Welcome to my website citrusworld.eu. I started it to have a place to collect and share my notes on a wide range of citrus species and from my travels. It is sometimes very difficult to find information on some of the rarer cultivars, so I hope this will make hours of searching easier for any interested parties.
Like many citrus growers, my interest began in 1991 with the planting of my first lemon seed, which I had grafted a few years later. For many years I had only humble beginnings, growing a few small trees outside the windows of my Prague apartment. It wasn’t until I bought a property outside of Prague in 2011 that a 20m2 conservatory came along. This too was soon small and in 2017 I managed to complete a partially sunken 81m2 greenhouse which is automated and computer controlled. The greenhouse is glazed with double insulated glass on the sides and a 16mm polycarbonate roof. The structure of the greenhouse itself maintains a temperature difference of approximately 10°C in winter, the rest is taken care of by electric heating. There is also a small growing greenhouse for plant propagation. I am also experimenting with a geothermal battery for outdoor citrus growing without winter heating. This space is also protected by 16mm polycarbonate and is not heated at all in mild winters.
Over the years, my specialization has evolved mainly towards botanical and native citrus species. I like to travel to the places where it is grown to experience the culture of the inhabitants and the way these exceptional plants are used. Currently, my collection numbers over one hundred botanical and native hybrid species. My goal is to have a comprehensive collection of major species across the world brought to fruiting. Unlike commercial growers, I am not interested in the volume or quality of species grown, nor am I interested in modern cultivars. More important is the knowledge of exotic species in the context of the places where they are grown or grow wild and the culture with which they are inextricably linked.
I also discuss the possibilities of cultivation under temperate conditions. In particular, I am concerned with the testing of rootstocks for the purpose of growing in the extreme conditions of unheated greenhouses and winter shelters, as well as rootstocks suitable for year-round cultivation in containers with warm and cold overwintering.
You can contact me below: