Hello all, just a quick one, weather is great at the moment so all citrus trees are outside for the summer now. Lots of rain due for the next week or so, how does this affect the overwatering saga. Anyone have any suggestions, its killing my back moving them into the greenhouse every time the rain comes.

If you have well draining potting media that should be no problem. If the media is sandy or low CEC, then you will lose nutrients from leaching, so you need to reapply fertilizer.

And if you don't have a well draining media or it just gets way too much rain, you can take some plastic, drape it around the container, tape it around the tree trunk and create a type of tent so that the rain rolls off.

OK thanks, my lime tree looks like it has some type of CHC's, and I have repotted one of my lemons into CHC's but my pride and joy lemon is potted in sand and clay, so may protect that one with plastic as advised.

One word about CHC growth mediums. CHC potting mixes have excellent drainage, while at the same time retain a good supply of water, therefore over watering is not much of a concern when the proper CHC mix is used. However, it all depends on the amount of "filler" ingredients that the CHC is blended with. Generally, a CHC mix is in the ratio of 4 CHC to 1 peat moss, but when compost, sand, potting soils, additional peat moss, soil and etc. is also added to the mix, aeration and drainage goes way down. - Millet

Thanks Millet, I'm still working my way through my batch of 4CHC's to 1 PM with a bit of slow fert.

Will make some sort of "hat" for my trees. Sure my son will pull them off though.

Well I think I have made an invention with an upturned pot pan. Anyone seen one of these before? I may patent it.

Anyway, the roots are not getting wet, which is great, as I dont have to worry about the torrential downpours at the moment.

May seem like a silly question but should I be worried about too much rain on the leaves / branches?