Citrus Growers Forum

Sanguinello · Gest

Sure !

Mix it into your soil.

robby_hernz · Posted: Thu 22 Nov, 2012 6:01 am

After reading of your success Millet, I am going to try a 50/50 CHC/Cedar Bark mix w/ peat. That way I get the best of both.

As always, thank you for sharing with us.

Hilltop · Posted: Wed 05 Dec, 2012 7:38 pm

I use this from Home Depot mixed with Cactus Mix for almost all of my containerized trees. I throw in some perlite if I want a lighter container for my bigger pots or some potting soil if I want more moisture retention. It seems to work pretty well.

hoosierquilt · Posted: Wed 05 Dec, 2012 8:57 pm

Hilltop, what is the bark, Cedar, Redwood, Pine??

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Patty S.

Hilltop · Posted: Wed 05 Dec, 2012 9:21 pm

I don't recall the source but I believe I read somewhere that they were pine.

Mark · Posted: Sun 16 Dec, 2012 11:17 am

Millet wrote:

A medium of pure cedar mulch has worked so well with my orchids, I have decided to go ahead and transplant all of my 35 orchids into it.

On November 6, 2012 I planted a New Zealand Lemonade tree into a 16 gallon Air Root Pruning container (ARPC) using a 1:1 blend of Cedar fiber fiber and a commerical potting mix (Happy Frog)....... - Millet

Update on greenhouse citrus/avocados - Used bottomless Rootmaker pots, about 2' diameter last winter and the growth has been so vigorous I'll be expanding them soon with a couple more panels. I used a mix that is about 60% inert - vermiculite, coarse washed sand, fine sandy loam. Gonna look for that cedar bark....good call! Fertilizer - 10 month slow release 18-4-9 with micros. Just got in some JR Peters Citrus FeEd (20-10-20) which really looks like the holy grail of plant food.

daytripper · Posted: Mon 17 Dec, 2012 5:28 pm

The Citrus FeED has a very high amount of urea nitrogen in it (15%) I was under the impression that high amounts of urea nitrogen was a bad thing. I have been using Jack's Professional 25-5-15 since it has no urea in it.

Mark · Posted: Tue 18 Dec, 2012 1:09 am

daytripper wrote:

The Citrus FeED has a very high amount of urea nitrogen in it (15%) I was under the impression that high amounts of urea nitrogen was a bad thing. I have been using Jack's Professional 25-5-15 since it has no urea in it.

What's wrong with a ubiquitous N source (urea) that helps drop pH and is eventually converted into a nitrate? Even foliar foods contain urea. Urea is a safe source of N too regarding burn.

Millet, know a fellow that put in hundreds of vines outdoors in your neck of the woods. French-Am Hybrids.

I've found 18" tall RootBuilder pots to work well for me. Nice to be able to roll off what you need, cable tie it and voila, you got yerself a nice pot.

FWIW, blended in a slow release (12 month) 18-4-9 with micros Polyon food into my soil mix and the tropicals love it.

Mark

Mark · Posted: Wed 19 Dec, 2012 12:54 am

I have a lot of faith in Peters not to shake us down.

Mark · Posted: Sun 30 Dec, 2012 2:50 pm

Any thoughts on using cypress mulch as part of a custom mix? Botanical sense, not moral or ethical please. I bought a couple of bags what looks to be very high quality cypress mulch from Home Depot.

Millet, do you have a name for the cedar you're using and source please?

Mark · Posted: Mon 31 Dec, 2012 10:57 am

Millet wrote:

Mark, the trade name of the particular cedar fiber mulch that I have been using is "Greensmix". I purchase it from my local Ace Hardware. Greensmix is nothing special, there are probably several companies that market Cedar mulch. Cedar mulch is the decorative mulch that is very commonly used to mulch around shrubs, trees, and flower beds. It is sold either dyed red, or left undyed in the natural wood. I use the undyed natural wood product. However, the red dyed cedar would probably also work well, I doubt that it would not cause any trouble to the tree. Home Depot and Lowes probably carries a brand of cedar mulch. - Millet

Thanks Millet. I was at Casa dePOT the other day looking at all the choices, mostly cedar, considering your comments as I shopped. Don't know why I thought cypress rather than cedar. Guess because of the longevity factor. I would think cypress would last longer than cedar, require less N, etc.

Yeah, there is every kind/color of cedar mulch under the sun.

Thoughts?

Millet · Posted: Mon 31 Dec, 2012 1:38 pm

I'm not sure about Cypress because I never tried it. My guess is that cypress, which is a conifer species, would probably work well. I've not seen a cypress decorative mulch around these parts. It is certainly with a try. I've been to Fredericksburg, TX., its a nice town. - Millet

Mark · Posted: Mon 31 Dec, 2012 2:51 pm

Millet wrote:

I'm not sure about Cypress because I never tried it. My guess is that cypress, which is a conifer species, would probably work well. I've not seen a cypress decorative mulch around these parts. It is certainly with a try. I've been to Fredericksburg, TX., its a nice town. - Millet

Thanks, we love it here.

BTW, you say you have over 44 citrus in a greenhouse. Do they bear well? Hate to be a PITA but do you have a link to photos of your greenhouse? This is what I ended up with, 30'X36'. Swamp coolers, automated everything (controller, 1 HP Locke motors, roof and side vent). Am also doing dwarf avocados. They are doing as well if not better than my 5 citrus trees which are on Flying Dragon rootstock.

http://www.nexuscorp.com/StructureDetail.asp?sId=4

Thanks to the metal structure heating up, I get anywhere from 10 - 20F hotter than outside temps.

Millet · Posted: Mon 31 Dec, 2012 3:56 pm

My greenhouse is also a Nexus greenhouse 32' X 72'. The heating, cooling, venting and electrical are all completely automated. The greenhouse is cooled using the wet wall system http://www.gothicarchgreenhouses.com/greenhouse_cooling.htm
Citrus does excellent inside a controlled environment.

Millet

hoosierquilt · Posted: Mon 31 Dec, 2012 4:06 pm

My gosh. 32' x 72'. That's more than 2300 sq ft. That's the size of a nice house. Wowie. When can I move in?? Very Happy

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Patty S.