Is the base of the tree covered with soil or mulch? Can't see in the picture. Citrus trees don't like that. The roots at the base need to be exposed.

UF advises that you leave the soil bare from the trunk out to the drip line. It looks like it needs water. Newly planted trees need more water for the first couple of years. Put a hose at the bottom and let it trickle for a few hours in the evening (so the water won't evaporate), then make sure to water it every other day for a couple of weeks to help it revive itself.

As far as the mulch, you can put a large ring around it and keep that bare, and mulch out past the dripline. I know weeds will grow, but you can use vinegar to kill them when they're small, and RoundUp actually doesn't hurt when sprayed around citrus for weeds as long as you don't get it on the leaves.

ETA: I'd also remove all the plants around it. Citrus doesn't like having to share water with anything else, and they may be sucking up too much needed water. Usually, citrus don't have anything planted around them that competes for water and nutrients.

Can you see if the fertilizer stakes applied are still there? I wouldn't add more yet. How close did you put them to the roots? If those are huge and in direct contact with the roots, I wonder if you burned the roots.

Tyler if you still have the stakes, in order to avoid wasting money, take a mallet or hammer and break those stakes up into very small pieces. Then use them. That is what I have done in the past.

Watered daily for how long? If it's being kept too wet, it may have root rot. It doesn't need to be watered daily, especially with all the rain we're getting.

When did you plant the tree? October/November is the best time to plant citrus so they can make roots over the winter to withstand the summer.

How much mulch do you have on it and how long is it watered by the sprinklers? Sometimes sprinklers do not put out enough water to reach the soil if there is too much mulch.

It's not unusual for citrus planted in hot weather to lose some leaves, but if your leaves ever start cupping, it means the plant isn't getting enough water. Mine struggled for awhile after they were planted, because I knew nothing, and the guys who planted them didn't amend the soil. They dropped some leaves, but they came back strong once I trenched around them and added manure, then watered them very well for a couple of weeks.

Here is the UF page on growing citrus in the home garden. Just read through and see if you can spot something you're doing wrong.

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs132

O.K., I took a closer look at your tree by downloading the image. Take the fruit off. I know you don't want to, but citrus aren't supposed to be allowed to fruit the first year after planting so that they plants can get established and develop a good root system. The tree puts all of its energy into the fruit and it takes away from its making roots. you can leave 2-3 on, but most of it has to be removed.

I'm sorry. :.( One year, my Valencia orange was so bad that I had to cut the entire top off just below the limbs (leaving just a stick in the ground) and let it grow back out completely. After a year or so, it took off and put out oranges every year. Sometimes we have to be cruel to be kind. I hope it comes around. I'm not a citrus expert by any means, just saying what UF says and what has worked for me. Good luck!

Spreading the Mulch

A 2- to 3-inch layer of mulch spread around the base of each citrus tree is enough to hold in moisture, regulate the soil temperature and prevent weed germination and growth. The University of California San Diego Cooperative Extension recommends maintaining this layer constantly throughout the year.

Preventing Root Rot

A common cause of root rot is lack of oxygen exposure, which can occur if the mulch is spread too close to the citrus tree’s trunk. To help eliminate the threat of root rot, spread the organic mulch at least six to 12 inches away from the citrus tree’s trunk. This prevents excessive moisture retention around the roots and allows for proper air circulation.

myermike_1micha California (Mediterranean) and Florida (sub-tropical) are two completely different climates for growing citrus. California is much, much drier than we are, thus mulch may be necessary, where our citrus experts at University of FL say not to mulch.

Not sure if this helps, but I planted a limequat in the spring. It seemed fine for a little while - even had baby limequats all over it, then maybe a month later it dropped 3/4 of its leaves. I thought, for sure a goner. But about a quarter of it looked fine and now it is growing back. Transplant shock? I didn't have that issue with my other citrus trees though, and I didn't manhandle it or anything.

FWIW I have heard citrus don't need much of anything. Not water, not nutrients. In fact orchards in FL mound plant citrus to keep them from getting root rot.

Good deal, Tyler. I hope it improves. I know how it is to badly want a plant to do well and it continues to just not. I hope it turns around.

Two more things:

1 - Is your plant in an all-day-full-sun location?

2 - You should be aware of this which for now, has no cure (and took out all four of my citrus trees and all of my neighborhood's citrus trees). It's a tough one: Citrus Greening Disease

Carol in Jacksonville, FL

Just one tip: Never fertilize a plant right after you transplant it. It needs to put energy into making roots, and fertilizing it just stresses it by confusing it as to whether it's supposed to grow roots or leaves. Plus, fertilizer can burn the roots of newly transplanted plants.

Good luck with it.