Hey, Billy Rae! Go for it! You have nothing to fear! My only advice, up front, is this: Don't buy a braided group of plants. In my opinion, the braided plants are doomed to failure. Now, onto the story of how I came by my Pachira: My brother has a Pachira that used to be braided...slowly, all but one of the trunks died. The remaining trunk had been the largest/healthiest from the start, which is why I always suggest that a buyer simply purchase a full, healthy, single-trunked specimen. Anyhow, my brother is rough on plants. During one of his "moods," he broke several leaves off his Pachira...I can't remember if he bit them off, or if he was swinging his glow-sticks around the room like weapons. Long story short, he placed one of those leaves in the bottom of a plastic cup, filled with generic peat-based potting soil. The soil was constantly moist/wet because there were no drainage holes in the cup. He handed me the cup, and said here, take it. So I did. I brought the leaf from Sacramento to Auburn, where it sat from February to May on a warm Eastern window-sill. Surprisingly, it grew into a full-sized plant! Now, I summer my Pachira on the front deck (western exposure), beneath a large maple tree. One year, I put my Pachira out before the maple had leafed-out...big mistake! Nearly every Pachira leaf was sunburned white. New leaves grew when the dead leaves dropped, but now I know to wait until I can offer filtered sunlight. After a period of acclimation, Pachira can handle quite a bit of sun. Josh

If part of the reason for these forums is education (which it is), then I agree with the OP that the rhetoric could be toned down a little. Quickest way to get someone to turn you off and not listen to you and your cause? Piss them off with the the tone you answer their questions in. Back to the subject, I doubt the Bayer would kill the tree if it is applied per directions. That stuff you buy at the box stores is so weakened, and you only applied 3 oz. However you never mentioned how big the tree is. In defense of the OP, Japanese beetles are a terror in certain areas. They are so much here in my local area that I removed 2 crabapples a few years ago because I was tired of the swarms in the yard and the leafless tree for half the summer. So I can understand someone wanting to treat early in anticipation of the beetles. Now as far as stuff like root stimulator, we all know most of that stuff is snake oil. There ain't enough chemical in that to kill a fly, it's just made to make money off gardeners that don't know any better. A side note, all of you giving the OP a hard time...I'm sure you have a chemical free, organic lawn, right? It's amazing how many people I come across that will raise cane over 3 oz of insecticide, then apply 200 lbs of chemicals to keep weeds out of their lawn. To the OP, we all try to convince people to use chemicals only when absolutely necessary. I would have done the same thing you did. Now if it don't work, and you get beetles anyways, don't keep applying chemicals. Once they get started, there isn't any chemical available in a store that will control them. Pick them off by hand or just let them do their thing. I use chemicals only when absolutely necessary, in fact I am using them now trying to control leaf miners. And I agree, a lot of people are overusing chemicals, but part of the reason is non-education. They see 100 different brands of insecticide at Lowes, and they are marketed in such a way to make every homeowner think they need them. So we need to continue to educate the public, and maybe go after the chemical makers that are making money off gardeners that don't know any better. By the way, i would love to have a chemical free, organic body...but I got to keep putting these medicines in it to keep it going properly.

I totally agree with aztreelvr. Overall, at least from the pictures, the tree looks pretty good. It should be showing signs of growth by now since planted in August, an indication of establishment. New trees require more water. The watering area should be expanded to the ends of the tree's canopy, which will also tell you where to fertilize the tree as the feeder roots are out at the canopy. Fertilize Valentines Day, Memorial Day, and Labor Day. I give small doses of fertilizer monthly in the warm months for faster growth. I'll foliar feed with fish emulsion and water it in too. Plants love it. I assume the tree is NOT in a low spot where water will settle around the trunk for days, which can cause disease like gummosus. Stick a screwdriver in the ground around the tree. If it comes up wet, don't water it. You CAN reduce water now that it is winter. With the warm days we were having (still), I would water once every two weeks, but it just DEPENDS on your particular soil conditions, sandy, clay, drainage, etc. Last winter for example (really wet and rainy), you didn't really have to water much. Just keep an eye out for warm/dry spells in the winter that we can get here. Being relatively new, it does NOT have a strong root structure to pull nutrients, water, etc. DO protect the tree the first year from frost then, as it will be quite a bit more susceptible to damage due to age. DO put two stakes on either side of the tree and eliminate the one that follows the trunk. DO use green landscape tape to tie to the stakes on either side allow the tree to sway in the breeze but not so much that it can break. The tape is quite flexible and strong. This is how it will build strength and not damage the trunk. DO wrap cardboard around the trunk to protect from sun as the tree does not have the foliage to do so (as it is new). This will protect the graft too. DO enjoy your lemon tree. Hope this helps.

I was trying to look at the soil line- you can't see really clearly through the weeds, and if it's been that matted and damp in there for too long and it's buried too deeply... Those weeds trap moisture and provide cover for creatures that could have munched your tree's bark and allowed an entry for disease. That'd be my guess.