"Charlie Pridham" wrote
I have just rescued two from being dumped, I have no idea what citrus
they are as the person doing the dumping was not the grower/owner. They
stand around 7' and are in very large heavy pots and have clearly been
outside for years, most of the dead and damaged parts I had to trim off
were caused by a montana which grown over them.

How much cold can they cope with if fleeced?
Would they be better in my unheated conservatory once winter comes?
Do they need regular repotting or is top dressing and feeding sufficiant?
If I can get them back to health can they be pruned back to get a better
shaped? I am concerned that if I do it now they would have few leaves
this winter.
As you may gather I have never grown citrus before!

Although they can take a few degrees of frost they would prefer not so I'd
go for the cold conservatory myself. We only take our citrus inside when
it's frosty, I think it was early March that they came back outside this
year, they sit against a S. facing house wall under an open porch type thing
that runs along that side, so get some protection.

Watering is they one thing to be careful of, keep the compost just moist
never wet, and be even more careful in winter when they are dormant(ish).
Try not to use a water tray, let the pots drain any excess water away from
the roots. Raising the pot up from the ground helps too. I used to grow
Bizzy Lizzys in our pots to show when watering was needed.

If they are in big pots just remove some compost and replace with new. We
use ericaceous, citrus prefer acid soil but don't demand it, but if you will
always use rain/soft water then normal compost will do but either way you
need to add some grit or similar (orchid type bark chips are lighter) to aid
drainage.

My feeding system is to use mainly the separate Summer and Winter feeds
available at good GCs as directed on the tubs, but I also water once with
Sequestered Iron in the spring and throw a handful or two of chicken manure
pellets on top of the compost a couple of times a summer. When giving the
plain waterings between feeds I ensure the pots are flushed through to
remove any excess feed.

Citrus are strange plants, seem to have a mind of their own and don't
conform to the seasons as we expect them. We have had one come into full
flower in the middle of winter and the fruit can take a year to mature so
you often have ripe fruit, immature fruit in every stage of growing, and
flowers, all on the same plant.

They can get to you, be warned.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden