what area do you live? how cold does it get outside?

citrus needs lots of light, sounds like its not getting enough light. unless its freezing or really close to freezing, just leave it outside. or give it some supplemental lighting.

Also, Kumquats are the most cold-hardy of the citrus.

Josh

I know they are the most cold hardy. I live in Utah and winters here can easily get well below zero. I knew that the kumquat could handle it but I wasn't sure about the root stock that it has been grafted to. Day 3 of leaves turning brown and falling off.

Cool, then you know to give it as much outdoor time as possible.

Stick a wooden dowel all the way to the bottom of the container.
If the stick comes out clean and dry, then water. If the stick comes out dark or wet,
don't water. Repeat test every few days until the mix is dry.

So, speaking of mix, what kind of mix and how large a container are you using?

Also, what kind of fertilizer and how much did you use?

Brown stems are dead/dying and are a very bad sign.

Josh

I never repotted it from when I got it at Lowes this summer. I did kind of check the soil to make sure it was sandy enough and it seemed like it to me. I used a citrus fertilizer and about 1 tablespoon full (trying to follow the instructions on the package). I am wondering if the roots have been burned. Should I try to rinse it out? Or do I let it dry out (I am thinking I was watering it ok, but I could have overwatered it) I was putting it outside during the day and bringing it in at night but lately it hasn't gotten above 45 degrees outside so I have been keeping it in. The pot size is about 8 inches by 8 inches. the tree stands a little over a foot high.

Sand is terrible in a container mix.
Sand compacts and lodges between larger particles, which impedes drainage and reduces aeration.

If you followed the directions on the package, then I doubt you burned the tree.

Use the chop-stick/dowel test and make sure your tree's mix is drying sufficiently.

Josh

Do you think it will be ok if I just let it dry out right now or should I do anything to help it dry out faster? Do I need to be concerned about root rot?

With a moisture-retentive soil, and with plants indoors for the Winter, root-root is always a concern.
Here's something you can try for the time being: stick a wick (a synthetic fiber/string is best) into
one of the drainage holes and elevate the container so that the wick can dangle freely. The wick
will allow excess water to travel downward and out of the pot.

Josh

Josh, very good advice!

Thank you for the timely reminders!

I need to stick a wick into the bottom of one of mine since I have yet to transplant out of a water retentive mix.

By the way Newpup:

It can take days for a tree to dry out if held captive in a mix that is comprised of mostly fine particles, and even more so when changing the enviroment of a plant from what it once enjoyed.
My trees tend to shut down for days and due to that and the roots will not take up water water fast enough to cause a mix to dry out until it settles in its permament spot for the duration of winter.

Please keep us updated.

Mike

Would taking it out of the pot to help it dry out help? I am thinking that I must have overwatered it. The soil seems like a cactus or citrus soil and it stays together when I pick the tree up ( I wanted to smell the roots. They really don't smell moldy). It just makes me nervouse to see more leaves turning brown and falling off. I have moved it into a warmer sunnier room where it has been now for 2 days. I know things take time and I shouldn't do too much to stress it out. I just hate it when I see 3-4 brown leaves that weren't there 8 hours earlier. The few roots that I do see along the outside of the soil look brown, is that normal?

Ok so my tree looks like it is finally drying out. I don't think I have lost any leaves today or yesterday. The soil is looking much drier and when I stuck a stick in the soil it was only slightly damp. Should I give it another day or so, or should I water sooner? It does have one branch that did loose all it's leaves and now that branch is turning brown. Is that from over watering/root rot or something else. Should I worry about that?

Newoup, you might consider repotting your kumquat using a quick draining soil. You should be able to find Mike's instructions in this forum for preparing quick-draining soil that citrus thrive in. I have also found that my citrus do better in clay pots that "breathe."

Good luck!

Hi Jerry! I hope you are doing well these days.

I also like clay pots for the reasons as you.

Newpup:

You really need to get that tree in a very porous mix as soon as you can.
If you need suggestions for one, just let us know.
You may not smell rot, but that does not mean you haven't lost many fine roots that do the bull work.
Also a loss of fine root structure can cause havoc on your plants. The beginning stage of fine root loss is leaf drop as it progresses to branch and twig die back.

Until you provide a good mix and stop the progression of leaf/twig death, I would hold back on fertilizing for a while.

I would worry about branch and twig die back more so than leaf loss, and move quickly to provide your tree with a very open mix that dries out in less than a week at least.

Mike:-0)

I was going to just go to Lowe's and pick up some catus/citrus soil. Would that work? Also should I use a bleach mix to kill any fungus that might be attacking the roots?

NO need for bleach.

I would rinse off ALL the old soil and wash the roots very clean. See what rotted ones you have and cut them off. Leave behind the light colored ones.

Stick that root ball right back in the water as you prepare your mix and pot.

I would get a bag of perlite while you are at Lowe's which they do have and use 3 parts of that to one part of the Cactus mix.
Mix well
It is much better for you to make it as porous as you can with the perlite than to use that mix at all by itself. Since I have a feeling that is what you are going to use, perlite will be a must.

