I've just purchased my first Bearss Lime tree, very excited, but was wondering what type of soil would be the best for the tree? I was also curious of how to fertilize? This tree will be planted in a pot.

I use 3 parts chc to two parts miracle gro, but that's just my personal preference and what has worked for me. I don't have a lime either, just oranges, lemons and grapefruit.

ok, so I've read you have to be very careful when washing the chc, is this true?

Thanks

I can use all the help I can get this is brand new to me!! I want to see my new tree do well.

Welcome to the forum, it is nice having you as a member, thank you for joining. Container grown citrus require a growth medium (potting soil) that provides both good drainage and good root zone oxygen. This is attained by incorporating some type of course material in the mixture. Two of the most commonly used course ingredients are either bark chips, or coconut husk chips (CHC). I grow my trees in either a blend of 3 parts CHC to 1 part peat moss, or 4 parts CHC to 1 part peat moss depending on the type, and size of tree that I am growing. The #-1 blend used by commercial nurseries is 3 parts bark chips, 1 part course sand (concrete sand) plus 1 part peat moss. These aren't the only possible mixes that you could use. What ever you use, just make sure that it has good drainage and oxygenation. To answer your question on the washing of CHC, it all depends where you purchase them. Some people have purchased CHC at pet stores. I don't know anything about the quality of pet store CHC; whether they have been pre-washed, and crushed or not. I purchase my CHC strictly from The Crystal Company of Saint Louis. Crystal's CHC has been washed and then squeezed "dry" under high pressure three times. This removes a great amount of the sodium, and also puts thousands of small fissures in the chip. The advantage of the fissures, is that it allows the chip to absorb water rapidly with each irrigation. With Crystals CHC, all I do is soak the chips in a dilute bath of magnesium sulfate (Epsom Salts) and Calcium Nitrate (CaNO3) for 10 minutes and then use them. At times when I am out of CaNO3 I don't worry about it and just soak them in MgSO4. The best to you and your trees. - Millet (680-)

Thank you for all the help! I will try the soil mix that you suggested, I had no idea what to use so I appreciate the help. I'm sure I'll be back with more questions, but for now wish me the best.

Is gypusm a good substitute for CaNO3?

So by adding the CaNO3 to the water I give to my plants I shoul provide them the Ca they need for good health?

Is there any ratio grams/lt ...so I would not either kill the plant or underfeed it

CaNO3 is used primarily only in cation exchange. It is also frequently used on greenhouse tomatoes. I would not use CaNO3 as a regular fertilizer source for a citrus tree. - Millet (678-)

ok , got it!

Thanks

Millet,
can you tell me how sodium gets into CHC? As a result of production process?
/Robert

Roberto, yes it is a result of the production process. - Millet (683-)

If the soil gets too acidic you wash the soil with 3x the size pf the pot, but how do you deal with the calcium (CaCO3) from tap water who gets on the roots some of my friends have washed it with some vinegar water (few drops of wine vinegar in 1 galon of water) and this what I wanted to ask ...is the vinegar good for this without harming the rots or the tree

should be less a problem than vingar. PH of citrus soil should be around 6,5. Too sour soil is harmful.