Here ya go. Here is a link that might be useful: link

Interesting: This is the most level portion of my property (exactly 1/2 or three acres) near the road and my home sets back off of the road and up on a small bluff. From the road it slopes about 150 feet to the lowest point...quite an elevation change. And while that slopes, I have rolling hills running perpendicular to the sloping hills. In other words my property is wavy and sloping and surrounded by hills - very similar to a football stadium where the bleachers are the sides of my property and people doing "the wave" lol ;-) Flat (kind of, lol) Mercer County, Illinois 675B�"Greenbush silt loam, 2 to 5 percent slopes Map Unit Setting Elevation: 360 to 1,020 feet Mean annual precipitation: 32 to 40 inches Mean annual air temperature: 47 to 54 degrees F Frost-free period: 150 to 180 days Map Unit Composition Greenbush and similar soils: 95 percent Description of Greenbush Setting Landform: Ground moraines, till plains Landform position (two-dimensional): Summit, shoulder, footslope Landform position (three-dimensional): Interfluve Down-slope shape: Convex Across-slope shape: Convex Parent material: Loess Properties and qualities Slope: 2 to 5 percent Depth to restrictive feature: More than 80 inches Drainage class: Well drained Capacity of the most limiting layer to transmit water (Ksat): Moderately high to high (0.60 to 2.00 in/hr) Depth to water table: About 48 to 72 inches Frequency of flooding: None Frequency of ponding: None Available water capacity: High (about 11.5 inches) Interpretive groups Farmland classification: All areas are prime farmland Land capability (nonirrigated): 2e Hydrologic Soil Group: B Typical profile 0 to 6 inches: Silt loam 6 to 17 inches: Silt loam 17 to 75 inches: Silty clay loam 75 to 80 inches: Silt loam ------- then: Mercer County, Illinois 8D2�"Hickory silt loam, 10 to 18 percent slopes, eroded Map Unit Setting Elevation: 350 to 1,200 feet Mean annual precipitation: 32 to 40 inches Mean annual air temperature: 48 to 54 degrees F Frost-free period: 150 to 180 days Map Unit Composition Hickory and similar soils: 90 percent Description of Hickory Setting Landform: Ground moraines Landform position (two-dimensional): Backslope Down-slope shape: Linear Across-slope shape: Linear Parent material: Loamy till Properties and qualities Slope: 10 to 18 percent Depth to restrictive feature: More than 80 inches Drainage class: Well drained Capacity of the most limiting layer to transmit water (Ksat): Moderately high to high (0.60 to 2.00 in/hr) Depth to water table: More than 80 inches Frequency of flooding: None Frequency of ponding: None Calcium carbonate, maximum content: 25 percent Available water capacity: High (about 10.2 inches) Interpretive groups Farmland classification: Farmland of statewide importance Land capability (nonirrigated): 3e Hydrologic Soil Group: B Typical profile 0 to 6 inches: Silt loam 6 to 51 inches: Clay loam 51 to 60 inches: Loam Elevation: 360 to 1,020 feet Mean annual precipitation: 32 to 40 inches Mean annual air temperature: 47 to 54 degrees F Frost-free period: 150 to 180 days Map Unit Composition Greenbush and similar soils: 95 percent Description of Greenbush Setting Landform: Ground moraines, till plains Landform position (two-dimensional): Summit, shoulder, footslope Landform position (three-dimensional): Interfluve Down-slope shape: Convex Across-slope shape: Convex Parent material: Loess Properties and qualities Slope: 2 to 5 percent Depth to restrictive feature: More than 80 inches Drainage class: Well drained Capacity of the most limiting layer to transmit water (Ksat): Moderately high to high (0.60 to 2.00 in/hr) Depth to water table: About 48 to 72 inches Frequency of flooding: None Frequency of ponding: None Available water capacity: High (about 11.5 inches) Interpretive groups Farmland classification: All areas are prime farmland Land capability (nonirrigated): 2e Hydrologic Soil Group: B Typical profile 0 to 6 inches: Silt loam 6 to 17 inches: Silt loam 17 to 75 inches: Silty clay loam 75 to 80 inches: Silt loam Good for Hickories (score!) and... there are a lot of Walnut groves planted in my neck of the woods. People from Chicago have been buying up the land and planting these Walnut groves. Cheers, thanks! Dax

