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bloodhound_gardener

Re-pot or pot up meyer lemon?

I bought a Meyer Lemon tree at the nursery the other day which I plan to have live on the balcony in a container next to my orange tree. I don't have a lot of gardening experience but I have really have enjoyed my orange tree and hope to learn and grow .

This winter I am planning to bring them inside where they will both share a 250 watt hps light.

Is it to late to do a re-pot (including root pruning) even if they will get artificial light and a warm inside temperature or will artificial lighting make them think its still the growing season in the winter?

I hope they can flower inside which would be nice but i don't really expect that just hope.

Is it bad to push citrus all year, or do they need dormancy?

I think I will just pot up the Meyer or wait till spring for a re-pot (including root pruning) unless somebody thinks a re-pot is a better idea. I just feel like its root system is really compacted in the container it came in from the nursery and want it to grow well into its new larger container.

Comments (4)

  • calistoga_al ca 15 usda 9
    13 years ago

    First don't assume your tree is root bound, slip it our of the nursery container and take a look. Usually a newly purchased citrus is good for year or two without repotting. Citrus never really stop growing or have a dormant period and should be fed monthly year around, especially in a container. You should expect some bloom and some fruit on your lemon year around. You don't give your zone so I have no idea how long or how cold your winter is. Citrus do well through the winter if temperatures remain above freezing. If you want to pot it up to a larger container you can do that without waiting for it becoming root bound or needing root pruning. Just be sure the mix you use is well drained as mixes recommended in this forum. Most commercial mixes sold by the bag in garden centers are not appropriate for long time container use. Al

  • bloodhound_gardener
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Thanks al. I'm in Zone 8 so winter very mild here and temperature rarely gets below freezing. My main reason for bringing them inside is I think they would look nice inside and I have a light for them so I thought why not. You mentioned soil, what about the commercial orchid soil I have read some people use for citrus?

  • bloodhound_gardener
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Here's a picture of the roots.

    Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:45591}}

  • calistoga_al ca 15 usda 9
    13 years ago

    Your roots are to the stage that potting up to a larger pot would be appropriate. The roots are not pot bound yet but I would cut through them vertically from top to bottom in several places about 2 inches deep when potting up. I would not consider bare rooting them. Orchid mixes are usually mostly fir bark and come in large size pieces or small. The smaller size I think would be OK for your tree. Most houses in the winter with the heat on become very dry and tend to draw the moisture out of the foliage. Do what you can to keep a reasonable humidity and rotate the containers to equalize the light. You will need to water about once a week with enough water that about 20% drains freely from the container. If your trees show signs of wilting between watering, shorten up the watering frequency slightly. If available locally look for citrus labeled fertilizer that lists the minors on the label. Watch for aphids or scale and if found take the containers outside, and spray thoroughly with Neem or horticultural oil. Al