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Help With Improved Meyers Lemon! Dropping Leaves and Blooms

12 years ago

Hi All!

I am so sad! My lemon tree has lost most of its leaves and is dropping its blooms like crazy! I dont know what is wrong with the tree. I dont see any new leaf growth, but i was able to take some pictures from some old leaves. Can anybody help me and tell me what is wrong!

Thanks!

-Sean

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Comments (6)

jean001a
12 years ago
When did you plant it?

When you planted it, did you set a moist rootball into moist soil? If not, it will be challenging to grow roots.

How do you decide to water it?
And how do you water? -- by hose; sprinkler; drip; or?
And how long do you run the system each time?

Oh yes -- the damage you show (other than the yellowing) is old, mechanical damage.
Sean
Original Author
12 years ago
I planted this tree back in October 2011

I water all of my trees once a week, so i just water the lemon also but not more than a couple minutes

I water with a deep root irrigator

I run the system probably 2 min

Is there any way i can fix the problem?
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From the looks of your pics, the roots look healthy, and so does the new growth! I would be concerned about using fertilizer this time of year, since I am sure with the roots that bound, you are draining your pot of most nutrients everytime you water anyway...I would give a small dose at every watering. Too bad you do not have FP..It has every nutrient that your tree needs! I would also make sure it is getting Fe, by using a capful of vinegar in a gallon of water at every watering to unlock the nutrients, especially for the Fe that could be in the soil once fertilized..A good Ph makes the iron more mobile and for immediate use for your trees.. Give it a shot. A little fertilier and vinegar just might do the trick...Like I said, the new growth coming in looks great. A sign that you do not have root rot..You are also not loosing twigs or leaves at a rapid rate if at all. Hope it works out
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Everything will be just fine once it responds to good fertilizer, warmth and lots of sunlight.. Just give it time. I'd bet by about July it will be in full swing growing again. Don't rely on fish emulsion for fertilizer, but a good general purpose such as foliage pro with all the macro and minor nutrients. Meyers are heavy feeders which might explain its tendency to withhold growing for you. Also, you should of lost the spider mites by now with a good steam or water from your hose almost everyday and beneficial insect outside by now. Keep us updated please! Mike
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Okay. First thing - is this little lemon tree getting sprinkled? If so, this is part of your issue. Citrus do not like to be in the path of sprinklers. They do much better with a deep watering via drip once or twice a week (depending upon how hot the temps get). If you're close to the beach, you probably will not have hot enough temps to water more than once a week. Lilly Miller citrus fertilizer is fine. It does contain micronutrients. Vigoro Citrus & Avocado fertilizer with micronutrients (that is the key for you) is also fine. Actually, the best NPK ratio is 5:1:3, but it's hard to find. As long as you've got a higher N (nitrogen) than P or K, as citrus are heavy nitrogen feeders, and you've got micronutrients included, you should be fine. Humic acid will also help, so look for that in your ingredients line up. I would recommend Grow More Citrus Growers Blend and mix it up as a foliar spray to help give your tree a good micronutrient feeding. Repeat in 3 weeks. Do your foliar spray in the evening. I would concur that you're probably looking at a micronutrient deficiency, possibly magnesium. Usually, you'll see a micronutrient deficiency with too much water and cold temps, so I would definitely check the roots of your lemon, to make sure it's not sitting in a puddle of water (i.e., in clay). Even though you're by the beach, you can still have pockets of clay. If you're in more sandy soil, then you're seeing an issue with both macro and micronutrients not staying in your soil, but washing out. If this is the case, then make a nice well around your tree out to the drip line. Fill with some worm castings and then top with compost. Keep both away from the trunk to prevent rot. Put your fertilizer in the well and water in deeply. Fertilize every 3 months and also I would recommend a foliar application with Citrus Growers Blend as well until your tree greens up. Patty S.
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Also, you don't need rocks in the bottom of the pot. The 4 holes are plenty to let the water out. If you re-pot as suggested above, and I agree with them, take out the rocks, they do nothing for drainage and only take up space, in fact in some situations rocks in the bottom can impede good drainage. If you chose to use the fabric, cut a circle the same size as the bottom of the pot and only one layer, and just set it right on the bottom and add the soil on top of it. But yeah, add some small bark chips to that MG cactus mix. Look up the 5-1-1 mix on this forum through the search feature.
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timsf
12 years ago
Hi SeanPez,

Are you sure that you're getting enough water to the roots? I'm not familiar with a deep root irrigator and its rate of water flow, but a couple minutes once/week sounds awefully small given what a dry winter we've had this year in CA. Also, did you apply fertilizer at all since planting, or were you hoping to do that during the coming growing season? What fertilizer will you be using and how frequently?

Just to give you some idea for comparison, here in SF (where we generally get more winter rains than you guys - though maybe not this year!), the first year I planted my in-ground IML I was applying 5 gal 2x/week by hand. Then the next year, I decreased to 5 gal/week, and the 3rd year (this year) plan to do 5 gal every 2 weeks, with the eventual goal of 5 gal every 4 weeks. Remember, citrus like a DEEP watering with rest in between. My fertilizing regimen is GreenAll Citrus & Avocado fertilizer (which has all necessary micronutrients of Fe, Mg, Mn, etc.) 3 times per year, during Feb., May, and Sept. according to box instructions. During the IMLs' 1st year in the ground, I also applied Miracle Gro's Rhododendron, Camellia, Azalea (liquid) fertilizer every 2 weeks, since citrus are very heavy feeders.

BTW, I also noticed that you don't have mulch around your tree. Given So CA's dry conditions, I would suggest doing so; but keep the mulch (2-3 inches thick) at least 6 inches away from the bark.

Tim
timsf
12 years ago
Below is a link to Gro Power Citrus & Avocado fertilizer which you might find more readily available in your area. It was suggested by Patty who lives in Vista/SD area and is quite an expert on citrus in So CA.

Tim

Here is a link that might be useful: Gro Power Citrus & Avocado Food
Sean
Original Author
12 years ago
Tim!

Thank you for the tip! I was afraid that i wasnt watering it too much. I will water down deeper to the roots. Good pick in fertilizer, i have that and have used it on some of my other trees. that stuff is great, fixed my old 20 year old lemon tree that was struggling.

I think the tree is a bit shaken up. We had some massive winds down here in my area, about 60mph so it might have bothered the tree.

I will up my watering and post if i see a difference, either good or bad. Hopefully good!

Thanks again you all!
jakkom
12 years ago
Meyers have very flexible branches. Wind should not have hurt it except for drying out the soil. As mentioned above, you should mulch. It makes a HUGE difference in our state, no matter what microclimate/zone you live in.

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