Mike,
What did you think of the soil temps I had yesterday? So far the only leaves that have fallen are the yellow leaves that were all ready there. No fruit drop no more yellowing of leaves.
Andrew

Many if not most tropicals can handle temps in the low 60's..That is what mine were kept at all winter without any issues...That tree and all those plants around you will be ok as so were mine...

Begonias are a prime example of tropical plants that can not handle cool temps..Of over 75 of them I looked at in the nursery, only 2 read that they can not handle temps below 65..

The nursery I go to, keeps their temps this low all winter, with no adverse effects on their tropicals, to save on their heating costs, and avoid pest outbreak..The air is also a bit more humid with lower indoor temps..

Mike

Mike,
I know my mango and caimito tree didn't like cooler temps but now spring is here! Well technically not till Saturday. My big problem is even with the thermostat set at 50 degrees, the house is still at 60. Oh well.
So here are my newest observations and questions.
1. I checked soil moisture with my highly technical equipment(LOL!). Medium was dry all the way down to bottom of pot. I gave it a full gallon of water and it still didn't run out of the bottom. I put my fingers thru drainage hole and roots were still dry.
2. When I felt the roots it was almost inpenetrable. There are so many roots that are tightly wound around, it is almost like a mat of roots. Could this be part of the reason the water didn't go thru to the bottom? The pot is a standard nursery pot. 6 holes on the bottom of the pot. 2 of the 6 holes I could feel definate moisture, but not the other 4. Now I have also heard great debate on not watering as heavy during the winter. I think if it is showing obvious signs of growth then it should be watered. I compromised by giving it about 1/4 of a gallon extra. Mike what do you think of that? Should that suffice? I was really upset a few days ago to see that I had lost one of my main branches on my mango tree. That tree had been doing so well but it is the complete opposite of the citrus. I killed my very first mango that way. I have 16 fruit trees now including several pineapples. I really want that Oro blaco and maybe just maybe another mango and then I have to quit. I live in an apartment. thank god I have a big yard for the summer and a basement that is pretty warm in the winter. The block glass windows help a lot. Once I come back from Florida this summer, I am going to take any extra cash and have my dad build me a few more tables for my trees to sit under lights in the winter. I liked that post you had on warm humidity room. I wanted to ask you what the glowing stone thing was.(Sorry for stupid question, just never seen it before!) I am assuming it is for heat? I will have to take advantage of some of your ideas/plans that you have in your home. I am going to get at least 2 HID light setups with 2 LED to supplement the light I need. I may end up with a third HID just for the meyer. I am obsessed with this tree. I catch myself getting up(even when I know I shouldn't because of my back still not being healed) constantly searching for any signs/symptoms of stress. From what I can tell it looks like the bulk of the yellow leaves were in the core of the tree. Most are now gone, and I think the good part of that is there are probobly 200-300 flowers in that center, and now the light hits them directly without any obstructions. I know I am going to need to prune it when I put out. Some of the top branches I am going to cut in half to help it branch out. Who knows, maybe I can get them to root! Well this is turning into a book so I am going to end here. I will keep posting here until I am convinced the tree is thru the transition part. At what temperatures is it safe to keep it out at night? I know the nightime temps are above freezing right now but barely. Okay now I will stop!
Andrew

Watering..When you know for certain that the container is dry, I would water until it flows out from the bottom at every watering..

It sounds like your tree has just about outgrew it's container...I would not transplant until come spring when you put it outdoors..In a way it is a protection for your tree at this moment..Your chances of overwatering are much slimmer..;-)

My citrus trees don't stay outdoors until the nights stay above the mid 40's..Although at many times, I will slowly intorduce them to the warm days up till then, then bring them in at night..Right now that is what I do, then I usually leave them out every day come the middle to late April..

Mike..;-)

Mike,
So you are putting your trees out now? I have pondering doing it but I want to wait on the meyer, more for the fragrance and also with it still being new to me. I counted 2 more lemons on the tree today. Most are golf ball size if not larger.
I agree with the repotting. I just have to figure out how to water without making a wet spot on my rug. I was thinking of putting an old towel down, adding some more water and once it runs out and stops, I can pull the towel out so the rug doesnt stay wet and the bottom of the pot is dry. I am going to need some time anyhow so I can figure out how I am going to make the mix the tree requires. I am also wondering if root pruning would be a good idea. I have a few plastic pots that would be larger then the existing pot. I would want to be able to keep it in that pot for at least 2 years. I figure with the size of the root ball and the tree, it will deplete the nutrition from the growing medium faster. My mom stopped in on there way home with the fertilizer. Seems like there are several trace elements that will be of some help. I just need to modify the directions since they don't give instructions for potted citrus. I like the idea of having a few diffrent fertilizers. I think it increases your chances of giving the tree more of the trace nutrients.
Andrew

Andrew,

I just put a few out when the sun is out and it is above the 50 mark..
They seem to love it..I also rinse all the leaves off with a hose..

