# Growing trees inside your house?



## salunra (Feb 28, 2012)

I have a maple seedling that volunteered in my landscape bedding last spring. In just over a year it is 10' tall. You would have trouble keeping something like that inside. Now... I don't know the growth habits of a golden rain tree, but I woul think it would be difficult to keep them inside. 

Do you have a yard? You could probably container grow them for a few years til you have a permanent place. 

http://www.rootmaker.com/

Something like the white root trapper bags would probably work for you and you would have a great root ball ready to go when you planted.


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## Nick S. (Jul 18, 2013)

salunra said:


> I have a maple seedling that volunteered in my landscape bedding last spring. In just over a year it is 10' tall. You would have trouble keeping something like that inside. Now... I don't know the growth habits of a golden rain tree, but I woul think it would be difficult to keep them inside.
> 
> Do you have a yard? You could probably container grow them for a few years til you have a permanent place.
> 
> ...


Woah, that's pretty tall! I didn't mean to keep it inside for the entire time, just until it reached about a foot or so and I know that it'll be able to survive or at least have a high chance.

I do have a yard, and I was actually planning to plant it there after a year or so. How long are you able to container grow them?

Thanks for the site, I'll read through it!


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## salunra (Feb 28, 2012)

They will grow to a foot pretty quickly. My maple sapling came up in the spring last year and by the time fall hit it was a,ready over 3' tall. 

I watched the slides how presentation on that site and they had some pretty big trees in those containers. It is worth a look. I don't really know though. I don't container grow trees.


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## Nick S. (Jul 18, 2013)

salunra said:


> They will grow to a foot pretty quickly. My maple sapling came up in the spring last year and by the time fall hit it was a,ready over 3' tall.
> 
> I watched the slides how presentation on that site and they had some pretty big trees in those containers. It is worth a look. I don't really know though. I don't container grow trees.


Oh wow that's pretty quick!

Oh okay, I'll take a look! I also changed my mind about getting Golden Rain since I read it was pretty invasive. Maybe Black Locust if it doesn't get too big.


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## Kenww (Apr 14, 2013)

Maples grow faster than most trees. I had dwarf apples in pots for several years. It worked very well, but the were outside. Most trees need a lot of light. You'd need a really sunny room or a grow light. I'd just


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## Kenww (Apr 14, 2013)

Planted it in the ground if you're going to live there more than a few years unless you plant some that isn't very hardy. 

Locust is very invasive and usually thorny. They can puncture tires. I think there are some without thorns. I've heard bees love them. I know more about trees than bees.
Actually, I think I'd go with a dual purpose fruit/nectar tree. Montmorency cherrys are fairly small and don't require spraying. The bees like my apple and pear trees too. Plum would probably be good too. Mine havent really bloomed yet but I've seen lots of bees on wild plums. Oikos Tree Crops is a good place for native plants. They are mostly very small plants but healthy. I'm into edible landscaping. A tree can be productive and still very ornamental.


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## Nick S. (Jul 18, 2013)

Kenww said:


> Maples grow faster than most trees. I had dwarf apples in pots for several years. It worked very well, but the were outside. Most trees need a lot of light. You'd need a really sunny room or a grow light. I'd just


I'm actually planning on keeping red maple and black locust now, but I'd only be keeping them inside until they get about a foot or they're well started. I'll invest in a grow light, but how long should I keep it on? And then when they're well started I plan on moving them outside. Would that cause any problems? Or would it work? I'm planning to keep them in pots/containers until I get my own place which will take a couple of years, would that be okay?


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## Nick S. (Jul 18, 2013)

Kenww said:


> Planted it in the ground if you're going to live there more than a few years unless you plant some that isn't very hardy.
> 
> Locust is very invasive and usually thorny. They can puncture tires. I think there are some without thorns. I've heard bees love them. I know more about trees than bees.
> Actually, I think I'd go with a dual purpose fruit/nectar tree. Montmorency cherrys are fairly small and don't require spraying. The bees like my apple and pear trees too. Plum would probably be good too. Mine havent really bloomed yet but I've seen lots of bees on wild plums. Oikos Tree Crops is a good place for native plants. They are mostly very small plants but healthy. I'm into edible landscaping. A tree can be productive and still very ornamental.


