Repotting Citrus in My Planters from QVC
Cold weather preparations are underway in my greenhouses.
Now that it’s autumn, everyone at the farm is busy preparing the greenhouses for all the tropical plants that will be stored indoors for the winter. Most of them are kept in one of three hoop houses designated specifically for warm weather specimens such as my collection of dwarf citrus trees. They are all thriving - in fact, I don’t remember the last time I actually bought a lemon. Some of them outgrew their their pots, and needed to be removed, trimmed, and repotted into slightly larger containers. Fortunately, I now have my own selection of durable and decorative planters available on QVC - and they’re just perfect for these beautiful and prolific growers. Repotting is a tedious process, but a very important one that keeps all my plants healthy.
Here are some photos and some handy tips - enjoy.
-
- These are my Square and Round Planters with False Bottoms available from my Garden Collection on QVC. The “false bottom” removable inserts save space when planting – there’s no need to fill the entire planter with soil.
-
- These containers are lightweight 12-inch vessels. They also come in 17-inch, and in two colors – this gray and a terracotta.
-
- These planters can be used indoors and out – the size is just perfect for my citrus trees.
-
- Here is one of the round planters with the “false bottom” inserted inside. We also placed a piece of mesh on top of the insert to prevent soil from falling through the drainage holes. All my pots are built with proper drainage holes.
-
- Phurba fills one pot with potting soil mixed right here at the farm. Citrus need well drained soil, so it is important to have the right potting mix that includes peat moss, perlite, vermiculite and nutrient-rich compost. We also add osmocote.
-
- Phurba gently removes the citrus from the old, smaller pot.
-
- And using sharp shears, Ryan snips off any dead leaves and gives the plant a slight pruning.
-
- Ryan also cuts away the old, outer roots to stimulate new growth and promote good aeration.
-
- Phurba then fills the planter with more soil – just until the bottom of the pot’s rim – adding too much soil will cause a mess when watering.
-
- Here is a bigger citrus tree that is definitely in need of a larger pot.
-
- This pot does not need the “false bottom”, but small shards over the drainage hole helps the plant drain more effectively. We always save shards from broken pots – it’s a great way to repurpose those pieces.
-
- Once again, to stimulate new root growth, Ryan cuts about an inch off the bottom and scarifies the root ball.
-
- And then, in an efficiently run production line process, the specimen goes to Phurba, so the pot can be filled with soil.
-
- My collection has grown quite a bit over the years. They look great in their new gray pots. All citrus fruits are members of the genus Citrus. Citrus plants dislike abrupt temperature shifts. These will be moved indoors when temperatures dip towards freezing.
-
- Citrus limon ‘Meyer’ – my favorite lemon because this thin-skinned fruit is much more flavorful than the ordinary store-bought. I love to use them for baking and cooking.
-
- Meyer lemons are also smaller and more round than their regular store-bought cousins. The Meyer lemon was first introduced to the United States in 1908 by the agricultural explorer, Frank Nicholas Meyer, an employee of the United States Department of Agriculture who collected a sample of the plant on a trip to China.
-
- This unusual fruit is called ‘Buddha’s Hand’ or ‘Fingered Citron’. Like citron, the peel is excellent when candied.
-
- Citrus sinensis ‘Trovita’ is thin skinned and develops without the excessive heat most oranges need to produce good fruit. The fruit is smaller, juicier, and milder in flavor.
-
- These fruits also store well without losing their sweetness.
-
- Calamondin, Citrus mitis, is an acid citrus fruit originating in China. Calamondin is called by many names, including calamondin orange, calamansi, calamandarin, golden lime, and musk orange.
-
- The fruits of the calamondin are small and thin skinned. Its juice can be used like lemon or lime to make refreshing beverages, or to flavor fish and various soups.
-
- This is a Citrus hystrix ‘Kaffir Lime’. It is sometimes referred to as the makrut lime and is native to tropical Asia, including India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. The leaves of this tree are often used in Thai cooking, for their delicious flavor and fragrance.
-
- The wrinkly fruit also provides a unique flavor that just can’t be reproduced by other citrus. If you’ve ever followed an authentic Thai recipe, it most likely called for ‘Kaffir Lime’. The leaves are a dark green color with a glossy sheen. The size of the leaves can vary from less than an inch to several inches long.
-
- This striped citrus limon tree produce fruits with pink flesh, and little to no seeds.
-
- The fruit grows year-round, and is heaviest in late winter through early summer. It produces very acidic juice.
-
- This is a Nagami kumquat, Fortunella margarita – the most commonly grown type of kumquat. The tree is small to medium in size with a dense and somewhat fine texture. These trees are quite cold-hardy because of their tendency to go semi-dormant from late fall to early spring.
-
- Unlike other citrus fruits, which have thick, pithy rinds, kumquat peel is thin and soft, and perfectly edible. In fact, the peel is sweet, compared to its rather tart flesh. Candied kumquats are delicious.
-
- I am so pleased with how well my citrus trees do here at the farm. Most of my collection is from Logee’s Tropical Plants, in Danielson, Connecticut. It is so satisfying to grow and pick your very own lemons and oranges. What are your favorite citrus fruits? Share your comments below.
Martha Pins
Martha Tweets
