Growing blood oranges (forum)

Hayden starts with ...
Hi. Has anyone tried to grow a blood orange in a pot? I read they grow quite well but was hoping for some info from someone with some experience. Temperature requirments?Fertilization? Soil? And polination requirments? Thanks.

Time: 15th October 2010 10:18pm

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About the Author Hayden
Central coast nsw
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Pauline says...
Not sure about blood oranges, but any tree grown in pots wants the best potting mix you can buy, NOT soil.
Fertilising I would go for one of the comercial slow release citrus feed twice a year.
Let us know how you go, I wouldn't mind trying one. :)

Time: 16th October 2010 12:26am

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About the Author Pauline
Adelaide
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Jason says...
I'm sure real soil beats potting mix every time, the problem is you can't remove soil from the ground and put it in a pot without disturbing/breaking it and then it's no good for anything

Time: 16th October 2010 1:33am

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About the Author Jason10
Portland, Vic
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Pauline says...
No, real soil is BAD in pots as it does not allow air around the roots, which is more important in pots, so you then get poor growth. You also often have more drainage problems.
Just have a google. ;)


Time: 16th October 2010 11:39am

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About the Author Pauline
Adelaide
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Hayden says...
I wAs going to use potting mix I meant does it require a special kind of potting mix or is the normal stuff ok

Time: 16th October 2010 2:50pm

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About the Author Hayden
Central coast nsw
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Pauline says...
There are lots of choose from. Personally I always go for 'premium' or 'professional' ones when potting trees. They should contain all the slow release fertiliers, wetting agents, and often water holding crystals that you could need. Then I get one of the special citrus fertilisers as that will contain all of the trace elements that citrus need.

Water in with seasol too, to help new roots grow and to strengthen cells. :)

Good luck

Time: 16th October 2010 11:10pm

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About the Author Pauline
Adelaide
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Steven says...
In my personal experience ive found that anything grown in just potting mix doesnt really do well. Ive had basil grown in good quality potting mix and the exact same seeds in soil (both in pots) and the ones in the soil were growing much faster.

The best thing to do in pots it to make a mix of roughly 5 parts good quality top soil, 3 parts potting mix and 2 parts aged compost. That way youve got a nice free draining soil with the nutrients of natural soil.

Ive got a blood orange in a pot outside. Ive let it fruit the two seasons ive had it so it hasnt grown as much as it would have but overall its doing well. They are pretty much the same as any other citrus fruit. Only the oranges need to be on the tree for a while after they have ripened to develop into a true blood orange (or so i have found).

Time: 17th October 2010 1:24pm

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Original Post was last edited: 17th October 2010 1:28pm

About the Author Steven
Eastern Melbourne
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Georgia says...
Steven - Great to hear that you have a blood orange fruiting in Melbourne. Do you get much fruit? What month does it ripen? Does it actually develop the taste and pigment of a blood orange? Do you know what variety it is?

Thanks for the info - I'm thinking about getting one but haven't been able to find much about how they do this far south.




Time: 29th December 2010 9:28am

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About the Author Georgia1
Northern Melbourne
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Georgia says...
Steven - Great to hear that you have a blood orange fruiting in Melbourne. Do you get much fruit? What month does it ripen? Does it actually develop the taste and pigment of a blood orange? Do you know what variety it is?

Thanks for the info - I'm thinking about getting one but haven't been able to find much about how they do this far south.




Time: 29th December 2010 9:28am

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About the Author Georgia1
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Leanne says...
I have a blood orange tree which i put straight into the ground along with a little chicken manure from my own hens when it was only approx. 4 months..it's doing great and growing fast it is now about 6 foot high with plenty of leaves i didn't use potting mix..i just water it when required.

Time: 18th December 2012 4:02pm

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About the Author Leanne5
Melbourne
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Brain says...
There are a few different types of blood orange out there and I'm just wondering what you folks have and what's available, as I'm keen to get some more varieties.

Currently I am aware of Arnold Blood, Maltese and Cara Cara Navel. Does anyone know of others being sold in Australia?

Time: 18th December 2012 5:51pm

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About the Author Brain
Brisbane
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apple trees for subtropics1 says...
can anyone tell me how long it takes blood oranges to go from flower to the fruit being ripe enough to pick

Time: 25th April 2014 12:22pm

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About the Author apple trees for subtropics1
Bucca
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Brain says...
I dare say around half year, they behave the same as normal oranges.

Time: 25th April 2014 7:20pm

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About the Author Brain
Brisbane
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MaryT says...
I agree with Brain; spring to autumn

Time: 26th April 2014 3:44am

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About the Author MaryT
Sydney
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Riviera David says...
Blood oranges need a long ripening period to develop the red pigment. They may look ripe in late autumn, but they should be left until the end of winter before harvesting, if you want the red flesh, which is developed by cold weather (otherwise why are you growing it, right?) However they will not handle frost well, so if you are looking at below freezing temperatures, you might as well pick them just before and make the best of it!

Time: 26th November 2015 3:55am

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About the Author Riviera David
Nice, France
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