You know, why don't you go to a Walmart or Home Depot and get a plastic floor protector for pots. I think they the huge 16 inch one only costs about 3 dollars...I use plastic saucers for all my plants..They are great!

They even sell small plastic lifts that are round that you could sit the plant on in the plastic saucer..Go ask for them, and you will be very happy you did..

Sounds like your home is going to smell real good soon!!!:-)

Mike

Good idea Mike. I will check it out. I watered it today and I could not believe how much that tree guzzled! 3 and 1/4 gallons! I did it gradually making darn sure that I wasn't going to end up with a pond on my living room rug, but it only had a little running out so I was pleased. Can't wait for all these flowers to open!
Andrew

Hey Mike,
I have had this tree for 5 days now. All the leaves that were yellowing are now off the tree. I noticed that those leaves are all in the center. Maybe it will be beneficial for all the flower buds to have sunlight with no obstuction? Other then that no changes, except the flower buds continue to grow and swell. I am thinking that I may put it outdoors for a little while. We are not scheduled to go below 40 now until next Tuesday. This is the first time that I remember putting tropicals outdoors when I could still see snow melting in the yards. We hit 62 today!

Wow.....Just remember, it has too acclimate to those cold temps at night..I would leave that tree out, not even in the intense sun, not just yet, and bring it in at night as temps cool..Let it first get use to a non greenhouse enviroment first...It was use to warm nights..

:-)

Yep, that is exactly what I was thinking. That for confirming that Mike. So far so good. I need to check my large tubs and see if I have one large enough for the meyer. What ever pot it is going into next will be the meyer's home for good.
Andrew

Well, i have had this tree for a week tommorrow. I wanted to take a close up of the center of the tree. You can see the flower buds better in this picture. BTW, this is only half of the flowers on the tree!
Andrew

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:571015}}

Sorry you guys but I don't know how to put the picture directly in without the link. This is a good picture of the entire tree, minus the tip of one of the branches. These larger branches that are growing straight up have some of the largest flower clusters on the whole tree. I will eventually have to prune these down so I can get them to branch out and I can't have them taller then the ceiling!
Andrew

Sorry about that(LOL!)

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:571017}}

Okay..sorry I know it is a pain in the a** to view these pictures like this but I wanted to show everyone one of the fruit clusters. I have 11 fruit on the tree right now and I am hoping that with all the flower buds I will have a bunch more. Enjoy!
Andrew

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:571019}}

What a VERY BEAUITIFUL tree Andrew!!

I am so happy for you...I am sure with all the research and applications you are doing here, it will perform very well for you.. It looks like it is trying to say something.."Let me outside"!!lol

Thank you for sharing with us Andrew..;-)

Mike

Hello Mike,
Yeah I agree with you. I KNOW it wants to go outdoors. This week we have 3 days in the 50's do I will take it out for the day so it can get some sunshine. I am still getting some leaf drop, not a lot but I don't like it.:( I am pretty confident that it will be fine till it can go outdoors for the summer. I am guessing that by April, it should be warm enough to stay outdoors. BTW, I got an email from Four Winds. The ensured me that they have the 2-3 year Oro Blanco in stock. I am going to try to order Wednesday and I should have it a week later. I just need to getthe stuff to make Al's mix or something like it. I wanted to ask you about the turface. You said you can get it locally. I was just curious where you get it, and what it is called. What is it used for? I tried looking thru automotive stores and I tried Home Depot but I don't no what category I would find it under. If I need to I could order it online but I would like to get it locally if possible. Oh, another thing I wanted to mention. The medium that i have my meyer in dries out in about 2-3 days. What do you think. Is that too long? The strange part to me is that the top is more moist then the bottom but the root system in that pot must be HUGE! I can't penetrate the soil with my finger. All I touch is a mass of thick roots. This tree MUST be rootbound. That concerns me only because I wonder how long it has been like that. I know that when I can get it out side permenetly, I will repot it but I really think it should be root pruned. Have you ever root pruned before? I have but it has been a really long tome. I remember doing it to a house plant. You remove 1/4 of the rootball but I think you have to remove the same on top. My problem with that is I don't want to sacrifice any fruit. Who knows how many will hold on to maturity. Now that you have seen a better picture of the whole tree, how many fruit do you think it would support? I know that for the most part citrus don't need there fruit thinned out because most fall off when they are still small. I just don't want to repeat what happened to my ponderosa with this tree. I would be pretty P.O.
Andrew

Hi Andy..If you type in "turface" in the search bar, it will come up with many threads on it and where to find it..It is the "MVP Sport" that they use on tennis courts and so on..I would find out who takes care of the courts there. Or try a Grain store that sells lots of things, or a hardware store.You could call the John Deer company and see if they have a distribution centers around you..

Here is a post from a very learned individual who has guided me a lot..I hope she doesn't mind if I re-posted this, but it was advice I used and that worked..I would prefer not to take credit.... : :

Posted by rhizo_1 7a AL (My Page) on Sun, Aug 19, 07 at 14:55
The 1/3 rule is absolutely not true. As a matter of fact, there ARE no hardfast rules about root pruning, really.

