I really want a lemon tree and no one sells them in this area. I might try Four Winds. Anyone else ever successfully order a lemon tree from the internet? Yes, from Raintree Nursery who gets their [Citrus] stuff from Four Winds. I wouldn't hesitate to do business with either. Just this year I got 4 3 year old blueberries from Raintree to replace what my dogs ate last year and I was blown away how well branched and rooted they were. I also ordered two orange trees from Raintree which drop ship from Four Winds and they came very healthy and well rooted as well. It's slightly cheaper to order citrus from 4winds than Raintree, but as far as I am concerned both provide accurate descriptions of what you are paying for and deliver a quality product. The Meyer Lemon I got from them I allowed to produce a few lemons in year one and this year it was covered in blooms that were beautiful. Time will tell how well it fruits, but the point is it's very healthy.

Hello! Mike, JoJo! Hey, Mandarin! :-) Both Mike and JoJo are correct. I do have a variegated pink Lemon, I did re-pot in Gritty Mix, and the only problem I've had was my fault...leaving it where the deer were able to get at it :-( Now that it's indoors, it's blooming nicely. It is in a smaller terra cotta pot, though, and so I have to water about every 4 - 5 days or else the leaves begin to curl. Spider Mites are a constant issue with all of my Citrus, so I just spray them with Neem Oil + Pro-TeKt every couple of weeks (or if I see any fine webbing appear). I, too, left my pink Lemon in the nursery soil for its first season....but in November, we had a cold-snap in the upper-20F's and my Citrus took some leaf-damage. I was very unhappy with the idea of leaving the tree in the old soil for another Winter (I purchased in January and the tree struggled those first months). Then we had a storm that knocked the tree over and loosened it in the pot - so I figured it was time to re-pot, even though it was late in the season to be doing such a thing. I really like the 5-1-1 for Citrus, although it does break down sooner than true Gritty Mix. Here's a pic of my poor pink Lemon after the deer got to it. This is what I found early in the morning.

There are some very good citrus experts on this forum who can give better advice, so here are the basics: First thing that comes to mind, is that 5 gal pot would be fine for a 2-3 yr old tree if you had drilled as many holes in the bottom as possible for best drainage. The second is the potting mix. Miracle -Gro has slow release fertilizer in it, so you were wise not to add more. Don't fertilize again until new growth starts to sprout. Most potting mix is too heavy for citrus, you'll want to mix in some sand, vermiculite, or some redwood or cedar shavings to lighten it up and get more oxygen to the roots. When you repotted, you should have really soaked the soil with several GALLONS of water, waited for it to drain out the bottom and then added more. When you water, wait for the top 2-3 inches to be on the dry side of moist, then give the pot a good soaking. That's about a gallon of water for a 5 gal pot. When the tree is in the house, mist it twice a day to be sure it's getting enough humidity. Normally citrus like as much direct sun as possible; for as many hours as you can give it. After repotting, a few weeks in a shady area is good for the plant while the tree acclimates to its new surroundings. However, your North-West window may not provide enough direct sun for the tree to thrive. I got a Meyer lemon, bare root last fall, so I understand your fears. Mine arrived, bare root, early last September and just sat in it's new 5 gal. pot for 2 months and did nothing. I misted it every morning before taking it outside in the sun and misted again very night before bring it inside. Then suddenly in November, without warning, it burst into dozens of blooms like an Azalea. It's normal for 98% of the fruit to drop off and I now have over a dozen, golf-ball sized lemons ripening for spring. Hope this helps. Good Luck!

Hi Wp..It's been so gray in our part of the globe, even setting a plant in an unobstructed south window has little effect..(S) My citrus (those not in a small gh) are placed directly in front of south windows. One advantage of living in a condo, the higher up you are, the better light you get. How far apart is your unit from the other side of the building, facing south? IMO, artificial lighting isn't enough for a sun-loving plant such as citrus..If by chance you have the light/fixture hanging in front of a window, this will certainly be beneficial, but natural light can't be beat..Especially if you'd like your plant to flower/fruit. Right now, this time of year, there's really not much to do with your citrus.. Most important is light..try supplying as much as possible, though it's difficult in Il. Proper watering is mandatory. Like Sue stated, you want to water thoroughly till water seeps out of drainage holes. Before watering again, be sure the soil is on the dry side. If necessary, buy a water guage, but the easist and inexpensive way is sticking your finger in the soil. If your finger comes out dry then water, if wet, wait a few days and retest. Lifting the pot to test weight is another way to check but I prefer the finger method. Never keep the soil muddy, or sitting in water. Citrus like humidity..a humiidfer works best..(for people, also) I mist daily, plus try hosing in sink/tub once a wk. Most people don't bother, but it's something I like to do..it helps keeps foliage clean, removes dust, and gives one a chance to inspect leaves/stems for insects. It also helps increase humidity. What size pot did your citrus come in? I hope you didn't overpot..it's normally best to increase 1-2 sizes up.. Soil type is another very important matter..A well=draining soil is best..something that's not going to stay wet despite heat, dryness and time. What type of soil did you use? Did you mix your own or buy packaged. I mix my own using (I'm sure some will disagree, but it's what works for me) all purpose, sphagnum-peat, sand and Perlite..sometimes a little added charcoal/large bird grit/orchid mix.) Sand(Builder's Sand from Home Depot, not beach sand) orchid bark, and Perlite helps with drainage. Do not fertilize this time of year. Usually, it's said a plant doesn't need food after repotting in fresh soil. If you don't have citrus fertlizer you can plan ahead, and order before spring...Have you ever shopped at Jamaican Gardens in Morton Grove or Libertyville? I'd call ahead, but they had citrus fertlizer available..they also sell beautiful plants, including citrus. You can always substitute using Azalea or Palm food. Don't bother with spikes..they're a waste of money and time. And don't work. Certain nurseries on Ebay sell Citrus fertilizer. There's more to growing citrus, but for the time being, the main thing you need to do is offer sun/light, water, and provide humidity. I hope your wife had a Happy Birthday..Nothing better than a citrus for a birthday gift.. Meyer's are fantastic. Good luck, Toni