I'm going to be off in college so I want to make sure they're well taken care of at my parents haha. Since I'm just going to be starting college I still have quite a bit time left. I've heard bees love black locust too so that's why I want to get it, and since it is invasive I'll make sure to use caution.

I don't really mind if it had fruit or not, I just want to make sure the bees will love it and that it won't get too big, but also that they won't bloom too late also. I'm still keeping my eyes open for trees tho!

I don't want it to grow too big since I do plan on moving it once I get my own place btw haha

Thanks!


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## Kenww (Apr 14, 2013)

I think you'd want about 12 hours of light. I haven't grown trees from seed but I know that some kinds of seeds won't germinate until they're stratified. You have to simulate a winter by keeping them cold and damp for weeks or months. I don't know about maple or locust specifically. They seem grow be very hardy. I'd just plant a handful of seeds for each tree you want, outside in early winter. They'll be fine. Loosen up the soil a little and and don't plant them very deep. They don't get buried very deeply in nature. Thin them to the best trees as soon as they're up good.

I really would not plant locust in the yard unless you can find a thornless s strain. Saw some somewhere, maybe oikos.


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## Kenww (Apr 14, 2013)

I guess I didn't make it clear that I'd plant them outside first even if I was going to pot them.


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## Nick S. (Jul 18, 2013)

Kenww said:


> I think you'd want about 12 hours of light. I haven't grown trees from seed but I know that some kinds of seeds won't germinate until they're stratified. You have to simulate a winter by keeping them cold and damp for weeks or months. I don't know about maple or locust specifically. They seem grow be very hardy. I'd just plant a handful of seeds for each tree you want, outside in early winter. They'll be fine. Loosen up the soil a little and and don't plant them very deep. They don't get buried very deeply in nature. Thin them to the best trees as soon as they're up good.
> 
> I really would not plant locust in the yard unless you can find a seedless strain. Saw some somewhere, maybe oikos.


Well, after doing some more research I'll actually pass on growing them indoors, and seeing as the amount they'll grow in 5-7 years, it'll be more of a hassle if I move farther away from my parents house, unless I find a way to keep them inside a pot. However, I'm still into growing some smaller plants indoor if possible. The later one when they get larger I'll be able to move them outside when the season turns around.

I'll take your word for it then, thanks!

And edible gardening sounds pretty cool, I planned on doing that, but I want bees to be attracted to the plants as well and I've heard that bees ignore some types of fruits and vegetables.


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## Kenww (Apr 14, 2013)

I know locust are supposed to produce a lot of nectar. I read somewhere that catalpa is also. Don't think it's very common. Really neat tree. Big round leaves. Lots of big white blooms. I think I read that on Wikipedia nectar sources of n America. I could probably find you some seeds this fall if you're interested.


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## Nick S. (Jul 18, 2013)

Kenww said:


> I know locust are supposed to produce a lot of nectar. I read somewhere that catalpa is also. Don't think it's very common. Really neat tree. Big round leaves. Lots of big white blooms. I think I read that on Wikipedia nectar sources of n America. I could probably find you some seeds this fall if you're interested.


I think I'll actually hold back on the trees until a few years when I know I'm getting my own place and such haha. After rethinking everything I figured that would be a much better idea since I'll be probably moving far away from my parents house once I get my own place and then by then it might be impossible to move. But thanks for the offer! Do you know of any small trees or trees that are slow growers that still produce a good amount of nectar or pollen?


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## Colleen O. (Jun 5, 2012)

I have dwarf citrus trees planted in large containers that I take outside every spring and bring inside every fall. My bees were all over them this year. I've had the trees for several years but when they are inside I keep them as close to under my skylights as possible without messing up furniture arrangement and traffic flow. They come inside right before the first freeze and go out after the last frost.

I had two dwarf apple trees in containers on my apartment patio for a few years before I bought my house. They did okay in the containers but didn't make the transition to being planted in the ground so I had to plant replacements. There were some extra factors at play though.


