If you don't want to use the hose, soak it in a bucket and then carefully use a chopstick or something similar and poke away the mix. That's what I do if I have to do emergency root work in the middle of winter.

Kristopher

I just watered it, and the growing material is VERY free flowing. (first watering) Would I NEED to remove the mix around the roots, or just loosen the rootball and add more mix around the bottom and sides?

I have access to orchid mix, fir bark, potting mixes and other very common things. Mostly my plants will be indoors with grow lights. My place gets little sun outside and it would be for heat, but inside, no A/C, it gets hot in here as it is. I have a weather unit beside my plants, averages 60-90F and humidity of 40-60% So, best mix suggestions?

Hi Citrus..How's it going? having fun yet?

Without looking at the ingredients I really can't say for sure what I would use.
But if it were my choice, I would make a mix that consists mostly of bark, a little peat or other ingredient that holds water and some perlite. Well draining and that easily dries out evenly.
I would take out ALL the old mix and refresh with new.
You would be surprised at how much sunlight a plant gets even though it is under a tree or shade. Mine get more outside than under lights any day this time of the year.

Good luck and let us know what you made.

Mike:-)

I re-potted it last night, removed all but a small patch of soil (bark like, roots growing in... didnt want to lose a huge patch of roots) and used a mix of cactus soil and perlite. 50/50ish It drains great, but still a good amount of moisture is held. I am impressed with it. I MAY have gone up 1 size too many in my pot choice, but everywhere seems limited unless I go to something super fancy and pay 100 bucks... NOT happening! Went with a plastic pot with 10-12 drainage holes on the bottom. I did trim off one lower branch and have 1 more I will remove in a few months time (full sized green lemon on it... waiting for it to yellow) Loving the shape removing that one branch made. I also repotted it higher in the soil as it was planted way too deep, almost 2" of actual trunk was under the soil! Plant sure looks big now!

I have 10-12 75 foot pine trees covering my slight outdoor space, there is an hour or 3 (max) that my yard gets sun. I was heartbroken last year when I tried a patio veggie garden, nothing grew. I have BAD cross winds, trying to figure out a way to use sheets or fabric of some sort to block some of the winds and once I do, I think I will keep them outside. Even with minimum light, they will still do better in an outside environment!

All in all, I am having fun... and thats what its all about... other than getting amazing fruit!