Growing Orange Trees in containers

One of the easiest Orange trees to grow in a container is the Satsuma Orange (Citrus reticulata). It does not need any pruning, is self-fertile and will start bearing fruit from a young age while the tree is still small (see photos!) Also, this type of orange is easy to peel and has no seeds.

The Satsuma Orange tree is native to Japan and will grow to a maximum height of about 2 meters when grown in a container. It can be planted at any time of the year, but Spring is best.

An Orange tree should be planted in a very large container - preferably a half wine barrel or something similar in size. Add stones to the bottom of the container to improve drainage and mix sand with the compost when planting. If you only use compost or potting soil the tree is very likely to fall over in windy conditions, container and all, so mixing in sand helps to keep the tree and it's pot bottom-heavy. (The soil can be acidic or alkaline - both are fine.) Place the container in a relatively sheltered position, as warm, dry winds can dry out the tree, which will cause the leaves and fruit to drop. After planting, don't dig in the pot again, as it will damage the shallow roots. Also ensure that you place the container where it will get a minimum of 6 hours sunshine a day, but preferably 8.

Orange trees flower in Spring and then bear fruit by the end of Autumn, or early Winter. (My oranges normally ripen at the end of May.) Leave the oranges on the tree for a week after they have completely turned orange, as that is when they will have the best flavor.

Satsuma Oranges need to be watered well in Summer, especially when grown in a container. Water your Orange tree as soon as the top 2cm of soil has dried out, but be careful not to overwater. If you need to fertilize, the best time to do so is in March, July or December.

Featured Plant: Pentas lanceolata

Pentas lanceolata is known as the Egyptian Starcluster.

This fast-growing little shrub grows about 60 to 90 cm tall and wide, with lush, evergreen leaves and large clusters of red flowers. (White and pink varieties are also available.) The main flowering period is from Spring right through to Autumn and in Cape Town it flowers almost the entire year.

Pentas lanceolata is native to East Africa - growing roughly from Yemen to Madagascar. It can grow in any soil, but does best in fertile soil, so remember to add plenty of compost when planting. Although it is a very heat-resistant plant, it does need regular watering during Cape Town's dry summer months. Water about once a week during summer, depending on the weather.

The best way to propagate Pentas lanceolata is from cuttings. Cuttings should be taken in Spring and can be rooted in sand or in water. Once they are ready to plant out, you can plant them in full sun or semi-shade - they also grow well in containers. Prune lightly at the end of winter to keep the plant's shape neat and bushy.

Lawn progress

After living here for a year, the main lawn area is finally starting to look the way I want it to. All the overgrown vegetation has been pruned away and the lawn now has neat, straight edges with a brick border. At the moment I am still busy levelling the lawn with sand, as it is very uneven and slopes slightly downhill to the patio.

I also built a step for the patio, so that visitors can get on and off easier, with a small flowerbed on each side. (On the left of the step is the King Protea (Protea cynaroides) which is South Africa's national flower; on the right is a trellis with a white Dipladenia creeper.)

The silly little patch of paving you can see on the "before" foto has been removed so that we can make the lawn wider - It is now 3 meters wide. The bricks from the paving was re-used to create the brick border around the lawn.

BEFORE: February 2013 - overgrown garden with a random paved strip.

DURING: April 2013 - paving removed and reused to straighten edge of lawn with brick border.

AFTER: April 2014 - almost done!