Pruning question

10 years ago

I'm not new to gardening but I am new to container citrus. I just potted this lime (I think) into a larger pot with an olla. It just recently started showing signs of leaf miners. I was thinking about prunning it just below the lowest leaf showing mining but that would take off an upper branch. Should I prune higher to keep the branch? Would neem oil suffocate the miner? Thoughts on prunning? I am in a rental with limit yard space, hence the pot for a citrus in Florida. I wouldn't mind keeping it a manageable size since moving back to a zone 5 is a possability. (Could a tree survive a move like that, becoming an in house tree)?

Featured Answer

hoosierquilt USDA 10A Sunset 23 Vista CA

10 years ago

pip is correct - you may not remove citrus from the state of Florida, no matter WHERE you are going. Period. If you want to verify this, simply call your local ag agent to confirm this. Here is what Save Our Citrus clearly states: "Don’t move citrus plants or plant materials out of quarantined states or
territories including Alabama, American Somoa, Arizona, California,
Florida, Georgia, Guam, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, Northern Mariana
Islands, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Texas and the U.S. Virgin
Islands." This is a common misconception out there, that as long as you're taking the tree out of one of the quarantined states (such as Florida), and to a NON-citrus state, it's okay. It is not. Only growers or retailers that have grown their trees under screen, and have had them inspected and certified may ship or move citrus outside of the state of Florida.

Patty S.

Save Our Citrus: Practice Safe Citrus

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Comments (14)

pip313
10 years ago
There is no zone 5 in Florida so it's not a possibility. You can absolutely not take that tree out of state.
johnmerr
10 years ago
I might cut it down a couple of leaf nodes, mostly to promote branching. It is too late to kill the leaf miners; it's best to do preventative measures before they arrive. The impacted leaves, although not so pretty, are still functioning in creating food for the plant. Is your tree a seedling? I see huge thorns; and that usually indicates a seedling.
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Kristiina DiOrio
Original Author
10 years ago
Ha! I know zone 5 isn't Florida, I could be going back to Vermont in a year or two and wondered if I could take it with me. Guess not.

It is very much a seedling. I think in its 3rd or 4th year. I inherited it and I've had it 18 months. So is neem oil a good preventative?

Should i nip what branches are there too to encourage branching on the branches? My experience in pruning has mostly been mature trees, thinning dead and crisscrossing growth.

Thanks
destin_gardener
10 years ago
You CAN take the tree into a zone 5 area. It would not survive year round outdoors, but as a house plant, defintely. There are many gardener on this site that are successfully growing indoor citrus in the colder zones.
Kristiina DiOrio
Original Author
10 years ago
Thanks! That's what I thought but I wasn't sure if the tree needed to be zone acclimated when young or if I could take a mature, potted tree across several zones. I'm assuming that it's not a big no no since I'm not going to a citrus industry state.
pip313
10 years ago
USDA aphis is clear, no interstate movement of Citrus.
poncirusguy6b452xx
10 years ago
Contact your county agent and see if moving a personal seed grow citrus up to Vermont would be allowed. You will get an answer that is final. Don't question it, its final.
tom1328732
10 years ago
last modified: 10 years ago
I agree with Pip/Steve, but the chances of approval are pretty slim if not non-existent.

-Tom
pip313
10 years ago
last modified: 10 years ago
I Live in zone 5-6, so yes I know you can have indoor trees up north. The issue is your tree must be inspected for hlb and canker. You might think since your going to Vermont that it would't matter. You have to travel through other states to get there. One infected bug escaping your vehicle can spread disease. Call the people like suggested above, if they say it's ok then it's ok. If they say no, have respect for others and don't risk spreading hlb.
destin_gardener
10 years ago
Follow the advice given. No need to spread nasties anywhere.
Kristiina DiOrio
Original Author
10 years ago
Ah. Ok. Looks like I'll just order some clean plants from BriteLeaf when the time comes. Thanks
pip313
10 years ago
I love briteleaf, good people
poncirusguy6b452xx
10 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I just checked them out. If I would have known about them when I ordered an Ebay meiwa I would have bought 2 from them for the same price Ebay was charging for 1. fortunately Ebay fell though and paypal forced a refunded back to me.