I believe you ned to feed your citrus friend. Citrus are heavy feeders! We feed our "pot planted" citrus every 6 weeks or so. Our "in ground" guys get Jobe stakes, per the package instructions.

Good luck!! - Bubbacat

A good fertilizer is Osmocote. The one for indoor and outdoor plants. They also make one for seedlings, if that's where you're starting. The two are different in their nutrient delivery, so don't substitute one for the other. Fertilome was what I bought and was recommended to me at the nursery where I bought my trees, but upon research and reading on the web, I discovered the #1 choice among successful citrus growers, container or in-ground, was Osmocote. So I switched. And my trees have been very happy with it.

And just from what I've read and JMHO, the fertilizer spikes are not a good idea to use. They tend to deliver, over time, extreme doses of fertilizer to just certain parts of the root of the plant, and end up causing all sorts of root problems, including root burn. You may think that spiking the plant around its perimeter might help this problem, but it doesn't. Citrus do like to be fed, but don't need to be continuously fed.

Better to go with a "shake and feed" like Osmocote, which is a "smart" plant food in its time-released formula. Nearly impossible to overfeed or burn your plants with it if you follow the label instructions. The spikes, "maybe" not such a problem in ground, but I still wouldn't do it. And for container citrus, a definite "don't do".

I agree spikes are NOT the answer to feeding..Sorry Bubbacat..(S) It's true they only work in the area spike is situated.

Eugene, yellow foliage happens for a variety of reasons..Sometimes just repotting will cause yellowing. If this is the case, it's just a matter of adapting. A simple problem.

Extreme heat is another cause. A friend and I were just discussing this problem.. So, I did some reading and sure enough, it read, curling and yellow leaves can be due to extreme heat..I know it gets hot in AZ..what are current temp?

Over and underwatering is another problem..Be sure your citrus is getting enough water, but do not keep soil sopping wet. After a while you'll get a feel for the proper amount. Do you have other citrus growing in the ground?

Last but not least: insects..Hopefully, this isn't the reason, but it never hurts to check..over and under leaves and stems. Look for mites, scale, whitefly and mealy..Though insects are probably not the cause, it never hurts to inspect, especially when it comes to new plants.

Of course, fertilizer is important, too..though there is debate whether a plant should be fed when there are problems..some say not to feed, but if lack of nutricion is the problem, what's best???
Have you fertilized since you planted? If so, what did you use? Also, did you follow container directions? Using the proper dossage is most important..Overfeeding, especially w/chemical fertilizers will burn roots. Citrus food works best, if you can't get hold of citrus, try azalea.

I hope your citrus just needs adapting time..Toni

Thank you all for your replies.

So, i dug around the tree, while installing a drip system. And soil seems to be most as little as 2-3" below the surface. I know citrus likes to dry up between waterrings but does it like to TOTALLY dry to like a desert dry?

I did get some Mircle Grow Citrus-Avocado food. Sprinkled around and worked into soil some. Turned on drip and put maybe 6G of water into ground. I am afraied to water more as i am not sure if tree being overwatered or what. It had been 110+ here in Phoenix and i watered last 1 week ago and yet soil is still moist. Kind of gets me concerned :_(

Here are some picks:

http://www.picoodle.com/view.php?srv=img26&img=/8/7/1/f_Leaves1m_a6cd838.jpg

http://www.picoodle.com/view.php?srv=img26&img=/8/7/1/f_Leaves2m_57851f4.jpg

http://www.picoodle.com/view.php?srv=img26&img=/8/7/1/f_Leavesm_d4f222c.jpg

Those are about a week old. Now it looks even yellower and more ill. Please, help me save my tree. I really do not know what to do :(

Thank you

Eugene

Eugene, what type of soil are you using? Is it sandy? When you planted the tree, did you amend soil with other mediums? Toni

Toni,

soil is clay. And to make it worse there is caliche under it like 4-6" down.

My landscaper dug a hole and put a tree there surrounded by some planting material from the bag. That is all i know :(

Thank you

Eugene

Eugene,

I live next door to you in Mesa and planted three new citrus trees this spring. One has yellow leaves that look very much like those in your pictures. I too am not sure what is wrong with it.

My guess is that it is getting to much sun! It is an understatement to say that it is HOT in this part of the country! This weekend I built a structure out of PVC pipe and burlap to provide the tree with some shade. Does this approach seem reasonable? Now I'm worried that I might be giving the tree too much shade. Can anyone give me a feel for how much shade is too much?

