Hi evaldas, I put a link below with pics of when I re-potted my Calamondin tree. I use a fast draining soil-less mix for my citrus. I'm sure there are many different ones that work ...but this one works very well for me. Good luck and enjoy your new tree.

Here is a link that might be useful: Heres an old post w/pics when I repotted my Calamondin

Well we don't have "Al's gritty mix" here

Well, sorry, I was just trying to help. Do you have Perlite or crushed lava rocks...anything that you can add to good quality potting mix that will help make your mix porous and free draining. You just want to avoid using something that will keep the soil wet all the time. Good luck!

Hmm,
I came across a soil on the internet for citrus plants that they sell here in Lithuania. It says:
"Special soil for houseplants and conservatory plants that demand high soil properties and characteristics: lemons and other citrus plants, coffee trees, jasmines, fig-trees, pomegranates. Made of natural ingredients based on: peat, humus, natural structuring, deoxidating and fertilizing components."

What do you think? Does it sound good? It's made in Russia and the price is suspiciously low...

Hi...It is so nice to me here all the way from Lithuania!

If your saying the soil is cheap, I wish I could compare it with what we pay here...Your cheap could be an expensive good quality soil or soiless mix to us..

I was wondering though, what kind of conditions will your container trees grow in? Will they be indoors for a long winter? Do you have short winters? Does it get hot and dry there? Does it rain alot all summer? Alot of humidity? Sun?

If you can explain some of the cultural conditions your plants will be subject too, then based on that we can all give you a pretty good idea..

Thankyou for being a part of here.

Mike

Well,
the soil is like a 1 USD for a 2.5 litres (I think that's ~0.6 gallons?)...

My Calamondin will stay indoors all year round, because I live in an apartment. It's standing about 8 feet away from the window, because it's a bit cold near the window and I'm worried about the roots getting cold, but later when it gets warmer I'll put it right on the windowsill. Right now it's about 68*F in the room.

About our climate:
We have LONG winters (I'd say beginning of November till the end of March). Right now it's about -4*F outside! (but it doesn't get THAT cold often..., mostly it's more like 18*F in winters). At summers average temperature is like 68*F, and it can get as hot as 95*F sometimes. It does rain often on summers, but I wouldn't say we have very humid climate. The more important thing is daylight, we have huge daylight differences during the year: the shortest day (December 24th) has about only 8 hours of daylight, and the longest day - June 24th - has about 17! We have 12 hours of daylight and 12 of night on September and March 23rd.

They say you're supposed to water citrus plants when one inch on top of the soil gets dry, well - I watered it last Thursday and the top of the soil is still a bit wet...

Ouch!!!!

You will kill it so fast that way, and you will be very upset about it!! Hole on..I will be right back..Sorry

What do you mean...?

"They say you're supposed to water citrus plants when one inch on top of the soil gets dry, well - I watered it last Thursday and the top of the soil is still a bit wet..."

That is false..

I have killed a many, especially calamondin trees this way..They hate wet feet, especially in your type climate, away from a sunny window for a long period of time.. If it is taking more than a 2-3 days for your soil to dry out, I would not use it. This is just my opinion and from bad my experiences..I have a climate similar to yours, if not a bit warmer and failed with the type of soil you are intersted in purchasing or still using.

This is why Pug above is suggesting to you to make your soil more porous. It will dry out rather quickly, and you will avoid a host of problems not limited to drop of leaf, dead brown branches, knats, and rot

Based on your cultural description, it will not work.

You could get a way with a soil that stays damp this long, maybe, if you had it in a full sunny window. Possibly, the soil mix would dry out faster..

Why are you afraid to put it in the window?

These trees can withstand very cool temps, as long as the soil is kept on the dry side..Mine is kept near a window on days in the 0's and does fine.It actually blooms alot more and seems very happy. Better than if I had it away from the window, out of the sun...

If I had a choice between keeping it warm with soil that drys out slowly, or keeping it in the window where it is cool, but it gets sun and the soil dries out rapidly, I would choose the latter.

Citrus like to dry out thouroghly between waterings, which means only an inch or two down will only allow the lower roots to rot quickly, and just the top ones to dry, if there is constant lower level moisture in your pots..It is called a Perched Water Table..It's that place in your pots that always stays wet longer than the surface..This area has to dry out before another drink to avoid root rot.
Therefore another reason pug suggested adding amendments to your soil to open it up and help aid in ridding that perched water.

