A Moro Blood orange should do fine in a container. Always try to find container citrus on semi-dwarf or dwarf rootstock. Helps to keep them a little happier in a container. Patty S.

I assume this tree is in a pot. If the tree is in fact rootbound you should re-pot it. Carefully remove the root ball from the pot to inspect it and see if it is rootbound. If it is you should transplant it into a bigger pot, but do not choose a pot that is MUCH bigger than the current pot. Also, if it is rootbound you may want to prune the roots back a little bit. This often restores some vigor into the plant. Of course, there are other reasons why a citrus would not be growing: not enough sun exposure, lack of fertilizer, over/under watering, etc. Hope this helps. -Brett

Patty, the nitrogen in fertilizers can make the growing medium become either more acidic (lower the pH) or less acidic/more basic (raise the pH). There are three types of nitrogen used in fertilizers: ammoniacal nitrogen (NH4+), nitrate nitrogen (NO3-) and urea. Fertilizing with ammoniacal nitrogen causes the medium-pH to DECREASE (become MORE acid) because H+ (acidic protons) are secreted from the tree's roots. Urea is converted into ammoniacal nitrogen in the growing medium, and therefore can be thought of as another source of ammoniacal nitrogen. In contrast, fertilizing with a nitrate nitrogen fertilizer INCREASES medium-pH (becomes LESS acid/more caustic) because the tree's roots secrete bases (OH-). Stressbaby is correct in stating that 7 is a neutral pH. Numbers lower than 7 denotes an acid solution, and numbers grater than 7 denotes a basic solution. The pH scale is also logrithmic. So a potting soil with a pH of 6 is ten times more acidic than a potting soil of pH 7. A potting soil with a pH of 5 is ten times more acid than a potting soil of pH 6, and 100 times more acidic than a potting soil of pH 7. A potting soil with a pH of 4 is ten times more acid than a potting soil with a pH of 5, and a 100 times more acid than a pH of 6 and 1000 times more acidic than a potting soil with a PH of 7. An so no and so on. Citrus will ALWAYS take up nutrients in a 5-1-3 ratio no matter what formulation you give them. Much more important than what type of fertilze to use for flower fruit set is an ample supply of water. Water is the prerequisite for ALL STAGES of fruit development. Water stress is particularly dangerous during fruit set, leading to a massive drop of fruitlets. Increase in size and juice content are also largely dependent upon the availability of water. So at bloom and fruit set, keep the moisture level of the growing medium up. This is where a well draining, lite aerable "soil" that at the same time retains a higher amount of water, such as CHC's, becomes important. Nutrition from fertilizing is important as well. Potassium plays a special role in fruit development. I would recomend a fertilization with a fertilizer formula higher in nitrogen and potassium, such as a fertilizer with a 5-1-3 ratio, or something more or less close. I also give my trees a nitrogen/potassium foliar spray, using Potassium Nitrate, a month before bloom and again a month after fruit set. Take care. - Millet

looking for Papaver Somniferum