Help

[Steveo]

Can someone please give me some advice on what is wrong with my orange tree

 

[Chuck]

A lot of things could be wrong but let me ask a few questions. How old is the tree? When did the tree last produce edible fruit? Is there a lot of growth coming from around the base of the tree? Have you scratched the bark off of the seemingly dead branches to see if there is any greenish color? Are there large thorns ( 1 inch+) on the live part of the tree?

 

[Steveo]

Hi had fruit at the start of the year and there is new growth and buds coming out on parts of the trees just the last six months or so the three citrus trees next to each other two orange and one lemon have all started to look sick I have have other fruit trees nearby that are fine

 

[Chuck]

OK, first things first. I don't know if the tree is grafted or not and I am not sure if the new growth is coming from above the graft or not. Much of the tree appears dead. On the limbs that have zero leaves scratch the bark and see if there is any greenish color and if there isn't cut this limb away. I am afraid that the tree is grafted and the new growth is coming from the root stock. In any case the tree is suffering from a lack of nutrients as evidenced by the yellowing leaves with green veins. If you will take pictures of the base of the tree perhaps we will be able to see the graft union and get a much better idea of what is going on. Until we can determine if the tree is grafted and can see where the new growth is coming from there really isn't any reason to waste fertilizer and minerals on the tree. Please take pictures of the base of the tree and also take pictures of your other citrus trees. This is not a disease that can affect your other trees.

 

[Steveo]

There is green under some of the dead looking branches

 

[Steveo]

Lemon tree next to it

 

[Chuck]

Lemon tree next to it

If the green is showing for the entire length of the limb it will leaf out again but if the limb tip is brown cut the limb back until it starts showing green. I can't tell for sure about the graft but it appears to be growing on its own roots and is not grafted. What did the fruit it grew last year taste like? Sweet or bitter? If it was bitter then the grafted part, the upper portion above the graft has died and the tree is useless and should be removed. If the fruit was sweet and tasted like an orange should, then all that the tree needs is fertilizing and severely pruned to get all of the dead wood out.

Your lemon tree is also in severe need of fertilizing with both micro and macro-nutrients. Macro-nutrients are basically NPK, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Micro-nutrients are minerals such as iron and magnesium plus a bunch of other minerals. You can get a product such as Chelated Iron or Liquid Iron that have all of the needed minerals. The NPK fertilizer is what one normally uses for plant nutrition but you need both.

 

[Steveo]

Thanks for the help

 

[Mike Allen]

Totally agree with Chuck.

Sadly fruit trees in particular tend to become neglected over time. I always recall some wise words from my early days in horticulture and arborculture. 'Keep the center of the tree open. Having pruned the tree, you should be able to throw your hat through it.'
No disrespects Steveo, but might I suggest giving your trees a good prune and tidy up. It appears from your photos that the latter is long overdue. Poor,weak ailing growth tends to drain so much energy from the tree, shrub, plant. So, it might take a while but the effort will be rewarding. Get in there and get shot of all that spindly stuff. We will be only too pleased to guide you through the next stages.