|
| I have a potted Dwarf Nagami Kumquat that I've had for about a year. When I first got it, it was bearing fruit. It was planted with a potting soil, I can't recall the brand. The pot is a 1/2 whiskey barrel. It's on the south side of my home here in SoCal and gets all sun most all day. Besides B12, when it was 1st transplanted, I've given it 1 Miracle-Grow citrus spike twice now. I water it every other day enough to the point where the soil is always moist, but not sopping. The pot/barrel is raised up on a few bricks to allow any extra water to drain through the bottom.
My concerns are that the leaves are losing color and some are dried. The other is that it's no longer producing. I had one years ago that seemed to produce quite a bit quite often. I tested the soils N, P, K, and Ph with a rapidest kit from Luster Leaf. It showed a depletion of Nitrate and deficiency in Phosphate. My question is how much should I add of each and how often? Would a mixed fertilizer be better than buying them separately? What brands should I look for at Lowes, HD or Armstrong? Lastly, should I water more often or less? Other advise? Thanks for any help or suggestions? Tony |
Here is a link that might be useful: Kumquat Image
Follow-Up Postings:
|
- Posted by hoosierquilt z10a/23 Vista Calif (My Page) on Sun, May 20, 12 at 22:43
| Well, first off, your fertilizing regime needs to be changed. Not nearly even close enough fertilizer for nitrogen-hungry citrus. You need to switch to a granular or liquid fertilizer especially formulated for citrus, and then fertilize every other month. I would go to Armstrong's and talk to them about the best fertilizer for your citrus. There are some great options there. You can see if they have Gro Power Citrus & Avocado Food, which is an excellent product. Also, be sure your potting mix is well draining. Check down 18" or so, to make sure water is not pooling at the bottom of your pot. Your soil looks awfully dense, so don't just think that checking a few inches down is sufficient. If the bottom of the pot is really wet, your citrus roots will eventually suffocate and rot. Next, make sure your tree is getting plenty of sunshine. It appears that your tree is in the shade in your photo. Citrus can tolerate some shade, but really need at least 6 hours of full sun to flower and fruit. Patty S. |
|
| Thank-you Patty. If drainage is a problem can I replant without further damage? Can I replant this time of year? If I do go this route in addition to a good fertilizer what would you recommend as far as a soil mixture in the 1/2 barrel that you see? |
|
- Posted by Apartment_Gardner Z10/SZ23 (My Page) on Tue, May 22, 12 at 22:14
| Slightly off topic, but you can go ahead and remove that stake. I would only keep the tree staked up for a little while after transplanting it into the gritty mix, and that's only if it REALLY needed it. Better yet try 'guying' it, like so: (Credit for this pic goes to Al / Tapla, I tried but couldn't find a better example!)
|
|
| Less water would probably be better. Kumquats need high heat to produce blooms and fruit, so the weather may be to blame for the reduced fruit production. |
Here is a link that might be useful: My little kumquat
Please Note: Only registered members are able to post messages to this forum. If you are a member, please log in. If you aren't yet a member, join now!
Return to the Citrus Forum
Instructions
- You must be a registered member and logged in to post messages on our forums.
- Posting is a two-step process. Once you have composed your message, you will be taken to the preview page. You will then have a chance to review the contents and make changes.
- After posting your message, you may need to refresh the forum page in order to see it.
- It is illegal to post copyrighted material without the owner's consent.
- HTML codes are allowed in the message field only.
- No advertising is allowed in any of the forums.
- If you would like to practice posting or uploading photos, please visit our Test forum.
- If you need assistance, please Contact Us and we will be happy to help.