Randy I have very similar tree, even lopsided like yours. The tree was getting too tall to keep inside, but luckily was not infested. I was looking for info how to prune it & that is how I found this forum. I have followed Al's recommendations to a letter (and I have never even read about root pruning/proper repotting): 1. 'inspection' of roots/flushing thoroughly/proper watering & fertilizing - all few months ahead of proper repotting; 2. then at proper time (July), root pruning (the root ball was a mess)-repotting into brand new soil mix (5-1-1); 3. continue proper watering/fertilizing as recommended 4. pruning branches approx. month later I am very satisfied with results, the tree looks much better and has lots of new leaves growing. An it is few inches shorter (more pruning next year). It took some effort, but if you really want your plant to grow well, it is worth it. I am following similar routine with all my potted plants - it will take some time since I have 'few', but by same time next year all of them will be in new soil mix, root pruned/repotted/branches pruned and I am sure growing much healtier. The info you'll find on this forum is very helpful. Al has many extremely informative threads, and I have save them for reference. Much easier for me to get infor-he does all the hard work of writing it all... Many other members have very good posts and photos too - sorry I can't think of all the names right now. Good luck with your tree. Rina

I grew my trees outside in one gallon food tins and i potted up to a container 3 inches wider around the periphery and 8 inches deeper. That equals a 5 gallon bucket. I potted up mid august and placed the trees in full shade for a week, then in broken sun for the rest of our warmth before taking them inside for the cold of 2013-2014. The tree are doing very well and have tripled their linear twig and trunk growth as of now. My trees are in the grow box picture on the other thread you looked at. I will link you to that below. Other wise spring potting up is better As for kumquats, there are citrus places on the east coast. such as http://www.plantfolks.com/ http://mckenzie-farms.com/photo.htm http://ediblelandscaping.com/products/tropicals/Citrus/ --- you have to call in for that tree. They have to few to list available Do not grow kumquats from seed. Their roots grow very slowly and there are very long periods between growth spurts. Since you are to far north to plant outside, you might want your kumquat to be grafted on C. Macrophilia. Edible Landscaping uses that for their trees sent up north to be grown in pots. Steve Here is a link that might be useful: http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/citrus/msg0112401518325.html?4

Shell. How often do you spray Chelated Iron? Of what I read, and use for plants that require additional iron, three times a year is adequate. BTW, your Canna? is so nice and red. Beautiful. I woudn't use sand from your yard. It might be too fine/heavy for your potted tree. Besides, mediums from the garden can be loaded w/insects/bacteria, etc. Some people who use garden soils bake before using. Believe me, you're talking to someone who, in the past, baked soil. The house stinks during and after baking..It's been years since I've baked soil, and unless all mediums become extinct, they'll be purchased from a store. lol. You say you're pretty lazy watering. During winter months, my energy level drops, so I tend to do the same. Often leaves yellow and drop. Over-watering is worse, but under-watering is second runner up to leaf loss and other problems. I agree well-draining soil is best, but since you're in Fl, more often than not depend on rain in place of hand-watering, a heavier soil shouldn't cause much of a problem. Before you repotted in a new pot, did the old container have drainage holes? Hey Mike, how you doing? About black pots. Not sure I understand. Are you saying, black pots keep roots warmer/hotter in a sunny area? If this is the case, does the same apply when days are sunny but cold? Do roots stayer warmer? My little gh can get awfully cold during winter. All my citrus are in black tree pots. So, my question to you is, since my citrus are in black pots, when days are sunny, and temps drop at night is it possible roots stay a little warmer? Or does it not make a difference? You also suggested leaching soil once a month or so. Although a good soaking perks up plants, despite soils, wouldn't leaching be more important if a plant is fertilized a lot/too much? Toni

Thanks everyone. Yeah I was pretty shocked and stoked at the same time when I discovered it in the basement trying its hardest, using every last bit of stored energy it had to recover. I placed it outside as you see in the first photo before any of the new "mini" fronds opened. The first 4 or so that opened were only 1/4 to 1/2 fronds and were tiny. They were clearly severely damaged and stunted / disfigured towards the tips. Then the fronds started getting larger and larger. Eventually it started putting up more normal sized fronds but still slightly smaller than usual. I think it is still pushing out fronds that are not quite full sized yet but close. The new growth this spring / summer is more lush like what you would see in a greenhouse likely due to the very moist and mild conditions. I suspect it suffered no burns from sun because the first time I put it back out none were "open" and this year I put it out early in the season before the sun was very strong, and also had it in a partially shaded area so it did not get full sun all day. I moved it to its current (and usual) outdoor location around Memorial day. It does slow down growth when I bring it inside, but it stays in a fairly bright, although mostly indirect sun location during winter. The other thing I do (mainly to combat spider mites to which these palms appear to be magnets) during winter is on warm days, usually once per month I take it outside and hose it off fairly hard. It knocks back the mites to manageable levels (almost none) and by the time I get to doing it again they have not built back up too much. I find it helps putting it outside for a day or two on the warmer days in winter with sun. Usually 50F or higher. My other one which has substantially larger fronds, but is much shorter also got mealy bugs this past winter and I used the same hosing method on it this spring and it appears to have worked just fine. I see no signs of them anymore. It's a bit of extra work to haul them in and out several times a winter, but so far I have found that it helps keep them substantially healthier than they were in the past when I just left them inside for 4 straight months. This year they both seem to be doing just fine although the one that survived that harrowing ordeal of severe freeze then neglect seems like its pushing up fronds that are slow to come fully out / open. They appear to eventually get there though. The newer one that is shorter that I mentioned (not pictured that I mentioned that was infested with mealy bugs) has 3 bloom spathes on it so its getting ready to flower. As for the windmill its looking a bit ragged but still chugging along and getting big. I need to pull out out from its location and take off most of the fans as there are lots of fronds either dead or very burned. The new fans look great though, but its going to look a bit naked as there will only be 4 or 5 in the center left. I also lost a few plumerias, and all of my sago palms to that same freeze. The plumies just melted. The sagos struggled next season to push out very mini leaves. I chalked them up as a loss as well and after the first freeze last fall they were toast. I do still have my miniature plumeria however and that thing is doing fantastic! It bloomed for me last year and may do so again this year. For the life of me I can't remember exactly what it's called. Perhaps I named it in an old post but I will have to now search. Part of its name is small southeastern asian country.