Mona, if you are convinced that your plant has run out of room for the development of new roots in the container, then even a small root pruning can be of benefit. If the plant is in trouble because of the inability to generate new roots, then the process can be done at any time of the year but the fall is a perfectly good time! Do NOT prune the top at the same time. For your situation, I'd just take a little from the sides and the bottom. Do not take as much as 1/3 of the root system off, by the way.

I have never root pruned any of my plants while they held fruit, but have heard of those who have, and that have lost their fruit..I guess it is just a gamble one takes..

Go for the "oro blanco"..:-)

I have to e-mail you when I am feeling better by the way..

Mike:-)

Mike,
Hope you fell better soon. I felt kind of sick, had stomach pain and thought i was gonna toss my cookies but I didn't. I crashed out early in the evening and just woke up myself. I still don't feel good. Thanks for helping me with the turface. I will try and find it. Maybe I will skip the root pruning for now. I just don't want to mess with the meyer for a while(after repotting). Talk soon.
Andrew

Okay Andrew...I posted them directly for you.

BTW, that is one VERY nice tree you got there...soon you will have enough to open a Lemonade Stand,lol...Congrats!
Beatuiful blooms and tree! Mine is blooming too...since I have it outside I don't get to enjoy it as much as you guys that have it inside the house. Enjoy! Oh, did your parents bring your fertilizer from FL yet?

{{gwi:571015}}

{{gwi:571017}}

{{gwi:571019}}

Hello Nancy,
I tried emailing you with my pic of the tree but it wouldn't go thru. My parents did get the fertilizer to me, thank god! I was really worried about it. I found on the airport website that you are not allowed to bring it on the plane but I question how much they really look into this stuff. That picture was taken a few days ago and I still have a bunch of buds on the verge of opening. One opened this morning and I think I should have another dozen open tommorrow morning. I may move it outdoors for the next 4 days. Temps are supposed to be in the mid 50's. I will have to bring it in at night. The nightime temps will be above freezing but I don't want to shock it and end up with more leaf drop. I pulled off all the yellow leaves and 80% of the leaves I pulled off were yellow when I got it. It really wasn't a ton of leaves and I think it helped bring more light into the center of my tree. I was worried about the tree going into shock because of the change in enviroment. I have not lost buds(except for the ones I knocked off accidently) or any fruits. A few of the fruits are almost egg size right now. How long do you think it will take before they ripen. A few months? I can't wait to try one of these fruits. It will be a first for me! I am even going to try and root some cuttings from the branches on top that need to be pruned. How do you post pictures like that? It took me a really long time to be able to post a pic. I can't imagine how long it will take me to learn the way you do it but that is how I want to be able to post. Thanks for all the compliments. I will let you know when I make my first pitcher of fresh meyer lemonade!
Andrew

Andrew, now that you've posted a pic of your entire tree, all I can say is WOW..It IS something. I see its true beauty.
When you posted a partial pic, it looked bushy instead of a standard.. (tree-shaped) Take care of your new baby. Toni

hello Toni,
I am trying hard to keep my meyer happy. What a beuty huh. I knew you would like that whole picture better. I can't wait for the house to permeate that sweet lemon blossom frgagrance. I wont be putting that tree out for good for a while. I do get nervous about someonle else admiring it and stealing it!
Andrew

Hey Andrew, since you have photobucket...just copy and paste the one that says "direct link" but you have to add this:
symbol at the very end of the link, right after the word jpg. Hope this helps and didn't confuse you more?

If I remember correctly...it took a long time between the time the fruits were pea shape till they were ripe, I'm thinking 6-8 months...give or take? Your tree is a beauty!!

Hi Andrew!
I owe you an e-mail..I was so sick for a few days..I am sorry. I havn't forgot you!

Hi Toni and Pug!!! It is so good and a pleasure to see you both here along with everyone..Thanks for so much info!!
Toni you are an encouragement for those that have meyer problems..I knew you could help many since yours do so well.Thank you..:-)

Pug,

You were the one that helped me to be able to post pictures, way in the begining and I never forget your help!
That was gracious of you to do so again for many here. Now if we could just grow our hoyas and citrus, oh what the heck, all plants like you...:-)
I still can't get over those Mangos!!

Andrew...yes, better the entire tree than a branch..lol..WARNING..Citrus are ADDICTING. You start with one, then think, hmm, I'd love to try another type..
I suggest Variegated lemons..oh they ARE lovely..even the fruit are variegated/ two-toned..my var lemons, 2, lol, have baby fruit..variegation starts when lemons are little beans. They're sooo cute and interesting.
I pray Fl's ban ends..I want to order a few more citrus..Fl's citrus are my favorite, so until the ban ends, no new citrus here.
One more thing..You mention fragrance..Rub a leaf or two between finger and thumb..see if you detect a lemon scent. Of all citrus, lemon leaves are the most fragrant. But honestly, several years ago, I sowed a lemon tree from store-bought fruit. The leaves were so very fragrant, much stronger than nursery bought trees. As a matter of fact, when it'd get showered in the sink, then tub, the scent was so strong, lemon scent permeated the entire house.

