I have a grafted calamondin tree, which is about 14 months old.

The tree is fairly lush, healthy looking.

No leaf drop, no yellowing leaves, no curling leaves, no dead branches or burned leaf tips, and I haven't been able to find any pests - early on, I had a few slug issues, but was able to eradicate that problem quickly and it hasn't returned. Every few days, I am misting with a dish soap-garlic-clove water solution, wetting the leaves, and haven't seen any evidence of any pests. Shortly after the initial transplant (I bought the tree from four winds), I did replace the ties (to the stake) with new ties that fit a little more loosely - it was staked very tightly when I got it.

It's in a 9-inch pot, with good (but not the best) drainage - when I water, it drains and dries fairly rapidly, though it doesn't run straight through. The top 3/4 of dirt will dry to about a level of 2 (moisture meter) in less than a day, but the very bottom (about the bottom inch or two) of the soil does retain moisture longer. Because of this, I have been very conservative in watering - once every 5 to 7 days, with a gallon (half that, if we have had any thundershowers). It gets a bit more than 8 hours of direct sun daily.

The problem is - the tree hasn't grown or added any new shoots, and today I discovered a small buildup of clear sap around the base of the trunk, right at the ground level. This sap isn't fresh - it has hardened a bit, and it hasn't turned any colors, but has remained clear.

I am wondering if:

1 - I am under-watering

2 - I am over-watering (which I doubt)

3 - I need to re-pot into soil that drains more quickly (given that I transplanted 6 weeks ago, I am also worried about potential shock to the plant)

4 - If the pot is too large

5 - If there may be an invisible pest attacking the plant that I need to address

6 - If this is an early sign of root-rot

or

7 - If this is something I shouldn't worry about

It has also been very consistently hot and very humid here, with a 4 days of near 100-degree temperatures two weeks back, and temps steadily in the upper 80s or 90s since I transplanted, so I am also wondering it it's a heat issue. There are 4 very distinct seasons here.

I don't yet have any experience with the process of rinsing out the root ball (I did not do this before), and frankly am worried about the potential for shock, as I haven't found clear, specific instructions on how to do that properly.

Any advice on this would be much appreciated!