Growing citrus in pots

[spaugh]

I up potted 2 citrus trees using coco chips, potting mix, perlite, peat moss, and zeolite (sweet zdp).  Its basically what I have been using for pineapples.

[tve]

I used coco chips and choir for a couple of years and managed to almost kill a dozen young citrus trees plus had lots of trouble with veggies in potting blocks. In desperation I repotted all the trees (minus one that didn't make it) using E.B.Stone citrus and cactus mix and what a difference! After reading about other people's experience I came to the conclusion that there's nothing fundamentally wrong with the coco stuff but that it's very difficult to ascertain the quality. The main issue being salt content due to the way and location of the processing. I also found out from a local orchid nursery where I used to buy some coco choir in the past that they switched away from it due to quality/consistency issues. Again, it's not a fundamental problem with the material, YMMV for sure...

[daytripper]

I used coco chips and choir for a couple of years and managed to almost kill a dozen young citrus trees plus had lots of trouble with veggies in potting blocks. In desperation I repotted all the trees (minus one that didn't make it) using E.B.Stone citrus and cactus mix and what a difference! After reading about other people's experience I came to the conclusion that there's nothing fundamentally wrong with the coco stuff but that it's very difficult to ascertain the quality. The main issue being salt content due to the way and location of the processing. I also found out from a local orchid nursery where I used to buy some coco choir in the past that they switched away from it due to quality/consistency issues. Again, it's not a fundamental problem with the material, YMMV for sure...

Coco often does have a lot of salt in it.  Even when I buy coco products that say they have been washed, I always give it a good drenching to wash away salts before use.

[spaugh]

I soaked and rinsed my coco many times with RO water.  Then added a little calcium/magnesium plus nitrogen liquid fert in the final risne to add calcium.  Coco apparently has a lot of potassium and needs extra calcium compared to other mediums.

[Millet]

This is the method that commercial growers use to prepare there Coconut husk chips To prepare the husk.

First hydrate the bale in two 32
gallon containers at least overnight , and then transfer the
hydrated husk and excess water to a second container that
has had a large number of holes drilled into the bottom, and
about six inches up the sides. After the husk drains, a steady
stream of water is washed through until it appears to run
clear from the container. Then the husk is again transferred
back to the solid container and again covered with water
with a few ounces each of Calcium Nitrate and Magnesium
Sulfate (Epsom Salts) added at least overnight. The draining
and washing procedure is repeated again using pure water,
with the final rinse being extensive. At this point
measurements have revealed virtually no significant leachable salts and a pH just slightly
below neutral. The conditioning with calcium and magnesium is done because of the moderate
Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) of the coconut husk. Sodium (Na) and Potassium (K) ions
are strongly bound to the CHC. Laboratory comparative analysis of extracts of coconut husk
products using distilled water versus a barium chloride solution demonstrate that as much as
2/3 of the Na and K may not be leached by water alone. What then happens is that you cation
exchange calcium and magnesium for sodium and potassium in your early fertilized
irrigations, creating possible calcium and magnesium deficiencies and sodium and potassium
excesses. If you irrigate heavily as we recommend, the problem is quite temporary and
limited. Unfortunately, it seems to be more and more common to hear about people using less
extensive irrigation practices, and under these circumstances problems may arise. The
addition of calcium and magnesium in the wash stages allows for cation exchange to occur
then, creating a more balanced state from the start.

http://www.orchidclubofsouthaustraliainc.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/use_of_coconut_husk_chips_for_potting_medium.pdf

[sahai1]

I've pulled some of my citrus from pots after several years, I noticed that the potting mixes I made myself from clay topsoil, manure, compost, and coir had 'irregular' but efficient roots which binded to the soil, container walls, and were very very strong.  I had to cut roots to remove the trees.

In the more springy potting mixes, the roots were almost 'floating' when pulled they just came right out with a uniform spacing and size, and showed 'netting' which is overlapping roots.  That is not healthy.

Eventually that 'netting' will grow to fill the entire container until there isn't any soil left.

[Epicatt2]

Have recently started putting together a fruit forest in my yard here in Tampa (Zone 9B) and so far have gotten about eight to ten citrus cultivars along with a number of other hardy to semi-hardy tropical fruits.

The citrus were potted in 5gal pots in commercial potting soil like Miracle-Gro or Scott's, etc. –products found at HomeDepot.  After a year in this soil mix I'm seeing a slightly yellow cast on some of the citrus and on a few there's yellowing along the mid-vein of the leaves.  This commercial potting mix appears to have become more packed and I'm guessing that has reduced the aeration around the root system in the unhappy looking plants.

Then I repotted a few of the stressed-looking citrus into a homemade ferm mix (= 1:1:1, milled sphagnum:leafmold-compost:coarse builders sand), and the stressed-looking citrus after being moved into that 'fern mix' now seem much happier.  But I'm guessing that further doubling the amount of builders sand in this mix might offer even more aeration and that the citrus might be happier still. (BTW, 1/2 part coarse Perlite was added to that original 1:1:1 fern mix mentioned above to provide further aeration.)

So, could any of you more-seasoned citrus growers kindly offer me any observations ref my modified fern mix for citrus?  Any comments will be gladly accepted.  Does adding more builders sand sound like a good way to go?

Cheers!

Paul M.
==
PS - The citrus is being fertilized very lightly with citrus fertilizer every other month.

[Danielweb]

I have been growing citrus trees in pots for 15 years now (mainly lemons) and I can recommend mix of any drainage material (bark, perlit, cactus mix) and rich garden soil in 1:1 ratio. The main issue is that citrus trees do not tolerate waterlogged soil for long periods of time, so it is important to provide them with a well-drained substrate. I personally wouldn't recommend peat because of low pH. Here is good guide if anybody would looking for one: how to grow citrus trees in pots 

Good luck with your citrus trees