1: What types of citrus trees are you growing and their size now? Lemon eureka lisbon meyer babies not grafted. Everything else grafted Lemon meyer Tahitian lime Australian finger lime Australian gem Makrut lime all 5 years old Lemonade Calamondin Mandarin emporer, clementine West indian lime all about 2 years old Arnold blood orange a year old Australian round lime Yuzu not sure brand new tree have it about 6 months. But already over a metre and a half and has fruited already 2: How do you grow them? In the ground or in containers? In a greenhouse, indoors, out with or without supplemental lighting? If container grown what type of soil mix are you using? All in containers. Outside. Bring the younger in in the winter keep them in my back room which has big windows 3: What type of fertilizer do you use and why? Have you tired other types and found one that has proven to be more effective? Composted chook manure. Seasol. Potash. Trace minerals. A bit of epsom salts if needed 4: What about pest control? What type do you use and why? Try and let nature control it. Remove stuff with my hands and try plant things around the garden to attract beneficials. If things get really bad i will enlist the help of a homemade white oil spray. But thats just when I'm desperate as I worry about the beneficials. 5: Where did you buy your citrus trees? Please also supply the link if it was mail order and which state, please. Have you had any negative experiences in buying trees? Most of them are presents. But have bought some of the older ones from bunnings and from the sundays farmers markets. I've got a wishlist for some of the more unusual ones which I can only find online, but want to make sure my current ones make it through the summer first. 6: What were some of challenges you faced growing your citrus trees? How did you, if you did, correct the problem? Leaf miner. Scale. Ants. Getting enough water and protecting from sunburn in the hot summer. Getting feeding right and shaping properly. Besides the pest control. I put a shade cloth up when its going to be too hot. 7: Why was citrus a choice for you to grow? Was it the look of the tree or did you just like that type of fruit? I love citrus. Beautiful fragrant flowers. Zest. Fruit. Leaves (makrut) and pretty looking plant. 8: What other types of fruit trees do you grow and why? Fig. Tamarillo. A few native australian berry trees. Acerola. Fejoia. Peach. Apple. And a baby banana tree...we will see how we go with that. 9: Other then this forum what other venues or clubs have you enlisted for support? This forum. No clubs. I was a member of a community garden but then I moved. 10: Were there any books you found especially helpful in growing citrus? No not yet. 11: Out of all your citrus trees which one do you love the most and why? That's a hard question. My tahitian lime is one of my oldest most prolific and i love limes. A lot of the others are a bit young yet. 12: What do you do with your harvest? Eat it, cook with it, and share it? Eat it. Cook with it and share it. I have a few friends that come for some of the makrut leaves. I cannot wait until some of my trees are abundantly producing so I can share with my friends and neighbours 13: Does your family share your hobby of growing citrus trees? Ummmm not so much

Darn it, John...I can't answer most of those, because my choice is not included! For instance; #1 I have a combination of sfg, intensive and traditional in raised beds with sides and raised beds with no sides. I find certain crops adapt well in one and not so well in another, so I require a combination of methods. #2 Much longer than 10 years. #3 In some beds I use 100% compost, some have compost mixed with traditional soil, and some have peat moss added. Ideally, I layer shredded leaves and manure in the fall and let it compost itself. #4 Not sure what you mean by "till". I don't get out my tiller, but I do use a spading fork to turn the soil over before raking it smooth and planting. #5 That one I can answer. I do occasionally use synthetic fertilizers for extra nitrogen to aid in the decomposition of the leaves I like to add in the fall. So my answer is both. #6 I usually irrigate with timers, but keep an eye out for under/over watering and make adjustments accordingly. This means sometimes diverting the automatic sprinklers away from areas of the garden and watering them manually. #7 That one is difficult....compared to what. I don't know anyone who plants exactly the same amount of seeds in the exact square footage as I do. I guess I'd have to say I get an above average yield for the area I have planted. You didn't think I was going to make it easy for you to have a gardening survey, did you? You know me better than that! Granny Here is a link that might be useful: Annie's Kitchen Garden