Potted Lychee Trees - Tips For Growing Lychee In A Container

Growing Lychee in a Container

Lots of water. Lychee needs plenty of water to thrive. ...
Ample sunlight. Make sure your lychee tree has a spot where it can get as much sunlight as possible. ...
Acidic soil. For the best results, your tree needs soil that is acidic. ...
Occasional fertilizer. ...
Warmth.

How many years does it take for a lychee tree to bear fruit?

Harvesting. Lychee trees will take at least five years to mature before bearing any fruit. You must expose the tree to cold temperatures for at least 100 hours in the winter if you want it to bloom and then bear fruit, and the female flowers have to be pollinated.

How often do you water a lychee tree?

Lychees should not be in standing water, as it will stunt their growth. Newly planted trees should be watered 2 to 3 times a week during the first weeks of planting, but can be reduced once the tree is established. Prune mature trees to help control the size and shape.

What is the best fertilizer for lychee tree?

Young trees (less than 4 years old) should be fertilized with 0.25 to 0.50 lbs (0.11 to 0.22 kg) of a complete fertilizer every 8 weeks (Table 3). Fertilizer mixtures containing 6 to 8% nitrogen, 2 to 4% available phosphorus, 6 to 8% potash, and 3 to 4% magnesium are satisfactory.

How can I make my lychee grow faster?

The rule of thumb for fast growth is "once a month" applications of a balanced fertilizer during spring and summer. We have doubled the size of some of our trees in a single growing season through aggressive fertilization.

Can Lychee grow in pots?

Because lychee is a tropical tree, it isn't an option for many gardens. However, although this tree can be quite large outdoors, it is possible to grow lychee in pots.

Do lychee trees bear fruit every year?

Lychee trees grow in recurrent cycles of growth followed by periods of dormancy. Typically, a South Florida lychee tree will experience 4 - 6 annual growth flushes depending on the age and size of a tree.

How long do lychee trees live?

The air-layered trees will fruit in 2 to 5 years after planting, Professor Groff said that a lychee tree is not in its prime until it is 20 to 40 years old; will continue bearing a good crop for 100 years or longer.

Are lychees good for you?

Lychees are popular in Southeast Asia and China but less common in other countries. They have a sweet and flowery flavor and are a good source of vitamin C and several beneficial antioxidants. This makes them an excellent addition to a healthy diet.

How do you fertilize a lychee tree?

Fertilize with a half-strength application of 10-5-20 fertilizer after the harvest of the first fruit. Do not fertilize again until fruit has set for the second harvest of fruit.

Do lychee trees need full sun?

No remember, lychees don't like much wind, so put it in a spot where there's no wind, plenty of sun and it'll do brilliantly.

How do I get my lychee tree to bear fruit?

It does, however, need a certain number of chilling hours in order to set fruit, between 100-200 hours of standard chilling. This means that if your lychee won't produce, you might have to trick the tree a bit to get it to fruit. First off, lychee trees grow in regular cycles of growth followed by dormancy.

Why is my lychee tree dying?

Drought stress can cause dried out leaves and defoliation of lychee trees. Lychee growers recommend growing lychee in a full sun site with protection from wind. Though they will require deep watering during periods of drought, they are otherwise infrequently watered to allow them to grow their own deep, vigorous roots.

What month is lychee season?

The Real Lychee Season

The real season for fresh lychee fruit is mid-June to mid-July. Far too many growers sell partially ripe lychees in a rush to get their fruit to market.

Is there a dwarf lychee tree?

Planting & Care. The Emperor Lychee Tree (Litchi chinensis 'Emperor') is a beautiful tropical dwarf tree that produces large, juicy fruit larger than that of the regular Lychee tree. ... They are commonly planted in USDA growing zones 9-11 but can be brought indoors during the colder seasons.

Are lychees easy to grow?

Since the tree is subtropical, it can be grown in USDA zones 10-11 only. A beautiful specimen tree with its shiny leaves and attractive fruit, lychee thrives in deep, fertile, well-draining soil. They prefer an acidic soil of pH 5.0-5.5. When growing lychee trees, be sure to plant them in a protected area.

How long does it take to grow lychee from seed?

Lychee seeds must be planted within four to five days to increase the chance of germination. Refrigeration or any delay in planting severely reduces the viability of the seed. Lychee trees grown from seed don't grow true to the parent tree and take 10 to 25 years or more to produce fruits.

Can you plant lychee?

Lychee seeds dry out and lose their viability in a matter of days and should be planted as soon as possible. Fill a 6-inch (15 cm.) pot with moist, rich growing medium and sow a single seed at a depth of 1 inch (2.5 cm.). Keep the pot moist and warm (between 75 and 90 F., or 24 and 32 C.).

What month do litchi bloom?

These litchi trees produces flowers in the month of August –September and fruits mature in the month of December and January.

How do you look after a lychee tree?

Always water in well after planting to settle the soil around the roots. Mulch around the base with organic mulch like bark chips, sugarcane or pea straw, keeping it away from the trunk. Water deeply, once every 2-3 days, depending on weather conditions. Once established, water deeply once every week.

Can you prune lychee trees?

While they are still young, lychee trees are pruned regularly to promote a full, rounded shape. Select branches are pruned from the center of young trees to open up the canopy to good air flow and reduce wind damage. When pruning a lychee tree, always use clean, sharp tools to avoid the spread of disease.