Well i have been looking at my new navel and three things are making me think should i pot it up or no. Well the roots haven't reach the bottom of the container but have reached the sides and they are very numerous, second the soil it came in is very heavy and barely dries out, thirdly it kind of looks like flower buds are forming in between the leave and stem at the end of the branch. Is that where the buds form? If i pot it up is there a high percentage of losing those buds? It is inside now and is under a grow light, i am planing to repot it with CHC and slow release fert. i just don't know when is the best time to repot?

Hi,i will give you my two cents worth. The tree will go through a root growth
phase,then a top growth phase(repeat) Personally,i think it is a bad idea to
transplant when it is doing top growth because it goes against the grain ,so
to speak. When you transplant you want to empasise the root growth at
that time.I repotted recently when my tree was doing top growth,it went
into shock and dropped all its leaves!!!!!I also see plenty of dwarf trees at
garden centres that are very tall,yet in tiny little pots!!!
So personally,i would continue to feed it and let it grow and when the top
growth slows or the tree seems dormant,transplant then and feed with a
low dose nitrogen,medium phosphorous and medium potassium formula to
encourage root growth and tree vigour. You dont want to encourage top
growth,you wants the roots to colonize the pot.If im totally wrong,someone
can correct me,no problem.Be careful swapping from a dense medium to
a lit and airy one like chc and coir. Only remove two inches at most around
rootball and send the roots into new medium or you will shock the plant.
been there done that.
I apologgizze for any spellikng errors.good luck

It is not the act of transplanting that causes shock or setbacks to trees, it is damage to the root system caused by transplanting incorrectly, carelessness, or being in a hurry. I have transplanted hundreds of trees, in just about every month of the year. When done correctly and with caution the tree should have no problems what so ever. About your trees roots that now are reaching the sides of the container. If you do not transplant they will continue to grow until they hit the side of the container, and then will be deflected (bent) and will grown down or, more likely, around and around and around, the side walls. This type of root growth, generally develops into a thick tangled mat of roots. The difference between transplanting into a Root Builder container and just transplanting into a larger common round container, is that the roots in the larger common round container, will not be air pruned. When a root is air pruned, the root will then begin to develop many side secondary roots growing up and down the length of the pruned root. Otherwise, instead of the production of secondary, and then tertiary roots, the root will just continue to go around and around, producing far fewer root hairs. It is the many thousands of root hairs that absorb oxygen, water and nutrients, then send them up to the leaves which enables the leaves to generate energy. So the best possible root system is vital to a high quality tree. What size container is your tree presently in? If your interested, I will send you a Root builder container at my cost, plus the actual postal charges. It should be a rather minimal cost. Just let me know, and I will have the company shipping clerk give me a rate to your Zip code.. - Millet

Millet:
What is a 'root builder container'?
This is the first time I think you mentioned this. Do you have a picture?
And where can we buy them?
I am sure a lot of people are in mystery just like me.
Is this a new phenom?
I read your input in another tread but I'm stil puzzled as to what it look like.

Benny

Hi Benny,
There has been a fairly long discussion on this in the thread "Containers for Citrus" -- in this forum. Millet posted a link to the company that sells the Root Maker pots.

-- Skeet

Are these the tall tree pots from Steuwe & Sons? I never heard of them referred to "root makers". If so (& I'm sure it is), Millet sent me a pot too. Here is a link to it that Millet posted last yr. I bought several more from them & they produce a great root system.
On the left, click on Tree Pots
http://www.stuewe.com/

Thanks Skeet.

I try to avoid potting citrus up just before the dormant period begins. The increased volume of soil makes it more diffcult to keep the plant from remaining too wet after you water. I suppose this would not apply to a plant kept in a warm greenhouse, where it could continue to grow. I would wait until early spring, just before growth begins.

I brought a case of the Steuwe & Sons tall, tall two gallon pots. They work great. I have used their tall 4" x 4" pots too, which are the same as citrapots.

I am sure many of you all already know this, but I thought I would bring it up after Millet mentioned getting the company shipping clerk to calclate postage. The USPS has a website where they have an on-line tool to calculate postage, buy stamps, etc.. . I like it because I can weigh the package at home, put the postage on myself, and place it my mailbox, saving a trip to the post office. I use a small scale for little packages.

http://www.usps.com/