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tasty_gw

Need help with citruses+pics multiple problems need help and id's

tasty
14 years ago

Hi, everybody I need help with my citrus and some id-ing.

I will post pictures. The three trees are meyer lemon, unknown navel orange(needs id), and a cocktail tree with one part a calamondin and the other unknown.

navel orange

need id and help

[IMG]http://i773.photobucket.com/albums/yy20/theforce19/S6000691.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i773.photobucket.com/albums/yy20/theforce19/S6000693.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i773.photobucket.com/albums/yy20/theforce19/S6000693-1.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i773.photobucket.com/albums/yy20/theforce19/S6000692.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i773.photobucket.com/albums/yy20/theforce19/S6000691-1.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i773.photobucket.com/albums/yy20/theforce19/S6000690-Copy.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i773.photobucket.com/albums/yy20/theforce19/S6000689.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i773.photobucket.com/albums/yy20/theforce19/S6000688.jpg[/IMG]

Meyer Lemon

need and help and to know what that scar is on the tree in picture [IMG]http://i773.photobucket.com/albums/yy20/theforce19/S6000697-1.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i773.photobucket.com/albums/yy20/theforce19/S6000695-1.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i773.photobucket.com/albums/yy20/theforce19/S6000699.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i773.photobucket.com/albums/yy20/theforce19/S6000700.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i773.photobucket.com/albums/yy20/theforce19/S6000707.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i773.photobucket.com/albums/yy20/theforce19/S6000702.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i773.photobucket.com/albums/yy20/theforce19/S6000697-1.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i773.photobucket.com/albums/yy20/theforce19/S6000696-1.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i773.photobucket.com/albums/yy20/theforce19/S6000695.jpg[/IMG]

cocktail tree

(supposedly just two trees that were planted together one calamondin and one ???

[IMG]http://i773.photobucket.com/albums/yy20/theforce19/S6000714-2.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i773.photobucket.com/albums/yy20/theforce19/S6000712-1.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i773.photobucket.com/albums/yy20/theforce19/S6000711.jpg[/IMG]

thanks for the help

tasty

sorry for the bad pics

Comments (32)

  • tasty
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Here is some info, it's in a container which is in front of a huge south facing window, all citrus are watered once it's dry at least 3 inches until I water. The only fertilizer I can find was a 20-20-20 all purpose water soluble fert with micros. It stays inside until mid June.

  • meyermike_1micha
    14 years ago

    Tasty, I will take a look when I get home tonight.

    Many here will help you, so don't despair..:-)

    Mike..:-)

  • tasty
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Guys you can skip the cocktail tree as it was mislabled it was just a calamondin.

  • meyermike_1micha
    14 years ago

    Hi tasty,

    Though I would give you a hand and make these pics easily avaieable for you to get help..

    Looks to me like the soil it's in might be holding moisture far too long..Let us see what others have to say too..:-)

    {{gwi:575928}}

    {{gwi:575931}}

    {{gwi:575933}}

    {{gwi:575936}}

    {{gwi:575939}}

    {{gwi:575941}}

    {{gwi:575943}}

    {{gwi:575946}}

    LEMON MEYER

    {{gwi:575948}}

    {{gwi:575951}}

    {{gwi:575954}}

  • Andrew Scott
    14 years ago

    I am quickly learning that citrus prefer lighter soil. Seems like a contradiction for me since the majority of my tropicals prefer to be moist constantly. My mangoes would die if they totally dried out( I actually lost one that way!). Even my new meyer is in a fast draining medium. I actually got the tree like that, so I am crossing my fingers that it will dry fast. I am thinking that with the size of the tree and the size of the pot, it should dry fairly fast, especially being by the baseboard heater.
    Andrew

  • tasty
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Thanks for the help Meyermike and andrew78. I think the soil is bad too, It was the only soil I could find then I mized some cactus mix and a some perlite. Next repotting is going to be in al's gritty mix but I don't know the recipe and probably don't have the materials in any stores here in Winnipeg.

  • tasty
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Does anybody know why my meyer lemon leaves are browning and falling off? and how can i get more leaves growing on those twigs? Is it because of fertilizer, ph level, soil, anything?
    please help people!!!

