skip to main content

Heavy soil from nursery pot-how to put in new pot?

17 years ago

I bought a 5 gal Washington navel on rubideaux rootstock and the soil in the container appears rather heavy (clay muck?). Anyhow, I would like to put it in an 18" pot with well draining potting mix, but am wondering if I should gently wash away some of the muck first? What's the best way to do this and reduce transplant shock? Thanks for any help! June

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (5)

birdsnblooms
17 years ago
June, mix up a lighter, well-draining soil. If possible, take your citrus outside, unpot, and gently remove old 'heavy' soil. Add a little fresh soil in the bottom of the pot you'll be using, then set citrus inside. Add soil in the container, sprinkling all sides so plant will stand straight. If your citrus is grafted, do not cover graft..You want that exposed, otherwise the plant can rot.
It would be easier ridding muck if the soil was dry..does it stay wet for long periods? If the soil is dry, you can remove old soil w/your hands, but if wet it can be hosed off. Just work slowly and carefully so the citrus won't go into transplant shock.
Is there fruit on your tree? If so, they 'might' drop. This is nothing to be alarmed about though..My only concern is repotting so late in the season. But like I said, if you do so carefully, there shouldn't be any problems.
I've got 2 (and another coming in) new citrus that need repotting, but I think I'll hold off till spring. We'll see. Good luck, Toni
0
bencelest
17 years ago
Get a big tumbler big enough to fit the whole pot. Soak and wait 30 minutes. Remove the pot.Gently spray the muck off from the roots with warm water if possible.Then gently lift the tree at the bottom roots and transfer GENTLY without disturbing the root hairs.
0
Related Discussions
Potting Soil versus Potting Mix - clarity re confusion
Q
Comments (22)
Thank you. You all have been so helpful. I have gleaned new and useful information. I have 7 bands that are potted in the local nursery's organic potting soil with the ingredients listed above. The next 8 bands will be potted this evening in the Miracle Gro with moisture control. These bands have been received anywhere from 5 - 8 days apart. I am really curious to see what the difference will be between the bands that arrived last week to those arriving this week. The ones planted in organic planting soil will receive a very weak dose of fish emulsion every Sunday. The M.G. plants will receive water. Roseseek, thank you for the information and the images:) Again, Thank you all:) Lynn This post was edited by desertgarden561 on Fri, Jul 19, 13 at 19:26
...See More
Indoor Potted Palm - what's the best soil for potted palms
Q
Comments (5)
Many thanks to everyone for your contributions and experiences. I got some pine mulch and put the 'fines' in the bottom. I bought two bags of the Miracle Grow blend for Cactus, Palms & Citrus. It is VERY light. I think everyone gave great advice. Going to try this and see how it GROWS. We grew them outside in the ground in California, but I was just a kid. Mother and Grannie just stuck them in the ground. As far as I know they never did anything else except "drip" water them with gray water the first season. After that, they were on their own. Our date palms were gigantic and the dates were yummy. There were several other varieties, but I don't know what the others were. I do recall that Grannie sprayed them with the hose from time to time to wash off the dust. They loved it. Having palms in the house makes me feel like I am home again. (Oh...those childhood memories). As for the size of the new pot, I got an emerald green ceramic Lotus pot and put it on a black wrought iron plant dolly with a clear plastic drip tray underneath. That will make it handy for moving when I clean the floors or rearrange things. The pot is about 4 inches bigger around in diameter, and in depth, it's about 1/3 deeper than the container it came in, so I think it is "joosta" - just right for the pot upgrade. The color is beautiful with the green palm fronds. One thing I did forget to ask, though. Should I cover the top of the soil with a little bit of the bark fines or the potting mix or both? I don't want to suffocate it since I know they need to breathe, but it does look a bit exposed on the surface. Thanks for your help, Palm lovers. ~Annie
...See More
Anyone put alfalfa in the soil of thier potted roses?
Q
Comments (12)
I tried this for years with inconclusive results. I used to mix in a cup of alfalfa pellets in every seven gallon pot. To answer Jim's question, as you water your potted roses, the pellets dissolve rather quickly. If you were to dig through the pot after a few weeks you would find pockets of dissolved alfalfa. The problem I found was that it tended to create pockets where things just rotted, and that didn't help the roots. I think that what ever beneficial chemical reaction occurs with the use of alfalfa, it must take place during the fermentation process. Unfortunately, the fermentation process is not good for plants. For basal breaks I would also try diluting SolPoMag/Epson Salts.
...See More
Please what type of soil mix for potted fig trees? When to re pot?
Q
Comments (50)
Re potting mixes: https://www.ourfigs.com/forum/figs-home/11847-successful-potting-mix-recipes Re best container to use: https://www.ourfigs.com/forum/figs-home/924-best-size-container I have my figs in 5 gallon buckets and in this mix: 5-1-1-1: 62.5% - 12.5% - 12.5% -12.5% (pine bark - peat - perlite - calcined clay). The buckets have 3/4 inch holes drilled on the sides near the bottom. I bury the buckets in about 9 inches of mulch and the roots come out of the holes into the mulch and into the ground. This lessens the amount of watering that I have to do because they get their water from the ground. In the fall, I use a spade to cut the roots and bring the trees into winter storage. You are more likely to find answers to your fig questions on ourfigs.com than on this forum.
...See More
gumnebula
Original Author
17 years ago
Thank you hopefulauthor and bencelest. We have a couple of months before any light frost is predicted under normal years, and I'll move the new pot under protection when it comes. I may not be able to get all the muck out, but as much as possible so that the outer inch or two of roots is in the new potting soil. I hope this is reasonable. The muck does stay wet, it appears to be like my clay soil out in the yard, and that's why I thought I better ask before repotting. There's no fruit, but lots of new growth since the furnace heatwave is finally over. Thanks again... June
0
birdsnblooms
17 years ago
June, you're welcome. Just try getting as much muck out. You surely don't want the citrus soil staying constantly wet. That's the last thing you need.
I wonder why they potted citrus in this type of medium. It sounds like a dwarf Oro (grapefruit) I got as a gift from CA. It's potted in so much sand, the citrus, though small is heavier than my tree-type plants..I don't get it. but one thing it does do is dry out. FAST, too..LOL..Toni
0
gumnebula
Original Author
17 years ago
As you said, it is heavy. The lady at the nursery told me that I could consider a 15 gallon for another citrus I was interested in, but I declined. There was no way possible for me to muscle that thing around the yard by myself. LOL - the neighbors would get a kick out of that. I've planted alot of other 15 gallon trees (not citrus), and they were half the weight. Anyhow, thanks again for the help... June
0

