BOOK REVIEW By Paula Szilard Page, Martin. Growing Citrus: How to Grow Citrus Trees in Containers, Conservatories and in the Open Garden. Portland, OR: Timber Press, 2008. 193 pp. At long last, we have a citrus book more focused on container culture in sunrooms, windowsills and greenhouses than outdoors in the ground. The author, Martin Page, is an ecologist and a citrus hobbyist in the United Kingdom. The truth is that there are not all that many tropical fruits that grow well indoors or in small greenhouses, but the smaller citrus varieties do beautifully in such environments and they are actually reliable producers of fruit under these conditions. More and more people in cold climates are discovering how decorative and fragrant these trees are and how rewarding it is to grow them. The first part of the book covers the origins and history of the various citrus fruits, their botany and taxonomy, economic uses, soil and nutrition, different types of containers, fertilizing, the peculiarities of growing citrus trees in different environments, as well as pests and diseases. The second part of the book is a detailed encyclopedia of the various citrus varieties. In this section, Page describes the major cultivars of sweet oranges, sour oranges, mandarins, tangerines, clementines, grapefruits, lemons, limes, citrons, kumquats, calmondins, limequats, tangelos and others, pointing out those which are unsuitable for container culture. The last chapter deals with citrus rootstocks used in propagation. It is followed by appendices of frequently asked questions, a glossary of terms, a description of the major citrus collections in Europe, Australia and the United States that are open to the public, and a brief listing of suppliers of citrus plants, planters, fertilizers and other products in the United States, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. A bibliography of sources and an index are also provided.  This book is one of the best sources of information on the indoor/outdoor growing of citrus in colder climates. The author has an accessible, nontechnical, easy to read style. Unbelievably, I read most of it on the treadmill at the spa. Most specialized plant book just don’t lend themselves to reading while exercising! The only minor quibbles I have with the book are a certain lack of precision in the discussion of citrus nutrient deficiencies and an overdependence on pesticides (The British names and products wouldn’t help us much anyway!). What is wrong with ultrafine horticultural oil? It works well on citrus. Remember, these plants are located where you live. That’s the air you are breathing day in and day out. Even if it’s in a greenhouse, you are in there a lot, so it makes sense to steer clear of pesticides. All in all, this book is highly recommended for all who grow citrus indoors and in greenhouses. Most other books out there aren’t of much help when you grow in containers. Variegated Calmondin orange ‘Tiger’ from member Joe Lohnes’ greenhouse in Greeley. The photo is courtesy of Joe Lohnes. Joe considers this one of the easiest and most trouble free citruses to grow. The leaves are variegated, but the fruit is not. Some citrus with variegated foliage also have variegated fruit. Joe also mentioned that Calmondins are very adaptable to being grown and maintained as standards, that is, tree-like forms with a single straight stem or as full-bodied shrubs.

BOOK REVIEW

Paula Szilard

Page, Martin. Growing Citrus: How to Grow Citrus Trees in Containers,

Conservatories and in the Open Garden.

Portland, OR: Timber Press, 2008. 193 pp.

At long last, we have a citrus book more focused on container culture in sunrooms, windowsills and greenhouses than outdoors in the ground. The author, Martin Page, is an ecologist and a citrus hobbyist in the United Kingdom. The truth is that there are not all that many tropical fruits that grow well indoors or in small greenhouses, but the smaller citrus varieties do beautifully in such environments and they are actually reliable producers of fruit under these conditions. More and more people in cold climates are discovering how decorative and fragrant these trees are and how rewarding it is to grow them.

The first part of the book covers the origins and history of the various citrus fruits, their botany and taxonomy, economic uses, soil and nutrition, different types of containers, fertilizing, the peculiarities of growing citrus trees in different environments, as well as pests and diseases. The second part of the book is a detailed encyclopedia of the various citrus varieties. In this section, Page describes the major cultivars of sweet oranges, sour oranges, mandarins, tangerines, clementines, grapefruits, lemons, limes, citrons, kumquats, calmondins, limequats, tangelos and others, pointing out those which are unsuitable for container culture. The last chapter deals with citrus rootstocks used in propagation. It is followed by appendices of frequently asked questions, a glossary of terms, a description of the major citrus collections in Europe, Australia and the United States that are open to the public, and a brief listing of suppliers of citrus plants, planters, fertilizers and other products in the United States, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. A bibliography of sources and an index are also provided.

This book is one of the best sources of information on the indoor/outdoor growing of citrus in colder climates. The author has an accessible, nontechnical, easy to read style. Unbelievably, I read most of it on the treadmill at the spa. Most specialized plant book just don’t lend themselves to reading while exercising!

The only minor quibbles I have with the book are a certain lack of precision in the discussion of citrus nutrient deficiencies and an overdependence on pesticides (The British names and products wouldn’t help us much anyway!). What is wrong with ultrafine horticultural oil? It works well on citrus. Remember, these plants are located where you live. That’s the air you are breathing day in and day out. Even if it’s in a greenhouse, you are in there a lot, so it makes sense to steer clear of pesticides.

All in all, this book is highly recommended for all who grow citrus indoors and in greenhouses. Most other books out there aren’t of much help when you grow in containers.

Variegated Calmondin orange ‘Tiger’ from member Joe Lohnes’ greenhouse in Greeley. The photo is courtesy of Joe Lohnes. Joe considers this one of the easiest and most trouble free citruses to grow. The leaves are variegated, but the fruit is not. Some citrus with variegated foliage also have variegated fruit. Joe also mentioned that Calmondins are very adaptable to being grown and maintained as standards, that is, tree-like forms with a single straight stem or as full-bodied shrubs.