My Citrus trees are quite happy in plastic pots, are yours?

11 years ago

I never thought I could grow any in plastic until I started using a very porous mix! I had given up on them and turned completely to clay for most of my citrus!

But what I have been discovering is that up here, when my nights get cold, winter approaches, or cooler weather is at hand, many of my trees seems to take the colder weather better in plastic.

Many of the plants I am about to show you were in clay not doing so well and they have grown remarkably well in plastic, because I can get away with it using using a 5.1.1 or gritty mix. Take a peek:-)

I am not saying that growing in plastic is best for all, and that it is the only thing making my trees happier, but it is a part for me , when it comes to my citrus in my much cooler climate area.

Remember, proper fertilization, MIX, vinegar, and temps has done wonders for me along with the change.

Still waiting on this one. It was doing horrible in clay until the past few weeks. I am hoping to see a remarkable turn around very soon. It is already showing signs of improvement.

Here is another Lemon Meyer doing FANTASTIC since the re pot from clay!

Now others that have been coming strong!

This is my special sweet manderine, the one Patty speaks of and that Andrew loves, but, I can't remember the name at this moment.

Does anyone else here experience the same thing as I, especially with citrus that hate cold roots such as lime and lemon meyer?

Featured Answer

meyermike_1micha
Original Author

11 years ago

last modified: 9 years ago

Goodness!!! Lol

Blazeaglory! If you offer some good grilled steak and fresh corn on the cob, you might have a visitor come and help..lolWatch out, you may find yourself buying one of every tree until there is no more room and then some.

Yes, I forgot to mention another very important reason for switching to plastic, in particular my Meyers thanks to John. It never occurred to me that may be stifled by them, but they were.

Mike:-)

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Comments (31)

denninmi
11 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I don't grow anything at all in clay except for a few orchids and a few cacti that really need to dry out. I hate clay pots, I invariably end up breaking them one way or the other, either dropping them outright or setting them down or hitting them too hard on something and cracking them.
greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
11 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Great pics, Mike!
I might give plastic a try, too, eventhough it isn't very attractive. Health is more important
than looks :-)

Josh
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just a little update. brought mine out of the greenhouse and into some filtered shade. They overwintered pretty good. A little yellowing on a couple and just a touch of leaf drop. Not a big fruit set but thats ok because I plan to push these with more N this year to really get bigger. Fukushu, key and washington left to right meyer, bearrs lime, armstrong satsuma, seedling grapefruit and seedling lemon, left to right up close of fukushu kumquat, probably my favorite right now. Prolific bloomer, great fruit set, and always healthy. Its regulary flowers every other month or so. Steve these are for you the lemon seedling on the right is one of 2 of the very first citrus I grew. the other I gave to my mother. Both were germinated in the Fall of 2009 making them just over 6 years old. Ive neglected them a little and thats why they arent so big. One did flower last spring but just one or 2 flowers. Grapefruit is about 3 years old. and again neglected a little. mike
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meyermike_1micha
Original Author
11 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Hey my good friend Josh!

Plastic pots have come around in the good looks department compared to just a few years ago. I would struggle to use them because I could never find nice looking ones and clay always looked better to me.
In fact, I would prefer clay if my trees were happier in them. I am more of a naturalist that likes everything to look brick, clay, or stone around my yard to mingle with my plants.

The thing is, is that during prime growing season I can't afford to leave my trees at the hands of mother nature if it should decide to be cooler than usual at prime growing season. My seasons are so short as it is and many times we get unusual cool nights which is affecting those of them in clay.
I am getting stunted growth at those times and interrupted vital growth!

If I lived in Florida or some other area where night regularly stayed above the 50's at night, then I would most definitely use clay and those big terra cotta pots , you know, those beautiful Italian made ones.

In fact, I think I wasted my money on a few. I bought some at the start of the season planning a huge re pot into beautiful clay pots until I discovered this issue.

I will take some close ups of the clay I was going to use and the pretty nice looking plastic ones I found.

Good to see you buddy!!! I hope your trees are doing great for you !
By the way. Still want not use anything but clay for all my succulents and the like.