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## Kenww (Apr 14, 2013)

I was wrong about the catalpa. It's a minor source. Neat tree though. I was thinking of Linden/bass wood. It sounds great . Not sure how to I'd it. It's supposed to be native here.

I didn't mean to discourage you. I'm sorry abou thatJust thought you should look at other options. I do things that aren't recommend all the time. I have a fig tree and a couple apricots no one grows them around here and it probably won't work out, but I'll have fun trying.


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## Nick S. (Jul 18, 2013)

Colleen O. said:


> I have dwarf citrus trees planted in large containers that I take outside every spring and bring inside every fall. My bees were all over them this year. I've had the trees for several years but when they are inside I keep them as close to under my skylights as possible without messing up furniture arrangement and traffic flow. They come inside right before the first freeze and go out after the last frost.
> 
> I had two dwarf apple trees in containers on my apartment patio for a few years before I bought my house. They did okay in the containers but didn't make the transition to being planted in the ground so I had to plant replacements. There were some extra factors at play though.


Oh that's pretty cool, never thought about citrus trees really since I was so focused on the nectar wiki list. How big do the dwarf citrus trees get? Thanks!



Kenww said:


> I was wrong about the catalpa. It's a minor source. Neat tree though. I was thinking of Linden/bass wood. It sounds great . Not sure how to I'd it. It's supposed to be native here.
> 
> I didn't mean to discourage you. I'm sorry abou thatJust thought you should look at other options. I do things that aren't recommend all the time. I have a fig tree and a couple apricots no one grows them around here and it probably won't work out, but I'll have fun trying.


I've heard of them, we have a few around here and if my memory is right they were pretty big haha
You didn't discourage me so no need to apologize! I just got caught in the moment about planting trees and such haha. Now I'm just looking for either very slow growing or small trees and plants that can be brought inside and taken outside during different seasons. And I appreciate your opinion! Especially since you have quite a bit of experience! Thanks!


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## Kenww (Apr 14, 2013)

You said small and slow growing. Nana dwarf beach plum. Think it only gets about 3' tall. They are a selection of wild plums. My bees love the wild plum thicket on the farm I keep them at. It might be a good starter for your collection. They have them at oikos. No I don't work there. There aren't too many sources for unusual native plants.


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## Nick S. (Jul 18, 2013)

Kenww said:


> You said small and slow growing. Nana dwarf beach plum. Think it only gets about 3' tall. They are a selection of wild plums. My bees love the wild plum thicket on the farm I keep them at. It might be a good starter for your collection. They have them at oikos. No I don't work there. There aren't too many sources for unusual native plants.


That sounds great! Are they sold as seeds? I'd love to be able to grow my own! Haha. Are they able to survive in a pot or container of sorts also? Thanks!

Also do you know of any small, slow growing flowering trees that don't fruit?


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## Kenww (Apr 14, 2013)

I think they sell some tree seeds not sure which kinds. Mostly the sell small 6-18" trees. I would think they'd do good in a pot since they don't grow very fast or very big. You might need two for pollination. Think they fruit in just 3-4 years, so you'd have plenty of seeds by then. The other wild plums don't get too big either, depending on how much room you have. 

My bees like forsythia. It's a shrub so you can keep it cut as short as you want. Bright yellow flowers. The spread from the roots some. If you know anyone who has one, you could probably dig up a start. Think you can buy them anywhere


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## Colleen O. (Jun 5, 2012)

Nick S. said:


> Oh that's pretty cool, never thought about citrus trees really since I was so focused on the nectar wiki list. How big do the dwarf citrus trees get? Thanks!


I first saw it at a farm I stayed at in Sienna Italy (Agroturismo). They had huge beautiful terracotta pots filled with lemon trees that they kept in an old carriage house over winter and brought out during spring/summer/fall. I have a grapefruit, lime, and lemon. They are dwarf so I think they get between 6 to 8 feet tall but the container and pruning keep them manageable, similar to the principle of bonsai. I have terracotta looking (plastic - reduces weight) containers with watering reservoirs in the bottoms. At this time of year I have to water daily. Mine bloom more than once a year so I generally get a winter bloom inside too. The blooms smell heavenly, especially the red grapefruit. I got them before I even thought of keeping bees for the fruit and blossoms, being a nectar source is a bonus. The dwarf Meyer Lemon was sold at one of the big box stores here this summer in small pots for a reasonable price. That one is more cold hearty. I had one but it was an old, poor or off, version of the hybrid and I got rid of it in favor of a real lemon tree.


