Monday, October 4, 2010

Indoor Fruit Trees - Freshen Your Home With an Indoor Citrus Tree

Indoor fruit trees are rapidly becoming one of the more popular plants in gardening. There's a real sense of accomplishment to grow your very own citrus fruit, but the appeal of these dwarf trees goes beyond their fruit yield...

Indoor Fruit Trees: An Introduction

Indoor fruit and citrus trees have been around for the last decade or so, but they are just now coming into prominence with gardeners. They have been specially bred to grown indoors in containers and their hardy nature makes them an ideal plant for beginning and experienced gardeners alike.

There are about a dozen varieties available. The most popular is the Meyer lemon tree, followed closely by varieties of lime, orange, and tangerine.

Other unexpected fruits can be grown indoors as well. You can buy an indoor banana plant, pineapple plant, pomegranate tree, and even an indoor fig! There are even varieties that combine three fruit types on one tree, the most well known being a tree that yields lemons, limes, and oranges.

These beautiful trees adapt well to almost any living environment, as long as they receive adequate exposure to the sun. Six hours per day is a must, so before buying, make sure you have a place for your tree in a sunny window.

Most varieties top out at three to four feet in height, so you won't need to worry about them bumping up against the ceiling. As for cost, don't pay more than $20 for one of these trees. Our recommended source markets any of the varieties mentioned above for even less than that, and the trees last indefinitely. We have a Meyer lemon tree that has been consistently productive for well over a decade.

Other Benefits Of Indoor Fruit Trees

As enjoyable and rewarding it is to grow your own fruit, there is another big benefit to these trees. Not only do they offer vibrant green foliage that beautifully accents any room, but they serve as a natural air freshener.

If you've been a gardener for any length of time, you know how plants improve the air quality of your home, just as trees do outdoors. Indoor citrus trees offer a pleasant, slightly tropical scent, even when they are in a dormant state in between fruit crops.

The scent they provide is better than any air freshener you can buy. They literally freshen up their living space and are especially fragrant when they are producing fruit. If you have pets, as we do, you will be amazed at how much day to day pet odors are neutralized by indoor fruit trees.

Most of these trees are self pollinating, but if you can, place them outdoors in the warm summer months. We find our trees become more prolific when we do this. It isn't required, but if you have a sunny balcony or patio area, your tree will definitely appreciate some time outdoors. Further, this lets them become naturally pollinated by bees and other insects.

Summary

In addition to their yield of fruit, indoor citrus trees act as a natural air freshener. Their pleasant, clean, almost tropical scent will be a welcome addition to any area of your home.




Jim Hofman is a well known expert on indoor fruit trees and offers a comprehensive resource site dedicated to these wonderful indoor plants. For more care tips and recommendations for buying an indoor fruit tree for your home, visit Jim's site at: http://www.squidoo.com/indoorfruittrees

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