Xtremehorticulture

Xtremehorticulture of the Desert

Kumquat Ideal for 15 Gallon Containers

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Q. This ceramic pot will be placed in full sun but could also go in morning sun as well. Clearly, I will not be able to remove the plant from the pot so looking for something fairly permanent. A. I think the inside of this pot is about 15 gallons (nursery container) judging from the plastic container that is already in it. I don’t like to get into plant recommendations. It can get circular very easily. However, in your case I will make a recommendation. Stay small such as the cold hardy citrus such as Kumquat (also spelled cumquat). As long as it’s getting at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight each day, all fruit trees do well. They will stop flowering at less than six hours of direct sunlight. They will look fine but no flowers. Two small, cold hardy kumquat varieties to consider are ‘Meiwa’ and ‘Nagami’. They will handle full sun as well, but they are originally from the colder parts of Asia so make sure the soil is appropriate with “organics” watered in. Of the two, I would recommend the ‘Meiwa’ variety because of the size of its fruit and its cold hardiness.

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Fall or Spring Months are Usually Best for Planting

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Q. I have a Myers lemon sitting in my house waiting for the temperatures to cool down. I am using grow lights to supplement what light they need. When can I plant again? A. It depends on your Myers lemon size, health, and the surrounding temperature. Usually that means you will wait until Fall or Spring sometime. The best time to plant is usually starting sometime in October for the Fall and late January in the Spring. Of course those in the business of planting will tell you, “Any time of the year is good to plant.” For your information, depending on the plant and the size of its stems, plants can continue to grow without extra light. If your plants are large, healthy and receive enough light, they store extra “food” in the thickness of their stems or branches. For some large indoor plants they might store enough food to last three or four months under low light conditions if they are surrounded by cooler temperatures. Of course, that extra “food” is used up quickly under higher temperatures. The energy from light decreases rapidly with distance from the plant.

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One Reader Found Type of Fertilizer Important for Jasmine

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Q. A couple months ago I saw this 5-20-5 fertilizer and thought I would give it a try.  This stuff works a week after application and lasts about 3 weeks!! Which makes me wonder how the soil affects these chemical fertilizers and how plants obtain their benefits. My west facing Arabian Jasmine are doing better than they should. A. I have a theory that plants in better health can withstand more adverse conditions than they can if they are in poorer health. I also believe that some fertilizer that contains some “organics” (soil) in it are better for most plants growing in the desert than if they are when growing in unamended desert soil. If this fertilizer has an “organic” content, then that could explain the difference. Your fertilizer is not the case. It appears to have no “soil organics” in it. A lot of that, along with plant health, is “hit or miss”, particularly with fertilizers. It is known that the organic content of the soil has quite a bit to do with fertilizer activity (pH activity, “saltiness” it contains). I don’t remember the organic content of your soil, but Arabian jasmine should be high enough in “organics” to get fertilizers to work effectively. (The organic content of a soil is usually tied to its color. The same is true for fertilizers containing soil.) Try not to confuse the term “organic” (as it applies to soil) and its application to food. In this case, two different uses of “organic” are being used. There is a difference between the “organics” of the soil, and “organic” fertilizer applications (which makes food “organic”). If there is an “organic content” with this fertilizer, then the results could be from the “organics” of the fertilizer, more than whether the fertilizer is from “organic” sources or not. In the US, the white fertilizer is nitrogen, the dark colored fertilizer (grey, brown or black) is primarily phosphorus, and the reddish or pink fertilizer probably contains potassium. Nitrogen fertilizers are made while phosphorus and potassium fertilizers are mined. By screening and then combining the same-sized fertilizers together the manufacturer gets a “fertilizer blend” such as 5-20-5.

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