iskhan
Cool Member
Posts: 92
Joined: Mon Jun 21, 2010 5:30 am
Location: Karachi

Why is Orange Plant Not Growing?

Hi
I have a 1 year old orange plant in a container having 50% compost in a sunny location but its size is not increasing its size is only 3 inches having 8 leaves. what is the problem?? and what is the solution??

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applestar
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Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

I have quite a few seedling citruses, all in containers because the have to be brought inside during the cold season. Some of them are oranges. in my experience, the seedlings don't grow a whole lot during their first year, but will start really growing in their 2nd summer growing season.

They seem to experience vegetative growth in spurts. I expect them to start throwing new shoots around early to mid-February, then again in early summer and late summer.

Mine are planted in what I would consider sandy mix of 1/3 sand, 1/3 compost, and 1/3 garden/topsoil with some dried seaweed. I occasionally water them with "coffee dregs water" (about 3TBS worth of used coffee grounds in small watering can) and "left over juice water" (juice kids didn't finish drinking mixed into water) as well as a squirt of worm compost leacheate mixed in the water and AACT (see compost tea thread at top of the Compost Forum) just before active growth when new shoots begin to emerge. They need micronutrients like iron and zinc, and prefer slightly acid soil.

I bring them inside after the temps fall in the upper 30's ...°F and keep them grouped in front of a cool (downstairs) SW window during the winter and mist until dripping every morning. They don't like to be overwatered so I water only when the surface of the soil is dry.

When spring temps are consistently above 42°F, I prune some of the weak winter growth, put them outside in a protected area under the trees and gradually acclimate them to a full sun location where they stay undisturbed until cold weather comes around again.

I have to prune them before bringing them inside mostly because they get too big. I've started shaping the growth and training the branches so I probably need to prune shortly after their summer growth spurt as well.



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