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.

I recently bought this dwarf Meyer lemon tree and its heavily only growing on one side. It also appears the top of the trunk has a clear diagonal cut. One of the branches that has grown is about double the size of the trunk, should I put a stake in and train it to be the trunk? Is that even possible? Don't know much about these so detail would be greatly appreciated!

My apologies for the double posting. Crazy iPad.

Ariel, I see no one has responded, so I'll try to jump in, here. First, check your tree to see if you have any bugs of any kind. It looks to me like an injury, either mechanical, or possibly from an insect infection. The insects that can cause this sort of injury are sucking insects - aphids, scale, wooly aphids. I don't see anything obvious like that in your photos, but check the undersides of your leaves. Also, check that branch where it branches off the trunk, and look for a mechanical injury. Yes, your tree is chlorotic. You need to fertilize your Meyer frequently, and yes, cooler weather can affect nutrient uptake in our neck of the woods, based on our water having a little bit higher pH (not bad, but sometimes just enough that the pH in combination with colder temps can lock out the uptake of Manganese 1st, and then Iron, 2nd.) So, be sure to fertilize your tree regularly. I like to use DynaGro's Foliage Pro, 1/2 strength in the winter, then full strength in the summer. I also use a slow release fertilizer as well. I used to use Osmocote's product, but it has been discontinued. I would suggest Dynamite's slow release fertilizer, the one formulated for citrus, all-purpose or all-purpose select (whichever has the best spread of micronutrients). Patty S.