Related Stories

GARDENING GUIDES Gardening Solutions for Heavy Clay Soils

By Falon Mihalic

What’s a gardener to do with soil that’s easily compacted and has poor drainage? Find out here

CONTAINER GARDENS Container Garden Basics: How and When to Water Potted Plants

Confused about soil moisture, the best time to water and what watering device to use? This guide can help

CONTAINER GARDENS Solve Your Garden Border Dilemmas With Planted Pots

Set your containers free from the patio — placed among plantings in the ground, they fill unsightly gaps, let you experiment and more

GARDENING GUIDES How to Stop Worrying and Start Loving Clay Soil

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Clay has many more benefits than you might imagine

CONTAINER GARDENS Container Gardening Basics: The Dirt on Soil

Learn the types of potting soil available and the best mixes to help your containers thrive

SPRING GARDENING How to Grow a Rose Garden in Pots

By J. Peterson Garden Design

Everything can come up roses, even without a plot of soil in sight. This step-by-step guide to growing roses in containers shows you how

GARDENING GUIDES Grow a Beautiful Garden in Alkaline Soil

By Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

Got alkaline soil? Learn how to manage it and the many beautiful plants that will thrive in this ‘sweet’ soil

FARM YOUR YARD How to Get Good Soil for Your Edible Garden

By Abundant City

The nutrients in your soil feed the plants that feed you. Here are tips on getting it right — just in time for planting season

GARDENING GUIDES How to Pick a Mulch — and Why Your Soil Wants It

By Jocelyn H. Chilvers

There's more to topdressing than shredded wood. Learn about mulch types, costs and design considerations here

WINTER GARDENING Winter Gardening: Ideas for a Dream Potting Room

By Becky Harris

Check out potting rooms that get indoor gardening right — and learn tips for creating your own

Sponsored

More Discussions

Advice needed. Just repotted my two dying avocados in Tapla's 5-1-1

8

HowardMartingrowing citrus #33

71

Standard Size Orange Trees to plant (AZ)

1

HowardMartingrowing citrus #33

0

Kumquat Seedlings

1