If you insist on using a peaty soiless mix, which many do, that holds the water, dries out longer than should, or is a soil mix, then I would invest in a cheap moisture meter, or wooden dowels to stick into the root zone to make sure they are dry before the next drink.

Better is it to err on the drier side than the wetter one, according to your way of growing, your enviroment, lack of sun, and for your mostly cloudy, cold area.

You say indoors all year round. Why? Outdoors is yet another story we can discuss at anothet time..;-)

Mike..:-)

Indoors all year round because I live in an apartemnt and don't have where to put it outdoors.
And the plant is in the soil it originally came when I bought it from the shop.

Shoot... Too bad there wasn't a way you could make a shelf that extends from the window to outside..I would definately make one for you if I could..:-)

Hum, I wouldn't worry though about the tree being close to the window in winter. It should do just fine...It will definately appreciate the sun and coolness..It might even flower like mad for you...

What are you planning on doing about the soil? Will you be amending it at all? I just don't want you to loose your plant. Those trees are notorious for root rot if givin to much time to dry out between waterings..I myself have lost over 15 in the past years before I came here and got help on making a soilless mix that drains well and dries out rather rapidly..

There is a forum on this garden forums that discusses great ideas for a great mix under "containers". It would be great to see you there too.

Good luck, and let us know how it goes... I would probably address the soil issue as soon as possible..

Take care on the other side of the world..If you need anymore help, we will always be here for you..

Mike..:-)

Well what do you suggest? You think I should repot now? I was going to do that on the first week of March.
And if you think I should repot now tell me a good recipe for citrus soil! How many parts of what I should put in? I heard people saying that they were achieving good results with coconut husk chips, but I don't think we have those here!
Or should I use that cheap Russian citrus soil mentioned above?
OR should I just go to the store, approach the salesperson and ask for a soil that has the pH of 5 - 5.5 and that drains well and dries quickly?

By the way, I just found out that my plant's soil is moist because the plant isn't using too much water because it's lacking light for photosynthesis.
And today I watered the plant and it drained through the soil very quickly (about 30 seconds) so I don't think the original soil has bad drainage...

If no one else comes here to offer help eva, I will help you more. I am just waiting to see if anyone else has suggestions before only I give you my opinion along with pugs..We'll be back if not..

Hope you are well today..;-)

Hi Eva,

Here is my e-mail if you should need any other help..mikerno_1@yahoo.com

I hope you are well in your part of the world...Take care..:-)

MIke

I've repotted the tree into pine bark mix with a little of peat.

That is much better!!

As long as your mix is drying out in a reasonable amount of time for your area, like for mine I have to have them dry out within 4 days or less, it will be fine..

You might even avoid those dreaded "fungas Gnats"..;-)

Planting in a clay pot would be appreciated by your tree two, since your area is more cloudy and cool than many others..And because you plan of keeping it indoors all year..

Good for you! Great JOB!! I hope you are doing well over there on your side of the world..Pray for warm weather will ya?

Mike..:-)

Here are some pictures. What do you think? Is everything proper?
Here's the before shot:
http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb319/evaldas5211/IMG_2418.jpg
Here's into what I've repotted it:
http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb319/evaldas5211/IMG_2417.jpg
Here are the roots:
http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb319/evaldas5211/IMG_2423.jpg
Do they seem fine? Actually I left that original soil on the roots as they were pretty fragile.

And the after shot:
http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb319/evaldas5211/IMG_2425.jpg

What a BEAUTIFUL plant you have there!!

I hope it does really well..It probably has a better chance of staying healthy after the transplant..One word of caution though..Just don't want to see you fail..

The bark looks a tad bit big, but from my vantage point, it's kind of hard to tell the exact size..You want to keep the pieces between 1/8 and 1/4 big..5 parts bark and 1 part peat with one part perlite is perfect..It's looks like you have an idea of what to do..

Here is my major concern. If it were me, I would of rinsed all the old soil out from the roots, or used a chop stick to remove most of it. That old soil looks horrible..I have a feeling the root ball is going to stay wet longer than you want, while the new soil around it dries out quickly, a recipe for disaster..Let's keep our fingers crossed unless you repot it asap.

