The top size of the tree does not have all that much to do with when the tree should be repotted. Slip the tree from the container and look at the root structure. The density of the root growth will tell you if it is time to repot. If you do repot move the tree up one or two sizes. Millet

i have checked once before and it was really root-bound.is it ok if i move it from a plastic pot to a clay pot?it currently about 20 fruits and is flowering again.will transplanting damage the fruits or flowers?thanx for the quick reply!

Kiwi, if your tree is really potbound, and producing fruit and flowers, maybe you should hold off..most likely, since it's rootbound, there will be some root damage..If you can repot carefully, u might be able to get away with it without too many problems, but some trees go in shock and losing fruits/flowers are inevetable. Toni

when it gets a sock, about how many percent of fruit and flowers does it loes?thanks for the reply!

I have repotted trees hundreads of times in just about every stage of growth and probably in every month of the year. When done properly and normal care is given, I have never seen even one tree go into shock. Tree's of course actually do not suffer from shock. When a tree has problems after repotting, it is due to root damage caused by rough handling of the root system during the transplanting process. Actually, when a tree is transplanted to a larger container, the opposite is usually the case, the tree shows it's appreciation with lots of new growth. - Millet

Thanks, Millet. I've been worrying about repotting at the "wrong" time, so your post is reassuring. Not that I'll be able to do it perfectly, but at least there's no theoretical certainty that I'll wreak havoc by doing it at any particular time.

In my experience it is so true what Millet has said above. After repotting my plants appear to thank me by giving more growth and foliage. But then I use common sense- not to disturb the roots as much as I can.

But how do you not disturb the roots?

first I get me a sharp long knife and encircle the inside of the pot with it. I tapped the plastic around on the outside while laying the pot horizontal and roll the pot around while tapping the pot. 99% of the time the plant and the soil will come out if you invert the pot and the soil and plant will come off. If it is too big to do the above after I tap the roots and loosen the soil around wiithe the long knife I put a water hose on the side until the pot is wet around it but not soggy enought for the whole soil to be wet. Just on the rim. Once I got the plant out of the pot I put it to the hole that I dug a much bigger hole than the pot. Make sure you have a very fertile and easily well drained soil in them. Put the plant at level or a little higher than soil level. Then water it I mean soak the soil real good so no trapped air is trapped inside. I usually put the hose at 3 equal locations around the plant.
I have 100 % recovery all the time.

I'm planning to try repotting a smaller Meyer (~1.5 ft tall, and very spindly) before attempting the same with my bigger Meyer (3.5 ft tall, and ~3 ft across at the top). Practice makes perfect, or at least not egregiously non-perfect.

hi all,i finally repotted it to a bigger pot yesterday.it looked quite ok today.how will the tree react if it has root damage and how long will it take?thanx for all replys!

If you damaged the roots enough to cause the tree problems you would have probably seen it already. Sound like you did alright. - Millet

thanx! i feel much better now.besides,3 flowers have opened today!they smell sooo heavenly!

congrats! My calamondin went a bit limp about 6 hrs after transplanting (i was letting the gentle rain water it in, but the rain stopped before the tree got soaked well), but a good soaking brought it back perky within 2 hrs. I think youre outta the woods!

thank you!glad to hear your calamondin is okay!a few more blooms opened on my kumquat today.

I want to train my kumquat to a bonsai. The top of the tree has died but it has new shoots lower down the site. I have cut the top off and sealed the cut. Once I have taken it out the pot I will cut the bushy roots to fit into a smaller pot.

Thank you for your comments.

Here are 3 photos of tree I cut top off today and want to use to make Bonsai.

The next 2 photos are from another kumquat tree.

Hettie Bailey

South Africa

The growth coming up from the bottom of your tree, is not your tree, The growth is from the root stock

Hettie, any growth displaying the three leaflets (as in your photo) is rootstock. I suppose you could still try to make a bonsai out of rootstock, but it's not kumquat. It looks like citrange (not edible).