Mike
meyermike_1micha
Original Author
11 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Denim...... You have a good point there! I have broke a many in the past few months !
olympia_gardener
11 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Hi, Mike, Good experiences. Thanks a lot for sharing it.
This weekend I finally made gritt /511 mix using pea pebble, sorted mini bark, and corse oil absorbent from Auot Zone. The only ingredient I am not sure I got it correct is the oil absorber. I read gritt mix/511 mix threads, and it was recommended by some members as turface replacement.

Mike, When is the best time to put the citrus tree in the grit mix? My meyer has pea size lemeonsd should I wait till the lemons grow big or wait the tree go dormant to move it into grit mix? My Kaffir lime just recovered from repoting, is it good idea to repot it again? and finally, my kumquarts just started blooming, should I waiting till they set fruits?

Also, Is dark/black plastic pot works better? Does citrus like root zone to be hot? Do citrus have deep root system or shallow root in general? How deep the pot should I use?

Sorry, I have a lot of questions. Thanks in advance for your advise.
puglvr1
11 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
NICE Citrus Mike...super healthy!!

I only have one Citrus in a pot now...my Calamondin and it very happy in a plastic pot too. I think its better for me to have it a pot since its easier for me to move it around if I have too...and it doesn't dry out as quickly especially in this heat!

This picture was taken last winter...right now I have a lot of small "green" fruits on there.
birdsnblooms
11 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Mike and Nancy...your citrus are fantastic.
Mike, love the variegated citrus...wish there were more types available.

I've never potted a citrus in clay.
The only advantage would be, soil dries faster for those who tend to over-water, :)

Mike, now that you said, 'especially for those who live in cold climates,' I'm happy my citrus never saw clay.

On average, spring and autumn nights can get cold here. My citrus are in an area where winter nights sometimes drop in the 40's. Cold roots are a shock to citrus.

Of all pot materials, there are some beautiful ceramic planters, but how would a citrus do in ceramic?
I for one wouldn't chance it.

My citrus and palms are in plastic, tree pots. Tall, deep containers.
The only problem with square tree pots is they tend to tip over. It's a blast on windy days, lol.
Wish I could find a way these pots wouldn't tip.

Mike, why did you pot in clay in the first place? Was it a soil issue? Toni
greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
11 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Hey Mike and Nancy!
Hey, Toni, terra cotta allows for better gas exchange.
And in hot climates, that thick buffer is an advantange, too. I think Mike liked the aestethics
of the terra cotta with the mixes that we use - I know that I sure do.

I think I'll pot my variegated Lemon in a black plastic container, since it took the biggest hit
this winter when the temps were dropping into the 20°F's.

Josh
meyermike_1micha
Original Author
11 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Nancy! NICENICE! What a beautiful tree Nancy! Look at all that fruit.
If I may ask you a few questions?
Do you find fruit grown on your potted trees to be just as sweet or have as much flavor as those in-ground?
Do you grow potted ones for ornamental purposes or for eating?
Do you find that different things can affect fruit yield and or flavor?

Thanks so much:-)

Hey Josh! I have been meaning to ask you. Will you grow your trees as an ornamental or a fruit producing ones?
Also you hit it right on the head with clay. The other reason why I used it was because I was told years ago that clay was more forgiving on mixes that stay wet too long. Now I don't have that issue being able to use plastic once again without fear of root rot with the mixes I use.
Cold today for me, but your kind of weather! It was 52 this am and it's the end of June!

Toni..Hello! I can see it now, you chasing falling tall pots during a storm.lol
I can only imagine how your hold up to any wind being that tall, but I love the looks of then.
Thank you for your kind comments and you too do very well with citrus.

Olympia:-)

I never have any set time to repot. I do most of my repots from spring to fall when the mood hits me whether my trees are in fruit or flower or active growth. I do a re pot in the winter only as a 911.
I find that the only time I may experience massive leaf, fruit, or blossom drop is when I manipulate or trim the roots.
When I do a gentle washing away of the old mix with a jet stream of water, I have very good success. These trees were bare rooted over 4 weeks ago and the fruit and flowers are doing well. There has been minimal leaf drop which is always to be expected in most cases with mine.
Here are the two trees I repotted a while back that show fruit and flowers have done well, but just a few leaves fell.
'Prime' time to repot would be when growth is most active and tree is most healthy, that being for me May-June

Plant 1:

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Plant two:

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And my favorite, plant 3, Kishu. No fruit or leaf drop at all.

