Michael, did you sieve the pine bark mulch through a 1/2 inch screen followed by an insect screen? That last screening is important to remove small fines which hold a lot of water. Exactly what mix did you repot the Meyer in?

It is not unusual for my plants to go for a week without watering.

My plants in fine'ish orchid bark mulch can go up to 10 days without watering. That's indoors under CFLs. Calamondin, however, needs watering every third-fourth day in the same growing media, and on balcony in direct sunshine for about 9 hours a day.

I water only, when I recognize the leaves being not so perked up as usually, but not wilted either!!

Michael O: can you measure the temperature inside the soil mix and post here the value?

I can't keep my 5-1-1 wet for more than 2 days, I did use the reptibark which is pretty dense. My only thought is maybe your pot size was too big and the roots weren't able to utilize all the water in the pot or the temperatures are too cool and the tree is using less water.

I agree with sammers. I find my mix drying out very fast. It's been raining a lot but when it's sunny and hot I need to water about every two days on the big pots, everyday on my six inch pots. My deck is extremely hot and just saps water out of everything.

Vladimir- good to know! Sounds like my winter will be easier this year with it!

Amanda, did you soak the Repti-bark for a few days before you used it? It helps a great deal. Also too a nice layer of bark or a mulch will keep it from drying out so fast from the top))

Just to clear up on fines in 511 mix. They are supposed to be there.

Mike- I did soak it for two days before I made up the mix. I think they are used to the wind out here now, I just need to move them off the deck. It is always hotter on there than out in the yard. The peppers love that heat though haha.