About Diana Hamilton Expertise I can answer questions related to flowering and non-flowering house plants, and herbs. I do not know very much about cactus, orchids and bonsai
Experience For 20 years I owned a florist where I sold cut flowers and all types of house plants and accessories and gave advice to my customers.
Publications I have not had any writings published but I have presented gardening programmes on television, showing viewers how to care for their plants, giving them ideas on suitable plants, discussed problems with experts in different fields and given practical demonstrations on growing seeds, planting tubs and hanging baskets, watering, feeding, pruning etc.
Education/Credentials I am completely self-taught
Awards and Honors I have exhibited plants and flower arrangements in many Flower Shows winning many prizes.
Question I too have an orange tree bought from a souvenir shop in Florida. It produces fruit I am proud to say but I have couple questions:
When should the tree be re-potted and/or how do i recognize it needs bigger pot?
Also, the fruit is very sour, this is a small tree producing oranges no bigger than a walnut. Will the fruit ever be sweeter?
The tree is kept indoors always as I live in Maine....needless to say not very tropical here haha.
Lastly, while I am here I have a cactus I have been growing since it was given to me as a baby shower gift, that son is now 23yrs old, wow! It is one of those tall skinny cactuses and I cant seem to stabilize it well...any suggestions? Thank you so much in advance for any help.
Answer Dear Sue,
Sadly the fruit on the mini indoor orange trees [Calamondil Orange]are small and sour. Sorry to say the fruit will never be sweeter.
The tree can be repotted in the Spring when you can also take cuttings if you wish. Right now you should be feeding the plant once every two weeks until until August.
Next year remove the plant from its pot to see if it is pot bound i.e. if the roots are very visible circling the pot with very little soil between them. Choose a pot just a couple of inches bigger than its present pot.
Haven't you done well with your cactus! 23 years! I would suggest that to stabilise your plant you should put it in a clay pot which is obviously heavier than a plastic one and perhaps a ceramic pot cover as well. It may need some plant sticks to help support it. Is it the type of cactus from which you could take cuttings or remove offsets?
As stated in my profile I don't know all that much about cacti but I do hope the above suggestions will be of use to you.
