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by: JimHofman
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While indoor fruit trees grow more slowly in the winter than the summer, there are still some important care tips to help your tree thrive in colder months. In some ways, you'll need to watch your tree just a bit closer in winter. For the most part, these care tips are preparatory and quite simple, but there are things to be aware of to ensure the continued health of your tree.

Watch For Pests

There are certain pests that can wreak havoc on your indoor fruit tree, namely spider mites and vinegar flies. Of the two, spider mites are worse, but you can typically use some preventive care to keep both away. If you thought pests were only active in summer, just remember pests like your warm home during the winter just as much as you do!

Spider mites will cause damage to the leaves of your tree, causing them to turn yellow and sometimes deforming them. If you suspect spider mites, use a horticultural oil, sprayed directly on the leaves. A citrus based oil product is equally efficient.

Vinegar flies are more of an annoyance than a harmful pest, but simple precautions will prevent them from flitting around your tree. Just be sure to remove anything that's rotting or decaying, specifically split open fruit, dead leaves, or dead wood. Another factor is to make sure you avoid over watering your tree, as this causes moist soil. Vinegar flies prefer overly moist soil, especially soil that's consistently over moist.

Watering During Winter

Due to its slower growth cycle during winter, it's quite possible your tree will need less water. However, it's important you monitor soil conditions. Check the soil weekly. If the soil is completely dry, it's time to water. However, make sure you avoid over watering, as this is probably the worst thing for an indoor fruit tree. If the soil is still moist 10 days after your last watering, check for a drainage problem. Proper draining is critical for your tree.

Additional Care Tips

There are just a few other tips to help your indoor fruit tree survive and thrive during the winter. First, make sure to remove any blooms which are wilting or brown. Next, prune any dead branches or stems. Finally, do your absolute best to keep the container temperature at or above 65 degrees. Sometimes rooms get colder than you think, and soil tempertures in containers are usually 10 degrees lower than air temperatures. There's nothing wrong with using slightly warm water to help raise the soil temperature, if necessary.

To make sure your tree is healthy in the summer and yields a bountiful crop of fruit, keep on eye on any possible problems during the winter. Watch for pests, be careful to water properly, and keep the soil temperature at 65 degrees or above. If you do, you can expect a happy, healthy tree for years to come.

About the Author

With proper winter care, Indoor Fruit Trees will give you a vibrant, productive crop of fruit. For more information, care tips, and recommendations, be sure to visit our comprehensive resource center for Indoor Fruit Trees .

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