Growing your own citrus tree is exciting especially if you live in the warm temperate zones of the U.S. You can plant your citrus tree outdoors in the sunshine, and in a few years harvest the fruits it produces. However, if you live in an area of the United States where the temperatures dip below freezing, then you have to grow your citrus tree indoors. Although indoor citrus trees may not produce the same sized fruit as they would growing outdoors, they do beautify any room where you put them.
Citrus trees are easy to grow and about the only thing you may notice or dislike, are the water spots that can form on the leaves. You can individually wash the water spots off each leaf, but that takes a long time to accomplish if you have a big older tree. Preventing these water spots from appearing in the first place depends largely on the way you water.
How Not to Water
Many times, people take their citrus trees outdoors during the summer months and spray them down with the sprinkle nozzle end of the water hose. This often leads to those unsightly water spots. Although water spots will not hurt the growing of your tree, some people would rather have the leaves shiny and glossy green.
How to Water
Water the citrus tree with a water pitcher, pouring the water directly on the soil. When the soil’s top two inches becomes dry, then it is time to water. Pour the water out of the pitcher slowly and allow it to moisten the soil before it drains out the bottom drainage holes.
In my area, we have hard water so the best water to use is rainwater. You can use hard water, but you should change the pH level of the water before using it on your tree. This is done by adding a teaspoon of vinegar to one quart of water.
Sometimes the rootball has become abnormally dry. To indicate that your plant may have this problem watch how quickly the water drains through the soil. If it runs straight through, you need to correct this problem by rewetting the dry citrus rootball. You can do this by putting two to three drops of dish soap on the soil before you water. Then water your citrus tree with warm water.
Use a Humidifier
If you normally mist the leaves of your citrus tree, use a humidifier instead. A humidifier placed in the same room as your plant will provide enough moisture into the air.
Wash the Leaves
If your citrus tree has just a few leaves or several leaves have water spots, here is a handy way to accomplish the task. Spray the leaves with a solution of dish soap and water. Find a quart container and add water. Add two to three drops of dish soap and mix. After the leaves are saturated, dry them with a clean dry cloth. Another method is using a mixture containing equal amounts of vinegar and water. Dip a cotton ball into the solution and squeeze out the excess liquid. Wipe each leaf to remove the water spots and then dry them off with a clean dry cloth.
Always remember that when using vinegar, do not use more than stated. Too much vinegar can harm or kill your plant.
Sources:
Ames True Temper: Growing Citrus in Containers
Citrus Tree Care: Container-Grown Citrus Plants