How to Grow Lemon & Orange Trees Near a Hot Tub

Start the planting process in mid-spring after the last frost. Lemon and orange trees fail in hard frosts and start best with warm, sunny weather. Plan to plant at least two lemon trees and two orange trees for the best possible harvest.

Use 20- to 40-gallon pots, barrels and wine casks for planting. These pots provide plenty of space for dwarf tree growth, and they are easy to move. They also provide decor around a hot tub. Drill four to five 1-inch holes in the bottom of each container for drainage.

Put the pots in appropriate sites before planting. Choose sites with full sunshine and good air movement, as the trees won't grow, bloom or produce in shade or still air. Put the pots in sites outside the splash zone, as chlorinated water from the hot tub will pollute the soil and damage the trees.

Mix a potting soil of 1 part organic compost to 1 part garden loam or topsoil, and fill each pot to within 2 inches of the top. This mixture gives the trees loose, quick-draining soil with a high nutrition content, and allows for best root and tree growth.

Plant one dwarf orange or lemon tree per pot, in holes deep and wide enough for the root balls. Pack soil mixture down around the roots and bases of the trees to secure them.

Prune new saplings to 24 to 36 inches in height. This initial pruning encourages new growth and branching. If you plant older trees that already have foliage and fruit, skip this pruning.

Water each tree with 1/2 gallon of water to settle the soil, and put the trees on a schedule of 2 inches of water every week. Lay 1 inch of mulch over the soil in the pots to protect soil moisture and warmth.

Fertilize each tree with citrus fertilizer one to two weeks after planting. This gives the trees time to establish before the feeding. Repeat feedings every month into the fall to encourage continued growth, but discontinue feedings in winter. Renew feedings and give the trees new compost amendments in spring.