PUG!!!! I didn't see you until Mike greeted you..duh..lol. How ya doing?

Mike, you're so sweet..always complimenting. Yep, aren't Pugs plants, and yes, MANGOS, the BEST??? I love them.
My camera's about had it, but I can still snap a pic every so often..don't think it's a battery problem since I bought new batteries but nothing's changed. I can no longer snap pics, one after another..have to keep pushing buttons..bummer, huh?

Summer is nearing,,,yippy!! Toni

Hello Toni,
Trust me you don't need to tell me that citrus are addicting. I just got done ordering an Oro Blanco grapefruit from Four Winds. I also have a Honeybell coming from another company but I am going to cancel that one and wait a while before I buy that one. The leaves are very fragrant, more so then any of the others I have right now.
Mike,
I got the Oro Blanco now. I hope I get it next week. I can't wait! My meyer has 5 buds open now, and with the wind coming thru the door, it hits those flowers and I get that heavenly scent! I love it. I will post a pic the way Pug told me.
Pug,
Thanks fo the compliments and the directions. I will attempt it when my Oro Blanco arrives.
Andrew

Hi Mike and Toni! Thanks Mike...you are too kind and so are you Toni!! Toni, sometimes I'm invisible,lol...I try to blend.

You're welcome Andrew and hope my direction works for you. Looking forward to your pictures.

Here's my meyer lemon blooming! I'm still dealing with Citrus leaf miners...its a never ending battle here in FL. Luckily it doesn't affect the fruits. You can see two rotten lemons on the ground. Those are some that froze from this winter :o(
{{gwi:571023}}

{{gwi:571026}}

Nancy,
I love that Meyer of yours. If you want to know the truth, after seeing yours and Mike's I knew I had to have one! I actually wish that I had one that was short and bushy like yours. Trust me, I am not complaining I love my monster tree! I am going to try propagating it this summer when I have to prune the top. I am hoping to root cuttings and maybe have 2 more going this summer just in case something happens to mine. I am in love with the smell of those flowers. Nothing quite says spring like citrus blooms and I can't get over how much larger the meyer blooms are compared to other citrus. The temps here are finally warming up and it wont be long now before I can put it outdoors with the rest of my tropicals. BTW I noticed that my keylime has formed a fruit! This is the first fruit that I have had on this tree. I have had it bloom now at least 5 times since I got it last summer. This is going to be quite the summer for me with all my new tropical fruits. How is your pickering mango coming along?
Andrew

Thanks Andrew, yeah, Mike and I (and a lot of other members) here are such enablers,lol...We do what we can to keep everyone growing plants.

That's great about you propagating your lemon tree. I wish you the best of luck...very good idea so you will have a back up just in case. When I got my tree it never had much of a trunk as a matter of fact it only had a 2"-3" trunk. So it was pretty short to begin with. I just kept trimming the top of it so it would keep getting wider. Finally payed off...last year was the first year it started producing a lot of blooms and giving me lemons. Before I would only get a few blooms and if I'm lucky 3 lemons.

Since you asked about my Pickering mango...hope you don't mind I posted a picture of the blooms. Its such a small/young tree so it probably won't hold, but I'll let nature take its course and see what happens. Its doing well, apparently liked the cold temps in the garage where I had it for a few weeks during our cold nights and produced some blooms.

{{gwi:571029}}

Nancy,
Thats a wonderfull site! I am hoping that my Julie will bloom when it goes outdoors. My mangoes suffered a lot this past month. I had my surgery and prior to that, I would hall the pots to the bathtub and water. i couldn't do that and still can't and my cogshell lost one of its larger branches. My julie rebelled when it wasn't getting the light it wanted but it is going thru a growth flush and I have a feeling both will rebound when they go out for the summer. I put my Improved Monster, I mean Meyer(looks like a beast, LOL! LOL!) outdoors today. We hit 60 degrees today and it is supposed to stay that way for the next 3-4 days. I saw one day of snow forcasted for Saturday and hopefully back to nice weather again. Good luck with your pickering. I am planning on one more mango and that will be it. Then I need to concentrate on high quality indoor lighting. NO MORE TREES!! I have 2 more on the way now. I get my Oro Blanco grapefruit next week. I just got an email from Four Winds and they told me it was scheduled for shipping on Monday so I should have it by Thursday. Then in April I get my 'Day' avocado from Logees. I can't wait. I want one more sweet orange but have not decided yet. I want to get some lighting before I spend more $$ on trees.
Mike,
My Oro Blanco is coming next week! I can't wait! I have from now till next Wednesday to make Al's gritty mix for my other citrus and my new arrival. I also need to make sure I have a pot for my 'Day' avocado that is coming in April. I am living in a jungle now. I LOVE IT!!