    Thanks

    tasty

  • Andrew Scott
    14 years ago

    Are you checking to see if the soil in the bottom of the pot is dry? Maybe from over watering and also if the soil is holding too much moisture, th roots could be rotting. That is about all the help I can give. Have you noticed any bug infestations? Maybe you should check the rootball. If there are no white roots, then you may have a rot issue and that can be fatal. You may be able to sterilize pruners and remove the rotten prtions but if there is not enough healthy roots left, it may be a goner. I am no expert but I think I have given you a good start.
    Andrew

  • badsmerf
    14 years ago

    You probably don't get enough light up there in the winter for a citrus to grow. Many have great success putting their trees in cold rooms (Mike can explain that more). You can also supplement with artificial light if that isn't an option. I also am of the opinion your soil probably needs to be improved. If it were me, I would not hesitate to begin looking around for the right ingredients since it sometimes takes a little time to find the right things. Then, as soon as I found them I would root prune, and prune off as many leggy stems as I think it could handle and start over forming the tree. I also would clip the fruit and focus and building foliage until it has the general shape that I want. I think of my little trees as developing bonsai. My trees are as beautiful as a piece of artwork if not more (at least they will be when the get bigger lol). You have come to the right place. There are soooo many people that love to help others, and there is a ton of great information in the archives. The more you understand about soil science and the science behind what plants need to live the better.

  • meyermike_1micha
    14 years ago

    Tasty,

    You said:

    "Here is some info, it's in a container which is in front of a huge south facing window, all citrus are watered once it's dry at least 3 inches until I water. The only fertilizer I can find was a 20-20-20 all purpose water soluble fert with micros. It stays inside until mid June"

    It is getting plenty of sun if not obstructed. If the fertilizer has the minors also, it's not the product itself.

    But your "watering techique", amount of fertilizer you give it and frequency, and the soil mix it's in concerns me..Believe it or not, some citrus by nature drop their leaves..In fact, one of my meyers went completely bare on me..
    I would do a repot almost immediately into a well draining porous mix..I posted pics of a perfect example..I noticed that you DO NOT have dead branches yet..
    I personally don't think it is too late to make it better, or fix the soil mix..Like I said, your watering practices and soil mix are a major concern. Everything else can be addressed after..

  • birdsnblooms
    14 years ago

    Tasty, are the pics Mike posted yours? I don't see any brown leaves.
    Leaves turn brown for different reasons..Is the brown crispy or soft?
    Lack of sun isn't the cause of brown leaves.
    A little more info would help.

    Mike, are the pics your citrus or Tasty's? What size is the container? It looks large, but pics are deceiving. Toni

  • meyermike_1micha
    14 years ago

    Hi Toni,

    Thank goodness you are here..Thank you..You definately know citrus as well as I do, and we need to put our heads together to help tasty..

    Those are her pictures I posted for her..I am thinking her plants are too are in too big of a pot and that she could be overwatering, starting the stages of root issues..

    What is your take friend?

    I think she is getting plenty of sun, in fact more than mine do, and I am not having this issue..I think the leaves are showing signs of root issues..

    How often are you fertilizing in this mix that is not well draing tasty? Tell us more..

    Glad you are here Toni..

    Mike..;-)

  • meyermike_1micha
    14 years ago

    Tasty. oh no!

    Looking at the pictures again very closely, I see dead branches! I didn't notice before! The second pic up from the bottom shows die back...ROOT ROT IS IN THE WORKS!!!!!!!! Sorry

  • birdsnblooms
    14 years ago

    Hey Mike, I haven't seen you...hope everything's okay..

    Yes, the pot looks too large, but w/o numbers it's hard to say for sure.

    I'm also wondering if soil should be leached. Too much chemcial fertilizer??? She mentioned brown leaves..I'm wondering if her citrus has leaf burn?

    In the last pic, looks a little like mite damage..Mike, what do you think?? Toni

  • meyermike_1micha
    14 years ago

    You know, you have an eye for that stuff, and come to looking at it again, I think you are right!
    Especially on the first 8 pics..Where the heck is Rhizzi anyway?..She would know too..

    It does look like it...Wonder if it because her plant is so weak, that it is susceptable to an infestation..Looks to me like some work is in the makings...

