old orange tree repot

[wireme]

Wireme,

citrus on our side likes a freely draining soil and lots of sun. That's about all we do to keep them going.

Any Fruit ?

Should have started bearing since 10 to 20 years,
Mind you for us from seed, gives Portugals [ a peel able fruit, from seed not often sweet ] or a sour lemon or a Seville orange, not necessarily the fruit it came from.

Nice living memory.
More sun and leaves will get smaller.
AND no we have no citrus bonsai - too difficult.
Good Day
Anthony

* They originally started off in China or so and have some resistance to cold, you may wish to look up the zones/

NOT TROPICAL !!!

Hey Anthony,
Fruit only once so far, probably 20 years ago, time flies eh? Yes the leaves that grew in full sun this summer are about 1/4 the size of the old leaves, better.

 

[wireme]

I too have been wanting to try a kumquat, as I have seen some cool examples of them.

And "flying dragon", which is cold hardy and grows contorted. neat.


Kumquat bonsai, picture and tree not mine:

Really nice example, where is it from?

 

[JoeR]

Really nice example, where is it from?

Hmmm... I cant find the link. But I think I found it on either Peter Teas blog or the Valavanis blog and it was a tree displayed at a kokofu exhibition.

 

[CWTurner]

This is an orange tree I have had since I planted a seed from a grocery store orange when I was 3yrs old, nearly 40 years ago now.

Regardless of its value as a bonsai, having kept something like that alive from your childhood is a treasure.
CW

 

[wireme]

Regardless of its value as a bonsai, having kept something like that alive from your childhood is a treasure.
CW

You bet man!
That's why I don't want to push this tree too hard into becoming bonsai, as it is I love having it around after all these years. I do look forward to some pruning and re-arranging when it is strong and healthy again, I've heard a few times that citrus like to be fully rootbound in container culture, this tree has still not gotten back to its former vigour since the repot, I think it may be focusing on root growth till it really fills the container, hope so anyways.
Here it is today, lost a bit of upper foliage from an early frost before I got it back inside but it's looking alright.

 

[wireme]

Here is a potential chop site on the tree, a bit less than halfway up.
Many years ago I left this crossing branch thinking it would be fun to see it fuse to the trunk. Now it doesn't seem like such a good idea any more but it is a place I could chop down to removing the trunk and keeping the branch as the leader. Maybe, still undecided but one or the other will have to go.

 

[Anthony]

As always take cuttings and experiment on them.
Airlayer if you have to.
Good Day
Anthony

 

[Dan W.]

I absolutely love this thread! It's awesome that you started this at the age of 3 and still have it now!!

My son will be born any day now, and I'm going to start something like this with him when he's old enough to know what he's doing. I may start one the day he's born just for fun too...

Thanks for posting this!

 

[CWTurner]

Airlayer if you have to.

Wireme, It would be really cool to air layer the top of this tree before you chopped it and distribute the resulting cuttings to friends, family, Bonsainut posters, etc. Then we can revisit this topic in another 20-40 years and compare notes.
CW

 

[wireme]

I absolutely love this thread! It's awesome that you started this at the age of 3 and still have it now!!

My son will be born any day now, and I'm going to start something like this with him when he's old enough to know what he's doing. I may start one the day he's born just for fun too...

Thanks for posting this!

Any day now??

Sweet, congratulations and best wishes to you both for delivery day!!