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Doreen Paterson -
Remove 'spam me not' from email address!

Could someone please give me some advice on how, when and in what soil, to
repot what was once a satsuma seed and is now about three feet tall. It is
presently in a 12" pot and looks very healthy.

The seed was planted by my late husband about three years ago and has done
well but obviously needs a new home.

I know very little about gardening but as I live on the north east coast of
Scotland, outside - either in or out of pot - is not an option. We have a
small greenhouse where it could be put in the summer months.

Should I keep it beside a heater during the winter months? It has lived on
the kitchen windowsill until now but has outgrown the space available.

Thanks in anticipation

Doreen Paterson

In article ,
Doreen Paterson wrote:

Could someone please give me some advice on how, when and in what soil, to
repot what was once a satsuma seed and is now about three feet tall. It is
presently in a 12" pot and looks very healthy.

Any free-draining, non-alkaline compost will do. Most citrus will
have little trouble with anything that you can buy, but the keyword
for non-alkaline is 'ericaceous'. They don't like clay, but commercial
composts will be either peat-based or sandy - either of those will do.
I am no great expert on when to repot, but don't be hasty, as they
don't mind quite small pots relative to the plant.

The seed was planted by my late husband about three years ago and has done
well but obviously needs a new home.

I know very little about gardening but as I live on the north east coast of
Scotland, outside - either in or out of pot - is not an option. We have a
small greenhouse where it could be put in the summer months.

Should I keep it beside a heater during the winter months? It has lived on
the kitchen windowsill until now but has outgrown the space available.

Not unless you keep your house at the sort of temperatures that were
common in the 1950s! I am no expert, but my citrus are most happy
when kept cool (but not frozen) and damp (but not wet) and with as
much light as you can give them. Most of them have no trouble with
summer conditions, in a reasonably sunny spot, but aren't keen on
winter outside in the colder parts of the country.

If satsumas are similar to naartjies, they can take down to freezing
when fairly dry with no harm, but it is better to keep them at 5-10
Celcius in the winter.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

"Doreen Paterson" wrote in
message ...


--
Doreen Paterson -
Remove 'spam me not' from email address!

Could someone please give me some advice on how, when and in what soil, to
repot what was once a satsuma seed and is now about three feet tall. It
is
presently in a 12" pot and looks very healthy.

The seed was planted by my late husband about three years ago and has done
well but obviously needs a new home.

I know very little about gardening but as I live on the north east coast
of
Scotland, outside - either in or out of pot - is not an option. We have
a
small greenhouse where it could be put in the summer months.

Should I keep it beside a heater during the winter months? It has lived
on
the kitchen windowsill until now but has outgrown the space available.

I had an uncle who had a citrus farm in the Magaliesberg region in South
Africa. They experience light frosts in the winter in those parts, so I
guess that as long as your greenhouse is frost free, you should be OK.

Why do you think it "obviously" needs a new home, particularly since, higher
up, you said that it looks healthy?
If it really does, repotting into a 15" or 18" pot should suit it for
another decade. But remember to feed it now and again.

Franz