Does anyone have a good formula for citrus compost ? I have read that John
Innes No3 is appropriate but a large Poncirus Trifoliata "Flying Dragon" I
bought last year came potted in a very coarse peat compost. Also, can I use
universal liquid "phostrogen" type feeds or do I need to use the expensive
specialised stuff?
Best regards,
Christina

In article ,
Christina Cameron wrote:
Does anyone have a good formula for citrus compost ? I have read that John
Innes No3 is appropriate but a large Poncirus Trifoliata "Flying Dragon" I
bought last year came potted in a very coarse peat compost. Also, can I use
universal liquid "phostrogen" type feeds or do I need to use the expensive
specialised stuff?

Ideally, any neutral to slightly acid John Innes, but a similar,
freely-draining soilless one will do. They are actually fairly
flexible, so don't worry. And, yes, you can use generic feeds,
but give it some ericaceous (acid) feed every now and then.

Citrus are far tougher than is often made out - just don't let
them get waterlogged, completely dried out or frozen.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Christina Cameron wrote:
Does anyone have a good formula for citrus compost ? I have read that John
Innes No3 is appropriate but a large Poncirus Trifoliata "Flying Dragon" I
bought last year came potted in a very coarse peat compost. Also, can I
use
universal liquid "phostrogen" type feeds or do I need to use the expensive
specialised stuff?

Ideally, any neutral to slightly acid John Innes, but a similar,
freely-draining soilless one will do. They are actually fairly
flexible, so don't worry. And, yes, you can use generic feeds,
but give it some ericaceous (acid) feed every now and then.

Citrus are far tougher than is often made out - just don't let
them get waterlogged, completely dried out or frozen.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.
My trifoliata got an annual feed of 10-10-10 and that was it...produced up
to 200 oranges per year. A hedge of them make great animal barriers....also
make an excellent root stock for oranges and is grown as such down in
Florida...HW

The message
from "Harold Walker" contains these words:

My trifoliata got an annual feed of 10-10-10 and that was it...produced up
to 200 oranges per year. A hedge of them make great animal
barriers....also
make an excellent root stock for oranges and is grown as such down in
Florida...HW

That's fine - but they've got their feet in soil. This is
UK.rec.gardening, and any orange tree left outside here in yhe UK all
year would very soon be an ex-orange tree, so the tree is potted.

My two-year-old lemon trees thrive on ordinary potting compost mixed
with some bonemeal. In the spring I give them some nitrogen, in the form
of smelly infusion of nettles.

Two of the most vigorous (all pips from the same lemon) are over five
feet tall, while the smallest is about nine inches...

--
Rusty
Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar.
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

"Jaques d'Alltrades" wrote in message
k...
The message
from "Harold Walker" contains these words:

My trifoliata got an annual feed of 10-10-10 and that was it...produced
up
to 200 oranges per year. A hedge of them make great animal
barriers....also
make an excellent root stock for oranges and is grown as such down in
Florida...HW

That's fine - but they've got their feet in soil. This is
UK.rec.gardening, and any orange tree left outside here in yhe UK all
year would very soon be an ex-orange tree, so the tree is potted.

My two-year-old lemon trees thrive on ordinary potting compost mixed
with some bonemeal. In the spring I give them some nitrogen, in the form
of smelly infusion of nettles.

Two of the most vigorous (all pips from the same lemon) are over five
feet tall, while the smallest is about nine inches...

--
Rusty
Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar.
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

Curious....why not in the ground..the trifoliata are very hardy....will take
temps. down to minus 17 C without a problem plus a windy and humid
climate......some friends of mine have theirs in ground in the UK and still
are growing without a problem...HW

In article ,
"Harold Walker" writes:
|
| Curious....why not in the ground..the trifoliata are very hardy....will take
| temps. down to minus 17 C without a problem plus a windy and humid
| climate......some friends of mine have theirs in ground in the UK and still
| are growing without a problem...HW

It is doubtful that they would take that in the UK, because of our
severe waterlogging and frost/warmth cycles in the winter with
continual 100% humidity. However, I have heard that they are
adequately hardy in quite a lot of the UK - including all of the
milder parts.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

"Christina Cameron" wrote
Does anyone have a good formula for citrus compost ? I have read that John
Innes No3 is appropriate but a large Poncirus Trifoliata "Flying Dragon" I
bought last year came potted in a very coarse peat compost. Also, can I
use universal liquid "phostrogen" type feeds or do I need to use the
expensive specialised stuff?

