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Post by pepperhead212 on Mar 30, 2021 21:29:47 GMT -5
I knew my curry tree would need re-potted this spring, as it would dry out in a very short time after soaking. I sliced off most of the root ball, leaving just a 6" ball. I made some potting mix of peat, perlite, worm castings, vermiculite, and some diatomaceous earth, particles and powder. I put some organic granular fertilizer in it, and when I brought it inside, I moistened it with some Bt israelensis, like I always do with indoor plants. I put it in a 5 gal bucket this time - I might have put it in a slightly larger pot, if I had one, but all I had were much larger ones. Re-potting the curry tree, after cutting off most of the root ball. by pepperhead212, on Flickr Curry tree, re-potted, 3-30-21 by pepperhead212, on Flickr I didn't trim the top, but I will soon, as I need a half cup of leaves for a fresh batch of sambar masala.
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Post by Hensaplenty on Mar 31, 2021 10:18:36 GMT -5
Cool! I need to get a Curry Leaves plant. Time to start looking locally again. How old is this one? The main trunk looks over an inch in diameter?
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Post by pepperhead212 on Mar 31, 2021 10:43:11 GMT -5
Hensaplenty That tree is about a dozen years old. It needs re-potting about every 3 years. That main trunk is over an inch in diameter. This time, I tried the fabric pot, but it didn't do any better - I could still tell it was rootbound towards the end of the winter. However, I know that 5 gal bucket will be more likely to blow over outside, so I was looking for a less top heavy one - the fabric ones seemed to be the best for that. Update - I am going to re-pot it again, after ordering some 7 gal fabric pots. Again, similar sized plastic pots were all top heavy - these are 14" D, and only 11" high. They are coming tomorrow, so I'll have to mix another 2 gal of potting mix together! Fortunately, this won't bother it this soon - I should have done this before, of course, but it is hardy, and has survived worse! It just seemed to be dropping leaves quicker than before, so I had to do something quickly.
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Post by pepperhead212 on Apr 1, 2021 16:05:53 GMT -5
I did re-re-pot that plant, since I got that order of pots in less than a day! And they actually hold more than 7 gal, judging by the measurements. It definitely should not blow over, while I know that 5 gal bucket would have, for sure. Curry tree, re-potted again, in a 7 gallon fabric pot. by pepperhead212, on Flickr Since I re-potted it yesterday, it had already perked up, and hadn't dropped a single leaf! I wasn't expecting it to react that quickly.
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Apr 2, 2021 11:17:41 GMT -5
Wow, that is going to be a lot of tree in that pot by the end of the season if it's this big already. Keeping it cut back is a hobby in and of itself, eh?
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Post by pepperhead212 on Apr 2, 2021 12:22:26 GMT -5
Laura_in_FL That will be the largest pot it has ever been in. For one of the 3 year periods I put it in a SIP, thinking that maybe that would be more like its native land, with the monsoons, but it still got rootbound in 3 years. Something about the 3 years! The fabric pots are supposedly "self pruning", but it still got rootbound, though finer roots on the outer section, I guess because it's dryer. I eventually had to put my kaffir lime trees in larger pots, too, and those need re-potted this year, too, which is not fun, with those thorns!
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Apr 3, 2021 11:09:06 GMT -5
Can you root prune those like you can citrus? Then you would not have to keep putting it in ever-bigger pots.
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Post by pepperhead212 on Apr 3, 2021 13:22:49 GMT -5
Laura_in_FL I have definitely been root pruning this! You can see how much I cut off in that first photo - the root ball left is only about 6", and I cut off even more. Like with those kaffir lime trees, the root section gets thicker, and eventually that 20 year old kaffir lime has ended up in what I think is a 14 gal pot...maybe only 12 gal, with the space at the top. This one will continue to grow, too - the roots are like the trunks! This is why I stopped this one from sending up any more suckers, or whatever they are called - I dig them all up now, when I see them, since I have more leaves than I can use, though I haven't seen any new suckers for a couple of years.
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Apr 3, 2021 13:52:40 GMT -5
It just wants to be BIG.
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Post by pepperhead212 on Jul 14, 2021 16:52:52 GMT -5
Those seedlings just never made it - I don't know what happened, but the roots just never strengthened past a certain point. Maybe next time. I put this out in mid to late May (May was very cool this year), trimming off a lot of branches. It has really taken off now! Curry tree, really taking off! 7-14 by pepperhead212, on Flickr
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Post by pepperhead212 on Jun 19, 2023 23:29:37 GMT -5
Well, it only took 2 years and that tree got rootbound again. Even after trimming the stalks, which usually makes several more go out from each branch, just didn't do anything. In previous years, it would have grown considerably, once it was put outside, so I knew I had to re-pot it. I'll post a photo of what it does, when it finally takes off. I had to pound the fabric pot, to loosen the roots, then I sliced much of it off. I loosened much of the soil from the roots, and sifted it, and used about half that, and half that peat/coir/worm castings/perlite mix, with the micorrhyzae, plus I put some Biotone in as organic fertilizer. We'll see how fast this kicks in. Rootball of the curry tree, definitely rootbound, and showing signs of it, which made me re-pot it. by pepperhead212, on Flickr Here is the curry tree, with at least 2/3 of the ball trimmed off, to re-pot. by pepperhead212, on Flickr
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Post by september on Jul 2, 2023 21:49:13 GMT -5
pepperhead212 , you take such good care of your trees! My poor citrus need to struggle along as best they can with a dash of fertilizer now and then when I remember. I have not repotted them in years. I struggle carrying the pots up and down a stairway when they move outside seasonally, so no larger pots for them. The orange tree is still very productive, the lime and lemon less, but I still get more than I remember to use. Fallen fruits end up behind the sofa where I find them when I do my couple times a year more thorough cleaning.
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