I don't know, but hope someone here can help you. Good luck!

When I moved my citrus I shook the dirt from the roots and bare rooted to the native soil. with some compost. Your tree should do well, with a small rise above the native soil line. All my trees get about a 6 inch rise so water flows from the trunk to the periphery.

6b steve

Agree with Steve, bare root is best. It allows you to inspect the roots for rot, insect damage, etc. I personally do not amend with compost for anything below grade/normal surface level and only do pure native soil. When below grade, the only amendments I might use for long term plants (trees particularly) is non decomposing materials - inorganics like perlite, small lava, etc. The reason is that compost will decompose and when used in any significant amount, will decompose and cause settling. So the depending on the soil, cause water pooling (if native drainage isn't good), or the root crown drop below surface from surrounding soil settling and cause bark issues. In good drainage soil, nothing needed. I might think of added inorganics to give mild drainage soil some air space (but normally wouldn't waste the expensive inorganic for in ground), but not poor drainage soil. In poor, I would use native and mound up. Composting into soil for shorter term plants (just a few years) or longer term bushes you might dig up and re-amend, you don't have the issues from compost decomposition and settling.

Thank you all for your suggestions! What is grade/normal level? Is it top of the planter or bottom of the planter where the real ground is?

Another question: I bought a gold nugget mandarin from my local nursery. It is 5 gallon, but it is from last year and in the pot for a year at the nursery, so it about 5' tall. Should I wait for the new and short plant which should be in about 1-3 weeks? This tree looks healthy and is trained to be patio form. A lot of flowers and tiny fruits. I was told that the new ones would be about 2' tall. Would it be harder to estiblish the root? Should be I bare root it?

I will plant it in the ground not planter box

Grade (is more a real estate/construction term - meaning ground level or native soil level). I use planter boxes for quite a bit, primarily because VA where I live has terrible draining clay soil. In ground or in a planter box should be fine, I would adjust your strategy based on the soil type.

For the new year old potted plant, assuming weather is good and the soil temps are good, then you should bare root it and plant in it's new home rather than wait a few more weeks.

Thanks! The gold nugget I bought today is potted last year or maybe even the year before last year at the local nursery. Should I return it and get a small new year potted tree instead?

Hi Steve, when you say 6" rise, i picture that the tree is on a small bump or a little 6" hill, right ? Any opinion on my gold nugget question?

I put all my water sensitive trees on a small 6 inch hill so the water drains away from the trunk. Peaches, cherries, citrus, and figs; with non-sensitive trees level with the ground. My peaches are on hills 6 feet diameter and is so rich I can hand brush the dirt away to get to and hand kill the peach tree borers. My in ground citrus are in a compost soil mix that is 4 feet thick over a had pan clay surface that can hold water for days at a time. this is held in place by a walled in container 32 feet long by 6 feet wide. thew south and north sides are my garage wall and house wall. the east side is landscaping timers and the west side is th rise of the hard pan clay hill.

Thank you for the details Steve!

Here is my Gold Nugget that's been in the ground for 3 years.

Freshly painted trunks · More Info

Evan

Thank you evdesert! Very helpful with the photos!

Hi Evdesert, did you barefoot the plant when you planted it?

No I never do, here are some photos I took as I planted the same Moro Blood Orange I posted above.

Moro blood orange on volkameriana planted 1/8/2017 · More Info

Moro blood orange on volkameriana planted 1/8/2017 · More Info

At this point I water the back filled dirt in very well to help the soil settle around the rootball.

Moro blood orange on volkameriana planted 1/8/2017 · More Info

Moro blood orange on volkameriana planted 1/8/2017 · More Info

Moro blood orange on volkameriana planted 1/8/2017 · More Info

Moro blood orange on volkameriana planted 1/8/2017 · More Info

Hope this helps.

Evan

I have yet to transplant a citrus tree and have the dirt NOT fall off the roots so I end up bare root transplanting.

Cuban Shaddock from cuttings · More Info

Great, I was wondering about that. thank you so much! I am ready to plant.

i always mix in compost and build up the soil a couple of inches above grade.

it helps wih drainage.

i also mulch heavily with grass clippings, leaves, coffee grounds etc...

then wood chips on top...

ive had excellent results. worms move in and fertilize for free 24x7 . i use fish emulsion once a moth (except winter)

The worms have never charged me, not once.

Hi greenman62, do you put green grass clippings, wait till dry before put wood chips? What is the reason amend the soil above the grade level not the hole? I heard the tree root will not go beyond the hole that has the amended soil and Also water will pool in the hole since surrounding dirt is clay, right?Would it be the same if amend the soil on hill/bump? I am also unclear about planter box. If I amend the dirt for the planter box, would a tree have shallow root? I am thinking of building a new planter box for a avocado tree.

Unfortunately my husband amended all the dirt with compost including the hole. Hope my gold nugget will be ok. I have not transplant the two 1 new year trees yet.