Which pot for a lemon tree?

[Chocolate]

I have been fortunate enough to have just been given a lemon tree as a present. ( A Four Seasons Lemon). It is still in the nursery plastic pot but I was told it should be re-potted. soon

Which is best for the plant please?  A plastic pot or a standard terracotta plantpot?  The 'extra advice' label on the plant says plastic only and to avoid terre cuite, but a friend says terre cuite only, to let the roots  'transpire'.  I am confused. I have slowly changed all my pots from plastic to terracotta as the roots get very fried here in the summer.

I have bought Agrume planting compost (as the label recommends) to use in a new pot. when I am sure which is best.

Advice please.

[5-element]

Chocolate, sorry I don't know, but I am watching this thread very attentively as I have a similar dilemna with my lemon tree.

Let's hope some lemon expert comes along and can tell us how the roots should breathe!

[MedocGreenie]

I would agree that terracotta is best for a Lemon. Plastic is really unnatural for any plant, the only exception I can think of is perhaps if you live in the alps or pyrenees where frost will murder terracotta. Lemons lived for x millions of years before plastic!

A really good feed for citrus is stinging nettles crushed and soaked in water for a month. Good luck. I have a tangerine from Thailand, you know those oranges with a green skin, and its living the life of Riley here in the Medoc in Terracotta.

M-G

[Pauline]

Hi

My mum has all her fruit trees in terracotta pots, the thing to be aware of is they dry out a lot quicker so need regular watering, I would put a layer of pea gravel on the top of the soil which will help to keep the moisture in a little. I bet you look forward to your first G & T with leomon !!

Pauline

[Chocolate]

Terracotta it is then. It does seem to make sense given the temperatures here, but also they will need to be taken in in the winter.  I look forward to a stinging, zinging summer amongst the nettle beds as well. I seem to remember that where I grew up all the old country-folk used to make their own liquid manure from nettles in old steel oil drums, (usually rusty), which seemed to be very easy to get at the time.

I didn't know about the gravel. Good idea for perhaps some other plants here. Many thanks everyone.

[hakunamatata]

I bought a four seasons lemon in March and it has doubled in size and loaded with flowers. I didnt have terracotta pot available when I bought the plant so it is in plastic at the moment but will have to be transplanted in Autumn I think because of its rate of growth.  I feed regularly with lemon tree food and water about every two days.  I did wonder whether I should have planted it directly into the soil but I like the look of a healthy lemon in a pot. The problem is the gin is running out and I might have to replenish the bottle a couple of times before I get my first lemon!

 

[mint]

The gin and the lemon are fine, Margaret, but quinine poisoning from the tonic can be pretty nasty![;-)]

[hakunamatata]

Hi Chocolate, just been going back through the forum and I wondered how your lemon was getting on. Mine has tripled in size now but sadly all the baby lemons are dropping off.  I have asked on a gardening forum for any ideas but havent heard from anyone yet.  G & T will not be the same without my home grown lemons. If any of you on the forum have any ideas please let me know.