In this video, I share 4 astonishing citrus trees that thrive in cold climates! Citrus trees are not tropical trees. Most are from subtropical highlands, and many varieties of cold hardy citrus thrive in places with cold winters and will grow in northern climates! The challenges is finding the best citrus varieties that tolerate cold and produce the highest quality fruit. Don’t worry: I’ve done a lot of the work for you!
There are many high quality citrus varieties that are cold tolerant to Zone 8, maybe even Zone 7, when given winter cold protection. Roughly half the population of the United States live in Zone 8 or warmer, meaning countless millions of Americans can be growing citrus trees in ground in their location and don’t know it!
Find your hardiness zone in the new 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone map here: https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/
Learn how I grow citrus with these easy cold protection methods: https://youtu.be/KRLBg7fjpeg?si=pfPBF8dVyZLK08go
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
0:00 The Big Citrus Tree Lie!
3:11 Cold Hardy Citrus Tree #1 (Orange)
5:46 Cold Hardy Citrus Tree #2 (Lemon)
8:35 Cold Hardy Citrus Tree #3 (Kumquat)
11:03 Cold Hardy Citrus Tree #4 (Lime)
13:29 Citrus Cold Protection Tips
16:21 Where To Buy Citrus Trees
18:30 Adventures With Dale
If you have any questions about how to grow citrus trees in cold climates, have questions about growing fruit trees or want to know about the things I grow in my raised bed vegetable garden and edible landscaping food forest, are looking for more gardening tips and tricks and garden hacks, have questions about vegetable gardening and organic gardening in general, or want to share some DIY and “how to” garden tips and gardening hacks of your own, please ask in the Comments below!
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ABOUT MY GARDEN
Location: Southeastern NC, Brunswick County (Wilmington area)
34.1°N Latitude
Zone 8B
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© The Millennial Gardener
#gardening #garden #gardeningtips #citrus #citrustree
48 Comments
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0:00 The Big Citrus Tree Lie!
3:11 Cold Hardy Citrus Tree #1 (Orange)
5:46 Cold Hardy Citrus Tree #2 (Lemon)
8:35 Cold Hardy Citrus Tree #3 (Kumquat)
11:03 Cold Hardy Citrus Tree #4 (Lime)
13:29 Citrus Cold Protection Tips
16:21 Where To Buy Citrus Trees
18:30 Adventures With Dale
I'm currently growing meyer lemon, browns select satsuma, and a dekopon in Virginia Beach!
Thank you for informative videos. Please make a video, in regards to, how you use the black barrels.
I'm in 7a so can I plant mines in large pots?
What about snow??
Had to resubscribe. Not sure why. Great video. I got about 80 lemons this year off pf a "snowbird lemon" that i planted 3 years ago in ground. They are HUGE with about a cup of juice in each one. 😊
Have never thought of growing citrus in ground before because of living in zone 7b. Thank you for this video.
Thanks
Opinion on the Yuza tree?
Very good information. I’ve been considering putting my citrus in ground . I’m in zone 8b in Arkansas. Do you recommend planting them out now or waiting for temperatures to rise a little. Very helpful video ❤️😊💚
Do you need to use any special sprays or fertilizers for citrus?
Thanks for this video! I have been admiring your citrus trees in the back ground of other videos and wondered what you were growing!
8a here, no orange trees yet for me but I have two lemon trees and about five avocado trees in the greenhouse currently. Not looking forward to the really cold weather next week. I’m ready for Spring
Great video and good variety recommendations. Eustis, Tavares, and Lakeland are all great limequat options. The fruit are much smaller than a typical "lime" but the potency of the juice is pretty close to a larger one. I assume youve tried them? If not I may still have some on my potted trees a few minutes away from you. I highly recommend Fukushu and Crassifolia kumquats as well. Fukushu are large and sweet/tart while crassifolia are smaller like meiwa but taste more honey like. Thanks for the video and helping more people learn about citrus varieties they can grow here.
Damn! This is honestly one of the most informative videos I’ve come across in a long time. I’m in Toronto, but the plan is to have a huge greenhouse butted up against the side of my house to extend the growing season, and now I know I can plan to fill it with citrus! I am SO STOKED! Thanks so much for this information! ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
define " chilly winter"
Unfortunately I live in a citrus restricted state (Texas), so I can't order from McKenzie. I have found some Texas citrus nurseries but they only list a "improved" Meyer lemon. Are these as cold hardy as the regular Meyer lemon trees? (The listing shows it is for zones 8b-11.)
