Citrus Growers Forum

mattyhaupt · Joined: 16 Feb 2011 Posts: 13 Location: Northern Virginia

Ok guys i need your help so that this tree doesnt die on me. It is a 15 gallon Navel Orange tree about 5' tall. It is coming from CA to where i live in VA. Will this be to large to put in a pot, i was going to use a 50 gallon pot. Is that large enough and you think the tree will be fine to be in a pot and in the winter brought inside under grow lights. Also what type of soil do i use and if someone has a link to where i could get it that would be great. Thanks so much for all the help.

dauben · Posted: Sat 19 Feb, 2011 12:57 am

mattyhaupt wrote:

Ok guys i need your help so that this tree doesnt die on me. It is a 15 gallon Navel Orange tree about 5' tall. It is coming from CA to where i live in VA. Will this be to large to put in a pot, i was going to use a 50 gallon pot. Is that large enough and you think the tree will be fine to be in a pot and in the winter brought inside under grow lights. Also what type of soil do i use and if someone has a link to where i could get it that would be great. Thanks so much for all the help.

It would be helpful to know what the rootstock is or whether it was advertized as a ultradwarf, dwarf, or full size tree. If it is grown on Flying Dragon Trifoliate or regular trifoliate (advertized around here as ultradwarf and dwarf, respectively), I'm successfullying growing mine in half wine barrels on my patio. I often call the nursery that my trees are grown at and ask them what rootstock is. I've always received an answer.

As far as soil, you can use the search feature on this forum and find quite a few discussions on soil mixes varying between pine bark, peat, sand, coconut husk chips (CHC), coir, etc. Just remember citrus likes well drained aerated soil so the heavy clay soils that I used to kill my first few trees don't do well.

Good luck,
Phillip

mattyhaupt · Joined: 16 Feb 2011 Posts: 13 Location: Northern Virginia

It is a full size orange tree. WIll it be ok in a 50 gallon and live. I just dont want to kill this one. I think the last one died because i just used regular soil and that was it.

matievski · Joined: 30 Oct 2010 Posts: 23 Location: New Jersey, USA

transfer from 15 gallons to 50 is dramatically large. I would recommend to plant it in 20-25 gallon pot for a couple of years , and only then increase the size. Because if root system will not be able to adsorb all water from large pot - it will probably rot soon. Step up the size gradually.

Laaz · Posted: Sun 27 Feb, 2011 1:05 pm

I would not see a problem with transferring it to a 50 Gal. container. Just make sure you have proper drainage & you shouldn't have a problem. I have moved many trees from 5 gal. to 30+ gal. without a issue.

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