[Ptmcbriz]

I have a lemon and a lime trees in large pots. However, I’m not a snowbird. These trees in the summer take GALLONS of water weekly. I can’t imagine a drip system delivering enough water. I water mine with a hose every 3 days. About 5 gallons of water each watering. They are very healthy and my lime has been known to put out 50 limes in a season.

[eyounkin]

We are considering the same thing. Our landscaper said we should put in a pot in our outside landscaping and he could add a drip line to the irrigation line. Solves all problems and said he did that and has never had an issue with critters getting to plant

Originally Posted by ElDiabloJoe

Considering putting a dwarf lemon tree on the lanai. Trouble is, as snowbirds, how to keep it watered in the summer. Anyone aware of an enclosed drip irrigation system, perhaps an inverted water-delivery bottle with a measured drip flow rate?

After more searching around, this is an idea: a timer installed to a hose spigot attached to a drip system, like they did here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csjdI65TNX8

[kglass1957]

Have a neighbor water it for you.

[Greg L]

Don’t do it. The patio citrus grow like bushes with thorns. I moved mine to the yard.

[Runway48]

I use a Rachio smart hose timer for my garden. I bought it mainly because I was too lazy to get up early to turn on/off the soaking hose. But I also use it because we travel a lot, and I can control it anywhere in the world through its app on my cell phone. The app tells me how much rain it thinks my house got and I can adjust the watering schedule accordingly. I think it would work for your citrus trees. However, I'm comfortable using it for a few weeks unattended but leaving a pressurized system for several months would be another story. Even when we are away, I ask my neighbor to occasionally look in our backyard to make sure we don't have a geyser going. If you have your TV house routinely monitored by somebody and/or cameras this might work.

[MrChip72]

We are snowbirds. We planted our citrus trees in our yard. The lawn irrigation takes care of the rest.

I have grown citrus in pots semi-indoors before for yeara. It's not a tree that you can set on an irrigation schedule and forget as other issues will come up eventually like insects, fungus, etc.

[JMintzer]

Originally Posted by CFrance

Boy, I would be afraid to leave that hose running and go away for the summer. Why not put it outside for the summer and run a drip from your sprinkler system?

The OP never said the lanai was glass enclosed. Any excess water will simply drain out through the weep holes, at the base of the screen frame, just like rainwater does...

[JMintzer]

Originally Posted by Rzepecki

That’s cool!

I agree. They're great if you want access to a hose when on your lanai...

[DrHitch]

Do you have a lawn irrigation system? Do you have an elevated nozzle head near your birdcage?

Them make a "tap" you simply unscrew the shrubbery head. Add the tee tap and then put the head back on... You now have a 1/8" line that you can run inside your bird cage...

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by JMintzer

The OP never said the lanai was glass enclosed. Any excess water will simply drain out through the weep holes, at the base of the screen frame, just like rainwater does...

I was talking about the hose springing a leak. I'd hate to see that water bill.

[Switter]

Originally Posted by ElDiabloJoe

Considering putting a dwarf lemon tree on the lanai. Trouble is, as snowbirds, how to keep it watered in the summer. Anyone aware of an enclosed drip irrigation system, perhaps an inverted water-delivery bottle with a measured drip flow rate?

After more searching around, this is an idea: a timer installed to a hose spigot attached to a drip system, like they did here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csjdI65TNX8

I'd never leave a water system running in my house if I was gonna be gone for a significant amount of time. In fact, if I were gonna be gone more than a week or two I would shut off the water in the whole house. But that's just me. If your lanai is just a screened in one, it's probably less of a big deal.

[Topspinmo]

Originally Posted by ElDiabloJoe

Considering putting a dwarf lemon tree on the lanai. Trouble is, as snowbirds, how to keep it watered in the summer. Anyone aware of an enclosed drip irrigation system, perhaps an inverted water-delivery bottle with a measured drip flow rate?

After more searching around, this is an idea: a timer installed to a hose spigot attached to a drip system, like they did here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csjdI65TNX8

If you have popup close you can use it.

[Topspinmo]

Originally Posted by Switter

I'd never leave a water system running in my house if I was gonna be gone for a significant amount of time. In fact, if I were gonna be gone more than a week or two I would shut off the water in the whole house. But that's just me. If your lanai is just a screened in one, it's probably less of a big deal.

In newer areas irrigation water separate from potable house water.

[ElDiabloJoe]

Thank you'all for these insightful responses. Upon reviewing your insights and advice, I'm going to probably just plant them in the yard. If a pop-up sprinkler head (with extension) can't reach into the pot, I'll convert a head to drip tubes.

That bib-extension into the lanai is great. Not much use for it here in The Villages, but up north on my enclosed screened-in porch it would be great for getting a hose to the second floor for spring pressure washing purposes. Great idea!

[RobO178]

I 2nd using the Rachio smart hose controller. They work great and can be controlled from your smart phone using wi-fi.
https://rachio.com/products/smart-hose-timer