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As for pot color? I use black or clay looking depending where I am going to put them. If I plan on sitting any in full hot sun, I will put the clay looking ones there and or make it so that the sun is not hitting the black pots directly.
My weather is so different so often. I can get only a few hot days and then many cloudy cool ones even in July. I get every short summers. So it is not that big of a concern unless I get an extra amount of hot sunny days.

As for depth? Many say they grow shallow roots. Well mI found that to be the case in the ground with my trees in the south.
But as for pots, they can grow deep if given the opportunity. Have you ever received bare rooted plants from Four Winds? I have measure some at least 3 feet long!
If you provide a deep pot with a good porous mix that allows no room for root rot towards the bottom, they will grow down and out if given the chance.

Have a great everyone!

Mike
puglvr1
11 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Hey everyone!!

Ahhh...More beautiful pictures. Great growing everybody!!

"Do you find fruit grown on your potted trees to be just as sweet or have as much flavor as those in-ground?"

Hi Mike, although I've not grown that many potted citrus, I think you have the world record in that department :o) I have found them to have similar flavor (although I'm guessing the inground sweet oranges probably are sweeter than the potted ones?
"Do you grow potted ones for ornamental purposes or for eating?"
I definitely grow fruit trees for "eating"...my kumquat is probably as close to ornamental as I'm going to get but even that one I make "kumquat Jam" and use it as Topping on Vanilla Ice Cream...its yummy!

"Do you find that different things can affect fruit yield and or flavor?"

Yes, I do...so many factors are involved growing fruit trees in containers a LOT more involved that inground trees.

Happy Tuesday everyone!!
greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
11 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Hey, Mike and Nancy!

Mike, if my trees ever bear fruit (other than the Ponderosa), I will eat from them!
The Moro Blood Orange is something that I've been craving for years!

That said, I'm also interested in the shape of the tree and the development of its canopy
so that eventually it can not only bear fruit...but bear the weight of the fruit without a
bunch of elaborate supports to keep the branches from breaking.

And now, the fourth and final Citrus variety in my collection - Pomelo seedlings:
johnmerr
11 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Pugluvr,

That may be the most beautiful Calamondin I have ever seen; and I lived in the Philippines for 3 1/2 years; they almost never get so orange in the tropics. I have 2 at my lemon farm (tropical); they produce all year, but never get orange.

Mike,
Lest we forget, it was I who advised you that Meyers don't like clay because the evaporation cools the soil and Meyer roots don't like to grow into cool soil.
blazeaglory
11 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Dang citrus really love that gritty mix!! Im hunting down every dwarf citrus I can find just to put them in pots so I can start my gritty mix mixing party (Just me because all my friends are dead or married) So ill be the only one at this gritty mix mixing party! YAY! :-(
mksmth zone 7a Tulsa Oklahoma
11 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Mike
I dont care if YOU grow in clay, plastic, ceramic, or old milk cartons. Your trees will always look fantastic! I grow mine all in plastic mainly because I get so many free nursery pots at a local nursery that I see no need to buy anything else. The Krylon Fusion brand of spray paint sticks so good to plastic that even a nursery pot can have some style to it.

mike
birdsnblooms
11 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Howdy,

Josh, to be honest, I'm not sure what Terra Cotta is, lol.
Is it similar to clay?

The reason I started using plastic...All my citrus arrived in long, 18" tall, narrow pots.
When they needed repotting, the only pot that fit the rootball were black, plastic tree pots.
So my citrus have been in plastic since they were shipped from Fl and TX.
A couple trees are in round, black, plastic pots..turned out these pots fit root balls, but I can't locate anywhere.
Anyway, I stocked up on larger tree pots, so citrus are set for years.. :)

Mike, oh yeah, chasing plants and pots down the street while rain lashed and drenched me, lightnight zig-zagging above my head, was so much fun..lol.

Mike, I'm not fond of citrus as as edible, so I grow to watch producing flowers and fruit.
However, my sister and her husband love citrus, so they usually get free fruit.

I love Navel Oranges, but there's not enough light to grow the fruit to full maturity.

