how to induce growth

8 years ago

Hi, haven't posted in a while. 2 of my citruses made it through the winter and my 3rd one died. Right now I have a ponderosa and a year and a half seed grown navel tree.

My navel has been growing all winter but the ponderosa's been dormant appart from a flush of flowers that's happening right now.
My window gets a solid 6-7 hours of sunlight a day and I fertilize about every 2 weeks.

I would like to have new growth instead of flowers, is there anything more I can do?

what to do

Featured Answer

tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)

5 years ago

"Growth" is a measure of the increase in a plant's dry mass. The only way to induce growth is by ensuring a plant's cultural conditions allow the plant to produce more food (plants make their own food via photosynthesis) than it needs to keep it's systems orderly. Plant's can grow only when they create more food/energy than they use.

A plants individual parts have a pecking order insofar as energy flow is concerned. Energy is first allocated to respiratory function, i.e. to maintenance of living tissues, then, to production of fine roots, followed by flower and seed/fruit production, then primary growth (extension of both roots and shoots), then secondary growth (thickening), and finally, the synthesis of defensive chemicals.

Since blooms and fruit are stronger energy sinks than primary and secondary growth, removing blooms and fruit will free up energy/food that otherwise would have been devoted to reproductive parts.

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Comments (9)

Ike Stewart
8 years ago
What is the soil temperature? Ideal growth soil temperature for citrus is around 82F-85F, growth virtually stops with soil temperature below about 59F. Growth rate increase between 59F-85F is fairly linear. Of course limiting factor in your case may be total hours / amount of daylight. See http://www.crec.ifas.ufl.edu/extension/trade_journals/2011/2011_Nov_root_temp.pdf
Kevin Benoit
Original Author
8 years ago
So if I'm correct I shouldn't put it outside before most of the snow is gone and that its over 60F outside? There is nothing else to do?
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Kevin Benoit
Original Author
8 years ago
when the snow is gone I can put it in the yard where it would get over 12h of sun
myermike_1micha
8 years ago
Where the heck do you live that you got that much snow? My God Kevin, and I thought I had it bad here! Cute cat by the way. Love the collar. ha. Geez, that is a hell of a lot of snow my friend.
Kevin Benoit
Original Author
8 years ago
bathurst, new brunswick in canada. we got 470cm of snow or little over 15feet this winter
Kevin Benoit
Original Author
8 years ago
i'm trying to fight the winter blues by starting some veggies WAY too early hahaha
Dee
8 years ago
I have a Record Buck Eureka lemon and it's a rooted cutting. I brought it home 2 years ago and it promptly dropped its 90% of its leaves after transplanting. It has not replaced any of its leaves, but has bloomed last year and this year. The rootball is the size of my fist and has not grown since the day I brought it home. It has received the exact same care as all my other trees. I am never going to purchase another Record Buck plant again. I really want to trash it, but I have taken it as a $40 challenge to see if I can figure out what I can do to improve it.
myermike_1micha
8 years ago
Kevin, if you have lights, it's never too early! Start now bud. Your Ponderosa will grow like crazy once you get it outside and the warm temps and lot's of sunshine have affected it. I have been growing them for years and notice just as you that they flower like crazy in less than ideal conditions but barely grow a leaf. All the leaves on mine commence in spring and summer..))