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Help with Meyer Lemon Tree

7 years ago

Meyer lemon tree (i think 3 yrs old?) was doing great outside until i brought it in for the winter. Don't have a great sunlight window for it and all my ledges are over (but not in direct line) electric heat vents. Since day 1 of bringing it inside it has struggled...this was a very FULL and flowering&budding tree... (Now you can see the stalk on the L is completely bare and more of a brownish colour) .Have moved it away from the heat and have a plant light bulb (from home depot) on it to help. Have used a liquid plant food on it (maybe 6 weeks ago now) to help boost it which didn't seem to help...From reading other posts I understand that there is shock happening with bringing it inside..but I don't understand why one side is doing well and the other isn't (not shown in pic but the 2 main stalks come from the same trunk/rootball) any thoughts or suggestions? ..As per a previous suggestion I have since removed the fruit. Thanks!

Top shows the stalks coming from the same trunk

second shows just higher on plant where the discolouration starts and gives a decent idea on the difference

how tree looks (minus the fruit currently)

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Comments (5)

sunshine (zone 6a, Ontario,Canada)
7 years ago
Hi! I would say do not overwater or underwater( it has to be on the moist side but not soggy wet soil) and don't use the water straight from the pipes, let the water sit overnight in a container so the gases can evaporate. With very little light you don't have to fertilize the tree ( maybe only 1/3 of the strength of a normal fertilizer doze). Raise the pot higher on some stand or bench. These are the things I do to get my trees through the winter months. It is so tricky to keep them happy indoors in winter.
W M
Original Author
7 years ago
Thanks for the comment! now i have a digital moisture meter for the soil but the guide that came with it didnt have lemon tree in it...have read online that between 4-6 is a good level? is that accurate?
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I agree with the not fed enough thought. Plants will often steal the nutrients from the older leaves to support the new growth and flowers, but it's not good for the long term health of the plant. What brand did you use? It would be better to fertilize on a regular schedule rather than as a occasional quick fix. Osmocote Plus is easy to get and works great for container citrus. Many folks here also supplement with DynaGro Foliage plus. Don't use fertilizer stakes or granular fertilizer, that's more for in-ground plants. I don't use epsom salts (magnesium sulfate)by themselves as it's easy to over or under dose with them. Too much can be a problem. Most quality citrus foods have Magnesium as a micro-nutrient in the correct amount. Also, to me it looks more like a nitrogen deficiency.
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sunshine (zone 6a, Ontario,Canada)
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
I have never used moisture meter, I usually check the moisture with my finger or by the weight of the pot. Somehow I feel it when to water :) Never let the tree stand in water, make sure it is drained completely after each watering and return it to it's spot ( I water my trees in the bathtub, mist them and keep them there for about an hour to let all the water out). You have to have lots of holes in the pot that the tree lives in. Water deeply and wait for the next watering until it is on dryer side. Hopefully someone will give you an advice on the meter.
Vladimir (Zone 5b Massachusetts)
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
Water meters may be unreliable. Instead of using a water meter, check to see if it needs water by digging
a couple of inches into the soil mix with your fingers to see if it is damp. Alternatively, shove
a wooden skewer halfway between the tree and the wall of the pot and all the
way to the bottom. Pull it out and if you see particles on it, then it does not
need watering.
sunshine (zone 6a, Ontario,Canada)
7 years ago
When in doubt, wait for one more day.

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