How to Grow Dwarf Navel Oranges in a Pot

According to Sunkist, there are two types of oranges: Valencia and navel. Navel oranges hit the supermarkets in winter through spring, with the peak of the harvest occuring in January through March. A result of a mutation, the navel on the orange first occured in Brazil in the 1800s. It turns out it's not a navel at all, but another orange — a twin — that never fully develops. The dwarf navel orange, which is a full-sized orange tree grafted onto dwarf rootstock, grows well in a pot as long as you can provide it with lots of sunshine and warm temperatures.

Fertilizer
Pruning shears
Insecticidal soap

Instructions

- 1
  Place the dwarf navel orange's pot in a sunny spot. The tree thrives in at least six hours of sun per day — more is even better.
- 2
  Irrigate the dwarf navel orange tree when the top 2 inches of soil feels dry to the touch. Potted trees generally require watering twice a week.
- 3
  Fertilize the dwarf navel orange with a citrus fertilizer, using the rate on the label for the size of your orange tree. Make the first application in February or March. When the navel orange tree is in bloom, give it an acid fertilizer once a month, again following the rate chart on the label. Stop fertilizing in early October.
- 4
  Prune the potted dwarf navel orange tree in early spring to remove dead and weak stems and branches. Cut off any growth produced below the graft union — the swollen area on the lower part of the trunk where the tree was grafted onto rootstock.
- 5
  Spray the potted dwarf orange tree with insecticidal soap to manage aphid, scale and other insect infestations. Follow the instructions on the product's label to avoid burning the foliage.

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