Doc, it's very, very easy to mix up your own mix. Here's what I do, as I don't really have time to try to track down a lot of fancy ingredients. I will use either a high quality cactus mix (I use EB Stone's Cactus Mix), but I have also successfully used Miracle Gro Garden Soil for Fruits & Vegetables (not any other, just that one), 2 parts, then 1 part of a small bark chips (I just picked up a big bag or two or reptile bark at Petsmart), and then 1 part perlite from Lowe's. This will assure you of having large enough particles to prevent compaction, and provide well draining soil, but not SO well draining, that in my drier climate (and you're even drier and hotter than I am), that the soil dries out so fast that you can't keep the soil moist. 511 or Gritty mix is just too dry for me, for my year 'round outdoor container citrus. Takes two second to mix up in a large bucket or wheelbarrow, and will serve you very well. I top with a layer of bark chips to help keep the soil from drying out too fast. I also use Osmocote Plus time release fertilizer (which is no longer made, so you'll have to find an equivalent), as well as about once a month I fertilize with Dyna Gro Foliage Pro. My container citrus are all very happy campers.

Patty S.

Thanks Patty.
That sounds easy enough. I will give it a try. I have the Foliage Pro. I use a granular fertilizer called Arizona's Best for my in ground citrus. Is that type of granular not recommended for container grown citrus? Do container citrus do better on a time release type? Pic is my rio red grapefruit taken the end of November. My in ground protocol is working well, just want any container grown citrus to do as well. Thanks.

My understanding of AZ's best is that it is formulated to compensate for your typically high pH soils. Because containers do not typically have that problem, I would go with what the container gurus say.

Hey Doc:

Just fertilized my citrus over here on the East side. My Key lime is in the ground, next to the house. I wish my grapefruit was doing as well as yours. But, everything else is doing fine. Glad I didn't need to get the frost cloth out this year!

Peter

Hi Peter.
We will be in Tucson in about 10 days. We are planning on staying 2weeks. I will be applying Arizona's Best and using Foliage Pro as a foliar spray. What do you use for your fertilizer for inground citrus? Do you have any container grown citrus? If you do, do you use a different fertilizer product for them? Do you use Bayer Advanced? If you do, when do you use it? We are very happy with the way the citrus have done. They have been in the ground for only 2 and 1/2 years. Thanks, we are looking forward to a little Arizona sun and warmth. Our son sent us this pic of the Trovita orange. Fresh orange juice when we arrive.

Hi Doc!

I use only Arizona's Best (the only one to use around here!). I also use pellets of Iron Sulfate, zinc sulfate, and Epsom salts. And, a spray of STEM. Usually twice a year, once in the spring and once in the fall. It might be a bit of overkill on the micros but we are at 2982 feet here and I think this regime has helped with cold weather tolerance. I'm also using elemental sulfur to lower the pH. I may begin to cutback on that pending my next pH test. After 3 years of doing this, I would think the alkalinity would be moderated. Don't have any potted citrus. Welcome back to Tucson! And, your Trovita looks like my Valencia...

Enlighten me about STEM.