First a quick story:

Okay so a few years ago I was an active member of this forum. I had fourteen potted citrus from ~1-5yrs old. I'm in zone 6 so I overwintered in my attic with lights and a watering system. One winter I went on vacation and due to my poor planning all my trees died. Since then I had focused on cold hardy fruit trees but I missed growing citrus. I'm ready to start again. I am working on a heated overwintering greenhouse, see my thread Greenhouse Forum.

I just picked up four 3-4yr citrus from a lucky find at Home Depot of all places. What are the current best practice recommendations for soil and fertilizer? Last I recall Millet and others recommended coconut husk chips, and a specific type of osmocote fertilizer. I had been using sand/peat/perlite/hardwood mulch soil and Miracid fertilizer (with the "rinse occasionally" recommendation).

Is CHC still in? Osmocote? What type, again?

zone 6b

brian, welcome back, it is nice having you on the forum once again, and back into citrus. CHC/peat is a good potting medium. I still have a lot of trees growing in that medium.. For the last several months, I have switched to a mixture of 50% Cedar Mulch and 50% peat moss. It has a lot of good qualities, good draining, holds a good moisture level, and provides good oxygen to the root system. One good point is that a 2-cu.ft. bag of Cedar Mulch (Not Cedar Bark Chips) is only $4.90 per bag at Home Depot. CHC is now about $25.00 for a 2 cu. ft. bag. Also Miracle Grow Soil (not Miracle Grow Potting Mix). is very close to my 50/50 blend, just on a finer grade of particles. Lazz has been using Miracle Grow Soil and says he is having good luck with it. Most any mix that provides good drainage, good root zone aeration adaquate water holding capacity, plus longevity is the type of mix that a citrus tree requires. Best to you and your trees. - Millet

Thank you for the quick reply.

I just happened to pick up a 2cu bag of cedar mulch at the same time as the trees, and I already have peat moss so I think that is the way to go.

One more thing... is Miracid "close enough" given a seaonal rinse, and if not what is a good fertilizer (specific enough to order) ?