Grapefruit tree in upstate SC

[njainsc]

I’m one of those guys who’s crazy enough to try planting a couple of grapefruit trees here in Upstate of SC. They are in a sunny part of my yard (no large trees or obstructions for several hundred feet).

We’re getting past our first frost season but we get a fair number of frosty nights over winter, my current plan is to cover them through winter frosts while they’re small enough, then try wrapping with some incandescent Christmas trees lights for some heat when they’re a little larger (I can activate the lights by temperature through my smart home system).

Any thoughts on achieving this… or am I totally crazy?

An added wrinkle... these trees are of the fruit salad variety--“five-in-one” grafted trees that include grapefruit/pomelo/forbidden fruit/citrus maxima/chakotra.

I know it’s a long shot, but I’m open to any ideas that might help me get these little guys off the ground.

Ideas or expert advice would be greatly appreciated!

[sanguinho]

Sometimes crazy ideas work, good luck!

[Laaz]

True grapefruit doesn't have a chance. There are people out there pushing "hardy grapefruit" which is citrumelo & may make it, but have fun eating that nasty fruit.

[brian]

If there is any wind I think it will prevent christmas lights from being effective.  I think to have a chance you would need to cover them and add a heat source.  You could probably get one of those Easy-Up type structures, or the type used for sheltering vehicles, and add plastic to seal it and have a heater or christmas lights inside.   Basically, you need a greenhouse but it could be something makeshift you only put up on the coldest time of year. and then remove.

I have a grapefruit tree that I keep at 7-8ft tall and it makes more fruit than I can eat.  I don't think you need a giant one.

[citradia]

I have a Rio Red grapefruit and Croxton grapefruit that I cover in winter and heat enclosure with small space heater regulated by thermo cube. My Rio Red is 10 feet high and I erect a 4x4 wooden frame around it and wrap three sides with 4 mil plastic and roof, and roll up the east side of the greenhouse to ventilate it when temps are above freezing. My Croxton is on flying dragon and shrub-like, so it is covered by loose sheet of plastic over a pvc pipe dome frame when freezing outside. My grapefruit are not ripe until spring of the following year so I have to try to keep fruit from freezing as much as possible. I’m on top of a mountain east of Asheville, NC. I have satsumas, Changsha, and Meiwa kumquat that I treat the same way. I’ve lost a lot of trees experimenting other methods, but I have noticed that unless covered and heated, citrus, even poncirus hybrids will die here when temps go 5 degrees and below or if we stay below freezing for a week.