Grow oranges in containers in colder areas of South Carolina.
Citrus lovers outside of the temperate regions of southern Florida and California may have thought they would never know the joy of eating an orange picked fresh from their own trees. They would be wrong. Although South Carolina occasionally suffers severe winter weather and is well north of the normal growing zone for oranges, citrus grows successfully around the state. Choose the hardiest orange variety you can find, pick a protected spot in your garden, take measures to protect the tree from freezing, and in a couple of years, you can squeeze fresh juice from your own oranges. Does this Spark an idea?
Hardiness Zones
South Carolina's prevalent hardiness zones, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture hardiness zone maps, range from 7a to 8b. The low temperatures generally range from 0 to 5 degrees Fahrenheit in zone 7a to 15 to 20 degrees F in zone 8b. The last frost in spring may be as early as late March from Columbia to as far south as Beaufort, and as late as early May in Greenville. In the fall, the area around Anderson experiences first frost around mid-October, while Columbia, Charleston and Beaufort may remain frost-free until November.
Rootstock Selection
Although most oranges are not cold hardy enough for South Carolina winters by themselves, orange varieties grafted onto certain rootstocks often become more immune to the cold. Trifoliate orange (Poncirus trifoliate) is a tough, cold hardy orange that produces awful fruit. Grafting young satsumas and other orange varieties onto trifoliate produces a smaller tree that is better able to withstand cold weather and produces tasty fruit. Look for Flying Dragon, a dwarf trifoliate orange rootstock readily available in garden centers and nurseries.
Cold Hardy Varieties
Satsuma mandarins are among the most cold hardy types of oranges available. Satsumas can withstand temperatures as cold as 20 degrees Fahrenheit, although sturdy, mature trees may tolerate even lower temperatures. Satsuma varieties include Owari, Changsha, Miho, Seto and Clementine-Yuzu hybrids. Find a site in the garden where the orange tree will receive six to eight hours of sunlight per day and where the tree will be protected from cold winter air. A sunny wall of your home is a good spot, since the wall will absorb heat from the sun during the day and release it at night. Cold air is heavier than warm air, so plant the trees on a slope, if possible, to allow cold air to flow downhill, away from the tree.
Container-Grown Trees
In colder areas of South Carolina, you can still grow oranges. Most dwarf varieties grow beautifully in containers and produce quality fruit. Container-grown oranges may not produce as much fruit annually as a garden-grown tree. When the temperature threatens to drop below your tree's cold hardiness threshold, simply move the container indoors until the weather warms. The containers are fine in unheated areas, like the garage or a shed; just make sure the plants get enough light.
Freeze Protection
When temperatures fall below freezing, take steps to protect your trees. If you only have one or two trees, a sprinkler system is a good option. Set the sprinklers to run during the night, and a layer of ice will form on the tree, protecting the branches and limbs within the coating. Cover small trees with blankets or quilts before the temperature drops in the evening. This conserves accumulated warmth. If the tree is small, you can string Christmas lights through the branches or place an incandescent light source in the branches. Rope lights provide some warmth, as do the old-fashioned bulb lights, but make sure the Christmas lights are rated for outdoor use. Water the tree thoroughly to keep the soil from losing heat during the night. Mulch the tree thickly enough to cover the spot, called the bud union, where the rootstock joins the scion.
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