Mix it well and then make a mound in your pot, spread the roots out and place it on that mound. Then fill in around the roots at times using a stick to make sure all the mix falls between the roots. Press firmly and even shake a pot a bit.
Water throughly and set your plant aside in a warm room with lots of sunlight.
I would not usually suggest sun right away, but because the sun is much lower on the horizon, not an issue.
Once you have done this please come back and let us know :-)

Mike

I agree with Mike!

During the summer, we'd recommend partial shade and protection from drying wind.
Now, however, the sun isn't as intense and the tree is indoors. Some air circulation
will be beneficial, of course.

Josh

Ok I did use the cactus mix and I got a bag of vermiculate and mixed about half and half with it. Put it in a clay pot and placed the tree in it then put the rest of the new mix on. I put it back in the warm room where it can get the most sunlight and after the first hour it seemed looked like it was recovering. Now the soil is dried out (must faster than the other soil) and I have a few leaves turning brown again. I am going to water it and hope that I am not over watering it. Is that why the leaves are turning brown and droping again?

Not sure?

But why did you vermiculite insted of 'perlite'?

Vermiculite will retain more moisture than you need. Perlite encourages drainage.

Mike

It felt lighter? It seemed to dry out much faster with this mix than it had. I still have more mix if the perlite will really work that much better. Should I repot again? I thought they would be similar enough? I don't think I had seen your comment before I had gone to the store. I had heard that either would work good. I have 3 new browning leaves and 2 of them are on a branch that just started browning?

Mike is correct.

Adding the vermiculite instead of perlite was a mistake.

The two are nothing alike. Vermiculite turns to mush, compacts, and holds excess
amounts of moisture. Perlite is expanded volcanic glass that maintains its structure
and doesn't hold much moisture internally.

Now, just to clarify, Perlite doesn't improve "drainage" until the mix is mostly Perlite.
Perlite *does* reduce the water-holding capacity of the mix, so the mix can't become as
water-logged.

I'm not going to tell you to re-pot, but with the entire winter ahead of you...well, that
might be the best choice. If you're using Cactus Mix (which is actually peat moss based
and not a good choice), then do 3 parts Perlite to 1 part Cactus mix.

Josh

Josh, I will then tell her to re-pot! There is no way her tree will survive the winter in that kind of mix, unless it is in full sun, at least 12 hours a day and in very warm temps, until she changes her plant out of that mix within 6 months.

By the way, fantastic points made Josh. Thanks again.

Mike

Sorry, there seems to be a lot of conflicting advice on this site. I can repot no problem. This soil is draining and drying out almost twice as fast as the last soil so I thought that was good. How fast do I want it to dry out?

As far as the sun goes, the room I have it in gets sun, it's a south facing window room. I have started putting the tree on the floor and moving it across the room with the sun as it moves across the floor. That gives it about 5 hours of more direct sunlight vs just one.

Vermiculite ? Perlite? I've never even heard of this stuff! My little tree is in a mix of some plain 'ole organic gardening soil and whatever 4 winds had it in when it came to me. Does it need that other stuff?

Here is a link that might be useful: Our lemon tree!

ok back to Lowe's and now my soil looks like it snowed in the house. I am not holding my breath on this poor little thing though. If I tried a seed what do you think would happen? Why do they do so well outside, then as soon as I bring them in they start to die? Is it the lack of light do you think or just too moist of soil? With the perlite and more sun should I be more sucessful? They do reall well outside, it seems just as soon as I bring them in that they have the problems. I really do want to make it work, I just feel like such a fish out of water (even after reading a lot of the links here).

You nailed it! The change in light and the heavy soils (as well as humidity levels)
will conspire to stress your citrus when brought indoors. But with a free-draining mix
and as much light as you can manage, the tree should transition well to indoor life.

Seed-grown citrus take a long time to fruit, and only a few species will produce a
reliable fruit from seed. That said, I have three Pummelo/Pomelo growing just for fun.
I figure I can at least use them for root-stock if I ever want to graft a fancy grapefruit.

Josh

I have lost a few branches and about half the leaves now, I will keep it is as much sun as possible. Honestly does my poor tree stand much of a chance right now?

Real

You have a very nice looking tree there. It's an exciting feeling for sure! Now to keep it that way as you know by now that the mix is key to success!
Almost every bag of bought potting mix has those two ingredients in them if you read the package. You can also buy perlite separately.

Did your plant come with soil? That is unusual. Usually they ship mine bare rooted surrounded by redwood shavings for protection.

Good luck

Hey Josh!

Mike

I suppose it could have been shavings. It was dark like dirt so I just thought it was lol! It was a ball of something... Hehehe

How is you tree doing now? Did it survive. I have a kumquat in a container. Its not proliferating as I would like here in California. However, it it not dying. I think I will use Mike's suggestion and plant it into a more air rated mixture.