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Tropical Fruits

Whats wrong with my lychee, and what do i do?

14 years ago

Hello everybody this is my 1st post, so please help me. Let me start of by saying that i am a 17 year old guy who loves lychees, and have eaten them in florida.I live in ventura county and am trying to learn how to be a successful tropical fruit grower. I have recently purchased my 1st tropical fruit plant, a four foot brewster lychee tree from papaya tree nursery. I have many concerns about the tree because i have noticed many leafs turn brown starting from the tips and progress onward. It has been 2 months since i have planted the treee, and ive only fertilized it with 5-1-1 fish stuff 2wice. I have watered it from time to time but it has received most of its water from the rain. The leafs of the lychee which have brown in them are mostly in the canopy and are kinda light green in color. I feel guilty because i feel as if i am the cause of the browing of the leaves, because i have planted it in a wind blown area.

I have some questions?

1. What can i do to help my lychee tree, are the leafs turning brown because of the wind, and is it to late to replant somewhere else?

2. Are there any products that can help?

3.I have seen many posts of people showing off their longan trees in california, do those do better than lychees here and if so what are the secrets to planting a successful kohala longan tree, and making it fruit WELL and survive. Does it also get brown leafs as often as the lychee?

Thank you...And i wil post pictures of my tree soon

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Comments (3)

jb_fla
14 years ago
Brewsters are notorious for the leaf tips browning. For me about 25% for the tip will brown. Brewsters are 'water lychees.' They love water and almost can not be overwatered. The light green color may be from nutritional deficiency (pics would help). But during winter, it helps lychee's bear heavier fruit by inducing stress to the tree. Here are my cultural tips:

- Fertilize in spring after the first flush is 4-5", in case it is flowering this will be sufficient size for the flush not to be vegatative. Thereafter I fertilize an appropriate amount every other month with the last in August. (I use palm fertilizer, I like the minor elements to include iron).

- Do not water, but under very high drought, from September 1 to the same 4-5" spring flush. Thereafter I water once a week.

- On the months I do not fertilize I spray the foliage with a foliar spray.

- If feasible apply a thick layer of mulch.

I'm sure others can chime in with some more tips
puglvr1
14 years ago
Kobe, I attached a picture in your post in the tropical plant forum for a "wind protection"...see link below. If you go to lycheesonline.com you can read that wind protection is very important during the first year or so after you plant your tree because new leaves are very tender and sensitive to wind burn.

I have used fish fertilizer on my mango and lychee trees, and have never had tip burn...as long as you use the recommended dosage or even better you should use 1/2 of the recommended dosage.

Thick layer of Mulch is also an excellent recommendation, you can also add organic compost or Black Cow from the big box stores, then add your layer of Mulch on top. Just keep it several inches away from the trunk.

Here is a link that might be useful: picture of wind protection
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kobe24
Original Author
14 years ago
can anyone give me advice about growing kohan longan trees in southern california?

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