Go ahead, be adventurous. Just because you don’t live in a sub-tropical area of the country or don’t have the space to plant a tree, it doesn’t mean you can’t grow citrus…really!
Basically, there are two primary factors to remember when growing dwarf citrus in a container: sunlight and pot size.
Think about it: most citrus fruits come from the sunniest of our states, i.e. California and Florida. So it makes sense that any citrus plant you decide to grow must have lots and lots of sun. Six hours is generally the minimum. (My trio of lemon trees sits in the sun-soaked driveway from spring through the whole warm season, and I haven’t heard a complaint yet.)
Secondly, citrus wants space. Get the biggest lightweight pot you can find for your tart little friend, place it on wheeled tray strong enough to support the full weight of the pot when filled with soil, and plant the tree in a good potting mix, making sure the rootball is 1-4″ below the pot’s rim. Mulch around the plant to hold in moisture.
Don’t overwater, however, as that is the number one no-no of keeping citrus in containers. Make sure your container has better than average drainage at the bottom and only water when the top three inches of soil feel dry.
Bring your citrus in for the winter (you’ll like having wheels beneath it at this point, believe me) when temperatures drop below 50 degrees outside; it should be fine by a bright window where it can look out and dream of the warm summer sunshine that is just around the bend.