    Toni, since you have helped me rid these buggers in the past, and have givin me great advice for growing these things, I think a different take on her problem might help, since not too many people seem to be helping her out here..I might be making a wrong assessment since you have definatley years over me..Help he would you..lol

    Tell her what you would tell me, please...Thank you my friend!

    Hugs,

    Mike..;-)

  • birdsnblooms
    14 years ago

    lol Mike..

    First, is Tasty even around???

    Tasty, do you keep your citrus in that spot or brighter light? I hope you placed it there to take a picture..the room doesnt't supply enough sun for citrus. ith adequate sun, you should start seeing new growth on the bare stems.

    Second..what size is the pot? When a plant is overpotted, it could take a long time before new growth develops. Roots have to 'almost fill' a container. Your pot looks way too wide..IMO, your citrus needs a narrow, tall pot.

    Before I list ingredients for home-made insecticide, would you please check your citrus for Spider Mites? Look for fine, webbiing..like webbing of a house spider, only finer.
    Some of the leaves are pale..It's especially noticable in the last picture. Toni

  • thisisme
    14 years ago

    Tasty if you can find the ingredients for Al's mix get it. If not try this.

    2 parts pathway bark.
    1 part sphagnum peat moss.
    1 part coarse sand.
    1 part potting soil.
    1 teaspoon Ironite granules for gallon.
    1 teaspoon Osmocote Citrus and Avocado food per gallon.

    It will drain well while still holding water and nutrients. The ingredients are inexpensive and easy to find and the soil will hold up for a long time. It won't last as many years as Al's Gritty mix. However your trees are small and you are likely to need to re-pot them a couple times before this mix breaks down anyway.

  • tasty
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Sorry for the delay of posting, Toni I took the pictures in front of my door which is not where the plant stays, they stay in front of a huge window we have, the bottom of the pot is dry for some strange reason,even after I water, the problem is with pots is started off in a 1gal then in a 3gal then this was the the only pot that wasn't a huge 15 gal thats all I could find, I think this is a 5gal. I do see webs fine but no bugs but then I see some dead branches near them. The leaves that are brown are crunchy dry so it could be I'm thinking either fertilizer burn or humidity problems. I feed with the fertilizer once a month.

  • tasty
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    "Tasty. oh no!

    Looking at the pictures again very closely, I see dead branches! I didn't notice before! The second pic up from the bottom shows die back...ROOT ROT IS IN THE WORKS!!!!!!!! Sorry"

    On what tree do you see this on? Mike

    tasty

  • tasty
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    I would put the tree back into the 3 gal but it outgrew it. I'm thinking of taking the meyer lemon out tomorrow and checking the roots, and repotting into al's mix or thisisme's mix . Mike what mix do you use?

    tasty

  • Andrew Scott
    14 years ago

    Tasty,
    If you see fine webs on any part of that tree, you better spay with insecticide. That is one problem you don't want and a sign your tree is stressed. I get these every year on my huge gardenia. I spray a couple times a week and then there gone. My gardenia problem is trying to keep it cool enough but I am keeping it mostly happy.
    Andrew

  • tasty
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Hi, I've chosen a mix from AL, Small batch:
    3 gallons pine bark
    1/2 gallon peat
    1/2 gallon perlite
    4 tbsp lime (or gypsum in some cases)
    1/4 cup CRF (if preferred)
    micro-nutrient powder (or other source of the minors)

    easy stuff to get but I need help whats the closet thing to pine bark on this site

    http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/2/OutdoorLiving/FertilizersGrassSeed/DecorativeMulchesConditioners.jsp

  • cebury
    14 years ago

    I've certainly learned to stay quiet helping folks with soil on "your side of the country". That pot size and the mix Tasty created look totally fine to me -- but that's based on our hot arid climate here central CA. But you folks fighting the indoor climate and rain have it much harder.

    A better (closeup & focused) picture of those larger younger leaves in the last pic may be helpful.

    In addition to the webbing concern, I would also guess over-fert b/c several leaves are showing the tip discoloration (tho only a few are clearly burnt). Yet I don't see any wilting, curling or stark-yellowing leaves.

    I would also remove that fruit.

    I wouldn't hesitate to remove any 1-2yr+ citrus from fresh container soil to check the roots or replace soil. If done carefully but you still have roots tearing off, they were almost certainly dead or dying anyway. However, if this tree has already lost loads of leaves or been stressed for quite a while, I probably wouldn't add to the shock.

