Calamondin thoughts.

 

In previous years it was never in great shape after the winter. Full of bugs and yellowing foliage.

This year I sprayed it with Roseclear 3 times during the winter - this kept the outbreaks of pests down.

I also took it outside and gave it a deep watering a few times. Drenching it with fresh rainwater. When indoors I water it less because it will overflow its driptray otherwise.

It kept good dark green in the leaves because i fertilised it quite a lot - every 10 days or so - with half strength micracle grow general purpose - and I also gave it a few doses or CalMag which it really enjoyed last summer.

This fertilising regimen seems to work well - so I intend to have the Calamondon and the Satsuki's on the same rotation of fertiliser and CalMag.

Pomegranate 3 years

 

Here it is in the garage where its spending the winter. I have cleaned off all the old leaves and trimmed off the longer shoots. I struggled to get enough growth in the first years.

I struggled with leaf curl and purple leaves due to nutrient deficiencies that I couldn't correct. Turns out it doesn't like tap water and it wants a tonne of food. And it also likes extra calcium like citrus.

Once I have enough foliage I will begin to select branches and wire a bit. For now I am just cleaning up the dead wood with a ball cutter.

The twigs are really brittle. I broke off a few - luckily nothing critical.

yet more progress

I’ve altered my fertiliser routine to every 10 days and I’m using balanced fertiliser now. I’ve given the fruiting plants some extra potassium to help them along while the flower and grow fruit.

The top shoot on the oak was over 40cm. I’ve pinched off the apex bud. I’m considering taking off a chunk of it - just not sure whether to do it now - or do it while its dormant. id like the plant to put its energy into growing some of the branches and not reaching for the stratosphere. I’ve spent a bit of time looking at the structure of the plant - unlike maples with their parallel buds the oak puts out alternating buds. I have to position the cut correctly for growing the new apex shoot and maybe two new top branches.

I’m really struggling with pomegranates. They are quite particular and difficult to grow. The potassium feed seems to be helping them a bit.

The leaf stalks on the little gathered field maples are starting to straighten out – I’m misting less now and they seem to be able to get almost enough moisture themselves from the soil. Both are still going and I hope they will start to grow again soon.

Fertilisers

Fertilisers used sofar this season.

miracid = miracle grow for azalea , camellia and rhododendron. i use this occasionally for the mugo pines and various fruit trees.

bonemeal - makes those roots jive. i add a little to the soil during repotting. potentially can make the soil a little alkaline when it decomposes.

chempak - high nitro ( no.2 ) - early season. i put this on everything. ( even the pitcher plant )
chempak - low nitro ( no.8 ) - mid to late season.

in theory chempak has all the other trace elements too - so i need nothing else - well thats what the package says.

ive wondered whether some form of biological fertiliser is needed too. i read about bio_gold and the various hard cakes that are used. opinions do seem to be divided over whats best - with good results being produced but those for and against.

maxicrop seaweed extract - this i am not sure about. it seems popular with gardeners and many hydroponics stores sell it too - but there is the controversial court case in New Zealand where they lost the case - where it was alleged to be useless. i have put some on one plant and im waiting to see how it behaves first.

if you are interested - this is where i began my research.
wikipedia stub.

some others that i have bought but not used.
bonsai fertiliser - generic balanced fertiliser.
citrus summer - i have a calamondin. and we need the little oranges for our gin & tonics. cant seem to find the exact nutritional requirements for citrus. buts its doing fine without it.
citrus winter - looks like low nitro from the label.