Buying tips

Discussion in 'Citrus' started by Armand9x, Jan 27, 2010.

  1. Armand9x

    Armand9x Member

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    Location:
    Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
    I want my lemon plant to thrive. I grew it from a seed maybe 7 months ago, it's about 6 inches tall. I used just regular potting soil, and it had afungus gnat problem so i repotted it.

    I want to go get proper soil and fertilizer, and tell me about heating options because the pot gets cold. Explain it to a dummy. The x-x-x thing is somethign I don't understand. Teach it as if I were a child, because sometimes others don't quite know what you mean.

    Also, my plan is looking a little limp, and I was away for a little bit and it was a little dry. Woudl this be a lack of water issue? I gave it water and I'm hoping it springs back.

    Also when I repotted it I put it down to far and 2-3 leaves were near soil level. I clipped them today. Good, bad?

    Give me a shopping list. And places that would have the things I need. Specialty places are not known to me. I live in Winnipeg Manitoba Canada. Thanks. More details need to be known then let me know.
     
  2. thanrose

    thanrose Active Member 10 Years

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    Location:
    Jacksonville, FL USA USDA Zone 9
    First, there is a ton of information here about citrus and the growing medium (soil). The forum user Millet is especially knowledgeable, but many of us can help you along.

    Planting it too deep is a problem, possibly the most significant problem right now.

    Let's address the wilting first though. You say the leaves are limp, because it was too dry? If those leaves have not perked up yet, you've probably lost this one. For one, citrus doesn't wilt all that easily once the leaves are mature, and two, if it wilts even slightly, it will rebound quickly with water. At least my inground trees will respond to water when they've been in drought.

    Search this forum for Millet's recommended planting medium. You may have to go to a large nursery or landscaping place if you can't find this stuff at Canadian Tire or Home Depot. You want fast draining soil mix, and it won't come in a bag labeled "for home grown lemon trees".

    Good luck.

    Oh yeah, planting too deep...

    Never, never plant anything deeper than it was growing unless it's a tomato, or the planting depth was an issue.

    Even tiny citrus do not have true leaves growing right at the soil surface, so if you had to clip a few leaves, you planted it too deeply. This does a number of bad things to the plant, including possibly suffocating the too deep roots, but also rotting the lower trunk and introducing disease organisms. If your leaves are still truly wilted, you may have damaged the roots and the lowest part of the trunk's cambium too much for it to survive. The cambium is that usually green part of the bark that is just under the gray/brown exterior and just above the woody stick part. It would be like cutting an artery on you. Cambium is cut completely (disease or mechanical damage)? No survival for this one.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 18, 2010
  3. Armand9x

    Armand9x Member

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    It sprung back up, it was the water. It's only aout 2 cm deeper than when i first started the plant. I know there is a search function. I know Millet is all knowing an such. But I ask for a "for dummies" version. Millet's explanations confuse me. I think people sometimes forget that terminology does not come naturally. I will try Canadian Tire after I receive suggestions.

    Also, another thing. on the smaller leaves near the end they are browning/ yellowing a little, like the end are dying. What be up with this?

    And also the stem is still all green every where because it is still very young...and small. I think I might need a heating pad to speed up growth though. Yes, No? :P
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 18, 2010
  4. Millet

    Millet Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    The common commercial potting soils that can be purchased at most any garden center, is not a good medium (potting soil) for citrus trees. Regular potting soils are made up of mostly peat moss with a little perlite blended in. They hold too much water, stay wt too long, and compact with each watering. The average life span of a citrus tree growing in retail potting soils are less than two years, and more often the tree will die in the first year. You need to replant your lemon in a medium that has a high level of air porosity, and therefore rapid draining. A blend of three or four parts 1 to 2 cm coconut husk chips (CHC), or small bark chips, bended with one part peat moss is a good medium to grow your Lennon in. In Canada you might have a difficult time finding CHC. If you have a Pet Smart store near you, they sometimes carry CHC for use as animal litter. You need to CAREFULLY transplant your tree out of the present potting soil, taking care not to break any of the tree's roots, into a rapid draining medium. You can purchase a water repellent heating pad to maintain the tree's root system between 18C - 21C (21C is better). When you replant your tree, set it so that the very top tip of the roots are just barely showing above the surface of the medium. Fertilize your tree a MINIMUM of once a month, twice a month is much better. Water a young seedling tree only in the morning, and then set the tree in sunlight, so that the surface of the medium quickly dries. This will help prevent your tree for dieing from root rot. When you water a container citrus tree, water it well, so that approximately 10 percent of the water drains out the bottom. Use a fertilizer with higher levels of nitrogen and potassium (the 1st & 3rd numbers in the formula) and a small amount of phosphorus (the middle number). BE SURE what ever fertilizer you use that it also contains trace minerals. NOTE: It will take approximately 8 to 10 years before a lemon tree grown from seed matures, and begins to produce fruit. If you plant a Key lime seed, a Key lime tree could begin fruiting in as little as the second year, a Mandarin in 3-5 years. Best of luck to you and you tree. - Millet (1,083-)
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 18, 2010
  5. Armand9x

    Armand9x Member

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    I feel more en lightened. How much are heating pads usually? And also I said above the tips of me leaves(the smaller ones) are yellowing and then browning. I'll look into soil very soon. Any other tips are well appreciated. Thanks millet.
     
  6. The Hollyberry Lady

    The Hollyberry Lady New Member

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    Location:
    London, Ontario, Canada (Zone 5b)
    Heating pads in Canada are anywhere from 20-40 bucks.

    An excellent, light, well-draining, soil-less medium, that seems to work great for my girlfriend's potted citrus trees, is Sunshine mix # 4 blend...

    This might eliminate the extra expense of the CHC for you, if you just get a light and aerated medium, to begin with.

    I get it from my local greenhouse/nursery and also use it for most of my plants as well.

    : )
     
  7. Millet

    Millet Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Sunshine #4 is a blend of 80 percent peat moss and 20 percent coarse grade perlite, plus dolomite and a wetting agent. A good medium for container citrus trees should NEVER contain more than 25 percent peat moss. The main problem with peat moss is that it holds way to much water, and it compacts with every watering. Additionally, lime products like dolomite are not use with citrus. Both pine bark chips or Coconut Husk Chips (CHC) are the standard in citrus container growing. The one advantage CHC has over bark is that it is very slow to break down, therefore normally last up to 5 years in containers. Without seeing a picture of the yellow/brown leaves it is not possible to give an accurate analysis. However, a common reason of leaf tip and margins necroses, is caused by high soluble salts in the root zone, or the medium holding to much water. - Millet (1,082-)
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 18, 2010

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