You asked if the roots looked ok? They look like they are half healthy, some rotted, but much hope for the whiter ones..

Many say to wait till spring to do such a transplant, but when it comes between saving my plants from rot, or the time of year it is, you bet your boots I am going to change the soil out no matter what time of year it is, if it is staying wet too long for my plants.

Just keep an eye on it. Make sure the root ball dries out before you water each time..You can stick your fingers way into it, at least 4 inches down, or use a wooden dowel, or a water meter.

To sum it up:

Great job with getting it into a better faster draining mix. If you can, repot and get the old dirt out since you just did it. Make sure the new soil fills in and around all the roots. Do not over water. AND IF AT ALL POSSIBLE, stick it in the sunny window where it will be very happy. It can tolerate cool temps near the window..Mines love it.

Don't get discouraged if it drops leaves and rebels, but you can be sure it will be ok, if the roots rot no further..If the branches start to die back, then that is a major concern..We will cross that road if we get there. But making sure the soil dries out quickly so the roots can heal, breathe, repair themselves, grow, and not sit in wet soil for a long time should prevent this.:-)

Mike

Well right now it's sitting on the windowsill. It dropped way less leaves since the transplant. But the original soil seems pretty wet around the roots...

Evaldas,

Look at me acting as if this tree was one of my own kids..lol

If it were me, I would take a gamble, and still rinse all that soil from the roots as much as possible, break up that root ball, and then repot into fresh soil, making sure to cover the entire root ball, between the roots and aroung with the one you made..This way your entire root mass and pot of soilless mis will dry out evenly while the roots can spread to their hearts delight in a well airated medium.

Your chances of loosing it to a root ball with compacted soil around it's roots, that satys wet far too long for your area, may kill it more than another repotting..

I am so glad you have givin it al the sun you can. BRAVO!

I hope it works out well for you..

Mike

Evaldas, I posted your picture so we can see it.

Mike has given you a lot of great advise...he's such a nice guy :o)

It sure is a very nice tree. Congrats and Good luck!

{{gwi:556203}}

Any chance someone here has viable seed for this wonderful orange. I have a friend who gave me seed. He freezes the seed, so not sure if they are damaged. Tried to germinate, no success. Any advice. Will send self addressed and postage for seed. Thanks.

Hi all,

I have been in search of a plant to replace the one of my entire childhood. My search has been for a Kumquat ornimental which has been almost impossible to find. It seems that it was this Calamondin, Citrus Mitis. What a revalation. The distinctive quality was that it blooms often throughout the year and will bloom while holding fruit. Amazing. Mine got to be about 4 ft in diameter and died when my aging parents could not bring it indoors for the winter. I bought it when I was about five years old in 1962 or 1963. Some things last in your mind as you grow older. This plant was a source of great pleasure for me and filled my parents home with a fragrant smell no other plant could compare.

Enough of my old guy stuff.

First, great thanks to Mike and Pug for the help you offered Evaldas and for the view of her plant just placed by Pug. (I saw all of the computer language to get the pictures and said to myself I'll never get to see them with what I know about computers).

Second, I can tell you what I did for more than fifteen years of repotting mine with great success. Mike and Pug are smart guys. I am a simpleton. Here goes: Sand was always part of my mix when repotting, simple, cheap, adds the drainage you need. I noticed you had a paper towel under the pot in the tray and that the plant was misted, I think. I added broken pot pieces to the bottom of my pot to help drain water from the roots and absorb some water to keep the plant roots healthy when I failed to water it for a few weeks. I put gravel in the tray and set the pot on top to keep the excess water away. Every time I repotted it, I used a stick to loosen the dirt/sand mix and then cut away any roots that looked rotted or inferior. I was always agressive and took more than looked needed. After the repotting, we got a pruning. cut back the bush as much as the roots were cut.

Thirdly, your plant looks beautiful, Evaldas. Misting makes the plant happy. Only add the bark for cover and not mix it in with soil. If you did mix with soil, just poke out the pieces when you repot. Evalas, your plant is getting leggy with some shoots that need a trim. You can try to root the cuttings with root hormone to help as you remove the bottom leaves before inserting in soil. Also plant some of the seeds before they dry and start your own nursery; a nice gift for friends. I used Miracle-Grow food, during the Spring and Summer and avoided any during the winter. Hope this helps Evaldas.

