The lemon tree post

[Pozman]

Hi everyone

This is my first post and yes it's a lemon tree issue.

My tree is in it's second spring, and was going great until it dropped all it's leaves over night almost 12 months ago.

Since then it has survived with one or two leaves and flowers but done nothing.

The soil is good, it's fertilised, drainage and sun is fine.

What can I do, or is it a lost cause?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Chuck]

What are you fertilizing with? How often do you fertilize with that fertilizer? How many hours of direct sunlight does it get? Please show a picture of the base of the plant without the mulch.

 

[ChrisBius]

It's tough to say exactly what's causing the issue without more information. Have you checked for any pests or diseases?

 

[Pozman]

Good morning Chuck & ChrisBius

Thank you for taking the time to respond.

I've taken photos of the soil and the fertiliser I use.

The fertiliser is a slow release 6 monthly one.

Sunlight wise, the tree gets afternoon sun, so from about 11 to 12 forward until dusk depending on the time of year.

I've attached some photos, I look forward to your replies.

Thank you again, have a great day.

 

[Chuck]

Good morning Chuck & ChrisBius

Thank you for taking the time to respond.

I've taken photos of the soil and the fertiliser I use.

The fertiliser is a slow release 6 monthly one.

Sunlight wise, the tree gets afternoon sun, so from about 11 to 12 forward until dusk depending on the time of year.

I've attached some photos, I look forward to your replies.

Thank you again, have a great day.

Having grown citrus for many decades I will give you my opinion. You didn't say anything about the leaves that dropped in a very short period of time, what they looked like i.e coloring, being shriveled or drooping before dropping etc. When something like this happens it is usually a root problem and/or a nutrition problem. Although I would never under any circumstance use a Scotts or Miracle Grow product I do not believe it to be a nutrition problem. I think it is a physical problem with the roots. Grub worms and cutworms can do this type of damage by eating the roots but with the problem lasting a year it cannot be them as they would have pupated and the plant would have immediately begin to grow foliage. Having said this that leaves how the roots themselves are growing. One thing I do know is that the tree is planted too deep as there is not a root flare showing. Although I have never seen this drastic of a change in tree growth due to planting too deep in a tree this young, it very well could be a major factor. It is more likely that the roots are encircling, that is growing in a circle and the tree is literally choking itself. This is more common than one would think. What I would do is remove the tree from its container and wash away the soil from the roots. Look closely at the way the roots are growing and if there are any roots growing in a circle and encircling other roots use a sharp sharp knife or box cutter and slice through the roots on ONE side of the root ball. I would also discard all of the soil and start afresh. If you take my advise please take some pictures of the roots and any other abnormalities you may find. Also, watering too often can cause leaf drop. Your soil appears to be saturated. Citrus does not like to be wet. It likes to be damp. You don't have root rot as there is no evidence on the tree but that doesn't necessarily mean that you aren't watering too often.

 

[Pozman]

Hey Chuck

Wow, who would of thought that growing a lemon tree would be that hard.

Firstly when the leaves dropped, the tree was really healthy looking, it was a real surprise to find it like it was the day I did.

One thing I do know is that the tree is planted too deep as there is not a root flare showing.
What I would do is remove the tree from its container and wash away the soil from the roots.

Based on what your saying here, it is safe and ok to remove the tree from the soil, I would have thought that would damage it further if not kill it entirely, but I will do that.

I would also discard all of the soil and start afresh.

I have really healthy gardens and herbs all from the same soil, so is it more of a soil quality you pointing to or an now infected barrel of soil?

Point taken, I'll back that off. I do try to water it less and have drainage holes in the barrel, but I will back off the watering as well.


I'll tackle this over the next day or two as the weekend rolls around and send more pics through

You also mentioned that you would never use a miracle grow product, what would you recommend to use instead of the commercial shelf bought products?




Thanks Chuck, talk soon.

 

[tyronee]

I totally get where you're coming from! I have a lemon tree too, and I actually bought mine from flying flowers. It had a rough patch when it dropped most of its leaves, but I found that giving it a little extra attention really helped. I made sure not to overwater (letting the soil dry out between waterings), and I also gave it some citrus-specific fertilizer. Pruning back any weak or dead branches also seemed to give it a boost. It’s amazing how resilient these trees can be with a little patience.

 

[Chuck]

Hey Chuck

Wow, who would of thought that growing a lemon tree would be that hard.

Firstly when the leaves dropped, the tree was really healthy looking, it was a real surprise to find it like it was the day I did.

One thing I do know is that the tree is planted too deep as there is not a root flare showing.
What I would do is remove the tree from its container and wash away the soil from the roots.

Based on what your saying here, it is safe and ok to remove the tree from the soil, I would have thought that would damage it further if not kill it entirely, but I will do that.

I would also discard all of the soil and start afresh.

I have really healthy gardens and herbs all from the same soil, so is it more of a soil quality you pointing to or an now infected barrel of soil?

Point taken, I'll back that off. I do try to water it less and have drainage holes in the barrel, but I will back off the watering as well.


I'll tackle this over the next day or two as the weekend rolls around and send more pics through

You also mentioned that you would never use a miracle grow product, what would you recommend to use instead of the commercial shelf bought products?




Thanks Chuck, talk soon.

If you are careful and gentle with the plant it is safe to remove the tree from its soil. To be safe you will have a very messy job on your hands. You will have to wash away the soil from the plant while it is still in the container. If this were a fabric or plastic container it would be a fairly simple process but it is not. You will have to turn the container on its side and gently wash away all of the soil from the roots. Do not yank or tug on the tree. I would not try to save the soil as there is a possibility that the soil is somehow contaminated or degraded. As the tree is planted too deep, google root flare and learn all about flares and what they should look like. Being planted too deep usually affects older trees. It makes plants susceptible to many diseases and can/will cause early death but this is such a young tree that it is very unlikely that being planted too deep has had a large effect on the tree. As for Scotts and Miracle Grow products....there are many producers of synthetic/oil based fertilizers but these two are at the bottom of the list. Any organic NPK fertilizer is better than a synthetic fertilizer. Synthetics, over time, such as the lifespan of a tree, literally destroys organic matter in soil, leaving behind dirt and salts that is devoid of nutrients and the only nutrients a plant receives is from the fertilizer itself. Organic fertilizers do not deplete the soil. They add to it. Plant microbes break down the organic fertilizer into a form the plant can uptake. In other words the plant gets its nutrients from the soil itself, not from the actual fertilizer, the opposite of synthetic fertilizers. I could go on and on about synthetic vs organic fertilizers but to simplify things just read some of my old posts at the beginning of the Organic Gardening thread on this forum. I almost forgot. Please send a picture of the drainage holes in the container. It may not be draining properly.