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Some Citrus questions
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! -- Charlie Pridham, Gardening in Cornwall www.roselandhouse.co.uk Holders of national collections of Clematis viticella cultivars and Lapageria rosea |
Some Citrus questions
In article ,
says... On 16/10/08 10:49, in article , "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! Charlie, we've had C. Meyer's Lemon growing in the little, unheated conservatory by the big fishpond. It is in the ground, though, not in a pot. In especially cold weather, Matt has been known to put a blow heater in there but for the last few years it's had no special cosseting at all. We haven't risked that with the C. medica or the C. medica Sarcodactylis (Buddha's Hand) plants, however because they're still quite young. However, none of our greenhouses are heated, as you know and the heater only comes on if the temp falls below freezing and then only just enough to keep things frost free. Thanks for that, bit silly really taking them on at this time of year! but the trunks are about 4" diameter at the base so they have been around a while, I think I will wait for the first cold forcast and stand them in the conservatory, not looking forward to having to move them though, very spiney! -- Charlie Pridham, Gardening in Cornwall www.roselandhouse.co.uk Holders of national collections of Clematis viticella cultivars and Lapageria rosea |
Some Citrus questions
On 16 Oct, 12:40, Charlie Pridham wrote:
In article , says... On 16/10/08 10:49, in article , "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! Charlie, we've had C. Meyer's Lemon growing in the little, unheated conservatory by the big fishpond. *It is in the ground, though, not in a pot. *In especially cold weather, Matt has been known to put a blow heater in there but for the last few years it's had no special cosseting at all. We haven't risked that with the C. medica or the C. medica Sarcodactylis (Buddha's Hand) plants, however because they're still quite young. *However, none of our greenhouses are heated, as you know and the heater only comes on if the temp falls below freezing and then only just enough to keep things frost free. Thanks for that, bit silly really taking them on at this time of year! but the trunks are about 4" diameter at the base so they have been around a while, I think I will wait for the first cold forcast and stand them in the conservatory, not looking forward to having to move them though, very spiney! -- Charlie Pridham, Gardening in Cornwallwww.roselandhouse.co.uk Holders of national collections of Clematis viticella cultivars and Lapageria rosea- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - Charlie If you crush a leaf the smell of it will be the same as the fruit so you should be able to tell what they are. This link is about Myers Lemon but is quite good advice for citrus. http://meyerlemontree.com/instructions.html I love the bit about using Xmas lights to give frost protection. David Hill Abacus Nurseries |
Some Citrus questions
In article ,
Charlie Pridham wrote: How much cold can they cope with if fleeced? Would they be better in my unheated conservatory once winter comes? Most can take a light frost, as other people have pointed out, but an unheated conservatory is probably better. If nothing else, it will prevent them from waterlogging. 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. I caused major leaf drop on my kaffir lime, which was getting out of shape anyway, and cut it back hard. It responded by shooting with vigour. If I were to say that Citrus make good hedge plants, would that help? :-) Regards, Nick Maclaren. |
Some Citrus questions
"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 |
Some Citrus questions
The message
from Charlie Pridham contains these words: I have just rescued two from being dumped, I have no idea what citrus they are Taste the leaf - they always (IME) taste of the fruit. Some lemons have lighter leaves, and some have wicked thorns. 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? Well, a Sith Effrican friend had a lemon tree outside his back door up in the mountains not an hundred miles from the Drakenburg mountains, and though it lost it's ever bit from evergreen, it always grew new foliage in spring, and lemons in the summer. I gave one of my larger lemons to neighbours, and they keep it in an unheated greenhouse during the winter. last week, we had quite a sharp frost and the lemon trees are all OK, as are some smaller oranges and satsumas I left out. The frost was severe enough to render cucurbits into a wilting imitation of cooked spinach... Would they be better in my unheated conservatory once winter comes? Yes. That's how orangaries worked. The trees were wheeled in and out, in large tubs or planters. Do they need regular repotting or is top dressing and feeding sufficiant? I'd guess they need repotting every few years. I have several citrus trees, and they definitely like being fed, watered and given more space for roaming roots. I'll put-up some pics when there's a bit more light about... 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. Don't worry - they know how to make more... As you may gather I have never grown citrus before! The drill, so I've been told, is to let them go almost dry, then water them thoroughly. Feed every other watering. They like full sun, but don't complain if they get quite a lot less. -- Rusty Direct reply to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co period uk Separator in search of a sig |
Some Citrus questions
The message
from Charlie Pridham contains these words: Thanks for that, bit silly really taking them on at this time of year! but the trunks are about 4" diameter at the base so they have been around a while, I think I will wait for the first cold forcast and stand them in the conservatory, not looking forward to having to move them though, very spiney! Almost certainly lemons, then, though I have a sort-of feeling that Seville oranges might be barbarous... Get yourself some of those runners which you put under washing-machines, freezers, etc. Any white goods shop will sell them. -- Rusty Direct reply to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co period uk Separator in search of a sig |
Some Citrus questions
The message
from "Bob Hobden" contains these words: /prune/ They can get to you, be warned. Can't they just? -- Rusty Direct reply to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co period uk Separator in search of a sig |
Citrus is a massive topic, with a lot of care needed but it is very rewarding. I suggest you do a google search for a citrus forum and read read read. There are several out there. Thats what I did and I feel my citrus would have died long ago without those forums
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Some Citrus questions
In article ,
says... Citrus is a massive topic, with a lot of care needed but it is very rewarding. I suggest you do a google search for a citrus forum and read read read. There are several out there. Thats what I did and I feel my citrus would have died long ago without those forums -- danny22 Thanks t all for helpful advice. have taken the two seater out of the conservatory and will drag them in in due course! give them a prune and feed and post an update late next year on how I did. -- Charlie Pridham, Gardening in Cornwall www.roselandhouse.co.uk Holders of national collections of Clematis viticella cultivars and Lapageria rosea |
Some Citrus questions
The message
from Charlie Pridham contains these words: In article , says... Citrus is a massive topic, with a lot of care needed but it is very rewarding. I suggest you do a google search for a citrus forum and read read read. There are several out there. Thats what I did and I feel my citrus would have died long ago without those forums Thanks t all for helpful advice. have taken the two seater out of the conservatory and will drag them in in due course! give them a prune and feed and post an update late next year on how I did. Two seater? Nice little BSA 3-wheeler? Morgan? D&RFC -- Rusty Direct reply to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co period uk Separator in search of a sig |
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