great pics mike. My naval is flushing growth right now as well. What is that medium that looks like round clay marbles?

Mike,
I think I am using too big of pots. What are those round tiny ball things in the photos of last tree in your post?

Bigmario, there really is something of an optimal size for citrus containers. Too big and citrus will seem to sit there and sulk--same as when the pot is too small! Mike, it looks like it's getting to transplant up a size or two--otherwise--looking good!:)

Here is a picture of my dwarf keylime. The monster of my citrus collection. It just amazes me how fast this tree continues to grow. sadly my only keylime has dropped off but I have spotted a few blooms. I actually don't feed this one to much anymore. I don't want it to get much larger. I will post the Oro and Meyer pics later. Now I need to find some crushed granite. I am going to check locally if not, I have found several online sorces for it.
Andrew

Here is a link that might be useful: Dwarf keylime

Ok Mike heres my finished repotted ALL babies o got several to small yet more little ones but goin to wait for them to grow a little more
Ok this is grapefruit top and bottom (will be first)of it the stickness is all gone since i moved it to the deck,
{{gwi:601361}}
{{gwi:601363}}
these are in my jacuzzi room after planting til i can get them on the deck after repoting an some still have the drip pans but not for long
{{gwi:601363}}
{{gwi:601366}}
one of these is lemon other is lime but why are the leafs so pale almost a yellow

{{gwi:601368}}
more lemon n lime
{{gwi:597014}}
i forgot to take pic of the lemon thats terrible still has 1 little sprig thats living!!!! OOOOppps got one pic twice oh well..I O it all to you Mike thxxxxxxxxxxxxx Hugs

This is my Mandarin tangerine (Sumatsu). Very cold hardy and it holds its fruit for a LONG time.

Here is a link that might be useful:

njoasis,
what do you use for potting medium?

Don't even get me started on potting medium! A few years back when the collection needed to be transplanted, I took the lazy route and bought MG Potting Soil. Big, big mistake--the stuff is beyond awful--it should come with a warning label. This garbage is mostly peat moss it seems to me (I guess because lighter is cheaper and easier to ship). Even MG's line of soil for cacti and succulents seems ridiculously peaty to me. Last summer, I noticed that the soil of my citrus trees always seemed dry--despite that cool, wet summer. You could literally stand over the plants with a hose all day and the soil seemed to repel moisture and remained dry. I noticed the plants suffering and ended up transplanting the entire collection last summer. I gently tried to remove as much of that MG cr-p as possible (without damaging their roots) and added some humus, coarse sand and perlite. Almost immediately, they looked much better. I learned my lesson. But to return to your question, when mixing up soil for citrus, I aim for a soil that's rich but well-draining (same soil I try to prepare and use on the palms--another,even bigger, collection of mine). I still buy the MG soil but modify it by adding humus, sand, perlite, and bark chips. Also feed with MG fertilizer for acid-loving plants. Also, twice a year I'll use Citrustone (but cut the rate down because Citrustone is made for trees planted in the ground--not containers). Good luck!

Thanks,
njoasis. So basically you amend regular potting soil. About what ratios?
How does pumice act compared to perlite?

Mike, you have a jungle growing in your yard! ;)
Meanwhile, out here in the Land of Gold, we haven't had rain for at least two months....
I've taken advantage of the recent heatwave to sand and re-stain my back deck's rails. I'm almost finished,
just a few pickets to paint on the outside - I'll be done in about an hour, but I had to come in for a small break.
Anyhow, that's why my plants are all crowded together.

Well, here's my one and only citrus at the moment, the Moro Blood Orange.
I've pruned off three branches so far, and I'll keep trimming it to the shape I desire....
even at the cost of fruit. Eventually, my patience will be rewarded. Also, I noticed the
wonderful citrus scent of the branches and the bruised leaves. Very invigorating!

{{gwi:601370}}


{{gwi:601375}}


And here's the little project I'm finishing up.
The tomato (to the left) is actually tied to the lattice, so it was a real pain to carefully paint around!

{{gwi:601377}}


Josh

yes, I basically amend regular potting soil. Sorry I can't answer your other two questions as I do this more as an art than a science so when I mix the various elements of a good soil I'm basically doing it by the feel of the soil. Most plants are tolerant of some range of soil types as long as other factors are satisfactory (sunlight, moisture, humidity, etc.)

Here's a photo of my Calamondin.

Here is a link that might be useful:

Mike: your yard and your plants look beautiful and lush!
Buylady: glad to hear your sticky situation has been fixed.
Josh, nice job on the fence (and the plants look great too).

njoasis,WOW! wowie Wow wow!!! where are you that your fruit are so big and ripe already? I am in Zone 7 too but my fruit is all tiny and green still.'