Andrew....Sweet!!! I am so excited you are getting that "oro"..Wait till you see how green they are and all the blooms you get twice a year and the fruit! Please post a picture of it when it arrives, ok

If you put it in the gritty mix, excellent! It will already be barerooted when it comes to you, and all you have to do is plant right into it..Make sure you use a chop stick, or some kind of small tool to fill the mix in all around the roots, pushing between the roots and into them, as best as you can. Then jet stream the water with a hose into the soil, so the mix will fill the container and surround the roots really well.

You have Mangos? How do they grow for you? Do they fruit? I am planning on getting a couple this spring..

Pug, what tree!!! I can smell it from here..:-)

Toni, you are sooo right. Citrus ARE addicting, especially when you have several different varieties! My home constantly smells great, now that I always have some sort of citrus in bloom..The key lime and another lime disappoint me though. They have hardly a fragrance at all..

Summer is nearing...YIPPY!!!!!!!

Mike..:-)

Pug, invisible..lolol..too funny.
I can smell those purple-hue buds 900 miles north..umm, refreshing!!
Are you guys still undergoing freezing temps???
Leaf Miners..I didnt know your citrus had them..With all the junk on the market, you'd think they'd come up with something to kill those disgusting creatures. For good, not temp. Nonetheless, your citrus are/look very healthy, deep green foliage, so is it possible they only have a few? or is there no such thing? I know nothing about LM'ers..
If there is a chemical that rids LM'ers, If so, I'd like to read ingredients, then figure an organic cure-all..Or Rid-All..lol What part of the plant do LM'ers eat?
Most of my citrus are from Fl..Not one has/had LM's..Do they need a certain climate to hatch, or however babies are born???
Pug, the good news is, I've seen trees with LM infestation, but none of your citrus 'leaves' show evidence of this bug..
Very nice Mango buds..Will baby mangos grow after?? I'm green with envy..lol..gotta look for a mango. lol

Andrew, have you ever purchased trees from 4Winds or Honeybell before?
If you don't mind me asking, 'if you bought trees from 4Winds,' did you get the 1 or 3-yr-olds?
What about Honeybell? Where are they located? What can you tell me about this nursery? Is it local or an online store?

Andrew, you said you'd like a bush instead of a standard tree..w/trunk showing. Although Pugs citrus are beautiful, I must be honest..I prefer standards/trees w/trunks.

Bushy plants are nice, leafier, but one reason is Looks..there's something about tree-shaped plants I find fascinating...Second, upper foliage is easier checking for insects or disease.
It's a matter of taste..

Pug, you know how we shape our jades? Instead of several trunks, we choose one so it resembles a tree..know what I mean? You know I adore your plants, so don't read anything negative into what I'm saying. Again, it's a matter of preference. I feel the same with Gardenias and Hibiscus. Standards to bushes..especially braided, but they're hard to find.

Andrew, good luck rooting citrus..in the meantime, you should read up on grafting. There's tons of info on the net, and reference books sold at Amazon and Ebay..or the library?

A seedling is prone to disease, whereas grafted trees are more resistent. Grafted trees adapt to cold opposed to seedlings..you'd need to find which stock is compatiable with your citrus..Sounds like fun.

About 5 yrs ago, I considered grafting, even bought a few books on the subject, but found it complicated, and time-consuming..
I didnt have time to play around with cuttings..'it was summer. So had to deal with indoor plants and outdoor garden/s.' too much work for me. lol. Good luck, Toni

Hi Andrew, I'm sure once your weather warms you Mango trees will do just fine. I hope you get some blooms from your Carrie. They sulk when they don't get enough sun/warmth/humidity.

Hey Mike, thanks! I can't wait for you to get your Mango trees...looking forward to pics!

Toni, no worries. I happen to agree with you...I also prefer single trunk fruit trees...mine is a single trunk also...just a very short one(2-3")lol...this was a mail order when I got it. I wasn't able to pick it out myself. At the time there was a ban in FL, we couldn't even buy citrus in FL...then they lifted the ban and the local stores/nurseries didn't have any because they had the ban for quite a while...they had to wait and get them in. I was in such a hurry to get one once they lifted the ban, but the only place I could find one was on Ebay,lol...the vendor was in FL also...but not close enough to drive and pick it out myself. My kumquat I was able to pick out myself a few weeks after the I got the meyer, that one is a standard which is what I prefer.

