On May 6, 2019, the Trovita orange tree I ordered from Four Winds Growers in California arrived. It was about 24 inches tall with a rootball the size of a softball (pictured on the right).
Almost a year later, I am repotting this orange tree into its third container. As the 2020 growing season begins, I am excited with the prospect that it may bear fruit this year. A year long growing journey with this citrus tree taught me so much about how to care for fruit trees.
I was nervous as I prepared to transplant my orange tree because during the winter months it had lost many of its leaves. I was afraid that it was a sign of poor health and root damage. My mind was fretting over whether I watered it too frequently or it lacked nutrients during the winter months. The months of close monitoring and care paid off when I noticed a new leaf and blossom growth in late-March.
After watering and loosing the soil, I lifted the tree out and was greeted with a surprise. The roots were healthy and wrapped all the way around the edge of the old pot. During the last repotting in the fall, the rootball was the size of a dodgeball. Now it’s 10-12 inches in diameter with yellowish-white roots. I was delighted to see how well it developed over the winter months.
After the roots were massaged and loosened, the citrus tree was centered and back filled with citrus/palm soil mix. Cedar bark nuggets, usually used for orchid media, were dressed on top of the soil for decoration and soil moisture retention. This new pot has 4-5 inches of room below the bottom of the rootball, so I’m hoping it’ll be fine for about 2 years. Here’s to another great growing season! 🍻
