As with all citrus plants, the following principle applies to the overwintering of orange trees: the warmer the plants are, the more light they need. The blossom formation of oranges is usually very weak during a warm hibernation.

Optimal wintering temperatures for oranges

Oranges are best overwintered at temperatures of around 5°C at night and up to 15°C during the day. This corresponds to their climatic conditions at their natural location. On sunny days, the temperature can rise to over 20 °C, even in winter. It should just not become a permanent temperature, because then the plants would wake up from their hibernation.

The warmer the brighter

In addition, the available light is the second most important factor: the general rule is: the warmer, the brighter. From this it can be seen why plants that have overwintered in the living room often react in the spring by shedding their leaves or, in some cases, even by dying branches. Your energy reserves from the summer season are slowly used up in spring because the light intensity in the living room is not sufficient for photosynthesis.

Insufficient light duration in winter

In the case of conservatories integrated into the living room and bright living rooms, people often ignore the fact that the human eye adapts much better to reduced lighting conditions than an orange leaf. A maximum of eight hours of daylight, filtered through glazing, appears to the plants almost like a permanent night. However, since orange trees are evergreen, they need a certain minimum amount of light to maintain their vital functions, even during a cold hibernation.

Hibernation in the greenhouse or in the conservatory

For the reasons mentioned, it is not advisable to spend the winter in a heated living room. Greenhouses and conservatories, which are kept frost-free in winter by means of thermostatic heating, are ideal places to overwinter due to the amount of light they offer. On sunny winter days, however, you must ensure that temperatures above 12 °C are avoided through regular ventilation.

tips and tricks

In winter you should not fertilize your orange tree, only water it a little and choose a bright, cool location that is as frost-free as possible. Check for pests before you put them away and get rid of them immediately. Cut the plants into shape, harvest the ripe fruit and remove unripe new shoots. Unripe fruits can remain on the tree. They just keep maturing the next year.

Category:

Vegetable garden