Looks like you let it get too dry and then watered it; lots of lemons will drop leaves when that happens.

Thanks John. If that is all, it should recover?? I never let them get too dry, but it has been awfully hot here...

I hope it recovers Laura. It is just so hot here these past weeks. Everything of mine is wilting in the heat even though they are watered. That happened to my Owari Satsuma earlier in the summer and it has recovered nicely, so your Lemonade tree probably will also as you take care of your trees really well.

Oh, Laura I know how you must feel. The same thing happened with my meiwa when I let go without water too long. It dropped most of its leaves, put out a huge number of blossoms, set fruit, dropped all of them and put out new leaves. It looks OK now, not terrific, but OK.

I wonder what caused the damage on that leaf in your hand. Could be a combination of foliar feeding and the tree not having enough water? I believe it is not a good idea to apply neem to a tree that is under stress.

Thanks guys! All my other trees are so happy...I was very surprised to see it this morning. I honestly do not think it dried out, but anything is possible.

The same with my satsuma. All the others were fine. I just couldn't figure it out. I just assume somehow it missed getting water. All the trees were together, same light conditions, same water and fertilizer. But the Satsuma dropped it's leaves. I just hope it will recover for you too.

Cory

Sorry to hear that Laura- not the nz lemonade! I actually have a new calamondin that just did this too, just the other day I noticed tons of leaves had dropped for some reason and little flower buds started pushing out on the bottom (the bad, death knell kind). The top half of the tree looks fine just sparse on leaves.

I think my problem has to do with the constant torrential rain we had a few weeks ago... The trees didn't get to dry out for at least 2 weeks. And it was super hot when it wasn't raining. I put it down to general stress.

I am sure yours will recover!

I'll keep you guys updated!

It has been raining all afternoon here, but I can see it from my window....more leaves have dropped. It is weird because one branch is almost bare (it had older leaves) and another with new growth is not, although those leaves don't look great either.

Dried points on leaves are most likely caused by some type of oil burn. I got the same thing after spraying the new leaves of a lemon with too much neem oil.

I see no reason for the tree not to fully recover, even bushier than before.

I am so sad for you and your little N.Z tree! I know how excited you were to get it, and I know you have nurtured it since, like you do all of your trees. In regards to the burnt leaves on the new growth, my Bearss Lemon had the same problem with the new growth getting burned a month ago. I keep mine well watered, and, I have never used any sprays of any kind on it, except just spraying the leaves off in the early morning and evening with water from the hose. The sun gets hot fast some mornings, and the new growth is tender. It recovered nicely in time. Yours will also. It is mind boggling how we nurture and care for all of our trees pretty much in the same way, with watering, fertilizing, spraying etc.. but, then we have that one tree that drops leaves or just looks unhealthy for some reason. Then we play it out in our mind over and over, why did it happen, did I do something different, miss something?? I have a key lime that set fruit, and then just dropped leaves on one side of the tree! Just one side, and, I still can't figure that one out!!

In your zone and area you should have enough time for it to push out new growth and recover nicely.. Hugs!!

Thanks Jinny! I do suspect you're right...too much TLC...I smothered it literally! I hope and think I fare better with my kids ;-)

jinnylea:

About the key lime that dropped leaves asymmetrically, my guess is that water/nutrients transport between roots and branches works on vertical channels, almost isolated one from each other. Something like in the dual coloring white flowers with dye:

https://www.stevespanglerscience.com/lab/experiments/colorful-carnations/

or
http://artfulparent.com/2012/07/make-patriotic-flowers-for-4th-of-july-decorations.html

So if you damage the roots on one side, the branches above-it will suffer most.

That makes sense. Thanks for the links! So much to learn...

Vladimir, I did spray in the morning, but not early enough obviously. It was a hot day, although not scorching. None of my other trees suffered in the least, but I guess this one was more vulnerable.

And/or drier than the rest.

How is the patient today?

No worse! Two branches seem totally fine...seems a localized reaction - not systemic thankfully!

eSilviu, thank you for the links.. Very fascinating to read. It does explain a lot..The roots looked good when I transplanted it a few months ago.. It is possible I might have damaged a few roots when I inserted a dowel along the edge of the pot. I thought I was far enough away from the roots, but, you never know.. It should recover and leaf back out in time correct?? I think I will try this science project with my young grandson sometime. He would love it! :)