Dear Rhizo, specifically needing your suggestions:-)

10 years ago

Hello dear friend!

Ok, I am getting pretty gusty these last few days because of your good judgement, advice, and encouragement, maybe to late for this season?....

You helped me realize on one of my other threads, the importance of pruning the roots for my trees and I severely want to keep them in tip top shape knowing full well that the roots system should be tended to just as equally as what is above the soil line...

Because of your encouragement, I have finally pruned the roots to my 'Fragrant Olive' tree after a couple of years debating it to myself, and a bit of laziness...

Now comes the best part, my most favorite 'Navel Orange Tree'....... I think I may have waited to late into the season?

It is in a pot that does not allow me to stick my finger in it any longer.
It dries out just about every day even through the fall.
It is loaded with fruit and one big sized orange at the moment.
It seems to be doing fine and putting on new growth along with buds at this time again.
Some one said" why fix it if it not broken?"
It's about 4 feet tall from tall.
The pots it is in is clay 5 gallon.
Trunk is 3 inches in diameter...
It seems very healthy at this point.

Now,Is this a bad time to root prune?
Should I wait until next year?
Should I wait until the fruit has been picked?
Could I get away with leaving in this pot for one more year?

I don't want to go up in size pot, since this pot is already almost to heavy to carry, unless of course I go plastic...

This one will be planted in the 'Fafard Nursery MIx', mostly comprised of bark and a small bit of peat. I will be adding the perlite.

Most of my plants and trees I just keep potting up, but there comes a point where one must stop, you know what I mean?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated and if you could walk me through this process, even more!
I will take pics as I go along with you to demonstrate your good advice and my respect for your good knowledge of trees and their systems..

Hoping you will help and hoping all is well with you..

Thank you)

Mike

Oops. almost forgot the pics! It is on the sunny side of my property abutting my neighbors house in a driveway next to my shed...

This post was edited by meyermike_1micha on Wed, Aug 28, 13 at 8:00

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Comments (5)

mksmth zone 7a Tulsa Oklahoma
10 years ago
Hey Mike

I know you have asked this for Rhizo but if I may post some of my advice in the mean time.

What I have learned about citrus is that there seems to be no real bad time to do root work. I quess mid winter would be the worst. I try to avoid serious root work in the spring prior to and just after the spring bloom to avoid lose of fruit set. I try to plan to do my root work in the fall after fruit ripens. Since mine go into a greenhouse they tend to handle this approach no problem.

As far as technique when you cannot go to a bigger pot. I will remove the bottom few inches of the root ball and then take pie sliced pieces out of the vertical sides. I think Al mentioned once to try and not take more than 1/3 of the root ball out at a time.

Mike
meyermike_1micha
Original Author
10 years ago
Mike....Thank you so much....

To me it sounds easy, but in my mind it is a scary thing to do with this one my oldest and favorite tree..It has not seen a repot since I have had it..Probably 5 years???? I am thinking..

Hopefully Rhizo will be around and hoping you are enjoying fall already....Did we even have a nice hot summer?

Mike
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meyermike_1micha
Original Author
10 years ago
Rhizo, I know there has been much on your plate these days and my families prayers are with you...
Thanks for the e-mail...When things are better we can do this together in private or here..The plant can wait..
Hugs to you and your family...

Mike
poncirusguy6b452xx
10 years ago
Mike

I'm not rizo either but I think that pot is too small and a tree that size would do much better in a 10 -15 gallon pot, but not 15 at once. The roots may be rootbound already and breaking them off would be root pruning in its self. My poncirus trifoliata was already root cramped at only 18 months old. I put her in a container both wider and deeper. I lost a lot of roots off the bottom in the transplanting.

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seed grown poncirus trifoliata in 5 gallon bucket

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After transplanting and all crossing limbs removed to reduce load on roots.

I moved it out of 12 sun and placed it in 3 hours of sun and I mist the leave with a mild solution 30-10-10 with micros miracid. 3 time per day. The leaves are showing no signs of stress

Wait till a cold front comes in, then do it.

Steve
Jazzaphorbia
10 years ago
Vinagar helpfull as it is for you is also drying