My citrus are nowhere near as nice as Mike's and Nancy's, but they thrive.

Pic taken in Feb 2012

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{{gwi:597624}}

Feb, 2012

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June 2012

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June 2012, Key Lime..TX

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June 2012...Meyer's---round pot

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June, 2012 Kumquat

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June, 2012... Pink Lemon

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Orange, 'species on tag, outside. It's 1AM..lol
June 2012

{{gwi:597638}}

Feb 2012...Manderin

{{gwi:573851}}

Manderin....June 2012

{{gwi:590299}}

In the last picture, Manderin needed water. Leaves are a tad wilted, but after a 3-gallon drink, they perked up.

Oh well, sorry for posting so many pics..lol. Toni
puglvr1
11 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Hi Toni!! Nice to see you...LOVE all your Citrus plants, very pretty blooms and nice looking fruits! GREAT job growing them!

Nancy
olympia_gardener
11 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Mike. Thanks. It looks so delicious, load of ripe Calamondin!
birdsnblooms
11 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Hey Nancy,..
I was watching the Weather Channel and your location was mentioned, saw all the flooding. I started thinking about you, and while on another forum, called someone else, Nancy, lol.

Hope you and yours are okay..nowhere near the floods.
Thanks for the compliment.

Hello OG...Toni
greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
11 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Toni, that's a lot of Citrus you have ;-)

How long have you had the variegated Lemon?

I'm incredibly surprised that you don't know what Terra cotta is...considering the question
posed in this Thread. Come on, you're just joking with me, right?

Josh
birdsnblooms
11 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Josh, I thought Terra Cotta is a type of clay..is that right? Nope, not joking. Do you think I'm dumb? lol.

When I shop for pots, most are plain plastic or clay. And of course, tree pots. When ceramics are on sale at the end of the season, I buy a few. Sale meaning .50..lol.

I have more citrus, but it was late..around 2:AM, give or take a few minutes, so I turned off the puter, placed birds in their cages, let Coco, 'dog' outside to do his duty, waited for him to finish then hit the sack.

Let's see..Pink Lemon was purchased 2004-2006. Before Fl's ban. Poor Lemon was near a window that leaks air, lost most of its leaves. It wasn't until Jan new growth sprouted.

Someone said citrus should be pruned, so I clipped off quite a few branches.. I shouldn't have listened. Thankfully, new stems have grown and hopefully leaves will follow.

Josh, do you prune? If so, what time of year and how much is removed? Toni
meyermike_1micha
Original Author
11 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Mike! Thanks man and what you say makes very good sense. Save where you can, right? I hope you are not in that very HOT heatwave again this year. This year we are escaping it agin by one state.

Toni! Wow! Look at you go girl! Look at all those nice trees and flowers. I'll bet the Fish Emulsion has a lot to do with your trees being bug free and so healthy looking. That is what I use on mine thanks to you:-)
I can't believe how big that Manderine is. Do you hire your son to bring those in and out for you each season? Lol
By the way, your ornamental and fruit producing trees are just as lovely as mine. Don't kid yourself.
I'll be doing a complete Fish Emulsion wash tonight! I really wish the stuff would chase the SLUGS away though.

Nancy!! What's up? Are you dying of heat too? Did you survive those horrible rains? Did you have to fertilize everything all over again? How did your trees fare in all that rain? I am hoping you are ok:-)

Josh: It seems that you and I are getting away with a nice summer thus far compared to some of our friends. It was a whopping DRY 89 today and cool and dry tonight. I can't believe that many just a few states from me are getting some of the hottest weather on record.
I am on vacation starting today, and just back from the beach 30 minutes away. What a bright blue sky and great day:-)
I can tell you my plants are loving this weather.

Olympia, anytime we can help, we are here. I hope it works out for you.

Mike
briergardener_gw
11 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Hello,
I am completely new to growing citruses of any kind. This year we built sunroom on the west side of house and i want to grow there some citruses.
I am planning to buy Three Year-old Improved Meyer Lemon from fourwindsgrowers. what size of pots will I need?
They have five gallon size geopot that i was wondering about. Anybody have the experience with them?
I am planning to have big wooden planters inside of which i can place pots with plants.
Gail
yellowthumb
11 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I actually couldn't tell any difference between clay or plastic. Black pots do get really hot even here at Canada.

