This summer I purchased a Meyer Lemon tree which did very well outdoors. I is about two feet tall, and has already born three ripe lemons, with several more set. I brought it indoors as the weather started to turn cold, as suggested on an internet site about citrus trees. I was preparing to transplant it to a very large pot (10-15 gal.) as directed by the website, but a gardening center employee insisted that transplanting a citrus tree after the weather has turned cold will kill it. She also said that the pot should only be one size larger, which runs counter to the web site. Do I transplant the tree to a very big pot now, or wait until next spring, and when I do, do I put it in a 10 to 15 gallon pot or in a pot only one size larger? Any thoughts?
Over-potting will result in the soil staying moist over longer periods, creating unhealthy conditions. It would be better to go one, maybe two, sizes up when repotting. I would wait until late winter or early spring before transplanting, when the tree begins to show active growth. The tree's energy stores will be high at that time which will allow it to repair roots damaged in the repotting process.
