Floof! Which do you prefer? Or do you care?
amylou321
2 years ago
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Which potting mix do you prefer for Citrus and why?
Comments (51)The limits of my citrus growing experience extend to rearing a couple of meyer lemons for a few years as potential bonsai. Later, I grew a couple of flying dragons. I gave the plants away because I didn't think the growth habit was appropriate to the quality of form I look for in my bonsai. IOW, I had concluded that the growth habits of citrus as a group make them difficult and not particularly attractive bonsai subjects, though I know there are some exceptions. Citrus growers - please don't take that as a slight. There are many 'groups' of trees that don't make good bonsai subjects, and that has nothing to do with what you folks are doing. I was just offering my 'citrus' background so you can readily see I'm not an expert on citrus. I am, however, well versed in tending a very wide array of trees in containers. At this point in my 20+ year journey growing trees in containers, I have about 75-100 tropical trees, and somewhere around 200-225 temperate trees. By necessity, I repot more than half of my (a guess) 300 trees each year. I say by necessity, because we can tell within a couple of months when our trees need repotting. Whether we repot them at that time is a different5 issue, but at the point where the root mass has become congested to the point the tree can be lifted from the pot with the roots and soil mass intact, the tree needs repotting. This is a much more reliable indicator than any other method, and has been scientifically verified many times in tests by nurseries that have a vested interest in maximizing growth. They know that the growth rate begins to slow at that point, and that it continues to slow as congestion worsens. Not only does the potential for maximum growth within the limits of other cultural factors evaporate with root congestion, so does the possibility of peak vitality. Tight roots are a stress, and that stress affects the entire organism - even to the point of increasing the likelihood of insects infestation and disease. You CAN pot up before the tree reaches this point with no ill effects or decline in growth/vitality, but if the tree HAS reached that point, potting up will only allow a PARTIAL return in vitality and growth, and will set the tree on a gradual slope of decline. Soil - No plant like any portion of the soil to remain saturated for more than a couple of hours. Deprived of enough O2, metabolism and root function is negatively affected and fine roots begin to die. The longer the deprivation, the larger are the roots that are killed. When O2 returns to the soil so normal root growth and metabolism/function can resume, the tree then has to go about the business of allocating either current photosynthate (food - energy) or stored energy to regenerate lost rootage. For this reason, you should always use a durable and well-aerated soil. You automatically sacrifice potential growth/vitality when you choose a water-retentive soil that supports any significant amount of perched water. Repotting - use your own judgement, but I have repotted my own citrus by removing the bottom 1/3 of the roots and then 3 wedges equal to 50% of of the remaining roots with no problems. I also have several friends in CA and 1 in TX that uses the method religiously. Use whatever method you choose, but removing the old soil and root pruning is imperative to best growth and vitality. Once a tree has been allowed to remain in the same soil/container beyond the point where the soil/root mass can be lifted intact, growth is permanently affected until the time that the limiting factor of root congestion is eliminated. This even applies to trees that are severely root bound and are then planted out. I have worked on trees that had original soil so compacted that the soil was harder and stronger than fully lignified (woody) roots. You guys recognize the growth spurts in your trees. Repot as a growth spurt is winding down, or early in the spring. These are the periods of most rapid root growth. Adopt your own methods if you like. I just explained the 'whys' of it and how I proceed. There's no reason it shouldn't work as well for you as it does for me, but you don't need to follow my advice or my procedures exactly. I suppose what I want to leave you with is: Your soil IS the foundation of your planting, and can certainly determine whether you'll have an easy time of it or a difficult time. The roots are the heart of your plant. You look at and fuss over the foliage, but it's the roots that are REALLY in charge. Roots come first - before the foliage, so if you keep your roots happy, the rest of the plant will be happy. Al...See MoreWhich floor plan do you prefer?
Comments (5)Number 1 uses a lot of space for circulation between the garage, guest wing and the rest of the floor plan. It also creates a number of awkward angled spaces at the intersection. On the exterior, depending on lot siting, it could look like a garage with an attached house, rather than house with attached garage. #2 seems a bit simpler in layout although it's still a bit convoluted and some of the room adjacencies are strange, with the service part of the house and the kitchen at opposite ends. As far as the TV goes, it could go in the built ins next to the fireplace rather than directly over. In either plan a lot of the furniture is going to have to float in the living areas, so furniture arrangement won't be simple, and table lamps will be a problem....See MorePolished or Honed - Which do you prefer?
Comments (7)This has been asked tons of times here and the consenus is for marble, honed is the better choice for kitchen countertops. (I won't do it for you but if you do a search you'll be able to read all the incredibly informative threads for yourself.) That being said, polished is a gorgeous finish (see mindimoo's astonishing countertops) but requires more care (in terms of not letting anything acidic near your countertops let alone wiping everything up immediately) and will much more easily show the etching (which will occur with either finish). Regarding the fee: if the slab didn't come honed, then you bet you'd be charged for having it honed! Your fabricator probably assumed that's the finish you wanted since that was the slab you selected. My fabricator charges $8 per square foot for honing but I "only" paid $7 because my marble was so outrageously expensive (& outrageously gorgeous!). Seriously, don't hold your breath expecting him to hone it for free, esp. on site!...See MoreHELP! Demo Day is Quickly Approaching: Which quartz do you prefer?
Comments (79)So I made a final decision! We are going with Pental Akoya. I logged many miles to view full slabs of Akoya and Corian Venetian Cream. Here are the photos of the cabinets we are using with the Akoya (and potential backsplash): I am think of using Brushed Nickel pulls. Thoughts?...See Moreamylou321
2 years ago
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