    If not, I'd remove the fruit, bareroot, rinse, put in the new soil and spray.

    If it's overly stressed already, I'd probably just keep it in the soil but rinse it well. Then move the entire rootball into a fabric container (local hydroponic store or mailorder). Or keep a really good thick wick in place to drain it (which is hard to do indoors, I'm sure). Then hope for the best....

  • meyermike_1micha
    14 years ago

    Tasty, the second picture from the bottom up , I see dead branches..In fact, looking at the leaves very closely, looks like there is some speckling of leaves and curled leaves, a sign of mites as Toni says..
    You probably won't be able to see them with the naked eye, so therefore I use a magnifying glass..

    If you are diligent coming here, I guarantee you that Toni will be here to help you a tons along with all of us....

    I use the mixes I learned to make over at the container forums..A recipe I picked up from Al..I am sure many more have great ideas about soilless mixes and you can decide what works best for you and your plants..There is so many possibilities..Just make sure the mix will hold its structure for a long time, drain well, is porous, and allows good gas exchange for the roots at every watering..If it should rain for days while your tree is outdoors, one that you don't have to worry about that will stay too wet allowing for root rot..:-)

  • tasty
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    I will wash the old soil off and repot in a good soiless mix, then spray with insecticide for mites, should I cut off the dead branches now?

    tasty

  • meyermike_1micha
    14 years ago

    Cutting off the dead branches won't harm a thing..

    When it is bare rooted, wash the whole plant off with a nice shower of water and soap..Rub the few remaining leaves you have together between your fingers as the water is hitting the plant to get off any critters if they are there. Sometimes they hang on for dear life if you just spray it. You need to rub those leaves clean, top and bottom..

    You might not have to spray at all if you do a good job at it..:-)

  • tasty
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Hi, sorry for the very late posting,I have took the plant out, rinsed the old soil off and re potted into a way better soil mix that drains really well. I also have sprayed some insecticide on it, looks like it's ok now. It's growing but only flowers now I counted 18 new flowers but no growth?

    thanks

    tasty

  • aesir22
    14 years ago

    Wow lots of interesting stuff here!

    I think there are multiple issues here, and, since the health of the plants isn't great, I would deal with all possible problems rather than hunt down one specific one. If it were me I would do the following, since doing them would fix any of the most likely problems that you may be having.

    I would change the mix to a free draining one. I would check the roots, and pot into a container that is only a little larger than the rootball. I would put them in a partially sunny position after the repot until they get used to their new mix and pot. I would then move to a sunny location once things started to settle.

    I would make sure the room had plenty of humidity with gravel trays or a humidity. I would make sure the room was warm, and provide bottom heat to the pots if possible.

    I would inspect for bugs. Mites and scale seem the most prolific - possibly mites in your case. Webbing is a telltale sign, and sometimes hard to spot, but not always present. I would treat with Toni's spray regardless (she can tell you the ingredients, or you can search previous posts.)

    If you do spot bugs, use Toni's spray or a suitable one for fruiting plants from a garden centre.

    I would water these (after the repot) only when the new medium was closer to dry than damp. In a new medium you won't have to worry so much over watering - if it is the right medium it is unlikely you will overwater unless you go nuts with it. Fertilize only very lightly until the tree is back to health, then feed with a high nitrogen feed every couple of weeks.

    Citrus bounce back, but they take time. These are not by any means the be all and end all of things you should do, they are merely what I personally would do :)

    Danny

  • aesir22
    14 years ago

    Oh, and the growth of flowers indicated the tree is stressed, which is to be expected after a repot and everything else. In time, vegetative growth will follow. Be very very very patient, let it do its own thing. You can remove the flowers or leave them. Removing them may help the tree retain some energy for leaf and root growth. I have had similar situations - sometimes I leave flowers on, sometimes I remove them and it never seems to make much difference to the tree. Plods along either way!

  • meyermike_1micha
    14 years ago

    Wow aesir22, great advice..!

    Humidity is not a "must", but certainly appreciated by just about any plant and me too...:-)

    Mike:-)

  • tasty
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Thanks for the help guys! I will update back after a couple weeks.

    thanks

    tasty