I am not posting July pics because I am ashamed :-(. My citrus all look way worse off than in the last pic I posted. Sun burn, heat stroke, crappy soil, I don't know what. The leaves are getting pale and yellowish. I am working on making gritty mix and finding new pots but I am afraid to re-pot them in this heat. I just hope they will hang on until spring. I need an ICU for potted plants.

They don't call us the "Garden State" for nothin'! Seriously though, my citrus get a lot of sun--year round. They've been outside in full sun since late March and will be outside until the end of November--at least. And this year, we've had real heat since early April. Yes, it's been hot but I water daily (at least). Some of mine are in full fruit, some green and tiny (the limes), some are just flowering (the kumquats). Granburyflowergirl, post a pic and maybe someone will see something that is giving your plants a problem. P.S., We've all had plants have either died or been sickly.

Thank you granduryflower girl...This is your ICU for your babies, and post them here when they are sick or healthy..Nothing to be ashamed of. It is the reason why we are here..To help each other through the good and bad. To learn from each others mistakes and different causes in our plants at different times of the year.. This is not about posting just green plants, but even ones we have problems with too in July...I'll be posting mine too if they should become sick, then we can all help each other to make them healthy again and figure how they got sick in the first place. You have nothing to be ashamed of. Still post them, and we can help you help your citrus..:-)

Hi Dave..:-)

Josh, what a beautiful deck you have there...I think all your sun loving plants will make a great addition to it...It is nice to see that even though you are busy, you are never to busy to care for your good looking plants. Thank you also for encouraging me to use the best kind of soilless mix for my plants that benefits them year round..:-)

Njosis. Thank you for showing me the best thing I could of done for my plants in the winter, let alone that I also saved on my electric bill..Taking into consideration that your trees look so nice, and that you have ripe fruit, encourages many here to know that the fruit can hold on to ripen for the summer, all winter, even in a much colder environment for the winter. You also saved me a bunch of pesty nightmares... Thank you again.

Buylady. I AM SO PROUD OF YOU! After all the hard work and enthusiasm you had coming here to do what was best for your trees, look at them...They are looking so much better so quickly! Great job and it was an honor for many of us here to help you along the way....I am happy for you...:-)

Andrew, you keylime is looking great. It has also grown quite a bit..Enjoy this summer while your plants bask in the rays of the warm sunshine..Isn't a great feeling to say good morning to them first thing in the am? I love it!
Your plants are looking so nice..:-)

Please, keep posting your pictures everyone. It is such a joy to come here and see so many that love these trees..Pug, and Toni, you owe us..:-)

Mike..:-)

Mike,
You never told us what those round balls are in your pots. I got my fp today. Can't wait to use it. The #5 pots should need water on Sun. Should I give them the 1/4 tsp. per gallon mix? I gallon of water is more than enough water for those two pots. Do they still get the proper fert. even if you don't use all the water on them?
Well I am off to bed. Up early for a 7am weekly bike ride before another day of work.

Hi Dave

Oops sorry about that...They are called Hydroton ball, or expanded clay..

I just use those or bark to cover the top of the soil in my pots to keep the top from drying out to rapidly...Sort of what Josh does on his plants with bark..:-)
I had them hanging around and thought I would put them to good use..

1/4 tsp is perfect at EVERY watering if you can remember....I few skips here and there will be fine.

Have a great bike run and day..:-)

Mike

First of all, awesome pics Mike! I hope my little trees will look similar to yours soon. I am not going to post pics right now since my trees haven;t done much this spring since they had to stay inside, but in the last two weeks, i have just left them outside in partial afternoon shade and they are thriving! four of my five trees have new shoots from the time i was gone. So i think i will wait a week or so before i get some pictures. I can't wait :)

Nate

Thanks, Mike!
It's a pleasure to be growing in such wonderful mixes! ;)
My trees hang out on the back deck all summer long, and some even stay there through the winter.
In the morning, the sun gets a little intense, though.... and every single plant droops in response.
But the sun soon passes overhead and filters down through the leaves of the oak trees.
I keep my Jades (but not my Hummel's) and succulents fully exposed in the center!

Buylady, I agree, you've made huge improvements!

Josh

Thx Josh an Mike its such a joy to see all the pics here...now for the watering when u water do you drown em so it runs thru or just a touch water every couple days ?? hey no one answered me bout the ones that are so yellow why is that??? to much water?? or what?/

Hey Mike, I have to bug you about your ponderosa again. Do you have to support the fruit at all? One of my lemons is tripling in size every 10 days and I've been thinking I'd need to find some way to support either it or the limb. Would you have any advice? Thanks.

