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When to Re-pot Orange Tree?

10 years ago

Hello all.

I have a navel orange tree here in CT that I would like to re-pot into a bigger container. Some information about the tree. It is 4-5 years old. It stands 5 feet tall (6 ft. including pot) and 3-4 feet wide. I am by no means in any rush to pot it up, I am just wondering when would be the best time to re-pot.

The tree remains outside during the Summer months, but is moved to its current place for the Winter, which is in our garage. There are no windows (only a standard fluorescent shop light). It is an attached garage. The coldest temps the trees see inside is 26 degrees Fahrenheit - So not too cold.
They sit next to my dormant fig trees. (the citrus are completely foliated).It's a pain to bring inside the house because the size of the tree.

My main question is: Am I wrong by thinking March/April would be an okay time to do it? Any special mix for the soil? The mix that they are currently in is 1 part peat poss and 1 part top soil. I would like to move the tree from a 15 gallon pot to a 30 gallon pot.

I would hate to stress these trees. I just picked 2 oranges a few weeks ago and have only lost approximately a half dozen leaves in the past 6 months.

Thank you.

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Comments (2)

poncirusguy6b452xx
10 years ago
I would do it just before I set it out to acclimate to sunlight. This way the tree will be in full shade while it adjust to root disturbance and leaf to sunlight.

I have 4 sweetlee tangerine trees to upsize this spring 2014 by this method. I did the same when I potted These sweetlee trees from 1 gallon to 5 gallon buckets in late summer of 2013. It worked flawlessly.

Have your material ready so it goes fast and trouble free.

Click on video below to see how smoothly it goes when you have everything in place

Here is a link that might be useful: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AkMFbhlgB0
meyermike_1micha
10 years ago
Hello and welcome from a state close to me..

I would hold off on repotting until at least near Father's Day...This way you tree will be actively growing for a bit and much more able to handle the stress that comes with a full repot into a better mix, best if you rid the old soil using a

Porous one that consists of mostly pine bark....
A soilless mix...Especially if you want to repot into a much bigger pot and have it last for a while.
Remember how weak and tired our trees are after a period of long short days held captive indoors..
Any further stress would likely kill them.

Upotting to a different size pot without root disturbance is an entirely different story.

Those that grow plants under artificial light for hours to compensate for our lack of sunny long days can probably get away with repotting when they would like at any time of the year if their trees are kept very active all winter...

Good luck and let us know if you need anymore help:-)

Mike

This post was edited by meyermike_1micha on Wed, Jan 15, 14 at 17:46
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