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## Nick S. (Jul 18, 2013)

Kenww said:


> I think they sell some tree seeds not sure which kinds. Mostly the sell small 6-18" trees. I would think they'd do good in a pot since they don't grow very fast or very big. You might need two for pollination. Think they fruit in just 3-4 years, so you'd have plenty of seeds by then. The other wild plums don't get too big either, depending on how much room you have.
> 
> My bees like forsythia. It's a shrub so you can keep it cut as short as you want. Bright yellow flowers. The spread from the roots some. If you know anyone who has one, you could probably dig up a start. Think you can buy them anywhere


That's pretty cool, I'll look for into the site and the forsythia thanks!



> I first saw it at a farm I stayed at in Sienna Italy (Agroturismo). They had huge beautiful terracotta pots filled with lemon trees that they kept in an old carriage house over winter and brought out during spring/summer/fall. I have a grapefruit, lime, and lemon. They are dwarf so I think they get between 6 to 8 feet tall but the container and pruning keep them manageable, similar to the principle of bonsai. I have terracotta looking (plastic - reduces weight) containers with watering reservoirs in the bottoms. At this time of year I have to water daily. Mine bloom more than once a year so I generally get a winter bloom inside too. The blooms smell heavenly, especially the red grapefruit. I got them before I even thought of keeping bees for the fruit and blossoms, being a nectar source is a bonus. The dwarf Meyer Lemon was sold at one of the big box stores here this summer in small pots for a reasonable price. That one is more cold hearty. I had one but it was an old, poor or off, version of the hybrid and I got rid of it in favor of a real lemon tree.


Ooo, that doesn't sound too bad. I like the idea of a mini grapefruit tree haha. However the problem comes about with a plant that needs direct sunlight, the windows I have don't really provide much, and the ones that do are already taken up by smaller plants and such. 

Has anyone heard of a dwarf tulip poplar? It would be really interesting if they did manage to get a dwarf one!


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## Daniel Y (Sep 12, 2011)

The two biggest problems with growing indoors. 1. providing enough light. We are not talking about light you can see by. we are talking about light that replicates the sun. you know that stuff that will cause your skin to peel of if you stay in it to long.

2. since you can really never come close to replicating the sun. when you fist move your plants into real sun. they will not like. it. in fact full sun will kill them. you have to do is slowly and carefully.

Finally growing plants indoors is not he same as growing them outdoors. be ready for the change.


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## Kenww (Apr 14, 2013)

Nick, if you don't mind a personal question, I was wondering about your college plans? It sounds like you should be studying botany or something related to bees. I wish I'd gone with botany and done plant breeding. Most people don't realize how precarious the world food supply is overall. I wouldn't say that it's precarious in the US. Developing new varieties of plants or hArdier strains of bees could really make a difference. I'm not sure if anyone is even working on breeding better plants the natural wAy. I don't like genetically engeneering plants so they can stand more chemicals.

My BA is in Sociology.


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## Nick S. (Jul 18, 2013)

Kenww said:


> Nick, if you don't mind a personal question, I was wondering about your college plans? It sounds like you should be studying botany or something related to bees. I wish I'd gone with botany and done plant breeding. Most people don't realize how precarious the world food supply is overall. I wouldn't say that it's precarious in the US. Developing new varieties of plants or hArdier strains of bees could really make a difference. I'm not sure if anyone is even working on breeding better plants the natural wAy. I don't like genetically engeneering plants so they can stand more chemicals.
> 
> My BA is in Sociology.


I'm actually going to be majoring in zoology with emphasis on entomology and I hope to study pollinators, such as honey bees, and their overall impact on the environment and interaction with plants. Hopefully I'll be able to land a job that helps with agriculture and the lack of pollinators around now. I prefer natural plants as well.


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## Kenww (Apr 14, 2013)

That sounds like a good plan.


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