More Tips

There are just a few other things to watch for, in terms of caring for your tree in winter. First, keep the soil temperature above 65 degrees. Soil temperature is almost always cooler than air temperature, usually 10 degrees cooler. One way to keep soil temperature from dropping too cool is watering with slightly warm water. Also, just as you'd do in the summer, be sure to remove any dead blooms or wood to prevent rotting and possible pest problems.

To make sure your tree is healthy in the summer and yields a bountiful crop of fruit, keep on eye on any possible problems during the winter. Watch for pests, be careful to water properly, and keep the soil temperature at 65 degrees or above. If you do, you can expect a happy, healthy tree for years to come.

About the Author

With proper winter care, Indoor Fruit Trees will yield a healthy, productive crop of fruit. For more information, care tips, and recommendations, be sure to visit our comprehensive resource site for Indoor Fruit Trees .