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artsgal

Unhappy Meyer lemon

artsgal
9 years ago

I have a dwarf Meyer lemon tree that I received in January 2013 from Four Winds Growers. When first potted it up it thrived, immediately growing new leaves and flower buds. I followed all of the instructions for choosing a pot and mixing up potting soil, and it has spent the past two winters in our south facing bay windows where it receives tons of sun. Last winter it started dropping leaves so I moved it to our upstairs bay windows where it stays warmer and gets even more sun. It perked up and I harvested four lemons last year. This winter it seemed to be drying out too frequently upstairs so I moved it downstairs again and it immediately perked up again, blossomed, and set three fruits. But after that the leaves again started yellowing. Some have brown tips but some don't, but they all seem to be dropping.

I thought perhaps it needs even more sun, so have been transitioning it outside. It's been on our patio for about a week, but in a shaded area.

I have a water meter and only water after it gets mostly dry, then give it enough that water comes out the bottom into the tray below. I've been fertilizing with Jobe's 09226 Organic Fruit & Citrus Granular Fertilizer, and using Dyna Gro Foliage Pro.

It's interior leaves are the ones that drop, so it's ending up looking really scraggly and leggy. Am I over-fertilizing or under? Over-watering or not enough? I am using tap water - maybe that's the problem? I've read you shouldn't prune when it has fruit on it, but it's shape isn't very good. I haven't repotted it since I got it 1.5 years ago, but I'm reluctant to try when it already seems so stressed.

I'd love any advice, I can't seem to make the poor thing happy!

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