Mike,
I have 2 mangoes and both are still small. I have 2 one cogshall and one julie. Look into condo types. That's what I have. They are dwarfs that are easy to keep small. I will post a pic of my Oro Blanco when it arrives.
Tony,
I ordered the 2-3 year tree from Four Winds. Sorry for the typo earlier. Must have been too tired. I have been sleep deprived for awhile with this darn back and the new infection I have in the incision area. I actually am going to go to the hospital ER this evening. I went last evening but too many people there. I wish we had one of those urgent care centers here!
I understand what you mean about the tree looking better, I really do but I love the way Nancy's looks and for me living in a small apartment it would be a lot easier for me to care for since it wouldn't take up too much space but here I am saying that I all ready want to propagate it so I can have more! I actually have a HUGE standard gardenia. I actually want to get rid of the darn thing. Every winter I end up with spider mites. No matter what I do to protect it. Then I lose all the leaves and it starts all over with new leaves. I put it out for the spring and it grows nice lush foliage and new growth but I don't get a lot of flowers. Last year I think I had maybe 12? And I fertilized it with Miracid and did what I always did but it didn't perform the way I would like it. Too bad you didn't live closer to me, maybe we could have done a trade. The Gardenia must be really old. The circumference is huge. I don't remember what it is exactly but it isn't much larger then the meyer I have. The tree is about 5.5ft tall and would be taller if I didn't prune it every winter after it drops its leaves. As far as grafting goes that is actually my mission this growing season. I want to be able to graft citrus. I am hoping to go to Florida and visit a guy from the tropical fruits forum.(Nancy, I am talking about Harry and I am keeping my fingers crossed that I can make it for some of his tropical fruits!) He is extremly knowledgable and I am sure he can help me learn.
Nancy,
I have julie and I would like carrie some day but I have another in mind right now. When and if I get it I will show a pic of it. I just love that meyer "bush". It would be better for me to have one like that so I wouldn't have to give up so much room for it. Then again, I really love this tree! There are som many flowers on it! I have taken it outside once all ready and taking it in and out I always lose some blooms but you would never know by looking at it. I have over a dozen blooms open and some are all ready forming the next crop of lemons! These will be my late fall early winter fruits. Ilove how you can fruits at all diffrent stages on lemon trees.
Mike,
I forgot to mention about the lime trees. I wonder if lime flowers are just not that fragrant? My keylime flowers are TINY compared to other citrus flowers. Wonder why? Hmm....anyway I just hope I get some fruit that hold on and I can make a keylime pie or maybe just a margarita or a corona with fresh lime! Can't wait for nice summer weather so I can go camping!
Andrew

After searching local stores and online I have come to the conclusion that turface is just not easy to find! Al should just market his mix and sell it!! Grrr! I really want to make this but what can I substitute the turface for? Any ideas?

Andrew, I have only seen the "turface" sold in 50 pound bags..Buy it! You have found the gold of the gritty mix that everyone else can not find at all! That is where I get mine. By the time you sift it, you will only end up with about 3/4 bag anyways..

As for the granite.."Chicken Grit Growers size", Agwuay is also where I got it..

I have some trees in the mix that has peat moss in it..I used 5 parts bark, 1 part peat, and one part perlite, and the ones in this mix have done very well..:-)

I went to the Agway website and found one about 20 minutes from my home. I wanted to ask what the silica sand is used for? I found white and green for those big sand filled ash trays but it was a very large bag and I don't need 25 pounds! Also, the crushed granite I can't find that at Home Depot. For the fir bark I was going to use orchid bark until I saw that WalMart changed the brand they carried to the Miracle Grow brand. I did find some in Home Depot. Mike, judging by the mix you have, it looks like you use a smaller size bark. I also wanted to find out what I can do to make this mix more water retentive. I leave for the weekend a lot during the summer and I don't trust my neighbor next door. He really gets me going during the summer. We were given a lawn mower by our landlord a few years ago and we were alternating the mowing of the grass. He complained before that he was doing it all and he wanted us to pay him $20.00 every time he mowed the grass. When we didn't have a mower, I asked if we could use his to mow and he flat out said no. He said that it was not a good idea and if we owned a mower he wouldn't be able to borrow it to mow and I said he would but that didn't matter. Now that we have one, he told us that he wants to mow because it gives him something to do. Then he complained about having to move my potted trees/plants when he mowed, and I told him that I would do the trim and mow the grass that my pots were on top of. He didn't like that idea either, so I said screw it, and he better not mow over any of my plants and he DID! He mowed over my pumpkin vines and they were for a little girl(she is like my stepchild) and he didn't care. I remember when this house was being remodeled and one of the contractors broke my dwarf plantain banana tree in half, and then picked it up and put it right back together like nothing happened! I can't trust anyone here. My landlord asked me to move my potted plants so that would not happen and it still did. She offered to replace it but I said it would regrow. My neighbor is a piece of crap. We shoveled the drive way all winter this year. He had a mini plow for his tractor mower. He never got it out till last month. He then said it wasn't working right, and only did half the driveway. He then paid someone to do it and tried to charge us for having snow plowed. If I asked him to water, he would kill them. He used rounup on the other neighbors bushes!!! That is why I don't want him touching anything!
Andrew

When your plants puts out all those beautiful fruit, just make special baskets of fresh fruit for your neighbors, and one extra for him..:-)

The most water retentive things in your mixes would be the "turface", or the "peat"..You just up the raitios of these when making your mixes..

For instance, for the gritty mix, 1.2.1, or 1.3.1, and son on..: For the peat and bark mix, 5.2.1...

