It wasn't exactly sunbathing weather this weekend but at least we're seeing highs in the upper forties again. Now is when I usually start doing the daily dance of bringing my citrus trees outside in the morning and back in when the sun sets unless the forecast is extraordinarily cold or windy. Citrus trees are generally hardy down to 32 degrees F and in my opinion, the added sun they get from being outside during the day outweighs the warmth they get inside. Spending the winter indoors zaps them of their strength and by early spring, they are starving for more sunlight. Maybe in a couple of weeks, I'll be able to keep them in the hoop house until late May as nighttime temperature are now hovering around freezing under the plastic.
My meyer lemon tree is at the far right - a shadow what it used to be. It lost about 70 percent of its foliage. When I checked the PH of the potting soil, it was off the charts high. I've read that citrus trees prefer soil that is on the acidic side. I pruned the tree back today to encourage new growth and will re-pot it with fresh potting mix and peat moss. Hopefully this will help.
Not exactly sunbathing but seems we both are enjoying a few sunny days....you in Mass and us in Nova Scotia. Thanks for the good weather by the way)))
ReplyDeleteYour full transplant tray looks delicious..but I must say, your lemon trees just make me jealous))
Great spring wishes T...from your N.S. neighbour.
Are those spiky leaves at the top artichokes? They got big fast!
ReplyDeleteI should start popping out my trees too, thanks for the tip. Your early starts are looking excellent!
ReplyDeleteI saw that same speckled lettuce at one of our local nurseries and loved it instantly. We already have enough seed for this year, but I'm going to watch your blog for a review.
ReplyDeleteSome sunshine makes happy campers from plants that are winter weary! The seedlings look great. My artichoke plants were started a little behind you but they are trying to catch up fast!
ReplyDeleteNice to see your seedlings bathing happily in sun. Happy Spring Gardening!
ReplyDeleteI always struggle with keeping acidic levels in some soils. I hope the re-potting and pruning helps your lemon come back nice and strong. You have quite the citrus collection going on there my friend!
ReplyDeleteMy orange has scale, but it has not gotten out of control at least.
I need to try some dwarf citrus trees.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear yours made it through the winter. :)
Knock on wood, indeed - my artichokes are also much healthier this year. I planted mine out yesterday, now we wait... they died outside last year, but I have them in a new location this year with full sun, I tried to put them next to a fence last year not realizing that the trees when full of foliage would shade them for a few hours each day.
ReplyDeleteThomas, when I went to my local garden center (not big box) the gentleman told me to just apply Cottonseed Meal to the blueberries every fall (they also love acidic soil). Cottonseed is a nitrogen fertilizer and acidifies the soil. Lo and behold--success! I may try that with the meyer lemon in addition to the organic fertilizer.
ReplyDeleteI think I was watering it too much too. I was doing every 7 days and seemed to lose a lot of leaves. I switched to watering every 10 days or so (it's in a plastic pot) and have had leaf retention ever since.
I saw someone else's citrus tree and he kept the soil almost bone dry and the tree looked really good, his was in a terracotta pot.
Anna in MD
Hi Anna, thanks for the tip! I won't know more until I take the tree out of the pot and see what's going on underneath. If the roots look rotten then I'm sure overwatering is the problem but I've had the same watering schedule for the past 3 winters and it didn't seem like a problem before. This fall I also have to remind myself to treat my trees a few times with a soap spray as mites and scale have also been a problem this year (worse than others).
ReplyDeleteI will definitely have to look into cottonseed meal! Let me know who it works for you.
I just bought my first citrus, a Lisbon lemon, over the weekend. I'm too afraid to put it outside yet, but I'm doing the dance with a lot of my other veggie seedlings.
ReplyDeleteOh my, citrus and snow in the same photo! Your veggie starts are looking really good. Good to hear that the aphids aren't a problem this year. I hope those crimson favas do well for you. My Amish Paste tomatoes have germinated and are coming along under lights at the moment. I just hope I don't kill them off before they get big enough to set out, I've been having problems with that this spring, I think my potting soil has some problems (or perhaps it's just me!).
ReplyDeleteI've had my onions out sunbathing when the weather gets into the mid forties or higher. But my seedlings are much smaller than yours are.
ReplyDeleteI didn't realize you had so many citrus trees (I recalled one or two...). Your lettuce starts are looking good.
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