Interesting Millett should describe the growth flushes in this way. I was just noticing over the weekend growth flushes on almost all of my trees. This must be the June flush he describes. Coolio!

How often do people water their citrus in CHC in the summer? I go every 3-6 days, depending on temp and sunlight.

Robert

Three of the four citrus that I repotted into the CHCs are now putting out blossom flushes. No new leaf flushes yet, but no more leaf dropping these last two weeks or so either. Leaf color is still good and the pre-existing fruit seem to be developing normally.

Haven't given them their first post-repotting feeding yet. Had intended to do that last weekend, but was side-tracked by another project. I intend to do it this weekend.

.....Alan.

Used up the last of the big bale of CHCs repotting the remaining five citrus so all nine of my potted trees are now in coconut media.

As an experiment I repotted three of them in chips that I had not done the cation exchange using magnesium sulfate and calcium nitrate. The chips were very well rinsed with plain water though. The other six were done using chips that included doing the cation exchange step as part of their processing.

The four trees that I had done earlier are all putting out small numbers of blossoms and the fruit they set before repotting seems to all be developing normally. I really like the way these things retain moisture without making the media soggy. I water only about half as often now as I did before.

So far, so good. Need to buy more chips now.

.....Alan.

Hi Alan,

That last line just killed me lol. I need much more chips also, but for maybe different reasons. I still haven't repotted my meyer (I think it can wait till next spring even), only my cal, but I have also been busy with african violets and ficus'. Every time I transplant an african v. or root a ficus, I've been using CHCs (can't help but experiment), and I must tell you, it works with them to!! I have to say the AVs expecially love it. I've been rooting miniature climbing AVs in the stuff!! It's great!

All this to say I love CHCs and I need more too. LOL!!

I'm probably going to move all of my perennial container plants over to CHCs as becomes necessary in the future. Sure wish I could find the things locally though. My nearest supplier that I am aware of is in Orlando and they are not open on the weekends.

Are you using the quarter inch chips or the ground coir for your African violets?

My Key lime that was dropping leaves earlier is now blossoming and putting out a new flush of leaves.

If there are any disadvantages to the use of coconut husk chips it is that they are not very heavy for their volume, even when well saturated with water. If you have a tree with a lot of canopy relative to its pot size you may need to anchor the pot in some way if it's in a windy location to keep it from blowing over in a high wind situation.

.....Alan.

I've been using the 1/4 inch. When I first tried it for repotting AVs, I was wary so I made a mix of chcs (mostly), schultz potting mix plus and perlite with success. Then I went bold and was rooting the climbing/cascading AV stems in only CHCs, nothing else. They took like champs, never wilted or anything, 100% success rate. I can't even remember where I got them from, but I can't find any in canada so it always involves a mail order from southern US. Next time, now that I know I love the stuff, I am buying a huge amount and storing it in the garage, I'm not fooling around.

As for being top heavy, I totally agree. But also since I am not all that big a girl, I appreciate the light weight since I move them around alot into the sun all day long. Maybe if I transplanted my 6 foot ficus in CHCs I'd actually be able to move it myself when it's wet instead of depending on the boys lol.

When is the best time to repot? I am ready to repot now (October) , but I am concerned about repotting just before winter. Is this a good time or should I do it in the spring?
Karl

Karl, anytime is OK to repot. I've done it am, pm, winter, spring, summer, fall & no diff. Millet has said this too.
Just be careful of the roots.

Thanks Patty. They have been in ten gallon containers for less than a year and the potting mix is very compacted. I received my new PH meter and the mixture tested 5.8. I was also surprised that my water ‘hard water” tested 7.1 and the water from the water softener tested 7.5.
I am going to try what Benny suggested and fertilize well to try to get some growth this winter. Most days are warm enough here and that may be possible.
Also I read that soaking the pots in a larger tub of water before removing makes it easier to untangle any roots that are bound and circled.
The only thing left is the shipment of STEM from Millet and I am good to go.
Karl

Karl, don't soak the plants before you repot! In fact, let them dry out a bit. When the roots are clinging to a wet /damp mass of soil they tend to break off from the weight of soil. Trust me You can shake dirt off roots better when roots are dry, or gently hose the rootball to get soil off. Soak them after you repot.