Andrew, are you sure you can't get the cicken grit at the Agway? The silica sand you can also find at a pool supply store..:-)

Pug, I remember when FL citrus sellers weren't allowed to sell locally..that happened soon after the discovery of Canker. It lasted a while, enough time for sellers to fall behind in their bills..(I know two women who had to deal with this mess.)
What troubled me was, citrus nurserys were inspected and cleared, free of Canker, still, once the ban started, all it was illegal to sell, Canker or not! Who cares if a family eats? 'government.'
Then, the government allowed sellers to sell within the state of Fl, but couldn't be brought in or out.
Is it ever going to end??? If there's no evidence of Canker, why then can't citrus be shipped outside of FL??
Sorry for ranting, but I'd like to buy a few more citrus, and sure there are a million others who feel the same..Is something going on we don't know about??? And what about the poor sellers? If they depend on citrus sales to live, what are they doing to get by?

Andrew, so sorry about your back? If you want to go to the hospital w/o waiting, call an ambulence. They can't refuse, and you'll be seen immediately. Are you in severe pain? I am so sorry.

Anyway, lucky you, going to Fl. Learning to graft would be a great experience,.wish I knew someone who could teach me..in person. Good luck.

I make an organic insecticide that prevents mites from attacking plants, and kills them on contact..if you want the ingredients, let me know..
In the meantime, there's other ways to keep mites at bay..on warm days, crack open a window. If you have a ceiling fan, run it on low..'a few hours a day will do.' If you don't have a ceiling fan, Walgreens sells small fans for 14.99. Keep fan going a few hours a day..aim fan towards ceiling, no direct contact on a plant. Showers in sink/bath..once a wk is perfect..Daily misting.
Like they say, cleanliness is next to Godliness. Keep plant clean..dust-tree..any felled leaves should be disposed. There's all types of tricks to keep indoor plants free of pests.

Hey Mike,
I have down crushed granite. Is that the same as the chicken grit? I was hoping to find a smaller bag of the turface. The bag on the Agway site is 50#. That is way more then I will use. I know it is worth saving but I don't have a ton of storage space. I can get a bin with a lid and put it in the shed I guess. Last night I bought perlite thinking I needed it for the gritty mix so now I have a whole bag of that and nothing that needs it. You know, I didn't even see peat in the mix. For the mix I have:
Firbark
Turface MVP
Crushed Granite
Lime or gypsom
Vermiculite
Coarse Silica sand
Is the peat interchangeable for something else or do I have my list all wrong? If this isn't right, PLEASE let me know today. I am planning on buying the stuff I need tommorrow.
As far as the fruit basket goes, at least for him I won't waist my time. I made a turkey dinner awhile ago. I thought it might be nice to give him a plate. I aksed him how he liked it and he said it was too dry! I couldn't believe it. Nice gesture, free food, and he says too dry! That's gratitude for ya! I swear, this guy loves to be miserable and isn't happy unless he is unhappy. I like where I live but I will be very happy to not have him as a neighbor some day!
Andrew

Hi Andrew, first of all I hope you saw the pots Toni has sent for you.:-)

Toni's suggestions about keeping the buggies away works!! Very important!

Now, if you are determined to make that gritty mix, then use the crushed granite" chicken grit" remember "GROWERS SIZE", turface, and bark, along with gypsum if you are not going to fee with Foliage Pro..You will also have to water at each watering with Epsom Salts..

If you choose to make a peaty mix, then you could use the perlite,bark and perlite, along with lime..

I have never used sand in my mixes, but many here would kill to get their hands on some good sand..They would be the ones to say how good it works, along with proof of beautiful plants..

Your neighbor has a problems..lololol

Mike..:-)

Lol......The post that Toni sent you...

Hello Tony, I want that recipe for your bug spray. Especially with it being organic. I hate the idea of eating fruit sprayed with chemical pesticides! I don't have problems with bugs except for on the gardenia and very occasionally on a plant here and there. I am pretty lucky. I know the gardenia is not happy in the winter because I keep it warm in my house and i know they like it cooler.
Hey Mike,
Will I still need to ad Epsom Salts if I fertilize with the foliage pro or the epsom salts? I thought I read something about not using epsom salts if using a fertilizer with urea.
The turface is sold under the garden section. I can't imagine it not being the right size for gardening but if it is larger couldn't I crush it to make it smaller, or will that make it to small? I have to make it work but i will ask first before I go over there. Now are you saying that I need chicken grit AND the crushed granite? I must have a diffrent version then you do. What stuff do you use to make yours. I would rather make it your way since I know that you have had great success with it. I wonder why I got this variation then. Yours doesn't call for the sand then? If you could just list your "ingridients" for me and the amounts, that would be great. Do you still need epsom salts with your mix? Would my citrus fertilizer eliminate the need for the espsom salts? I asked you about the salts before but I didn't get an answer back from you on that one. Not a problem, I know I have been shooting tons of questions at you but I really need to know if I need this or not. If your mix or my citrus fertlizer eliminates the need for it, that would be great. As far as that nut job nextdoor, your absolutly right, and it enfuriates me that my landlord gives him special treatment just because they are friends. She has told me that she has threatened to evict him because of his BS, but because there friends it won't happen. Mike I apologize for the urgency with getting the stuff for the gritty mix but it is necessary for me to get it this weekend since my tree should be here by early next week. Can't wait!
Andrew

Andrew,

Good morning.

