Growing a Grapefruit Tree

My potted grapefruit tree is my pride and joy. I planted it from the seed of a grapefruit I ate over 10 years ago. I overwinter it in the house every year, but it as not yet produced fruit. Will it ever bear grapefruit?

—Pat Leggett, West Bend, Wisconsin

Melinda:

Congratulations on growing a healthy 10-year-old grapefruit tree. Plants grown from grocery-store citrus fruits are usually large trees that do not produce fruit indoors.

Continue your proper care, move the tree indoors in fall before temperatures drop below 50 degrees, add artificial light, and use a flowering-plant fertilizer when the tree is actively growing. Then continue to be patient. This type of tender love and care gives you the best odds for producing fruit.

In the meantime, you may want to add a citrus plant that is more likely to bloom and fruit when grown indoors for all or part of the year. Try growing Ponderosa lemon, Otaheite orage, meyer lemon, Persian lime and Calamondin orange.