How to Buy Cold Tolerant Citrus Trees
- 1). Find out what hardiness zone you live in according to the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. There are 11 zones in the United States and 10 of them are broken up into subzones of a or b. By finding out your average annual minimum temperature range, you can properly select a citrus tree that can withstand your cold climate.
- 2). Research the cold hardy varieties of the citrus trees that you are interested in buying. Growers have been able to produce cold hardy citrus trees by grafting them on rootstocks that can withstand cold temperatures. If you are interested in growing an orange tree, consider trifoliate orange trees, U.S. 119 orange trees or chinnotto orange trees.
- 3). Look at the labels of citrus trees at your home and garden store or nursery. The label will indicate what zone the tree can be planted. Use it as a guide to help you determine what tree to grow; however, you can plant some citrus trees in colder zones with proper winterization.
- 4). Purchase and plant your citrus tree in the winter. By planting your tree when it is dormant, you will have a better success rate because the tree will suffer less transplanting shock.
- 5). Plant your tree in a sunny, south-facing location in your yard. Spread 4 to 6 inches of mulch around the tree to insulate the root system from the cold.
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