Chicken grit IS the crushed granite...YOu will need the "growers" size.

The turface, if it is the "mvp" one, has to be sifted to get the tiny particle sizes and dust out or you will have a perched water table in your containers.

No, you do not have to use ES when using Foliage Pro..That fertilizer already has all the Mg and Ca you need in it...In fact you do not even have to add gypsum to your mix...If using any other fertilizer and it does not contain these two essential minerals, then you would use the gypsum and ES..

Now simply put..

I use 1 part turface, SCREENED, i part crushed granite,"GROWERS SIZE", and one part bark...NO gypsum and Epsom Salts if I fertilize with any fertilizer that already has Mg and Ca in it...Hope this helps..:-)

Just got up, sorry..:-)

Mike

ANDREW, JUST A THOUGHT..

If you are looking for just enough of the gritty mix to try on that tree, why not have me ship you some I made?

You just pay the shipping cost, and I do not mind doing this..

This way you can give it a shot, and not have to spend so much time looking for this or buying more than you need, or money.

Mike..:-)

Andrew, I'm one of those that have used Coarse Silica Sand in place of "crushed granite" because my local feed store only sells them in 5 lbs bag and as of last month one of the feed stores in my area quit carrying the grit altogether! Mike knows his stuff when it comes to Al's mix. Just look at his gorgeous and healthy plants!

Here is the one I use...and Al said the size was good! Click to enlarge.

{{gwi:571031}}

Good luck with your mix. Mike and Toni both know about bug repellent,lol... Toni's homemade stuff works...so many people rave about it!

Hello everyone,
Today marks week 3 of having my Improved meyer. So far so good. I am sure now that I have made it thru the transition period, and the meyer suffered no setbacks! This tree is amazing. I swear it will never stop blooming. Even with the 50 or so flowers that have opened, smelled wonderfull, set fruit and dropped I still have hundreds of buds that are still maturing and getting ready to open. At this rate, I wouldn't be surprised at all if I had blooms that lasted till May. I really think this citrus has been easy to care for. No finicky behaviors and no major leaf drop! I have taken all the advice here and used the majority of it and in response my tree has filled my small apartment with the smell awesome smell of its blooms. I hope there are people out there that read this thread and get inspired to grow one of these magnificent lemon trees. I think with the right knowledge and the expert advice on this forum, anyone can grow a Meyer lemon! Thank you everyone for making this possible, I could not have done it with out you! I will keep adding updates here periodically so you can all here how well it is doing. I promise to add a new picture when I can find my battery charger for my digital camera. Don't know where I put the darn thing!
Andrew

Andrew, not yet that is..lol

You couldn't have bought your tree at a better time..Enjoy it and get to know it's needs very well before the onslaught of Fall...Happy Meyers day!!!

Your welcome!

Mike..:-)...Working on the Foliage Pro for you..

When can I expect to see any new growth that isn't buds? I was hoping after this bloom cycle ends that the tree would start pushing out new growth. It looks like towards the end of the week I can put it outdoors with my other citrus. All though I don't know if I want to just yet. I am still enjoying the flowers and if it goes outside, I am not going to want to have to hall this one right back in. This is a heavy freakin pot!
Andrew

Hello everyone,
So many people have asked me for an update on my meyer so here it is. Today is the 15th of April. I went to a large garden center and asked for a 30 gal pot but they gave me the same pot my tree is in. LOL! oh well guess I failed with that. I will go to Walmart and get one of those decorative pots that cost an arm and a leg(Almost $30.00 and made of plastic!) and use that instead. I bought diffrent stuff to make a variation of Al's gritty mix. I got pea gravel, vermiculite orchid bark, and perlite along with a good potting soil. The Meyer has almost finished blooming and now it is outside for good(I hope!!). By the end of next week all the blooms will be gone. My tree is FULL of little lemons that will grow for my late fall/early winter crop. Right now I am trying to find a gel rooting hgormone but have had no luck. I want to take a lot of cuttings and root them and sell/give them away or maybe use them as a trade. I have not lost any lemons that came on the tree when I got it and I have to say that I am amazed that it survived and actually didn't drop any leaves excecpt a few and the leaves that were all ready yellow when I bought it. So far this "little" (LOL!) tree is doing much better than I ever expected but I know it needs to be repotted. The mix it is in was okay when I bought it but it is staying more wet now than I want it too. I have also found some more of those seperate root systems that have vegatative buds growing on them. Hopefully I will have it repotted by this weekend but I also need to get my dahlias planted. For those who want to know, my back pain is still pretty bad. I went to the Neurosurgeon yesterday and found out that it may be months before I feel better. I was discouraged to hear this but he ordered an x ray of my back and will review it with me when I go back in June. Also, I wanted to say that the FP and white vinegar seems to be working well for me. I just wish that my Oro rwould stop being stubborn and start growing, but that is a whole other story!!
Andrew