skip to main content

please tell me what I can do to save my tree!

10 years ago

Here are pics of my meyer lemon I posted about a few days ago. Leaves are continuing to yellow and fall off. I gave it a weak dose of houseplant fertilizer yesterday. I don't believe I'm overwatering. It does have aphids that I've been battling with Neem. Please tell me what I can do!

Thanks!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (8)

adelae
Original Author
10 years ago
another pic...
greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
10 years ago
Why a weak dose of fertilizer? What formula? When did you last fertilize? How often do you fertilize? What kind of soil is it in? How much light does it receive?

Josh
Related Discussions
Please help me save my avocado tree!
Q
Comments (1)
You may need to repot it in a faster draining soil. Avocados are usually grown in coastal areas with a lot of sandy soil. Lighten the soil a bit and this will give you a chance to look at the roots. If ant are rooted cut them off until you get to healthy roots and sprinkle with cinnamon, let it sit for a day or so. Then water sparingly until the roots heal.
...See More
Waht can I do to save my spruce trees
Q
Comments (1)
Sounds like they are, in fact, dead.
...See More
Please help me save my Mr. Lincoln Rose Tree
Q
Comments (18)
JD what probably got you confused is that even a zone 5 tree rose still has to be overwintered in the garage. A zone 7 tree rose tends to get very sick even while overwintered in the garage, because it cannot tolerate being stuck in the garage for as long as our winters last (several months of winter) That's why wheeling tree roses in and out of the garage is very important as soon as you get a warm break out of the weather. On the other hand a zone 5 tree rose can withstand the dark garage a little longer than a zone 7 tree rose can. Again, don't get discouraged. The more you practice the better you'll get at it. Also don't blame yourself either about canker. One thing that people do not realize is that constant rains on one's tree rose, no matter how well you care for it will cause canker. There are certain things which can't be helped. We've been real, real unlucky weather-wise in Kansas City. So even if you keep pruning and keep the leaves clean, canker is inevitable if you keep getting non-stop rains. To me it's impossible to think that next year is gonna be as bad as this year was. It's GOT TO BE BETTER NEXT YEAR! that's what I keep telling myself, lol! JD, here is an image of a properly pruned tree rose. There is still one more essential diagram that I need to find, but can't for the life of me! So frustating! The fantastic diagram shows how to make the cuts along the branches of the tree rose. Maybe someone here knows where the original link is! I tried googling but to no avail. I can't find the diagram except for this, but it's a bit blurry and hard to see. The only thing wrong with the diagram is that you can't plant tree roses in the ground in our zone, JD. That's just a tree rose in a place like California, lol! It is crucial to have air-flow with tree roses or disease will set in. For organics growers, tree roses are the most difficult for us because the bud unions are constantly exposed to rains and freezing temperatures and both weaken the rose with this exposure. Also a tree rose requires constant shaping throughout the growing season. However, you have to be very careful to never ever prune when there is moisture. You can only prune when it's bone dry. That's what's so frustrating about our constant rains. It leaves very little dry time to do our pruning.
...See More
My Meyer Lemon Tree is not doing well... can I save it?
Q
Comments (11)
Hi Mike You stated the vacuum idea very accurately. I am just suggesting one plant, one month, one vacuuming. Then in spring time lets transplant the tree to gritty mix or 5-1-1 so we go very well from this point on with a tree that otherwise had NO chance. Braun Mike is correct in that you do not want a system that needs the vacuum idea. When I planted my trees I to had way to heavy of mix. My trees suffered and I came up with this vacuum system to pull the trees though the winter to spring when I re planted them. If I had used 5-1-1 or gritty mix my tree would have done very well with no vacuum. My trees grew so well because of the light box and heat It was not the vacuum that worked. The vacuum pulled my trees through what was probably a terminal jam. Mike The only 2 things wrong with my light buckets and hot box is 1) The electric does not pass IBI inspection codes. 2) The garden forum consist almost entirely of people that are flush with money. I work in communities that have residents who work 2 jobs and still rely on soup kitchens to keep from starving. One 5 gallon bucket in a lawn with kale can produce enough greens for one person all year that he/she could NEVER EVER afford at a grocery store $$$$$$$$$$$$. Mike it appears to me that you have NEVER EVER had a REAL problem in your life that amounted to more than an insecure feeling in high school because Joe Sluck's girl friend was prettier than yours. I do greatly respect your tremendous knowledge of growing of plants and citrus trees You trees are admirable. I fear I am Preaching to the wrong group of people in this forum. If there is a few People that I have help with my outside of the bucket thinking then it was worth it to me. There are other forces that are diminishing the citrus forum and it to will come back as we figure out how to correct them. STEVE HAS SPOKEN
...See More
adelae
Original Author
10 years ago
Why a weak dose of fertilizer?
Because I read on this forum about the "weekly weakly" thing. I had also already fertlized with Jobe's Organic but it is the kind you just sprinkle around the base of the tree and water in, I was afraid the tree might need something a bit more direct until that had a chance to soak in. The fertilizer i just used is 8-7-6.

