fruitnut...soil mix for your trees ???

franktank232

15 years ago

Just wondering what you recommend for your stone fruit trees in containers? What about a fertilizing schedule?

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Comments (4)

fruitnut Z7 4500ft SW TX
15 years ago
Potting soil is kinda hard to pin down. The premium potting soils vary all over the map. Some are fine by themselves. Others are too heavy or too light. Mostly this year I mixed about 1/3 peat with 2/3 potting soil. The potting soil is mostly compost. I want it pretty course but not so much peat that it is hard to wet.

I fertilize the potted trees about once a month. Mostly nitrogen but some complete fertilizer including micrnutrients. I did have some Zn deficency on pluots planted in the ground this year. None so far in the pots. I water once a day during the growing season. And I have a set size that I don't want the trees to exceed. Could probably let the trees get bigger if I watered more than once a day. Haven't had any serious signs of overly wet potting soil. But if I pull a tree out of the pot the soil in the bottom can be very wet.

The Fruitnut
franktank232
Original Author
15 years ago
I mixed up some of my own... I;ll try it for the summer and go from there. I really want to keep it light because in the past the stuff ive used it just way too heavy. I might buy some mix and repot some other trees (they are just in compost) and then compare the results... It sounds like if it drains good it should work...

Do you use any lime?
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Hey, I remember when I was first excited to use the good mix too...You would be amazed at how awesome trees do in the stuff you are so anxiously waiting to use..By the way, great idea about soaking the bark! It is even so clean looking and just beautiful to match that beautiful tree.. I wonder about that mix it came in..It looks like it is ready to break down fast already..Hard to really tell..It looks like it would be good draining for one season more. Let me ask you this..This is your homework. Call that place tomorrow and ask them specific questions about the care your tree just came from and what kind of mix they use. Here is what I would ask them to help give your tree a head start and to mimick as close as they did. 1. What exactly is in their mix? 2. How long has the tree been in that same pot? 3. What kind of warmth did it recieve? 4. How much sunlight did they get? 5. Were they grown outside or in a controlled environment, like a greenhouse? 6.Did they use any type of acidifyer product? 7. What was teh fertilizer they used? By the way, what Zone do you live in? Where in the world? Will you have to winter it inside or will you be able to expose it to full sun all winter long? Does it get cold there? That will determin if you can use a less than ideal mix to carry you over until spring) MIke This post was edited by meyermike_1micha on Thu, Oct 30, 14 at 17:30
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fruitnut Z7 4500ft SW TX
15 years ago
No, haven't used any lime. In this country it's not something I think about. While none of the soil I'm using is native, the hard water probably takes care of any need for lime.

What trees are you potting up? How's that wrist coming along?

The Fruitnut
franktank232
Original Author
15 years ago
I've got 6 peaches (2yr old/small/seed grown) and i've got a couple of sweet cherries that will be potted up this fall and i have a nectarine coming from Raintree...

Wrist was a mess. Had surgery done and a titanium plate/screws inserted. Getting a lot better and should have limited use in about 2 or 3 weeks. The plate is the way to go. It adds strength and makes sure everything stays in place...although i think it may be $$$$$$$$$$$$$$!

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fruitnut...soil mix for your trees ???

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fruitnut Z7 4500ft SW TX

franktank232
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fruitnut...soil mix for your trees ???

Comments (4)

fruitnut Z7 4500ft SW TX

franktank232Original Author

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fruitnut Z7 4500ft SW TX

franktank232Original Author

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franktank232
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franktank232
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