This calamondin tree was germinated from seed 2 years ago. I wanted to get some thoughts on it from the experts out there... it seems to grow at a very slow rate (~ 2-3 leaves a year) while the trunk gets no thicker. Does this line up with the norm? Is there something in specific I should be doing? Pic attached. Thanks!
I think it should be a foot or two tall by now! Is it growing in really good light, with decent fertilizer, in a decent potting mix? It needs to be outside when frosts have passed in good but not scorching light. It needs fertilizing as citrus are greedy, and it should be in a well draining mix. Get these right and it will grow much quicker. I have some 4 and a half month old seedlings that are bigger, so something about the growing conditions perhaps isn't right for your seedling.
well, the tree is a bit out of it's element since I am attempting to grow it in an area that is not conducive to cirtrus. summers peak at mid 90's and winters hit a low in the teens (fahrenheit). so during the winter months I keep it inside. what fertilizer is recommended and on what schedule?
Your summers are hotter than ours lol. We get about 25C for three or four weeks, then anything in between we can scrounge :) I use a water soluble fertilizer high in nitrogen and containing trace elements. In summer, I fertilize every 2 weeks, in winter, every 3 to 4 weeks. Have you been fertilizing? They are greedy and like their food! Where abouts is it situated indoors? A south facing window, on a humidity tray in a warm room would be best.
It is in a clay pot with a clay tray. I will replace the clay tray with a copper tray, and throw in some small rocks to turn it into a "humidity" tray. During the summer months, I was fertilizing every two weeks (with an orchid fertilized; that was all I had). Now that the winter is here, I haven't fertilized at all. I will do that. What fertilizer do you recommend? With the humidity tray, do you water from the tray (so it is soaked up) or water from the top (so it is soaked down)? I've been watering well (about every 4-5 days) when the soil looks very dry. The tree is in a south facing window that gets direct / indirect sun for a good 8 hours a day.
I honestly don't know why it isn't growing bigger then lol. Always water citrus from the top - the water in the tray should never be high enough to get soaked up or it will rot the roots. As for fertilizer, there are thousands out there suitable. Go for a high nitrogen one with trace elements like boron, copper, iron etc
My big fear is temperature we keep our house at; During the day it is 68F and 52F at night. I'm sure those are at the high end where the plant is near the window.
Citrus roots do fine up to about 95F I think, if not more. So as long as your pot isn't boiling it should be ok. Root growth would be better at a higher tempt than 68F. Don't forget, the air might be that temp, but the roots will be cooler than that. Maybe you need to warm the roots - they should be at least 70F
what are some good (efficient) methods for warming roots? i've considered a heat pad, but thought this would not do much... this is only a worry during the winter... our home is much warmer during the summer, and i keep the plant outside.
Your Calamondin is EXTREMELY SMALL for a two year old tree. A two year old Calamondin should be between 15 to 24 inches tall, and should already be branching. One BIG problem that you are subjecting your tree to, is the low temperature that you are growing the tree, Citrus roots, AND citrus foliage stop all growth at 55.4-F and below. You are keeping your tree below that temperature throughout the night, and therefore into the morning hours. Your daytime temperature of 68F does allow SOME root growth, and SOME foliage growth, but at a very slow pace, especially with the short days of winter. The optimum temperature for citrus root growth is 86.7-F, and 86.7 is also near the optimum growth for the tree's foliage. Unless you keep your tree at the proper temperature, your tree will continue to do poorly. After all, citrus are semi-tropical trees. Lastly, citrus are heavy feeders, and as aesir22 wrote, citrus are nitrogen hogs. Water your seedling tree at 250-300 PPM (parts per million N), a MINIMUM of once a month. Twice a month would be much better. There are many ways to keep the container constantly warm.- Millet
Thank you both for helping me through this. Millet, can you provide some ideas for keeping the pot continuously warm, or some links to further info? Thanks!!
My pot is about 4 inch diameter at the top, and about 5 inches tall. Would an adjustable heat mat warm that roots in a pot that big?
Millet, also the pot is on a humidity tray. Could the heat penetrate to the roots? The christmas light method seems to be the best bet since it encompasses the pot with warmth. Has anyone done some analysis on how much the christmas lights increase the temp of the soil?
You need to buy a thermometer for the soil, and use trial and error to decide how many coils around the pot you have to make to get the right temp. It is a very cost effective and cheap way of warming the pot.
It'd be really nice to get these lights working in conjunction with a soil thermometer, so the lights are only on when the soil is below a certain temp... more research. :)
Heater mats are best, they work well and are far more efficient than any set of lights, put the pot on the mat, and if you are using a tray for humidity, just put that on the mat as well, the heater mat will warm it and make more humidity than a tray will, if you realy ned humidity (get a gauge and check) i think its best to run an electric humidifyer on and off during the day to raise humidity. Pot size with heater mats isnt a problem i use mats on everything from 1/4 litre to 100+ litre pots in the house to hold the temerature at the top end of the range to get rapid root growth, they have thermostats once warm they keep it there. I have some trees outside which have the lights on/around the pot, they dont heat it up much but stop it going too cold, the trees outside are virtualy dormant, just not frozen, not much temperature increase just anti frost If its just for the one plant, have a look at non plant items for heaters as well, pet bed heaters and reptile tank mats work as well and are sometimes smaller and lower cost.
StarLoc, aesir22 and Millet, thanks for all of your help. StarLoc, thanks for the info on mats and warming of larger pots through the humidity tray. That was my biggest fear.