Lastly, I would like to find a similarly sized plant as Evaldas and get some seeds as well. Citrus seeds do much better if kept moist. So keep or send seeds with a piece of wet paper towel in a baggy or wrapped in cellophane.

Evaldas, would you send me a few seeds in an envelope with a damp paper towel in a plastic bag?

Would the rest of you do the same?

I will return your postage and send you plants from seeds others have sent as long as law allows.

If anyone is willing to send me a plant, I will make good on your expenses as well.

Thank you all. You do not know how much this means to me.

God bless you all. Happy growing.

Timothy Gould
30 Egypt St
Ashaway, RI 02804-2012
USA
tgould01@verizon.net
401-377-4442

Tim,

E-mail, I have some good news...;-)

mikerno_1@yahoo.com

Hi Mike,

Just Shot you an E-mail.

Thanks.

Tim

About the seeds:
well sorry, there's only one ripe fruit on the tree and I don't want to lose it...

I was wondering if those small Calamondin trees you see in the florida gas stations and florida stores will ever fruit? My wife bought me one (it was like 2 dollars) about 6 months ago, will I get anything out of it, or do they need to be grafted (I doubt it was, it is very, very small). Thanks.

Kennyn, if they were grown from seed they could. But not all seeds grow true to the parent plant. I would imagine that they are cuttings though which means they should fruit.

Hi everyone,

(This is my first post, and it's great to get all of this citrus-growing info!)

I bought a Calamondin about 1 month ago. It was shipped bareroot. The seller said to pot it in either a 50/50 mix of coarse (builder's, not playground) sand and good-quality topsoil OR a 40-60 ratio of 40% topsoil to 60% builders'
sand. I was impatient when my Myer Lemon and Calamondin arrived (a blizzard was starting, and I had no intention of driving to the store), so I potted them in organic potting mix. Big mistake for the lemon! Appranently, the soil retains too much moisture near the roots, and doesn't drain properly, so the leaves started dropping like crazy. The Calamondin, however, didn't suffer at all; it had oranges already on it when I bought it, unlike the lemon (which only had very, very tiny babies--which all dropped off later). I don't know if this made a difference. At any rate, I re-potted them properly last Sunday (and the Meyer lemon is still dropping leaves, though it looks healthy, and even has a tiny new flower bud starting). The Calamondin has a few tiny baby oranges staring, plus load of flower buds and some new leaves. Wonder why it fared better than the lemon? They're planted in the same kind of pots, and sit in the same place, etc.

Hi everyone! I planted a few calamondin seeds 3 months ago. I potted em in 4-inch pots and a couple of them I noticed the roots are starts to come out just a couple centimeters through the pot hole (the roots grow straight and not spreading sideways as yet). Is it time to repot it or is it too early? How big of a pot should i get if i do need to repot? I was thinking of getting plastic pots so it's easier to move the plants... any suggestion which would be better for calamondins?

I keep my calamondins indoors (on my window for sunlight) but i put them outside when the weather isn't chilly.

Do I change the soil when i repot? I have been using Miracle-gro Potting Mix since day 1. Can I use the same kind and for how long can I use this kind of mix?

i have no experience with planting or any knowledge about taking care of citrus plants. So, any basic tips and advice would be appreciated.

Thanks!

Hi everyone! Guess what? It's time to repot my calamansi plants... They have grown quite a bit compared to the last post (above pic). I think they will grow better after moving them to a bigger pot (from 4-inch ceramic pots).

I have never repotted a plant before. So, my question is: What do I do after I repot the plants? Do I have em indoors or exposed to some sunlight? Do I water them right away or no? If I do, do I just use plain water or can I use the same fertilizer mix that I have been using (Froliage 1 tsp:1 gallon)?

Any other tips so the plants would be able to adjust better as it goes through shock? Thanks!

I'm getting the soil this morning! :)

I use small Pine Bark pieces ( you can buy small pieces of Orchid Bark) , potting mix and (rinsed) Perlite. That's one of the simplest mix and it drains well...this is the size pine bark I use...

You can use that but its best to add Perlite and some small Pine bark pieces if you're able to...it will help with drainage and healthier roots :o)...its up to you