Thank you so much 🙏🏼
I live in quite different zone 8b in Oregon. I am about to plant 2 WASE or "early" ripening mandarins. I met a guy locally who grows citrus and he said in our area owari ripens after Christmas. I hope I have luck lol
Sounded great until I realize you are calling North Carolina a cold climate. I'm guessing I can't get away with growing this in LI NY at 7b?
Zone 8a here. I LOVE meyer lemons! They're so versatile. They make excellent preserved lemons if you have an abundance. Also, I'll always rep McKenzie Farms. I got a Brown Select Satsuma from them.
The ordering process was easy (yes, you have to call, but it's quick), they're priced very reasonably for being specialty citrus ($27 I believe), and my little plant arrived healthy. Great little company to support.
Zone 5b FML
I’m in Kyushu, southwestern Japan. I would suggest a Yuzu or Kabosu for a citrus simile to a lemon or lime. We go to -3° to -8° C at 500m elevation here.
Very Very nice ❤❤
7b is not a cold climate
Love your channel and very informative. I live in zone 7b (north of downtown Atlanta). I have a few different citrus trees I pick up in Key Largo. I have naval orange, Meyer lemons, limes, satsuma etc. Is there a certain type of fertilizer that you can use on all of them? I bring mine in during winter and keep in basement under warming lights and they are budding like crazy right now. I have used the citrus sticks but wondered if there was something better. Thank you!
Off the topic, but…there’s almost nothing on the Am Diabetes Society website. How about several low carb doctors post literature reviews of the most significant studies supporting the best diet recommendations for diabetes and where people can go for literature they can share with their doctor for better management.
Thats not cold. What will grow in zone 4
I have seen documentaries on China with oranges growing in the mountains and wondered how they survived. Now I know.
I just moved from 9b to 8b and it’s so cold here in the HD Ca … I was thinking 🤔 should I put my citrus outside
Find out about citrus greening!
Hello great content! I am also in Wilmington. Where do you source the water barrels?
Wow!that peels like a mandarin!!!
gardenplanbyai AI fixes this. Astonishing citrus trees in cold.
I'm going to grow the first tree and kumquat! I hate meyer lemons, taste like a poison to me – even though we have one tree. I wish I could grow real lemons.
happy to see you did a more categorized follow up for the citrus trees from your last cold hardy tropical fruits video. Also as someone from the EU thank you so so much from including °C in your videos. It might not look like much but it helps taking out so much of the guess work. I really appreciate it
👍 thanks!
North Carolina a cold climate? Alaska be like hold my frozen beer 😂
Im in greenville, what part of nc are you in neighbor? 😂
hi mg 🤗
i grew up eating kumquats – sweet and sour, and yes, i eat the whole thing. great video. tfs
I live in Asheville I would love to grow a loquat tree… is it too cold here for those
Major difference in flavor 😋
Hi can you please make a video on the tomatoes that you are growing in 2025 I want to grow sweet cherry tomatoes this year ❤ love your channel I’ll be watching 😂
What do you do with all those lemons when they ripen at the same time?
Maysville (Onslow side) beginner gardener here 🤝🏽 I just ordered a mandarin tree from Stan and I’m so excited! Thank you for all the great videos. I’m currently setting up my 9ft hoop house and using your straw plant growing method alongside my raised bed. I started gardening last year and through your videos I’m slowly gaining the confidence to keep growing! I have MS so some days I can only look at my garden and wait for better days but on the days I’m ok, I am outside sun up to sun down.
Love the info!
I have been growing a Bearss line in the ground for almost 2 years in zone 8b in south Alabama. I think it should still be 8a, I don’t make that decision. I have been using your plant jacket and Christmas lights method and it’s still alive and kicking. Thank You for telling Us all this information, it is helping people.
Super fun I have palms and a mediterranean garden in zone 8b Washington State and I need some cute little citrus! If you do your research the entire West coast technically is that climate type, up into lower British Columbia. It's even zone 9 in a few small areas of Canada believe it or not. Like magical islands. Happy growing
That's a lime tree but because it's had a cold snap it's now a lemon tree 🤦