Citrus Tree Plants

Hello Noisette, thank you for your advice. I will certainly keep an eye on the watering. Pete says no feed you say once per week? And is incredicrop and Incredibloom okay to use if I do feed?

 

If it was me, I would, maybe a 6in pot, that should be enough for this year, then some feeding could be worthwhile in a few weeks time.
It would also help regarding the roots not rotting off in all that wet compost.

 

Just curious about the 'good compost' as Citrus do not like lime which is in most mpc and some in garden soils. Hopefully it will cure the chlorosis apparent in one of them. I think you may be looking to three years for fruiting as they can take many months to ripen. Even an unheated conservatory will be too cold for limes in winter, they need more heat and light than lemons or oranges.

 

The pots are much too big. These are babies; repot in smaller pots. Terracotta is best and keep them dry only watering when the compost dries out. It’ll be a few years before you pick any fruit.

 

Hi Stan, sorry, to be clear, they'll only need feeding once the fertiliser in the compost is exhausted and they've developed good root systems. I don't know the fertilisers you mention but check the NPK. Citrus need high 'K' (potassium), are greedy plants once established, prefer slightly acid compost and, in my experience grow much, much better in wooden containers than terracotta or plastic.

 

Thanks Pete I will do just that. I just followed the instructions on the video on Van Meuwen’s web site. If you wanted to look it is the Citrus Tree ‘Trio Collection’ she advises a pot that is 30cm in diameter and 30cm deep. Any advice as to where to buy the 6” pots? Is that 6” in diameter and depth?

 

Hello thank you for your advice. The compost is a mixture of ericacous and John Innes No.3. That’s what they recommend on Van Meuwen’s web site to grow them. I’m a bit worried about winter as I only have a garage but with little light coming in. Although again it‘a a bit confusing on their web site as one part it says bring them in from October and then another part says that they are hardy down to -10?

 

Thanks Redwing will do

 

I saw that about hardiness they are unreliable with their information.
They basically just want to sell plants and say in the quick description minus 10,it's only in the later wording the truth comes out.
Not sure if van meuwen and Thompson and Morgan are connected but both seem to be doing the same offer.

Over wintering can be difficult with out a frost free green house.
The house is usually too warm and they do need light in winter.
I do over winter a couple in my garage but the plants are much bigger and they do get some filtered sunlight.
Really don't think that the lime will like unheated conditions in winter.

 

Its a shame that they give out information that’s not factually correct as I wouldn’t know any better. I’m going to take your advice and repot them in 6” terracotta pots. I’m still unsure what feed to use but i won’t be using incredicrop or Incredibloom as that states not for seedlings. Any ideas as to how to get around the wintering issue?

 

I have three citrus bushes, two lemons and an orange lime (I know that sounds odd but I think it’s really an orange but calls itself a lime) that I keep in an unheated south facing greenhouse in winter and outside from about April until late October. I do get fruit but it takes about a year from blossom to ripeness. I don’t know where you live but it works for me in southern England. I find they can stand a little frost.

 

I think, the size they are, I'd hope to overwinter on a sunny window sill if you can, would be easier in smaller pots and believe us, it wont hold back growth at this stage.

An unheated room would be best, and keep them just moist.

Later years as they hopefully get bigger the overwintering problem gets bigger.

Feeding, I'd just use a balanced feed, Miracle grow or chempak,you can get winter and summer feeds for citrus but personally I think that is just another scam.

My thinking is that there is too much emphasis placed on feeding, it does have a purpose and use, but only when the plants need it, and newly potted plants wont need it for 6 weeks at least.