Are you watering because the surface of the soil looks dry, or because it is also dry much farther down? I don't even water daily when using the 5-1-1 mix in my outdoor pots, and that should hold a lot less water than a mix that is 75% peat. Yellowing leaves can also be indicative of overwatering.

Hi - Yes I water both the premix HP and course sand:top soil pots daily with just a small amount from a milk jug container. The premix HP looks dry at the top the other doesn't look dry but I give just a little. The blood orange in the sand:top soil mix is green and looks good while the fig leaves in the premix HP are yellowing to some extent. Both plants are next to each other on the driveway.

The figs are in a larger pot though - 15 gallon. The blood orange is in a smaller (green) pot, The fig pot is black. Both are plastic pots.

Thanks

Brian

I would not use garden soil in a pot, it will hold too much water and eventually turn into a rock hard lump that will kill your tree.

If you look in the "Product Information" "Description" tab of the website (link) you added, it states "For In-ground Use"

The top soil/coarse sand can be a good mix as long as the topsoil is a loamy sand with little clay. The clay and to some extent the loam in soil can cause a layer that will not allow drainage. If you bought the topsoil in a bag it probably had a sandy mix so it would flow out of the bag and not clump up. If you decide to put the orange in a bigger pot I would use the same mix instead of mixing with another type of mix. One problem with the mix is it will be very heavy and hard to move.

Fig leaves in my area tend to lose their leaves due to disease. The trees can lose nearly all their leaves but will put more on. Just make sure the fig is getting plenty of water.

At least once a week you will want to water heavily so the water will run out the bottom. This will help flush out the salts that build up in the soil from tap water and fertilizer.

Hello Mblan13 and Gary - Thanks for your comments, Yes, I did buy the topsoil in a bag so perhaps it is Gary's explanation that is the answer, Before reading his reply I was going to reply "exactly" to MBlan13 - I would have thought this too and even noticed the same comment about not for container use when I sent the link. But as I mentioned the tree is doing well and looks better than the figs in premix HP. I will flush once a week to remove excess salts. Thanks all! Brian

With the figs, how are you fertilizing? If you are watering every day, it is best to use a small amount of fertilizer at least once a week. Some people use a small amount of fertilizer with each watering. Figs in native soil need little fertilizer but in containers they do need a small amounts frequently applied to grow well.

Citrus seem to need even more fertilizer than figs, but you have to be careful because they can get burned by salt buildup pretty easy.