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Repotting because soil is really hard

 
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D-man



Joined: 04 Jun 2007
Posts: 7

Posted: Sat 16 Jun, 2007 9:38 am

Hello fellow citrus friends. I just wanted to say that if I don't use the right terms it is because I am not a native english speaker and this is a very specific vocabulary.

The soil of my Meyer Lemon is VERY hard, and I mean ROCK hard. I find it weird that it even can 'drink' water. So I want to repot it to better soil. I have the following questions:

What is the best soil to repot my plant to?
Won't repotting kill my plant?
Is there anything that I should pay EXTRA attetion to?

Thank you.

Some pictures of my plant:









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laidbackdood
Citruholic
Citruholic


Joined: 05 Jan 2006
Posts: 180
Location: Perth.Western Australia.

Posted: Mon 18 Jun, 2007 9:34 am

Your tree looks bloody healthy,so it hasnt done any harm.I imagine you want the tree to continue growing.Suggest you get a pot 2-4 inches bigger all around than the one you have.Drill plenty of drainage holes in it with masonary bits(terracotta),go 3 ,5,10mm in steps.Water tree and gently slip the rootball out.My guess it will be rootbound.The roots could well be going around in circles.You would be best to prune the roots a bit and loosen 3 or
4 inches into the rootball to remove some of that old mix.Gently tease out the roots,so they can grow into your new mix.mist water onto the roots to keep them moist,in process.
Although that rootball will encase all of your soil,i wouldnt remove too much as the roots wont like it.Use some standard potting mix and add some perlite,pummice or coarse sand.Mix all together(evenly).Chuck some into your new pot(soak overnight in clean water) so the pot doesnt act as a wick.Plant your tree to the same depth it was in the old pot,no deeper.
Mix some osmocote(citrus/trees) slow release fert in with your potting mix,distribute evenly.Fill your pot in around the rootball,remembering to point the roots into your new mix.Fill to about an inch below the pot.Perlite is a very good addition to your potting mix.Sprinkle a bit more osmocote on the surface about 1 cm under soil,directly above rootball,so the food will head down that way.Water with slightly warm water ,slowly until you see some water coming out the bottom.Leave alone in partial shade,until you see new growth.Only water as needed.Dont feed until the tree starts to do some new growth.This might be some time.Dont over water,stick your finger down 3 inches,if it feels damp,dont water. When you do water,give it a good soaking and leave to dry out.Dont put in a huge pot,go up in steps.You shouldnt need to do too much,this tree already looks happy.Feed with high nitrogen formula when actively growing in spring and autumn.Remove fruits until the tree looks really strong,usually 2 years or more.How old is this tree?Foilar feed at times too.
Good luck dood.
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laidbackdood
Citruholic
Citruholic


Joined: 05 Jan 2006
Posts: 180
Location: Perth.Western Australia.

Posted: Mon 18 Jun, 2007 9:39 am

It looks green,so you must have been feeding it.Suggest you remove any fruitlets this year and pot up,so the tree can get bigger.Next year you should be good.Then thin out fruits,so they will be better quality.Citrus are greedy
flowering and produce way too many.Look to grow 10 to 15 fruits tops next season.Dont grow any this year!!Not even one!! you will be rewarded next year.Cheers
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D-man



Joined: 04 Jun 2007
Posts: 7

Posted: Mon 18 Jun, 2007 12:04 pm

Thank you for the clear answer, with such a good explenation it will be no problem.

Thanks again
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laidbackdood
Citruholic
Citruholic


Joined: 05 Jan 2006
Posts: 180
Location: Perth.Western Australia.

Posted: Tue 19 Jun, 2007 7:05 am

No problem.Suggest you prune back some of those leggy branches,they look a bit long and will end up drooping over.Good idea to do that when you re pot as you will need to prune the roots a little bit,maybe trim any dark brown mushy ones.You will be able to tell a lot about the health of your tree from
your roots.If they are white/light tan brown,all is good.If very dark brown and mushy=too much water.Where are you? Is it uk? what season/temps now? cheers
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Millet
Citruholic
Citruholic


Joined: 13 Nov 2005
Posts: 6656
Location: Colorado

Posted: Tue 19 Jun, 2007 12:30 pm

I would not prune any of the branches on your tree. During the first few years, there is no need to cut all, or even part of these vigorous sprouts, since research has shown that any cut to a young citrus tree reduces root growth. This is due to the equilibrium between foliage and the root system. A citrus tree's root system and foliage are a biological unit Cuts on a young tree discourages canopy growth and delays the tree from coming into bearing. It is not wise to make any cut at the beginning. After a few years of growth, depending on the speed of the tree growth, climate and cultural practices, a VERY SELECTIVE canopy thinning may be carried out. A harmonious citrus tree grows to an almost round shape. Lastly, it is only during the period of ACTIVE root growth that the roots tips are white in color. The color of the roots during their inactive stage, when the tree is producing vegetative growth, the roots are a light tan in color. - Millet
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beno
Citruholic
Citruholic


Joined: 18 Apr 2007
Posts: 107
Location: Switzerland, Europe

Posted: Wed 20 Jun, 2007 6:53 am

Looks like sand and clay to me, thats what a few of mine are potted in that I have purchased, but they love it, so have left it well alone!
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