Woody plants often die from the top down, but I fail to see the cause for this particular problem with the information given. I'll typically look to the root system, however, on both containerized plants and those planted in situ. Lots and lots of things can go wrong down there with the soil system, the root system, and the soil/root system. Die back is one of the first signs of soil compaction, poor oxygen content, flooding, root damage, etc. in soil planted trees, by the way. I'm not saying that your tree hasn't suffered from cold damage, but that it could be almost anything. We just haven't heard enough information. Hey, it could even be that the tree came to you with dead tissue, and it's just taken this long for it to turn black. The reptile bark is a good option for the bark fines so often talked about on this forum and others. Usually made from fir, I believe, and a good size for this purpose. Bagged potting mixes almost always need to be amended with something to make them decent (ALMOST) and that bark is a good choice. By the, just do you know...the sealing of any woody plant after pruning is not recommended on large or small shrubs or trees.. Such a practice can actually impede the natural 'healing' going on within the tissues. It was thought at one time that gunk needed to be applied to a pruning cut in order to prevent the tree from leaking all over the place (ha) and also to prevent disease organisms from entering the tree. We apply dressings to people, not trees. We leak when we are cut and our wounds need to be covered with something in order to keep the good stuff in and the bad stuff out. Trees simply don't work that way...and it's a good thing. Best to know where to make a proper cut and to allow it to heal in a natural manner. We know better now. There ARE exceptions, but they are unusual and specific. And don't EVER expect good advice from the folks at Home Depot or Lowes'. ;-( (Here's an old bad saying: "I wanted to be a tree surgeon but I couldn't stand the sight of sap.") P.S. I'll bet that if you return to the Home Depot in spring that you can find some nice looking Meyer Lemon trees there. Just in case you want to add to your collection.

Vegas, organic gardening is certainly not a crock and luckily, many hundreds of thousands of growers are willing to go the extra mile to produce organic fruits and vegetables. You should know, though, that you will have to study up on the nutritional requirements of citrus in general...and figure out how to provide them,organically, within the confines of a container. You are going to have to provide everything that your plant needs; citrus have some specific micro-nutrient requirements. I see nothing in the Jobe's product that disturbs me too much, though it does not have micro-nutrients, also called miner elements. Fish emulsion could assist in providing some key elements, when used in conjunction with your Jobe's. HOWEVER! It really isn't intended for container culture. There are no directions that I see on the label as to dose and frequency. Another aspect that is troublesome is that I can see how repeated use of this product would muddy up your potting mix....fill the so important pore spaces with fine particles. If you were looking for a product with a high Nitrogen analysis, you'll have to go with something other than your 'organic' products. Lots of container hobbyists resort to the commercial soluble fertilizers, while still using using organic methods for the rest of the plant care. I'm not saying that you should, but just be aware that you will have to keep up with the fert. in order to provide your citrus with what it needs. Another factor in the yellowing 'may' be the potting medium. Again, container culture is entirely different that growing in situ. Garden soil or compost added to a perfect good potting medium can result in a mucky, slow-to-drain mixture. Roots can function in that kind of environment, which is why we have learned to provide a potting mix that remains coarse textured and porous. I may not be the only one that would love to see you re-pot your plant entirely. I'd also like to warn you that moisture meters are notoriously inaccurate. Most of us have learned to rely on the most sophisticated digital equipment we have....our fingers. ;-)

I agree with John, and for my Meyer, which tends to sort of alternate bear (kind of - one regular year, one ridiculously heavy year), on my heavy years, I'll fertilize every 2 months. I cannot seem to over fertilize that tree. You can use a Jan/Feb May Sept rotation on regular years. And I also agree with John - I put about 50 to 100% more fertilizer per application on my Meyer than my other trees because it produces SO much fruit, that it really needs the additional fertilizer. I can't keep up with all the lemons it produces, I have to give a lot of them away, and we drink lemonade, I use it in cooking, in my ice water, make limoncello, Meyer lemon ice cream, etc. Tons of lemons, so just be patient, it's recovering and it will reward you with more lemons than you can use in a very short while if you feed it regularly. Patty S.

Hi All, I need some Meyer lemon assistance. I received a dwarf tree in the spring from QVC thru mycitrustree(dot) com. I had some beautiful blossoms in the summer and now have 2 lemons about 3 inches and 3 1/2 long. It was kept outside and watered as needed in addition to Mother Nature. I live in NJ and it was about to dip into the 40's one night so I brought it into my basement two weeks ago. I watered it before I brought it in and it got a soaking rain too. It's in a pot with drain access and it still moist. It has also now begun to bud on all end branch A LOT. My original question is some random leaves are turning yellow. They are not dry or curling and have no pests. The leaf veins are also not turning white. I am a nervous first time fruit tree mother. I did not give any fertilizer since I received it in the spring. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much! Barbara-Ann