Hi all-
Can't believe it's been so long since I started this thread (something about cramming autumn chores into our two weeks of the season ;)
Regardless, I wanted to give an update on the Meyer lemon and see what you all think...
First off, I went ahead and repotted it into the slightly larger glazed clay pot, using cactus/palm/citrus soil as the medium. I left the root ball intact and just set it in place inside the post, surrounded on the bottom and sides by the fresh soil. There's also a layer of marble chips in the bottom of the pot for added drainage. The pot is in a drip tray lined with the same marble to allow for water to seep through without either overflowing or soaking the soil from below.
As we're now down below freezing at night the tree is indoors exclusively, under a 4' T5 grow light hung horizontally, not just stuck in the side of the pot with bamboo sticks like the greenhouse had it. I'm assuming I'll get a more even light this way--at least it sure looks like it right now
It's on a timer for 8am-7pm, and the whole shebang is on top of the mantel of my fireplace so it'll stay nice and warm without getting too hot.
And now, the best part: After the weather settled down from our usual late summer rain into the relatively dry autumn, I noticed new growth sprouting from all the branch tips, and some further down along the base of the leaves as well. Some is obviously new leaf, some is most definitely flowers. I'm wondering is I should ping off the flowers to let things grow further over the winter before letting it bloom in the real spring. I'm thinking the change from warm/dry to cool/moist to warm/dry has confused it into thinking it's been through an abbreviated 'winter' and I don't want any disappointments in mid-February...
It's been well-fed once, and watered with about a pint and a half of water a week that barely drains any through to the saucer; I figure this is about the right amount as of right now, anyway. More will probably be necessary once the winter humidity drops further but for the moment all seems well. So with fingers crossed...
Here's some pics of what it looks like today, including the new home as well as the new growth.
Thanks again to everyone for all the assistance, we'll see what happens as the winter progresses!
Rob