Here is my kumquat tree in a big clay pot. It doubled its size in less than one year. I also have a Ponderosa lemon tree that is sulking in a green plastic pot.

{{gwi:597642}}
meyermike_1micha
Original Author
11 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Yellowthumb! How have you been? It's been a while since we last talked. How's your Alba doing these days!

I can't believe how big your tree is man! Once again, another reason for me to try a Kumquat! Do you eat the fruit? Where did you get such a TALL tree like that.Most of the grafted ones I see around here are short. I love it and the fullness besides. Great job!

Gail how are you and welcome to the citrus nut world.lol

I'll be back to answer some of your questions. If you see this post let me know, and I will follow through to help you.
Again, welcome here:-)

Mike

Mike
yellowthumb
11 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Hi Mike,

My Alba is doing great. I did a heavy root prune this year, so it recovered a big slow. But I got so many flowers. You could see the picture in the Fragrant forum.

I am enjoying your pictures.

Thanks

YT
briergardener_gw
11 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Hi, Mike,
Appreciate your desire to help me.
I was wondered if it worth to buy geopot or not?
What size of pot should i buy for three-year old tree?

Thanks
Gail
meyermike_1micha
Original Author
11 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Hi Gail.

I would give it a try of you are able to spend the money.
I love to experiment with different things as long as they don't hurt.

Is there a need? Not really since the mixes I use allow great oxygen exchange anyway. For root pruning, now that sounds nice.

The pot you use will be determined by the mix you use.
He bigger the particle size that offers good porosity and drainage, the larger you can use. The smaller the particle size as In most bagged potting soils, reverse.

I hope this helps.

Mike.
olympia_gardener
11 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Hi, Mike Thanks. It's been pretty busy weekend. My three kumquat trees (all in different variety ) have different metabolism... one is blooming like crazy, one just woke up and figured out it is time to start new grow, one is dying. Green Leaves drop and twigs die back. I searched up in internet, the symptom is not for any disease or pests, it is the root rot. This made repot decision easier. I just repotted this kumquat into gritty mix. Although it continues to loose leave and twig, but hopefully it will recover soon. This is my unknown named kumquat from China with very sweet fruit. I hate to loose it.
My meyer lemon has few baby lemons on it and still puts out new growth. I am excited to see the lemons grow into larger size.

My local grocery store had season end sales. The bark mulch I use for my gritty mix and 511 are on sale for $1 /2cf. I stock up a lot of them and stack them up to decompose a little more. This past weekend, I mixed big batches of 511 and gritty mix. Repotted my jasmine sambac "Grand Duke..." which just finished flowering. This was a cutting given to me last year from friend of mine. Mine survived over the winter pratically a stick, but started new grow this spring. My friend's plant died in winter so I need to grow my jasmie large enough to give him some cuttings. Moved all my Brugs. into 511 mix. They are all very happy, no more droopy leaves in the afternoon.

I potted aout 1/4 of my plants with Gritty/511 in plastic. I am happy to recycle those plastic pots. I am a little heitate to move all plants into either 511 or gritty mix. I am evaluating the pros and cons. The gritty mix and 511 will reduce water retaintion , improve air circulation therefore less chance of root rot and improve root system and thus healthy plant. But it creats another problem... fertilizer and water waste. it is also harder to manage the fertilize timing. Every time I water/fertilizer the gritty mix/511 most of water with fertilizer in it come out at the bottom, which all goes to waste. It makes nearby grass grow much faster and greener than my plants. In winter time, when all the plants are inside, I must have a deep saucer under each plant in order to catch excess water.
briergardener_gw
11 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Hi, Mike,
What mix do you use?
Also how often i will need to do root pruning?

Thank you
Gail
olympia_gardener
11 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Here are some my plastic containered happy citrus:

Meyer lemon, Hapy fruiting anf grow new leaves.
{{gwi:597644}}

Kumqaut, happy blooming, hopefully grow a lot of fruits:
{{gwi:597646}}
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My Citrus trees are quite happy in plastic pots, are yours?

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My Citrus trees are quite happy in plastic pots, are yours?

meyermike_1michaOriginal Author

Comments (31)

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