The optimal soil type is a sandy loam that contains a blend of sand, silt, and clay. This kind of soil provides the right balance of drainage, moisture retention, and nutrient-holding capacity. Pan Z, Hu Y, Cao B (2017) Construction of smooth daily remote sensing time series data: a higher spatiotemporal resolution perspective, open geospatial data. Softw Stand 2:25. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40965-017-0038-z

Franco L, Giardina G, Tuker J, Motisi A, Provenzano G (2022) Subsurface drip irrigation and ICT for the innovative irrigation water management: application to a citrus crop (C. reticulata ‘Tardivo di Ciaculli’). Acta Hortic 1335:453–460. https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2022.1335.56 Now, let’s explore how we can make this balanced citrus tree mix at home. How to Make Citrus Tree Soil at Home Simple Homemade Citrus Potting Soil Ingredient While this is up for debate, it’s likely a safe bet to go with the well-known, organic brands of potting soil. The individual ingredients may initially add up to cost more than a couple of bags of commercial potting mix, but you can make a huge batch. And, best of all, you can adjust the recipe to be optimal for your situation. Higher pH: This potting mix is listed at a pH of 6.5-7, which can be slightly too alkaline for potted citrus trees, which prefer a pH of 5.5-6.5. However, this is an easy fix. Simply mix in 10% sand or peat moss, or the recommended amount of acidic citrus fertilizer.Premixed formula: This incredible soil is premixed, so all you have to do is plant your citrus, and you’ll be good to go. Saitta D, Vanella D, Ramírez Cuesta J, Longo-Minnolo G, Ferlito F, Consoli S (2020) Comparison of orange orchard evapotranspiration by eddy covariance, sap flow, and FAO-56 methods under different irrigation strategies. J Irrig Drain Eng 146:05020002. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)IR.1943-4774.0001479 But before the soil mix comes into play, the planting container is equally important. Ensure appropriate draining holes in the container before filling it with your potting soil. The soil mix is needed to meet the nutrient requirement of the tree.

Khanal SM, Kushal KC, Fulton JP, Shearer S, Ozkan E (2020) Remote sensing in agriculture - accomplishments, limitations, and opportunities. Remote Sens MDPI 12:3783. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs12223783 However, there are cases when you won’t need to amend the soil completely, but inject some extra nutrients into it. In these cases, you can simply add a 1-2 inch layer of compost to the top of the soil a couple of times a year (spring and summer are the best times). The potting soils below are well-suited to citrus trees, although there are certainly more out there. Note – I have not actually used these, since I make my own citrus potting soil. But I’ve searched out the ones that seem the closest to the ingredients in my recipe, although they will all probably need more pine bark and/or perlite for additional drainage. TruBiotic controlled release fertilizer – This special organic fertilizer provides a steady feed of nutrients to citrus trees for up to 6 months, so you won’t have to fertilize your lemon trees during this period.Inorganic ingredients’ ability to retain moisture is essential because citrus plants can’t withstand having water-saturated soil, especially near their roots. So, having these inorganic ingredients in your potting mix will keep your citrus plants hydrated without water-logging them. Soils for Cactus, Palms, and Succulents With these features, I find Dr. Earth’s soil one of the best mixes to grow lemon and citrus trees in containers and gardens. Qualities of the Ideal Soil Kennedy JB, Neville AM (1986) Basic statistical methods for engineers and scientists, 3rd edn. Harper and Row Publishers, New York One of the best citrus potting mixes that I’ve found is one with equal parts sand, peat moss, perlite, and compost. They each have different benefits for the soil and provide a great supply of nutrients, aeration, and water retention for the tree. This mix includes peat moss and worm castings for water retention and nutrition, perlite and sand for drainage, and lime to balance the pH – great ingredients for citrus trees. It’s also at a decent, mid-level price. However, it’s a fairly fine mix that would likely get waterlogged and compacted if overwatered, so I would add in some pine bark to solve that problem. This company hand blends these potting mixes. Another one they sell is labeled for pineapple plants and contains the same ingredients, but with the addition of fir bark. Gardenera Citrus Tree Soil Mix