I use EB Stone's Cactus Mix, but I mix it 3 parts of that mix to 1 part small bark (I use a reptibark mix from PetsMart), and 1 part vermiculite. It's fines are still too fine for my liking. All citrus are thriving extremely well in this mix. I also add a time release fertilizer and will fertilize about every 2 to 3 months with Foliage Pro. I would re-pot, now, and very gently. Try not to disturb the rootball, and you should not see too much aborted fruit or blossoms.

Patty S.

Thanks Patty. I like that idea with the bark and vermiculite. I'll try that.

It works beautifully, Barb. I will also use MiracleGro Vegetable Potting Mix in place of EB Stone's Cactus Mix, with equally excellent results. Perfect mix for me here in S. California. Water retentive enough, but with nice air spaces. My container citrus are very happy.

Patty S.

Well, I re-potted my Cara Cara navel and found out the reason why it's been puny and struggling. About 2/3 of the trunk of the root stock just below the graft is girdled. Only a thin strip of live bark going down to the roots. The roots are only growing on one side, the side with the live bark. The soil was a little compact but I think this has been going on since I got it, now that I think about it. It was a rescue, wasting away in a little one gallon pot, on the clearance table, and I thought I could revive it. I don't know how I missed that when I first re-potted it. So it's now in a smaller, but wider pot, with the Cactus mix +, we'll see if it survives. It needs to grow bark back around 2/3 of the trunk and maybe it will also grow more roots then. It's not good odds, I know. If it hasn't done that at least half way by the end of summer, I'll just forget it. I certainly have pleny of others that are doing fine. Aaaand, when I got the soil at the nursery I also bought a W.Murcott Afourer Mandarin. It's a sickness I tells ya! ;)