I use a normal ericaceous compost with bark chippings*(as used for orchid
composts) to increase drainage. 4 to 1.
* these are NOT the half rotted chipped bark available at Garden Centres.

--
Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London

On Tue, 10 May 2005 07:43:18 +0100, "Christina Cameron"
wrote:

Does anyone have a good formula for citrus compost ? I have read that John
Innes No3 is appropriate but a large Poncirus Trifoliata "Flying Dragon" I
bought last year came potted in a very coarse peat compost. Also, can I use
universal liquid "phostrogen" type feeds or do I need to use the expensive
specialised stuff?

Citrus are prone to chlorosis and the Florida growers have to be alert
for it. I think the issue is iron, but I'm not at all sure I'm right
in saying that. Another issue might be that the soils in Florida are
particularly deficient in iron (or whatever).

thinks

It's something along the lines of the alkaline soils of Florida
causing chlorosis which is countered with a feed of iron.

I suggest you google "citrus chlorosis" and see what turns up.


--
Rodger Whitlock
Victoria, BC, Canada
to send email, change atlantic to pacific
and invalid to net

Many thanks to all you worthy contributors, it makes fascinating and very
interesting reading. I have been germinating "pips" from lemons, kumquats,
mandarins etc since christmas and now have quite a collection of seedlings
including some interesting variegated ones (the albinos all died). I
recently acquired a large quantity (500grams) of poncirus trifoliata seeds
(about 3000!) which are now in flats with several just starting to sprout.
I'll keep you posted on how I get on.
Thanks again. Christina.

"Rodger Whitlock" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 10 May 2005 07:43:18 +0100, "Christina Cameron"
wrote:

Does anyone have a good formula for citrus compost ? I have read that
John
Innes No3 is appropriate but a large Poncirus Trifoliata "Flying Dragon"
I
bought last year came potted in a very coarse peat compost. Also, can I
use
universal liquid "phostrogen" type feeds or do I need to use the
expensive
specialised stuff?

Citrus are prone to chlorosis and the Florida growers have to be alert
for it. I think the issue is iron, but I'm not at all sure I'm right
in saying that. Another issue might be that the soils in Florida are
particularly deficient in iron (or whatever).

thinks

It's something along the lines of the alkaline soils of Florida
causing chlorosis which is countered with a feed of iron.

I suggest you google "citrus chlorosis" and see what turns up.


--
Rodger Whitlock
Victoria, BC, Canada
to send email, change atlantic to pacific
and invalid to net

In article , Christina Cameron
writes
Many thanks to all you worthy contributors, it makes fascinating and very
interesting reading. I have been germinating "pips" from lemons, kumquats,
mandarins etc since christmas and now have quite a collection of seedlings
including some interesting variegated ones (the albinos all died).

That's to be expected , isn't it? - they need to have some green to be
able to photosynthesise.

I
recently acquired a large quantity (500grams) of poncirus trifoliata seeds
(about 3000!) which are now in flats with several just starting to sprout.
I'll keep you posted on how I get on.
Thanks again. Christina.

"Rodger Whitlock" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 10 May 2005 07:43:18 +0100, "Christina Cameron"
wrote:

Does anyone have a good formula for citrus compost ? I have read that
John
Innes No3 is appropriate but a large Poncirus Trifoliata "Flying Dragon"
I
bought last year came potted in a very coarse peat compost. Also, can I
use
universal liquid "phostrogen" type feeds or do I need to use the
expensive
specialised stuff?

Citrus are prone to chlorosis and the Florida growers have to be alert
for it. I think the issue is iron, but I'm not at all sure I'm right
in saying that. Another issue might be that the soils in Florida are
particularly deficient in iron (or whatever).

thinks

It's something along the lines of the alkaline soils of Florida
causing chlorosis which is countered with a feed of iron.

I suggest you google "citrus chlorosis" and see what turns up.


--
Rodger Whitlock
Victoria, BC, Canada
to send email, change atlantic to pacific
and invalid to net



--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"