Zecowsay, so funny that you mention that...I was just looking at one of mine tonight, and realized that I may have to use a stick to keep it from bending out of the pot from the weight of it's fit..lol. For me, that is a first...After the fruit has grown, if I leave it, since I don't eat the fruit, I may have to drastically cut that particular branch back..

Hi Buylady....The yellowing could be a cause from anything, but this only you will know with time as you gain experience with watering, light, and fertilizing from learning here..You will get it, eventually..I promise..:-)

Mike

thx Mike man i sure hope so, if they don't die in the mean time LOL...i figure 1 more week then out on the deck they all go to hang out til close to cold weather..an hope an pray LOL

Hi Mike, My name is Mike and you posted in my thread about a cactus looking for a home in the Cactus Succulent Forum. I replied to your post and mentioned that I thought about growing a citrus or two for a long time. Decided to come into this forum and came across this thread. After looking at your photos you're REALLY tempting me. I'm thinking that I would be interested in the dwarf types so looks like I better start reading in this forum to get informed. I think that my first question would be what light requrements they would need when I bring them indoors for the winter. Mike

Hi again Mike, I've been reading in here and especially in a link you posted about over wintering in containers and it was VERY informative and answered a lot of my questions :) Mike

Here are a few of mine.
Planted Meyer Lemon

{{gwi:601379}}
Close up of fruit

{{gwi:601382}}

Nagami Kumquat and Satsuma in pots
{{gwi:601385}}

Calamondin and Satsuma in ground (fig tree in background)
{{gwi:601387}}

First is the big labeled family photo. Citrus: there's seedling lemon, tangelo, pummelo, yuzu, along with an unlabeled sudachi. There's also a larger grafted yuzu and a grafted calamondin. As for non-citrus, there's three nightshades (tamarillo, naranjilla and coconas), two pots of seedling guavas, and a rather spindly ice cream bean seedling.

[IMG]http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b122/davidals/Project1.jpg[/IMG]

Second is the unlabeled pic.

[IMG]http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b122/davidals/Picture547.jpg[/IMG]

Third, is a closer view including the big yuzu and calamondin, the pummelo and tangelo in front of them, and the big naranjilla on the right side.

[IMG]http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b122/davidals/CopyofPicture548.jpg[/IMG]

Last, this is a close-up of some of the seedling (non-grafted) citrus - from top to bottom, yuzu, pummelo, tangelo and sudachi. The black pot is tamarillo sprouts, which I need to thin out. To me, the only notable thing here is how different papeda-type citrus look from other citrus when young - smaller, slower in growth, smaller leaves, but very lush, small (not visible in this pic) spines, but more of 'em than other citrus.

[IMG]http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b122/davidals/Picture537.jpg[/IMG]

Ok. Let's try this again.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b122/davidals/Project1.jpg

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b122/davidals/Picture547.jpg

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b122/davidals/CopyofPicture548.jpg

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b122/davidals/Picture537.jpg

First is the big labeled family photo. Citrus: there's seedling lemon, tangelo, pummelo, yuzu, along with an unlabeled sudachi. There's also a larger grafted yuzu and a grafted calamondin. As for non-citrus, there's three nightshades (tamarillo, naranjilla and coconas), two pots of seedling guavas, and a rather spindly ice cream bean seedling.
{{gwi:601389}}

Second is the unlabeled pic.
{{gwi:601391}}

Third, is a closer view including the big yuzu and calamondin, the pummelo and tangelo in front of them, and the big naranjilla on the right side.
{{gwi:601393}}

Last, this is a close-up of some of the seedling (non-grafted) citrus - from top to bottom, yuzu, pummelo, tangelo and sudachi. The black pot is tamarillo sprouts, which I need to thin out. To me, the only notable thing here is how different papeda-type citrus look from other citrus when young - smaller, slower in growth, smaller leaves, but very lush, small (not visible in this pic) spines, but more of 'em than other citrus.
{{gwi:601395}}

Yay! Technology is truly a friend to us all :-I

well since Mike hasnt posted an august thread yet ill post in this one, lol.
my lone satsuma that is starting to turn, cant wait to eat it!
{{gwi:601397}}

And to my surprise this morning my key lime is starting to bloom. Do key limes typically bloom this late in the year? It has been near 100 degrees for weeks now. The only thing I have done differently is move it, the satsuma, and meyer into a spot that gets 12 hours of sun with all the smaller citrus, versus a spot that was getting about 9 hours.
{{gwi:601399}}

Wow Mksmth and Dave....very nice looking plants...

Dave you have more than I thought...Very nice.

Mksmth, let us know when you finally get to eat that fruit..I product of your fine efforts I say!

Mike