Meta question (was Grapefruit questions)
 

I happens now and again that I go to a newsgroup with questions and while other questions of (seems to me) similar relevance get answered at length, mine goes begging. I doubt it's because I'm asking questions no one knows the answers to, so I'm left to th
ink that it's a question of style.

I don't mean to whine and complain about not getting a free answer here. I _am_ curious as to whether I can adjust my questioning style. This has happened on other groups too.

Any suggestions?


My most recent example:

Carl West wrote:

I've been growing two grapefruit seeds for a couple of years in the same pot. One is about two feet tall the other is about 5 inches. Could the one be limiting the other?

The tall plant has no branches, it just keeps growing straight up (well OK, toward the window, I turn it now and then). I know nothing of the growth pattern for these plants. Do I need to wait for it to branch on its own? or shall I clip the lead sprout
and hope that encourages side-growth?

I also have less pressing questions about pot-size and watering schedules.
Could someone point me to web-based info that might hold the answers to my questions?

--
Carl West http://eisen.home.attbi.com

I have no superfluous leisure; my stay must be stolen out
of other affairs; but I will attend you awhile.
- Isabella, Measure for Measure, Act 3 Scene 1
-

Meta question (was Grapefruit questions)
 

More likely your question has gone unanswered because there is no answer.
You can do whatever you want to the seedling.
Go ahead and pot them separately, if you want.
You don't need permission to do so.

You can't grow grapefruit seeds for two years. You grow plants from the
seeds.

Commercial grapefruit are hybrids and plants grown from the seeds will not
be identical. In fact, you should expect a wide variety of growth forms to
sprout from each of the seeds. Each seedling should be different.

A google search should reveal many websites with info on how to grow citrus
plants.

http://www.google.com/


Carl West wrote in message
...

I happens now and again that I go to a newsgroup with questions and while
other questions of (seems to me) similar relevance get answered at length,
mine goes begging. I doubt it's because I'm asking questions no one knows
the answers to, so I'm left to think that it's a question of style.

I don't mean to whine and complain about not getting a free answer here. I
_am_ curious as to whether I can adjust my questioning style. This has
happened on other groups too.

Any suggestions?


My most recent example:

Carl West wrote:

I've been growing two grapefruit seeds for a couple of years in the same
pot. One is about two feet tall the other is about 5 inches. Could the one
be limiting the other?

The tall plant has no branches, it just keeps growing straight up (well
OK, toward the window, I turn it now and then). I know nothing of the growth
pattern for these plants. Do I need to wait for it to branch on its own? or
shall I clip the lead sprout and hope that encourages side-growth?

I also have less pressing questions about pot-size and watering
schedules.
Could someone point me to web-based info that might hold the answers to
my questions?

--
Carl West http://eisen.home.attbi.com

I have no superfluous leisure; my stay must be stolen out
of other affairs; but I will attend you awhile.
- Isabella, Measure for Measure, Act 3 Scene 1
-

Meta question (was Grapefruit questions)
 

You might have better success in rec.gardens newsgroup.

http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=e...Drec.gardens.*

It's hard to answer that kind of question especially without more
information, such as the size of your pot, type of soil and your
irrigation and fertilization methods. Is the larger plant shading the
smaller one to any extent? How much light are they getting? Do they
both appear healthy?

If the pot isn't too small and you provide adequate water, fertilizer
and light, the larger one probably isn't stunting the smaller one.

Did your seeds come from the same fruit? Are you sure your seedlings
came from two different seeds? Citrus often form apomictic embryos,
which are asexual embryos that are genetically identical to the parent
tree. They can also form regular embryos as the result of pollination
and fertilization. Some seeds are even polyembryonic, meaning they
contain both apomicitic embryos and a sexual embryo. The apomicitic
seedlings usually are more vigorous than the sexual seedling.

You could try pruning the top out of the larger one to get it to
branch. Just don't remove too many leaves . I have a forty-plus year
old potted grapefruit grown from a seed, and I regularly prune it back
a little. My main tree is over 6 feet tall and does have some stunted,
smaller seedlings at the edge of the pot. However, they were planted
later and definitely are shaded by the main tree, which explains their
stunting.

David R. Hershey




Carl West wrote in message ...
I happens now and again that I go to a newsgroup with questions and while other questions of (seems to me) similar relevance get answered at length, mine goes begging. I doubt it's because I'm asking questions no one knows the answers to, so I'm left to
think that it's a question of style.

I don't mean to whine and complain about not getting a free answer here. I _am_ curious as to whether I can adjust my questioning style. This has happened on other groups too.

Any suggestions?


My most recent example:

Carl West wrote:

I've been growing two grapefruit seeds for a couple of years in the same pot. One is about two feet tall the other is about 5 inches. Could the one be limiting the other?

The tall plant has no branches, it just keeps growing straight up (well OK, toward the window, I turn it now and then). I know nothing of the growth pattern for these plants. Do I need to wait for it to branch on its own? or shall I clip the lead sprou
t and hope that encourages side-growth?

I also have less pressing questions about pot-size and watering schedules.
Could someone point me to web-based info that might hold the answers to my questions?