Your clay soil could be a big factor here, as it's tightly compacted and stays wet a long time, leaving the roots wet. Could be starving them of oxygen needed to produce that beautiful green color, chlorophyll, we all come to associate with a healthy plant. Could be a nutrient deficiency problem...iron? As humans what happens to us when we become anemic and seriously lacking iron in our diet? We get pale. A soil Ph test would be wise. But the clay would be a red flag to me.

Also, and I may be wrong here, but I understood that citrus don't tolerate "drip" watering systems...combine that with the clay and you've got roots sitting in constantly wet soil.

I had mine hooked up to a drip system for a short time (mainly because of all my herbs that do need regular watering in containers and because it's so hot in the summer they require daily watering), but soon after I read the information, I disconnected all the citrus from the watering system and now I water only when the citrus need it, not on a timer-schedule. Not as maintenance-free as a drip system, but much better for the citrus. The herbs on the other hand, thrive on it.

Hi.

My drip is not auto. Well, not at the moment anyhow. I turn it on and off by hand.

If indeed there is not enough oxigen how do i provide more to the tree?

This morning i noticed that a few leaves started to turn brown and crisp. This usualy indicates underwatering right?

Moist soil = Too much water = Yellow Leaves
Brown Leaves = Too little water

I am totally lost :+( Was not gardening supposed to be fun?

Eugene

I suspect the clay environment is the main culprit. Citrus needs a well-drained, non-compacted soil.

Here's another GREAT forum to search for answers:

http://citrus.forumup.org/index.php?mforum=citrus

The moderators there are well-seasoned veterans when it comes to growing citrus, as evidenced by the pictures they post of their many beautiful and healthy citrus trees.

Eugene, you're right, too wet and leaves yellow, too dry and they brown..then again, sometimes when soil is overly dry, leaves can yellow. And if a plant hasn't acclimated to harsh sun, leaves can brown..it's just a matter of playing w/plants, experimenting.
When you set hose by your tree, does water linger on top or drain?
And that heat would make anything limp..lol..
Also, I'm assuming AZ is dry/no humidity, right?

Eugene, gardening is fun..after you remedy plants/soil, it's just a matter of supplying sufficient light, water, food. Plants do the rest.
Since your soil is clay, did you add any other mediums in the hole you made before planting citrus?
Eugene, sorry don't know what caliche is..what is it? lol..Toni

Toni,

water never pools up for more then a minute or 2, it always goes in. However, i do not use hose as i rigged drippers around the tree to water it for me slowly.

AZ in the Summer = HOT and SUPER dry. Like 5% humid.

Landscaper dug a hole, put tree in with stuff from the box it came with and filled rest with planting mulch.

Caliche - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caliche_(mineral)

Thank you.

Eugene

Eugene, it's hot here today, 106, so I can imagine the heatwavy in AZ..
3 days ago I watered plants set outside and they're already dry, especially citrus.
Wow, your summers are only 5% humidity? What's in like in winter?
I hope your trees do fine..Toni

Toni,

well 5-20% really. Winter is like 15 to 40%. I do not think i seen above 60% except when puring outside.

I watered my tree today via drip and hose for about 20G total. I will check sil in a few days to see what is going on. Poor guy looks worser avery day :(+(

Eugene

It sounds like your tree is sitting in the middle of a hard clay basin, in which the good medium it was planted with has created sort of a bathtub effect. Water may perch on top of that clay, making the matter worse.

Under most soil conditions, we never recommend that soil amendments be added to the native soil when planting woody plants. It's been proven that roots tend to grow round and round within the improved stuff, rather than into the surrounding soil. Also, very bad clay soil may be so slow to drain that you end up with soggy planting holes, if it has been amended.

In very difficult sites, I'd suggest that a large planting bed be prepared, not just a planting hole. Plenty of organic matter can be incorporated with the native stuff, giving your plants a much larger area in which to establish a vigorous root zone.

It truly sounds to me like your planting site is what I would call 'hostile' for your citrus. It's possible to grow things under those kinds of conditions, but a challenge.

rhizo_1 thank you for reply.

That is what i am thinking as well. Any ideas on how to actually remedy this? I REALLY do not want to dig it up, especially in the dead heat of Summer here in AZ. Its over 110 often and low low humidity.

Eugene

On my mature orange tree, the worst leaf-curling and flipping-to-upside-down is on the SW side. The least is on the northern side. On my new little grapefruit tree, two leaves on the SW side are half-size and partly ash-black, as if someone had used a microscope to concentrate the rays of the afternoon sun on them. I now use a garden hose to quickly spritz the leaves of the grapefruit tree 1-2 times a day, but I suspect that it would need 25-30 daily spritzes, so I put a folding web-backed chair between the tree and the afternoon sun. The summer is only beginning......