Need citrus fertilizer and soil mix

Discussion in 'Citrus' started by ddwisema, Mar 20, 2009.

  1. ddwisema

    ddwisema Member

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    Location:
    Freeport, IL USA
    Cannot find anywhere where to purchase fertilizer for my Meyer Lemon Tree. I found on this website a suggestion for 25-5-15 fertilizer for my container lemon tree. But I cannot find anywhere where to purchase this. Local Menards/Walmart/local nursery does not have this. Also, on this website, it mentions a 3 part pine bark chip, 1 part coarse sand, 2 part peatmoss mix. I figured if I cannot find the mix I would buy each and mix them myself. Anyone have any ideas to help me? Also, What trace element will I need? Is this in the fertilizer or should I get some other mix to add these?
    Sorry for all the questions. I am a newbie to growing my tree I got last fall.

    I was having no growth until a couple of weeks ago, but now it is growing like crazy. But now I have leaf drop. I want to change fertilizer (my local green house gave me a mixture 9-59-8), and I want to replant the tree to check for root rot. The current plant is 16" tall, 3/8" diam trunk and currently it is in a 6" pot. Any recomendations would be appreciated. Thank you

    Current location, Freeport, IL USA Zone 5
     
  2. Davidgriffiths

    Davidgriffiths Active Member

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    ddwisema,

    You'll find that most people recommend a 5-1-3 mix.

    I've never bought or tried this, but Dr Earth Organic 9 is supposed to work for citrus:

    http://www.drearth.com/products/blended/organic-9tm.php

    It's a 7-4-2, and there is a store locator on their site.

    For a potting mix, search the ubc forums for CHC (coconut husk chips) and coir (a coconut peat replacement). The people who really know meyer lemons have posted this info all over the place.

    Millet recommends 4 parts chc, 1 part coir. Soak the CHC overnight in 1 gallon water with 1 tsp of epsom salts mixed in (use some hot water, add the epson salts to make sure they dissolve, then fill the remainder with cold water, and add the CHC). This remove some impurities from the CHC and adds magnesium as a micro nutrient for the plant.

    Leaf drop can be over watering (meyer lemons don't like the roots to stay wet), or it could be cause by cold roots. The soil is cold, but the tree is in the sunlight; this causes the leaves to transpire their moisture, but the roots in the cold soil can't replace it; the leaves dry and fall off. Again, google "meyer lemon leaf drop" and you'll find all the possibilities.

    Hope that helps.

     
  3. ddwisema

    ddwisema Member

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    Davidgriffiths,

    Thanks for your input. After hours of searching this website :) I think I found the answers I need.

    1st. My soil was at 68 degrees, and not Winter Leaf Drop.

    The leaf drop was occuring starting from the base of the tree and moving up the branches. I suspected a bug was crawling out of the dormant soil and crawling up the tree. I took anothers advice on this website, and tapped the leaf against a white piece of paper and found tiny tiny little crawly bugs. So I went to one of the largest nurseries/retail stores in Rockford IL in search of Neel Oil or Ultra Fine Horticultural oil. Sadly to say, I couldn't find either as just named for those things. I found a product called Tomato & Vegetable 3 in 1 Insecticide Fungicide and Miticide produced by Bonide This product has an ingredient called Clarified Hydrophobic extract of neem Oil (for Organic gardening, and the product states it can be used up to day of harvest. It is a water based product and is listed as safe for fruit trees.)

    I got home and wiped all the leaves and stems off with rubbing alcolhol. Then just for fun, I caught one of those many little orange ladybug type bugs we have in the midwest and put a couple on the tree. Figured I would give him a feast if there were any bugs left on the tree. Then at dusk the tree got sprayed down all over with the spray. That was last night. I haven't gotten any more leaves falling off today. But two more look like they might. I think I am supposed to spray again in 7 days.

    I am currently looking online for a supplier of the CHC. The Nursery I went to in Rockford, IL never even heard of CHC, so I let her copy my print out of some of the stuff Millet wrote on the site. This woman was the buyer for the nursery and I found it hard to believe she never even heard of this. Is CHC really new in being used? Anyway, maybe we enlightened her.

    All I got from every store was to use a cactus mix. Which I will hold off for now. I will treat the bugs, then in a week or so I will check the root system and transfer to a new pot with CHC/peat moss mixture that is recommended on this site.

    I had no luck at all in finding the Peters or Jacks fertilizer in the recommended 5:1:3 ratio. I have an email to Jacks for feedback. I have some water based Miracle gro that is is an all purpose plant food with 24% Nitrogen of which 20.5% is Urea Nitrogen and 8% available Phosphate and 16% Soluble potash, with .02% Boron and .07% Copper, .15% Chelated iron, .05% Chelated Manganese, .0005% Molybdenum and .06% Zinc. Can I use this instead? I thought I read somewhere in the hours I was reading about not using Urea Nitrogen for some reason??????

