So you plan on planting it, then digging it up...repotting...and bringing it inside? Every year?

Congrats! It must smell wonderful..

Hello Rhizo! There you are. I will writing you soon:-)

Mike

Well, I meant to also ask if I could plant it in the ground in a large clay pot and then just pull it out of the ground. I know I can't do that forever but maybe for one or two years while its still small. Is that feasible? Do you have any other ideas for someone who can be gone as much as two and occasionally three weeks at a time.

MIKE, I was really hoping for some advice from YOU. But yes the room smells really nice with the flowers blooming.

Hello Bibbus...

Let me just start by saying to never under estimate 'Rhizo' with her suggestions and questions...If I were you, I would address her questions since she knows where she is headed with them:-)
She has always been a mentor for me!

As for putting your tree into the ground, I wouldn't since you will find that by the end of one growing season, you will have to pull roots from the ground that have found their way into the earth and risk disease in the root zone along with pest issues.

What I would do and in fact have, is use an over sized container since you live in a great warm growing area and do the container in container method.

I would fill up a much bigger pot with mulch as the smaller one of yours is surrounded by the mulch or mix inside that bigger one. The external mix will act as a wick and insulate the roots from extreme heat or rapid temp. flucuations.
If you discover the roots have found their way into the external mix, then great. Just leave it and keep doing the same until you can't lift the pot or pots anymore or want to root prune.

Thanks

Mike

This post was edited by meyermike_1micha on Sun, Mar 3, 13 at 12:31

Sorry, That second response was meant to answer Rhizo's question. My plan was to put it in the ground in a pot and pull it out at the last minute before cold weather arrived for maybe a couple of years. Depending on how much fruit I get from them, I would decide if its worth it to keep them in a pot or hope for a mild winter like last last winter (and not this one) to see if the lime would make it outside over winter. I realize it would be a big risk. I have a demanding job and large vegetable garden (trying to be as food self sufficient as I can). So I need my plants to be as easy care as possible. Does that make sense? That's why I was willing to take a chance on a $5 plant! So Mike, under your scenario with the container in the container, would the containers then be in ground or above ground? There are currently no roots coming out of the original plastic pot its in. I really appreciate both of you responses very much.

Bibbus, whenever I've sunk pots into the ground, it seems like the roots forget all about container and concentrate on "bustin ' out " into the soil. That may be grand for the plant while growing outside, but not so much when it's time for you to bring it inside.

By then, the plant may have developed the biomass of an in-ground plant, but with a pretty scrawny root system (in the container.....most of the roots will be left in the ground) . That's brutal on a plant being dragged kicking and screaming inside after a sojourn outside. Does that make sense?

That being said, if you have to go with this plan....do it while the plant is still young. Mike's suggestion is a good one.

So I went with your plan and put the pot in another pot outside and while I had to water A LOT, I now have 8 growing limes and a number of tiny ones as a second wave of fruits. I prepared the plant better this year to come inside by putting it in shade for a couple of weeks. So no leaves have dropped so far and I've had it inside about two weeks.

I've not been able to find specific information about fertilizing a plant that has fruit on it, has come in from the sun but will be wintering in a friend's sun room. You can see the leaves are a little yellow (not quite as much as the picture portrays). I've been using a organic liquid fertilizer during the summer. Should I continue to fertilize while the fruit is on the plant?

If it's going to be in a sunroom and exposed to temps above 55 degrees, it will continue to grow and thirst for food to support itself..

I would..But here's the important thing, depending on the mix you used will determine how your fertilizing regimen will be..

First off I would get rid of the organic one and use a well balanced water soluble one of the many recommended here..I can tell the organic one has not done much for your tree since it should be nice a green, full of fruit, or should of grown a lot more than it did by summers end..

If it's in a mix that is fine and holds moisture for long periods of time, then fertilize a very week dose at every watering and then 'flush' the mix out once a month until spring...
Do not water in sips but let the water flow freely out of the container...Holding it over a sink or even in a bath tub will allow you to do this well..

If you are using a very porous mix, then you can fertilize 1/4 strength at every watering watering with no problem and not have to worry about flushing every month..

I hope you had a wonderful summer and welcome back...It's got fruit..Fantastic! Now to just green it up!
After a period of about a month with regular fertilizing if it does not become nice and green, test your watering solution and see if the pH is too high..
If so, then use vinegar and it will make a stark difference..

MIke:-)

This post was edited by meyermike_1micha on Sun, Nov 3, 13 at 8:08

Thanks so much for those directions. The sun room is warmer than 55. The organic fertilizer doesn't have enough nitrogen in it but I was afraid of frying the plant with too much fertilizer so I ended up under fertilizing it. The leaf drop occurred last winter. Will leaves ever come back in the spots that are bare? To be honest I am shocked that it has so much fruit on it. It didn't grow very much, you are correct about that!

Hi Bibbus and good morning to you..

If you give your plant time and lots of sunlight warmth and fertilizer the next time around, it should bust out in all kinds of new growth near all the old leaf nodes..Pretty much fill up! Won't that be a day to celebrated?

Have a great day

Mike

It sure will!! I'm thrilled that it has 8 limes on it but a healthy full plant would certainly be awesome. Thanks, Mike.