What formula?
The fertilizer i just used is 8-7-6.

When did you last fertilize?
Yesterday

How often do you fertilize?
Haven't been since I got the tree a few months ago, just started with the Jobe's about three weeks ago, then the 8-7-6 liquid yesterday.

What kind of soil is it in?
gritty mix

How much light does it receive?
in a sunroom with S/SE exposure

Could the aphids be causing this? I've been spraying with neem.
adelae
Original Author
10 years ago
Well, I've moved the tree outside into the shade. If anyone has any advice for me I'd really appreciate it. Thanks.
ethnobotany
10 years ago
Leaves turning yellow coupled with them falling off may be a sign of low nitrogen. Give it a full dose of fertilizer, not the "weekly weakly" which is probably not for undernourished plants, my friend.
greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
10 years ago
Yeah, hasn't been fed for months...that'll lead to a mild deficiency ;-)

Putting it in outdoor shade was the right move; now be sure to keep it well fed during the main growing season. I fertilize my Citrus full-strength Foliage Pro once a week. The formula you mention is not a ratio that plants use - for example, plants use about 6 times more Nitrogen than Phosphorous, so that high middle number is quite unnecessary. You might consider a fertilizer in a 3:1:2 ratio, or something close to that. Most fertilizers don't contain Calcium and other micro-nutrients, so also consider supplementing.

As for aphids...they will cause distorted new growth and sometimes dropped leaves. Aphids are very visible. Have you checked for spider mites (very small)?

Josh
bettycbowen
10 years ago
Mine had all of those same issues & more and a few months using foliage pro routinely (and exclusively) and being outside in dappled light has worked wonders.
meyermike_1micha
10 years ago
To me it looks like your tree is showing signs of poor root function...

With this, there is no way that any amount of fertilizer will work unless you get to the root of the problem.
Poor light, an incorrect soilless mix, inconsistent watering and a lck of fresh air can all have a detremental affect.

Why not check the roots, make sure to see if your mix is evenly moist and drying out that way, how often you can water without over watering, and give it a good amount of sunlight, not direct sun for a while with fresh air.......Then worry about fertilizing it?

It is always good to first make sure you your tree has a healthy root system so that they can function properly and to make sure you are providing a good environment so they can....

Mike

Related Stories

LIFE The Polite House: How Can I Tell a Construction Crew to Pipe Down?

If workers around your home are doing things that bother you, there’s a diplomatic way to approach them

12 Ways Art and Books Can Tell Your Story

By Laura Gaskill

Your home may be the ultimate blank canvas. Give every room meaning with books and artwork that speak to you

LIFE Tell Us: Do You Know How to Live With Your Parents?

By Becky Harris

If you've tried multigenerational living under one roof, we'd love to hear the details

KITCHEN DESIGN Houzz Call: Tell Us About Your First Kitchen

By Becky Harris

Great or godforsaken? Ragtag or refined? We want to hear about your younger self’s cooking space

ARCHITECTURE Design Workshop: Materials That Tell a Story

By Eric Reinholdt, Architect

See how wood, concrete and stone convey ideas about history, personal taste and much more

HOLIDAYS 10 Ways Your Christmas Tree Can Live On After the Holidays

By Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

Learn how to recycle your Christmas tree and reap benefits for the environment

ARCHITECTURE Tell a Story With Design for a More Meaningful Home

By Bud Dietrich, AIA

Go beyond a home's bones to find the narrative at its heart, for a more rewarding experience

FUN HOUZZ Houzz Call: Tell Us About Your Dream House

By Vanessa Brunner

Let your home fantasy loose — the sky's the limit, and we want to hear all about it

LIFE Tell Us: What Made You Fall for Your Kitchen?

By Annie Thornton

Show the heart of your home some love for Valentine’s Day

LANDSCAPE DESIGN The Garden Gate: A Preface to the Story Your Garden Wants to Tell

By Jay Sifford Garden Design

Setting the tone for your garden starts with the right entry

Sponsored

Red Pine Landscaping

Industry Leading Landscape Contractors in Franklin County, OH

More Discussions

Howard Martin citrus 33

3

Coming out of the closet

10

Howardmartin growing citrus

2

HowardMartingrowing citrus #33

38

Productivity of kumquats and their hybrids

4