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cfox248

Oh, why do I put up with fussy citrus?

cfox248
9 years ago

Specifically Meyer lemons. It's one issue after another with that thing! After I revived it from the brink of death, there are several branches that have grown rich, dark green leaves, much to my pleasure to see after months of work nursing it back to health. What do I see this past few weeks? CHLOROSIS. Some of the leaves are getting yellow tips and paling, leaving the veins dark green. I fertilize, so I'm amending my watering schedule, figuring it's probably an overwatering thing rather than iron deficiency, and I'm collecting rainwater to flush the soil out in case of salt burn from the tapwater. On the gorgeous new leaves, too. It's very slow chlorosis, but it's definitely there. *sigh

then I go camping this weekend. their first weekend all by themselves outside, after a week of acclimating. I left them with good water and in the shade of my patio so it wouldn't dry out. I came home and it was looking good - a few droopy leaves on the side that sticks out into direct sun (whoops, tried to get everything in the shade as best I could) but when I touched the branches... they're sticky! I saw no scale, but I came out in force with my alcohol and neem spray and doused it down. Going back out pretty soon to scrub with a toothbrush. They were pretty evenly sticky, and I saw no bugs so maybe it was something else but I'm taking no chances!

And over there sits my orange tree, happy as a clam since it arrived in the mail. I know Lemons are finicky but my goodness. This is ridiculous. I'll be out for the week coming up here and the last thing I need to be worrying about is my Meyer. Everything else outside is quite happy.

Oh, you lemon tree, how tempted I am to go get a new one - they have Improved Meyers at my local garden center! Every time a new issue pops up I just think - this is more knowledge that I'm getting about how to keep plants happy. Everything is a lesson, and I'll take something away from this. That's what's keeping me from chucking it! Some day I will get lemons from that tree and they will be all the better for all of this work and money put into the thing.

And to the squirrel who I suspect is digging in my potted plants - stop. There's nothing in there for you, I promise. If you keep doing it I will Cayenne the soil for you to find next time you try.

Comments (13)

  • poncirusguy6b452xx
    9 years ago

    I have a bunch of citrus trees. 3 poncirus trifoliatas, 3 sweetlee tangerines, 2 nagami kumquats, 1 meiwa kumquat, 2 Meyer lemons, and 5 Hardy Chicago kumquats. The hardy chicago kumquats are the only trees that I never have a problem They go dormant in the first fall frost, I bring them out of hibernation 2 month before last frost. This is done under grow lights. The produce fruit fast and all season. I am very pleased with them. The fruit of the hardy chicago kumquat is distinctively different from all other citrus. They are very very rare at stores and other citrus sell for a dollar per pound (NOT WORTH GROWING).

    see pics

    {{gwi:587115}}
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    Branches are rooting while on the tree. THAT EASY
    {{gwi:587123}}
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    You are to important to waist time on common citrus.

    Click the link below to see where I got mine.

    Stick with the hardy chicago

    Steve

    Here is a link that might be useful: http://ediblelandscaping.com/products/shrubs/Figs/

  • johnmerr
    9 years ago

    cfox,

    If you have a Meyer, it IS an Improved Meyer; that is the name given to the new release of the Tristeza virus free cultivar in 1975. All Meyers sold today are Improved Meyer.

  • meyermike_1micha
    9 years ago

    Steve. Why do you keep calling your figs kumquats.? A bit confused.

    Mike

  • meyermike_1micha
    9 years ago

    Cfox. Too funny but I Hera ya. It's all worth it in the end as many here have helped me to see))

  • poncirusguy6b452xx
    9 years ago

    mike I set out to grow kumquats and it is my figs that are doing so well, not citrus. So I call my figs kumquats to make fun of citrus and to show others that citrus is not worth growing.

    Steve

  • JoppaRich
    9 years ago

    Steve, if you're not growing citrus, you're wasting everyone's time here (like you always seem to be doing).

    As typical, your post is off-topic, thread derailing, and generally not usefull.

    Basically, you're being a troll.

  • poncirusguy6b452xx
    9 years ago

    cfox248 I understand the frustrations involved in growing citrus trees. They are down right hard to grow but can be very rewarding. All of mine are doing very well. I did want to show you that other subtropical ( Hardy chicago fig ) fruits can be grown easily up north. My string of pictures show how productive they are. I was not trying to tell you to give up on citrus, I am not going to either. I hope others may be encouraged to go figs as well as citrus. After all, if you are not convinced in the citrus forum to try figs, you'll never go to the fig forum to be encouraged.

