Clueless About Dwarf Citrus

[chefbrianb]

I am currently the proud father of two dwarf citrus trees (Kaffir lime and Meyer lemon.) While I am very confident when it comes to cooking their usable parts, I am clueless when it comes to taking care of them (beyond the obvious watering, spritzing, and getting them sun.) If anyone has info as to how to properly care for these babies or a book I should buy for guidance it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[FoodHacker]

I hope it helps

[FoodHacker]

Good luck

I recenty bought an Improved Meyer Lemon, rosemary, bay and fig(Italian Honey) tree(s) so I know how you feel I'm learning as I go as well ... my wife works with a lady that bought 1 a couple of years ago and from what I know her's is doing well ... I will be checking with her as to what she does about watering and fertililizing from what I understand they are a pretty tough little tree as long as you bring them in during the winter... I maybe doing wrong but I put mine in a 2 gallon pot using just Scotts topsoil.

[elizabethbryce@]

Since it is impossible to have citrus on the ground where I live here, I have mine in a big pot which I put in my kitchenette area where the sun can reach it. Anyway, once every three or four years, I completely remove it from the pot and cut the bottom roots and re-pot the whole tree in the same container with fresh potting soil. Apart from that, there is really nothing that you can do for it apart from what you are already doing -- sun, water and fertilizer. Both my meyer and key limes are now flowering profusely ready to be put outside when the frost is over, here in Missouri, that will be sometime in May...

Hope this helps...

[FoodHacker]

What kind of fertilizer do you use and where would someone be able to find it?
BTW is it normal for some of the leaves to curl? There isn't any discoloration but a few of the leaves are starting to curl and I'm wondering if I am watering it to much or maybe not enough ... from what I have read so far improved meyer lemon trees seem to prefer drier conditions rather than wet ... I just got my tree within the last week placed it in a 2 gallon pot with topsoil instead of potting soil .

[elizabethbryce@]

Originally Posted by FoodHacker

What kind of fertilizer do you use and where would someone be able to find it?

If you go to Lowes or Home Depot they have citrus fertilizer at their garden section...A good potting mix also helps, like Miracle Grow...

Originally Posted by FoodHacker

BTW is it normal for some of the leaves to curl? There isn't any discoloration but a few of the leaves are starting to curl and I'm wondering if I am watering it to much or maybe not enough ... from what I have read so far improved meyer lemon trees seem to prefer drier conditions rather than wet ... I just got my tree within the last week placed it in a 2 gallon pot with topsoil instead of potting soil .

As I have already said, I repot mine every three or even 4 years...and I do not have a problem. Since you just got yours, they will be fine for another year or two. I do not know which part of the world you live but if you live in a snowy/frosty area where you have to put your plants inside the house, it is normal for them to drop their leaves off. Just position it away from the heater vent and put them where the sun shines on them or even just bright light will do, not necessary for sunlight to shine on them really. My meyer is at my kitchenette at the moment and do not have direct sunlight shining on it this year and it is flowering profusely. Last year they got located in the formal lounge room at the south of the house and the sun shines on them in the morning. So go figure...and yes, the leaves curls before it falls if they are inside the house at the moment...the thing is not to baby them too much...

'Hope this helps...