Just got a Meyer Lemon (now what do I do?)

howdy!

As loathe as I am to purchase plants from the big box stores, I was at HD earlier today looking at stuff for a project and I noticed they had a Meyer Lemon Tree in a pot for $15.

I have to repair a crack in my 20-gallon plastic pot (towards the top), but wanted to know if the ML can go in it, what type of soil, etc. I don't have the means to make Tapla's mix, but thought perhaps get a wick to draw away any perched water. Can I mulch it? Does it have to be outside, or can I keep it on my patio with a southern exposure?

ALSO - HD has limes. I was torn between Key Lime and Persian Lime. I don't know what's sold at my local grocery stores; all I know is if I'm growing something, it really should be something I really like and is not readily available at the stores.

Your thoughts?

thanks in advance.

bumping up.

Hey neighbor;-) As far as I know should not put your lemon in the biggest pot available right away. Unless it's in a 15 gallon pot right now, it should be just 1 size up from what it's in now.

great....the only pot I have right now is a 20-gallon pot.

just curious - why shouldn't I go bigger?

thanks.

The growth will be more even. After re-potting the plant will first put it's growth in the roots and when they new potting medium will be re-rooted, then will grow normally again. Now if there's too much new medium, the plant above the soil will be small compared to the size of it's roots and put out more leaves than flowers next. Some plants like passiflora might not flower if they have too big of a pot, if the pot is smaller, the plant tries to reproduce and makes more flowers. And another thing is that since, the new roots have to grow into the new medium first, if there's too much medium and it's too wet, the roots have a higher chance to develop root rot. If it's the only pot you have and you can't buy another one, you could make a smaller pot with some plastic inside the bigger pot. Just make sure to have enough holes, so the water can drain easily.

I lived in W.P.B. many years, moved to Kentucky 4 year ago and two years ago my wife bought me 3 citrus trees (plants) from Gurneys catalog.
$9.95 for a meyers lemon, orange, and key lime. They arrive cramped into 4" pots. I bare rooted them and put in 20 gal pots using regular (cheap) soil. The first spring I moved them out side and the lemon had a couple of blooms which the honey bees were all over. Well it made one lemon which I picked November 2011.
This February it started putting on blooms like crazy, over 40. The plant is only 2" tall. It was too cold to put it outside so I got out my brush and tickled the blooms that were opening. The first day the weather got to 50 I put it outside and in no time the bees were on it. Check post #9015932 Photo taken 2-22-2012
I now had at least 20 small fruit forming, maybe too many for this little 'tree'
Good luck, I'm sure you'll have many lemons.

Dwight

Well, when I bought it, thought it was 3 gallon, so transplanted it to a 5 gallon. But then realized that it was in a one gallon pot, so I upped it a bit. However, almost immediately after potting, the thing started to flower. I think I'm going to have lemons soon. What's the DTM on lemons, I wonder...

I don't know about the DTM on lemons.
I would think a 5 gal pot will hold the lemon for a year or so. You can move it easier than a 20 gal.
Some good organic food would help and the few honey bees will take care of the rest.
Show us some pictures.

will do.

I just bought a Meyer Lemon tree also, it is my pride and joy in my garden. :)
I'm curious how your tree is doing? Do you have lemons?

I'm not at home, Kentucky right now but the lemon tree has about 12 to 14, some as big as a golf ball so she is doping very well.
Last year it only produced ONE and it was very good, this year. I will have to get some picker in to help me !!!!!

Show us you Lemon..........................