    The reason that citrus is so hard to grow is that it does not go dormant in winter. That is when all predator insects are gone and the light is so low the trees get sick. Figs shut down and hibernate. Go ahead and try one from ediblelandscaping.com as linked above. They go on sale for as little as $6.00 often. They grow fast, so get a small one. The tree above is 19 months old from a 2 inch cutting.

    JoppaRich

    I have given a lot of on topic advice over the years. I give 'out of the box' ideas through pictures on what I have done followed by instructions ( verbal and visual ) of technique that are low cost to free. I will continue sharing my ideas even though they wont apply to the majority. I would suggest that you look through my stuff and form ideas from it to what works for you. A pictures worth a thousand words. A video is worth a billion words

    click bellow for citrus growing tips and tricks

    Steve

    Here is a link that might be useful: http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/citrus/msg0320572518736.html

    This post was edited by poncirusguy on Thu, Nov 6, 14 at 7:38

  • cfox248
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thanks all! I do not plan on giving up on citrus. My lemon tree, as much of a pain it is, will eventually fruit and it will be 100X better for all the work put into it. It's good to know that all Meyers are improved, I didn't know that.

    As much as I'd love to get more fruit trees, it just isn't in the budget (sigh). Even a little $6 one - that means another pot, more dirt, etc etc. I have too many plants already, really! I can't help buying them every time I go to the garden center. It's a bad habit.

    I have a plan for next winter for my citrus, so I'm prepared for the fight. We sadly get more winter than summer around here, so the trees spend at least 8 months inside. Lemon was doing GREAT last year, even flowered and set fruit in December, till I went out of country and it almost died from the lack of any kind of light. I know better this year!

    I've actually never tried a fig before. I've had a Fig Newton, but I'm fairly sure those don't count. I would want to try a fig before getting a fig tree! (I don't even think they sell those around me... Where do you find figs?)

  • poncirusguy6b452xx
    9 years ago

    You can't buy figs around your area as for the trees you will have to mail order. Fig newtons don't count, check below and wait for a good sale. Fig trees are one plant that buying a small tree is better than buying a large one. I hope posting the fig tree pics above was helpfull.

    Steve

    Here is a link that might be useful: http://ediblelandscaping.com/products/shrubs/Figs/

  • poncirusguy6b452xx
    9 years ago

    cfox

    I will give you a link to my Photobucket display on citrus growing techniques. Everything there is open to public viewing. I have few problems with citrus with these setups .

    Steve

    Here is a link that might be useful: [http://s1094.photobucket.com/user/wreristhechimney/library/?sort=4&page=0(http://s1094.photobucket.com/user/wreristhechimney/library/?sort=4&page=0)

  • poncirusguy6b452xx
    9 years ago

    JoppaRich

    I have had smashing success with my citrus sweetlee tangerine trees from seed, My Meyer lemon trees (2) are looking great. My seed grown kumquat tree just got the boost of their life. They got a new home with some one that has the resources and time to give them they care they need. I have developed a great deal of knowledge on the growing potted citrus tree in clay-like soil. The roots of my crippled kumquat tree is massive and healthy. It is the spider mites that prefer kumquats over my citrus, tomatoes, peppers, ETC---. I will still say that up north the hardy chicago fig is the way to go. My fig link where I will send people to try figs.

    I also corrected my smelling mistake of your GardenWeb user name in my last entry above this posting.

    My sweetlee from seed tree at 21.5 months from sprouting

    Steve

    Here is a link that might be useful: http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/fig/msg0223165126211.html

  • Dave in NoVA • N. Virginia • zone 7A
    9 years ago

    Steve, can you tell me what exactly is a 'Sweetlee' tangerine?

    I've never seen it for sale (as a plant).

    Is it more of a tangelo (which the thorns might suggest)?

  • poncirusguy6b452xx
    9 years ago

    I got the tangerine at a specialty grocery store in an Amish/Mennonite territory. This store draws people for hundred of miles for it outstanding well documented variety selection. I google'd sweetlee and found one citrus journal that talk about special attempts to producing cold hardy citrus that would ripen before November frosts. To my knowledge, this tree was a failed attempt.

    If you Google the rare "sweetlee tangerine tree" all you will get is Gardenweb artical pertaining to my tree. I thought the article I read was a PDF so I attache those letter and sill come up with my stuff or stuff like the lee tangerine is sweet, Sweet juice of the lee tangerine is -------. and so on.

    I have never seen that variety of tangerine again.

    Steve

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