    Anyone ever thought about putting up a Forum: cirtrus 101 for dummies? I did find some informational websites that this forum members had posted. I have about 6 websites that had good info, here is one for information about CHC:

    http://www.ladyslipper.com/coco3.htm

    Many thanks to all for the help you have given me. If someone can shoot to me a website for ordering the Jacks (formerly Peters) 25-5-15 water soluble fertilizer, that would be fantastic
     
    Last edited: Mar 22, 2009
  4. Silverfox

    Silverfox Member

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  5. ddwisema

    ddwisema Member

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    Silverfox,

    Thanks for the links. I have sent both an email and hopefully will get an answer in the next day or so.
     
  6. Millet

    Millet Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    I notice on Silverfox's Jacks fertilizer link (J.R.Peters, Inc.) web site, that they do not list their 25-5-15 W/TM formulation. I have a 25-lb. bag right here in front of me. The complete name of the product is Jacks Professional Water Soluble Fertilizer 25-5-15 HPF. It is a new formulation, so maybe that is why it is not yet listed. Peters Company only sells 25-5-15 in 25-lb. bags. If you cannot locate the product purchase the closest formulation you can find. The 9-59-8 formulation that the nursery gave ddwisema, is an absolutely horrible formulation for citrus. Citrus use very little phosphorus (the middle number), but a lot of nitrogen and potassium. - Millet (1,399-)
     
  7. ddwisema

    ddwisema Member

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    Millet,

    Thanks for the exact package info. I also noticed that the Jack's web site did not list it. I stopped using that other formula listed in my original post a week or so ago. I wonder after looking at this web site if anyone in my area knows what they are doing concerning growing citrus in containers.

    I blame myself for jumping into something without researching the process before I tried to grow this Meyer Lemon Tree. But I won't give up. I hope to have a bigger selection of Citrus trees in future years.

    Special thanks to all members of this forum for all the detailed responses and helpful tips listed here and in other forums. I will try to attach a current pic of my tree within the next few hours.
     
  8. ddwisema

    ddwisema Member

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    Here is my Meyer Lemon tree.

    Just a note, the white at the bottom of the pot is probably from the wrong fertilizer used in the prior months. I will be checking and probably repotting to CHC and Peat Moss when I get them after ordering online. Any ideas what size pot I should go to if the roots are full in this pot? Thanks, ddwise
     

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  9. K Baron

    K Baron Well-Known Member

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    That pot looks fine for the plant, but if the roots are matted and need room, pot up one more size. Can you plant in the garden for the summer? Just a thought.
     
  10. ddwisema

    ddwisema Member

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    Hi, thanks for the quick reply.

    I was going to put it out on the porch for the summer. Not quite warm enough at night for it yet. But there is hope that sometime it might get warm soon. We really don't have much green growth going on outside yet.

    The soil is very packed (at least when wet) and I don't want to keep it that way. Figured after I let the Bug problem settle, then I would check the roots and try to get it to a better airated mixture.
     
  11. K Baron

    K Baron Well-Known Member

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    The packed soil will hinder the air flow to the roots, your idea to revive the potting medium would be well advised during spring. Good luck.
     
  12. ddwisema

    ddwisema Member

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    Note to all:

    If trying to get the Jacks professional 25-5-15 fertilizer with trace minerals, the Jack's website never answered my email, but the phone call I made to Jack's directed me to a distributer, who sent me to the nursery I went to in Rockford, IL., who didn't know anything about this fertilizer (or the CHC product). So you either become a customer of the distributor, or you pester the nursery into finding out more about this fertilizer and having them order it for you.

    The Crystal Company was very helpful and I ordered my stuff from them directly. I also sent them the link to this website, as they had heard about this site from the many who have ordered from them, but did not know the web address for this site.

    Many thanks to all who helped me here with my questions!

    Mahalo
     
  13. 829

    829 Active Member

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    Millet, how much was that 25lbs bag?
     
  14. Millet

    Millet Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    829, hello again. I really don't remember, but it was probably about $30.00 + or -. I purchased two bags. Denver has a very large greenhouse industry, and I purchased the 25-5-15 from a company called Denver Wholesale Florist Co., they also sell just about every thing that could possibly be needed by a greenhouse grower. Ddwisema, the Crystal Company is an excellent supplier of CHC, as they triple rinse their CHC, and also crush the chip, which enables the chip to absorb water at a much faster rate. I have purchased CHC from them for a long time - Nice people. - Millet (1,39-)
     
  15. 829

    829 Active Member

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    The closest dealer to me is about 2.5 hours away. Price is $37.56 bag. Next time I am down that way, I will pick up a bag. I will have to stick with mt 5-1-1 for now.
     
  16. ddwisema

    ddwisema Member

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    Thanks everyone for the contacts, pricing and such.

    I haven't had any luck getting this fertilizer from any other source, so the other contacts are very much appreciated.

    ddwisema
     
  17. 829

    829 Active Member

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    How far is this company from you?

    Behm and Hagemann, Inc.
    Peoria, IL
    309-674-5153
     

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