Braiding Citrus Trees Indoors

Question

I have three dwarf citrus trees each in 4 inch pots. They are about 5-7 inches tall and the trunks are pliable. I purchased these three trees because they were recommended as good container plants. I have this fantasy of coming home to to my apartment and seeing a beautful braided tree with oranges, lemons and limes hanging from the branches. My question is: if I braid the 3 trees and and put them in a pot, will they flower and when I hand pollinate, will they fruit? And, if so, what is the recommended pot size (how small can I go and get results)? And how should I feed it, type and frequency of plant food?

Answer 1

As long as you are careful with the braiding, the trees should respond as normal in flowering and fruiting once they are mature enough. You will need a rather large pot eventually to accommodate the three trees in the same pot, but for now, they should be placed in a pot that is 2 inches wider than their combined root ball. They will need to be re-potted to larger pots as they grow. I would use a slow release fertilizer every other month in the summer and once every 3 months in the winter.