How to Grow Kumquat
Kumquat At a Glance
Difficulty
Moderate
Category
Citrus
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Frost Tolerance
Frost Tender
Cold Hardiness
Survives to -7°C
Plant Family
Rutaceae
Growing Season
Warm Season
Plant Lifecycle
Perennial
How to Start It
★ Recommended for beginners
Buy a young grafted kumquat in a pot: it fruits within a couple of years and one tree is enough, since it pollinates itself. Grow it in a large pot with drainage holes, so you can wheel it outdoors after your last frost and back inside before fall frost.
Kumquat is one of the most cold-tolerant citrus and stays small, which makes it one of the best citrus to grow in a pot. It spends summer outside and winter in a bright, cool room, and often flowers and fruits at the same time, so you may pick fruit in winter.
When To Start
Kumquat needs warmth. Wait until your last frost has passed and the soil has warmed before sowing.
We do not have exact sowing dates for this one yet.
When should you plant Kumquat?
Your planting dates depend on your local climate. Sign up and add your location to unlock personalized dates.
Your Kumquat Planting Window
Start planting
May 15, 2026
Last chance
Sep 10, 2026
Your Kumquat Calendar
Set your location to turn these into exact dates and reminders.
Pot up your kumquat and set it outside in the sun
2 weeks after your last frost
Lightly shape your kumquat
30 days after your last frost· every year· optional
Bring your kumquat inside to a bright, cool room
3 weeks before your first frost· every year
Taste a kumquat: pick when fully orange and slightly soft
240 days after your last frost· every year
Water your new kumquat plants well while they settle in. Deep and slow is best.
About 1 days after you plant it
Hi there! Give your kumquat your sunniest spot and let the top of the soil dry before watering.
About 30 days after you plant it
Nice going! Check that water drains out the bottom of the pot, since citrus roots hate soggy soil.
About 90 days after you plant it
The Journey Ahead
Kumquat's Lifecycle
Seedling
Mature Plant
Seed Production
Step 1
Prepare Your Space
300 cm
Plant Spacing
400 cm
Row Spacing
Vertical Growing
No.
Succession Planting
No.
Good Companions
Bad Companions
Step 2
Planting & Sprouting
Growing Tips
- 1Give your kumquat full sun outdoors in summer and your brightest window indoors in winter.
- 2Use a well-drained, slightly acidic potting mix, such as a citrus or cactus mix with some compost.
- 3Water when the top 2 to 3 cm of mix is dry, and empty the saucer so the roots never sit in water.
- 4Feed with worm castings or compost tea every 3 to 4 weeks from spring to late summer.
- 5In winter, keep it in a cool room away from heaters, ideally 10 to 15°C (50 to 59°F), so it rests.
- 6Indoors, check under the leaves for scale insects (small brown bumps) and spider mites, and wipe them off with a damp cloth or rinse the tree in the shower.
Seedling Phase
Step 3
Growth & Maturity
200 cm
Mature Height
150 cm
Mature Width
Pests to Watch For
Diseases to Watch For
Mature Plant
Step 4
Harvesting
Harvest Window
60 days
When to Pick
Pick when fully orange; the whole fruit is eaten, skin and all
How to Harvest
- 1Kumquats are ripe when they are fully orange and slightly soft, and they do not ripen after picking.
- 2Snip each fruit off with scissors, leaving a tiny bit of stem, so you do not tear the skin.
- 3Ripe fruit holds well on the tree for weeks, so pick as you need it.
- 4Eat them whole, skin and all: the skin is sweet and the inside is tart.
- 5Keep picked fruit in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or simmer them into marmalade.
Step 5
Saving Seeds
Seed Production
Still have a question?
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