My lemon tree needs help!

9 years ago

last modified: 9 years ago

Hello, I recently got a new house with some citrus trees surrounding it, unfortunately they had been neglected for 5 years or so. I am now taking good care of them (well, trying to) using organic fertilizer and iron chelate, some pest control and regular watering. The orange trees are now doing much better but I'm still not convinced with the lemon tree (pictures below). It has improved foliage and it produced some lemons too but its damaged bark worries me...does it have to and can it be protected? (I'm in Malta, Mediterranean).

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Comments (8)

Suzi AKA DesertDance So CA Zone 9b
9 years ago
That bark does look pretty bad. In he hot dessert areas of Southern California, bark on trees is often painted with white indoor latex paint to prevent sunburn and reflect the sun. The limbs have an interesting twist! We moved to property neglected for 5 years such as yours, and the bark on many of our trees looks awful, but the trees are producing (more than we want) after two years of water, pest prevention, and fertilization.

Some of our trees are 30 years old, at least that's when the house was built on this site, so I assume that old. One lime does not look like it's going to make it. It has areas of dead limbs that we constantly trim off. We planted a new one far from it for back up.

Good luck. I hope others chime in!
Suzi
poncirusguy6b452xx
9 years ago
I like the artistic look of the twisted branches. I have a small Meyer lemon that is growing really good and it is just twisting around. It is not possible to train it because tree's main growth branches are what is twisted. I say paint the trunk while with paint mixed with water. DO NOT USE OIL PAINT

Steve
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Roderick Agius
Original Author
9 years ago
Thanks for your feedback! I got some paint that is used after pruning...I know its not the most recommended thing but I think this is a case where it would actually help. I have cleaned up some white fluffy bugs from between that curved part, cleaned up those holes and removed some flaking bark that was harboring some more white bugs and used this paint. I will def use some latex white paint on it too (excellent idea). Could this be lightning damage?
Roderick Agius
Original Author
9 years ago
Since we're at it, any tips on what mineral deficiency causes this...I'm thinking zinc but dont have the necessary experience to determine it.
poncirusguy6b452xx
9 years ago
I don't know what zone you are in but in my zone 6b my leaves can look like that for 2 months before they green up in the summer and october leaves are like that until April to June then they get to their dark glossy green
johnmerr
9 years ago
If anything, I would say Magnesium; you can give it a shot of Epsom salt; I put it on my garden trees every time I put it on my roses. The signature of Mg deficiency is the green "Christmas tree" in the leaf; but as someone already said, it may "grow out of it". At times when the soil and /or the weather is cool, citrus don't absorb minerals well; in those conditions, I usually give them some foliar minerals.
Roderick Agius
Original Author
9 years ago
I live in the Mediterranean so not sure what zone 6B is lol...if I had to compare temperatures here to somewhere in the US I think its very similar to Sacramento, California. I will try to get some Epsom salts (I hope it exists over here), do you think giving a boost of iron chelate is in order too?
poncirusguy6b452xx
9 years ago
Thanks John.

I'll give it a try. I bought epsom salts lasr fall to be prepaired.

6B = Negative 21 degrees Celsius in a microzone next to my house's south side basement foundation. Steel can shatter like glass at that cold temperature.

Steve