Author Topic: repotting a young meyer in september?  (Read 1237 times)

incubator01

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 119
    • Belgium, Central Europe
    • View Profile
repotting a young meyer in september?
« on: September 21, 2021, 08:34:35 AM »
So I am getting a meyer this week, grafted on carizzo rootstock.
I know the soil will contain heavy clay or dark moisture holding soil, thing is, it's already getting a bit colder and citrus are getting dormant here.
Can I still wash out the clay soil from the roots or is this too late in the year for such a stressful act, (its in a 14cm pot so it's still young) and replace the soil with proper draining soil? Or should I leave things until spring and water very little every 2 weeks?

Millet

  • Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4798
    • Colorado
    • View Profile
Re: repotting a young meyer in september?
« Reply #1 on: September 21, 2021, 10:52:54 AM »
As a point of clarification citrus don't go dormant. Their growth does slow down, but not dormant. Over the years I have transplanted citrus during every time of the year.   About 95% of damage to a root system during transplanting is caused by the person doing the transplanting.  A careful, not rushed transplanting can be carried out at any time.

incubator01

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 119
    • Belgium, Central Europe
    • View Profile
Re: repotting a young meyer in september?
« Reply #2 on: September 21, 2021, 02:19:55 PM »
As a point of clarification citrus don't go dormant. Their growth does slow down, but not dormant. Over the years I have transplanted citrus during every time of the year.   About 95% of damage to a root system during transplanting is caused by the person doing the transplanting.  A careful, not rushed transplanting can be carried out at any time.

Well over here they call it "dormant" because our temperatures get a bit colder and they drink very little because there is much less sunlight and the days are shorter.
But anyway, it's true they do grow much slower :)
I'll try to be careful with the meyer, if the soil is loose enough I don't have to use a hose and give a gentle wash by hand instead, it's just that most citrus from italy are planted in very hard clay, they even admitted this had to be done for their climate, and is an annoyance when needing to change soil.

Citradia

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 958
    • USA/NC/Old Fort/6B
    • View Profile
Re: repotting a young meyer in september?
« Reply #3 on: September 21, 2021, 08:33:48 PM »
Incubator01, are you planting it in ground or just repotting in better potting media? If it’s staying in a pot and being protected from winter freeze, it doesn’t matter when you repot it. I broke the rules one year and planted a Rio Red grapefruit and an Owari in ground after I purchased them in mid November but I protected them from severe freezing over winter with my cold frames and space heater method.

Citradia

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 958
    • USA/NC/Old Fort/6B
    • View Profile
Re: repotting a young meyer in september?
« Reply #4 on: September 21, 2021, 08:36:05 PM »
Oops! Sorry. I just reread the title of your post, “repotting.” Geeze. Yeah. Put it in better soil. No worries.

brian

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3356
    • Pennsylvania (zone 6) w/ heated greenhouse
    • View Profile
Re: repotting a young meyer in september?
« Reply #5 on: September 21, 2021, 09:37:52 PM »
If you submerse it in a big tub of water and loosen the dirt from the roots while in the water the bouyancy helps prevent the roots from being ripped out and the water softens it all up.

incubator01

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 119
    • Belgium, Central Europe
    • View Profile
Re: repotting a young meyer in september?
« Reply #6 on: September 22, 2021, 02:47:26 AM »
Yeah i was indeed planning to soak it in a tub,/ bucket and gently removing the dirt with my fingers.
With bigger plants this won't work because the clay core is too dense.

Vlad

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 245
    • Worcester, MA USDA zone 5b
    • View Profile
Re: repotting a young meyer in september?
« Reply #7 on: September 22, 2021, 10:04:51 AM »
I dislodge soil by quickly moving the tree up and down in water. Using fingers might break more fine roots.