Author Topic: Will flowers/fruit drop on a potted citrus that is planted  (Read 735 times)

CitrusFanatic

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Will flowers/fruit drop on a potted citrus that is planted
« on: April 08, 2021, 05:39:24 AM »
I multigrafted a potted lemon tree last year, and have been planning to plant it this spring (now),  but to my surprise the grafts have all put out flowers. Will I be able to plant it without the flowers dropping or should I just keep it potted?

poncirsguy

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Re: Will flowers/fruit drop on a potted citrus that is planted
« Reply #1 on: April 08, 2021, 07:49:37 AM »
Plant it.  most of those floers will drop any way

brian

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Re: Will flowers/fruit drop on a potted citrus that is planted
« Reply #2 on: April 08, 2021, 09:45:59 AM »
I would just plant it and hope for the best.  They grow so much faster and healthier in the ground.

Millet

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Re: Will flowers/fruit drop on a potted citrus that is planted
« Reply #3 on: April 08, 2021, 11:21:41 AM »
It all depends on how carefully you transplant the tree from the container to the ground.  Also how carefully you properly water the grounded tree.  Your tree will probably lose some flowers and leaves, but should do alright.  Dig a hole just a LITTLE larger then the root ball is now, and do not all any amendments.  Be careful not to let the root system go completely dry.

CitrusFanatic

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Re: Will flowers/fruit drop on a potted citrus that is planted
« Reply #4 on: April 08, 2021, 05:50:54 PM »
It all depends on how carefully you transplant the tree from the container to the ground.  Also how carefully you properly water the grounded tree.  Your tree will probably lose some flowers and leaves, but should do alright.  Dig a hole just a LITTLE larger then the root ball is now, and do not all any amendments.  Be careful not to let the root system go completely dry.
I've decided to plant it, but I'm curious as to why amendments are a bad idea since I usually plant everything in large holes with lots of amendments because of my heavy clay soil. Also, would setting up a shade cloth help the plant adjust?

Calreef18

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Re: Will flowers/fruit drop on a potted citrus that is planted
« Reply #5 on: April 08, 2021, 10:59:43 PM »
Depending on the amendments it can prevent the tree roots from growing out properly in the surround soil (the roots stay in the same ball of soil and get crowded instead of pushing out into native soil). The shade cloth can help reduce some stress in the new location until the tree gets established. Is the potted tree already close to where it will be planted so that it is used to same sun exposure?

Millet

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Re: Will flowers/fruit drop on a potted citrus that is planted
« Reply #6 on: April 09, 2021, 11:15:00 AM »
Digging a large hole in a heavy clay soil, and then filling it with amendments, creates a water pool that the tree's roots set in.  Further, as Calreef wrote the tree's root system will not expand into the clay soil.

poncirsguy

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Re: Will flowers/fruit drop on a potted citrus that is planted
« Reply #7 on: April 09, 2021, 12:56:31 PM »
Going from 5-1-1 to yellow /orange clay.  I dug a shallow hole and set the diggings aside to dry out, several weeks.  I powdered the clay into dust with a hammer.  I bare rooted my 30 gallon PT and set it in the hole and poured the dust around and over the root.  I shook the tree violently then watered it in.  Some of the roots and below soil trunk were above ground now.  I used the 5-1-1 left and covered the exposed roots making a small mound 2 feet in diameter.  6 years late and 10 feet tall it grows like a weed.