Repotting my Orange Tree

[barbs01]

Hi fellow gardeners, hoping somebody can give me some advice please. I have a potted Navel orange Tree ( approx 4 years old ) in a black plastic pot 100 litres. it has been struggling to produce fruit, it only had 6 small oranges this year ( first crop ). I'm not sure if the potting mix is old and depleted or being in a plastic pot the roots are not growing from poor drainage and oxygen exchange, or are spiralled around the pot.

I wanted to repot it into a larger grow bag with improved new potting mix with the hope it will grow out and produce more growth and fruit, but I am not sure whether it is too late now. It has just started to produce new leaves and flower buds. If I repot it now will it go into transplant shock and drop it's flowers? Should i leave it alone and wait until next winter? Thank You so much

 

[Anniekay]

I would wait until next spring and only give it a pot a little larger than what it's in. Grow bag would not do. Give it new compost with lots of grit for excellent drainage in the bottom and around the edges of the pot in spring and it will be fine. They do not care for rich water holding soil.

A few oranges for the first crop is totally normal. The crop will improve as it ages.

 

[cpp gardener]

If you watch ‘Gardener’s World’ you will see that Monty repots and virtually bare-roots his citrus in early Spring every year. He removes them from the pot, finger pulls almost half the soil and roots, and then replants in the same pot. He uses a ‘peat-free compost’ with extra grit added. Sounds reasonable to me. A 100 liter pot should be quite sufficient for a few more years. Eventually it will be down to “how big a pot do I want to deal with”? Plastic or bag doesn’t really make a difference.

 

[Anniekay]

If you watch ‘Gardener’s World’ you will see that Monty repots and virtually bare-roots his citrus in early Spring every year. He removes them from the pot, finger pulls almost half the soil and roots, and then replants in the same pot. He uses a ‘peat-free compost’ with extra grit added. Sounds reasonable to me. A 100 liter pot should be quite sufficient for a few more years. Eventually it will be down to “how big a pot do I want to deal with”? Plastic or bag doesn’t really make a difference.

This is mostly right, Except: he doesn't at all do it every year, but every 5-6 years and only trims roots if they won't fit into the pot.
He uses clay, not plastic pots or bags because citrus need very free draining soil. Plastic keeps the soil moist for longer and you don't want that.

* I just watched that episode this morning, so I'm quite sure of this*

 

[barbs01]

I would wait until next spring and only give it a pot a little larger than what it's in. Grow bag would not do. Give it new compost with lots of grit for excellent drainage in the bottom and around the edges of the pot in spring and it will be fine. They do not care for rich water holding soil.

A few oranges for the first crop is totally normal. The crop will improve as it ages.

Thanks very much for your suggestions and advice Anniekay, that makes a lot of sense about the soil type too. I think the current soil is not very free draining.

 

[barbs01]

This is mostly right, Except: he doesn't at all do it every year, but every 5-6 years and only trims roots if they won't fit into the pot.
He uses clay, not plastic pots or bags because citrus need very free draining soil. Plastic keeps the soil moist for longer and you don't want that.

* I just watched that episode this morning, so I'm quite sure of this*

Yes, i don't think i will repot into a plastic container again, it's not ideal.

 

[barbs01]

If you watch ‘Gardener’s World’ you will see that Monty repots and virtually bare-roots his citrus in early Spring every year. He removes them from the pot, finger pulls almost half the soil and roots, and then replants in the same pot. He uses a ‘peat-free compost’ with extra grit added. Sounds reasonable to me. A 100 liter pot should be quite sufficient for a few more years. Eventually it will be down to “how big a pot do I want to deal with”? Plastic or bag doesn’t really make a difference.

Thanks! I will try to watch the episode and follow what he does for some clarity.