Melanie, Thanks. I've been surfing around looking at ideas to help him deal. Do you re-pot often? Do you prune roots? I'm guessing my pot is probably 20-24 inches across. I put him right in there when I got him. Decided to go with a larger pot from day one, because I'm scared to re-pot him. Mostly, I'm afraid of the thorns. I'm hoping to keep him from getting any taller than about six feet so the majority of his leaves are at the height of my South windows for winter. I'm sure I'm concerned about this far too early, but eventually I will need to re-pot him and maybe prune some roots. Thanks for the info, Much Obliged. dave

Linda, dropping dirt is exactly what I do ha. I work for a propogating nursery and we have huge compost piles outside which we are generously allowed to use. I take two big plastic boxes left over from when we moved here and fill them every day with the compost (mostly dirt but lots of interesting stuff comes up in it). I take it home and drop it on the sand until I have the size or shape garden I want. I plant it and eventually I border it with dropped cement. I've made about seven gardens of different sizes doing this. Seriously I could drop the dirt and water it and all kinds of goodies would pop up (along with weeds). I've had datura, viola, spiderwort, hyssop and of course petunias come up in it. Adele

Brian!!! How you buddy!! HUGS buddy!!!! Listen, I have been wondering how things are going? I saw what your yard will look like and now a greenhouse to boot! If there was a way to put that bar into your greenhouse, just think of the possibilities...lol Have you been able to get all your plants out of the yard? The perennials and shrubs and stuff? Then all your citrus and others.? By the way, don't forget to take Sugar with you...lol How far from your original home is this? Is the weather the same there? You must be getting very excited to get your new place all done and to set up that greenhouse..Always just on time...You will have it set up before the cold weather moves in, much earlier than you last attempt..lol You do have the plastic cover already or will the one you already have be big enough? Please, if you could, could you start a new Thread about your whole set up, the progress, pics of the trees, yard and the building process if you get time? I am thinking many here would love to be by your side when you do like me... Brian, big hugs buddy.I can only imagine the challenges that lie ahead and yet I know you will come through perfectly..You always do...Great job

As you may have guessed, the soil is water logged. It is water logged because the soil retains too much water. I would repot into the 5-1-1 mix. My version of Al Tapla's 5-1-1 Mix · 5 parts pine bark mulch (remove ½” pieces through 1/2 inch screen) (Some people use Repti Bark instead of mulch. They do not screen it.) Be sure to soak the bark overnight. · 1 part sphagnum peat · 1 part perlite (coarse, if you can get it) · 1 Tb garden lime /gal 5-1-1 mix (measure the 5-1-1 mix) · Osmocote plus (follow manufacturer’s instructions). This is optional. Moisten well and wait 2 days, if possible, before using, although it may be used before then. When repotting into a different kind of soil mix, remove all of the old soil mix by dunking the root ball in and out of water. You may have to use a garden hose to gently force the old soil off. Or, use something like a screwdriver: stick it into the root ball and pull down to loosen the soil. Dunk and repeat. You should discontinue using the fertilizer you bought. Ideally, citrus require fertilizer with a ratio of 5:1:3. I use FoiliagePro 9-6-3. Hold off fertilizing until the tree shows growth.